Am I on an 80/10 line?

[#1]

So could I still be on a 10mbps upload line and due to overheads it is syncing at 8.58 or would it not matter even if I was on a 10mbps line because it wouldn't increase my upload sync speed if I was put on a 20mbps provision?

[#2]

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@JHarland wrote:
If everyone received almost 100% of the signal then surely distance from the cabinet would make no difference and everyone would have maximum speeds? My understanding was that as it travelled further from the cabinet the signal becomes weaker which is why people further from the cabinet have lower speeds?

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No, you are using the wrong sort of model here. The signal doesn't start out strong at the cabinet and gradually weaken the further away it gets from the source, like a radio transmission in space. The signal is 'contained' in the wires/cable so doesn't significantly weaken as it goes. Rather, a short cable is a good transmission path for the BB signal, a long cable is a poorer transmission path for the BB signal. The characteristics of the line determine the outcome of the negotiation at the start of connection. Once the sync speed is fixed, the link works at that speed until a break in connection and a restart - assuming nothing untoward, such as a fault, happens in the meantime.

On a capped speed line the speed is somehow limited to the maximum capped speed - on a good line - or is perhaps even lower on a poor line.

[#3]

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@JHarland wrote:

So could I still be on a 10mbps upload line and due to overheads it is syncing at 8.58 or would it not matter even if I was on a 10mbps line because it wouldn't increase my upload sync speed if I was put on a 20mbps provision?

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If your "Data Rate" is 8.58,  your overheads are taken away from that figure, not before

Therefore -

Speedtest result = "Data Rate" - overheads.

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[#4]

So am I right in thinking that even if I was put on a 20mbps provision (if I'm not already) it wouldn't make any difference?

[#5]

For what it's worth I'm provisioned on 80/20

My modem shows -

where my "Actual Rate" is what yours calls "Data Rate"

and my "Attainable Rate" is the equivalent of your "Maximum Data Rate"

Note that because I'm provisioned on 80/20 my "Actual Rate" is clamped to more or less 80 Mbps and 20 Mbps

when you can see that my line is capable of MUCH more !

[#6]

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@JHarland wrote:

So am I right in thinking that even if I was put on a 20mbps provision (if I'm not already) it wouldn't make any difference?

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Correct !

[#7]

Is your house in the cabinet!? 😂 Those speeds are crazy good for fttc

[#8]

Would there be any value in getting a cheap second hand dedicated modem over the Plusnet hub two? Would it negotiate better sync speeds? I've currently got the Plusnet hub 2 in bridge mode and use my Asus router as the transmitting device for WiFi etc

[#9]

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@JHarland wrote:

Is your house in the cabinet!? 😂

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No, I'm at least 570m away from the cabinet,

but spent 27 years perfecting my home setup

including building my own Linux routers since 2006.

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[#10]

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@pvmb wrote:

@JHarland wrote:
"Do people on 40/10 lines show maximum data rates above these caps if either have the capacity to go higher?"

Definitely not! That is what the cap does, it caps the line to the provisioned rate. I am on a 40/10 capped line and these are the figures from my Hub 2 router. (The SNR margin will be quite high)

Downstream sync speed: 39.999 Mbps
Upstream sync speed: 10 Mbps

Whereas, from the BT Broadband checker for my cabinet (interestingly measured today) the maximum speeds are shown as:-

Max Observed Downstream Speed: 78.25
Max Observed Upstream Speed: 20
Observed Date: 2025-08-05

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Clarification - not quite sure what you meant. 

Yes! (😊) In the Advanced settings for Broadband status page, you can see what the Hub 2 says about the maximum rates a line could operate at, if not capped (as in my case), similar to the BT figures for the line. eg. From my Hub 2:-

Data rate: 10 Mbps / 39.999 Mbps
Maximum data rate: 28.934 Mbps / 78.609 Mbps
Noise margin: 18.7 / 16.1
Line attenuation: 6.7 / 13.3
Signal attenuation: 6.7 / 15.1

[#11]

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@JHarland wrote:

Would there be any value in getting a cheap second hand dedicated modem over the Plusnet hub two? Would it negotiate better sync speeds? I've currently got the Plusnet hub 2 in bridge mode and use my Asus router as the transmitting device for WiFi etc

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Usually at this point I would typically express my hatred of everything about the Plusnet Hub 2, 

BUT ... in bridge mode it is actually a pretty good modem,

so there would be little to be gained with a different modem, while your upload speed is so poor.

I think you have a possible line fault, or something interfering with your download data rate.

If you can fix that problem, and get your upload to say 15Mbps, then I might recommend some specific modems.

In the first instance I think you should run the Plusnet automated fault checker,

Using the mobile phone registered in your Plusnet "Member Centre" contact details, text HELP to 07800008121.

If that finds a problem, then get Plusnet to send out an engineer to diagnose your lines poor performance.

Your best option, would be to check whether there are ANY full fibre networks in your area, not just Openreach.

Today 88.32% of UK homes have access to at least one full fibre provider

Try putting your postcode in to this - https://labs.thinkbroadband.com/local/postcode-search 

then see under "Notes On Connection Options" for any full fibre providers.

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[#12]

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@outcast wrote:

I think you have a possible line fault, or something interfering with your download data rate.

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Ooops, I meant UPLOAD

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[#13]

Ironically this is a new line, only put in the other day by an openreach engineer. My previous line synced at a similar speed but a couple of weeks ago it continually dropped out and line/signal attenuation would go with high, noise margin would drop to 0 and it would disconnect. The openreach engineer gave me a new line which is stable but syncs at a similar level to the one before.

[#14]

The only full fibre option I have where I am it's voneus. I've read mixed things about them and my understanding is because they don't use openreach infrastructure if I ever wanted to swap to the mainstream companies, Plusnet, talktalk etc I'd need a second fibre line?
Openreach website says that full fibre will be available in my area in the next year so as long as the line stays stable I'll probably just wait it out

[#15]

I'm fairly certain that an 80/10 provision isn't an option on FTTC - it is either 40/10 or 80/20, but AIUI, a number of factors can affect upload speed, which is not a guaranteed figure anyway.