I would like an answer TODAY!

[#1]

Plusnet have stated it's not a Capacity issue if you read that thread, it does appear to be more complex, and it doesn't seem to be simply a matter of whether a Gateway is congested or not. I've got the impression that something demand related triggers the problem but I haven't got a clear picture of the root cause. I'm sure we'll get a full explanation in due course when they've got it sorted.

[#2]

Im wondering if the lack of speed compared to the estimate is down to the fact that the engineer used the same wiring in the house. He said it was fine. Im led to believe that the estimates don't take into consideration the non copper stuff between the cabinet and the socket. See my drawing for more info.
Should he have put new wiring into the house from the grey bt box outside?? The only thing he did was to put in a new socket near the one that is in my front room and loop some wires over from that socket to the new one?

[#3]

In part that might depend on how long those lengths of cable are, but it does sound like a bit of a sloppy job anyway.
Did the engineer not fit a vDSL filter plate similar to these pictures here. see the glowy bit & here to your NTE5a Master Socket?
Are you still having to use any dangly filter for your phone?
Is the cable coming from outside Round and Black about 5.3mm in diameter or white round about 3.5mm diameter?
Edit: Have you got a digital camera? you can attach .jpg photos to a post.

[#4]

Not sure if he fit a vdsl filter to the master socket but I don't use filters at all now for the phone or internet. The cable coming from underground to the grey box is thick black and the grey box outside to the master socket inside is white (much thinner cable than the black). And then the master socket to the front room is white cable that was already in here when we moved in. He said the cable is fine for vdsl but now im not so sure?
jim:quote

[#5]

Just uploading pics now..

[#6]

1: From ground to grey bt box. Can you see the grey wire at the bottom? Is that normal?

2: White cable coming from the grey box to inside my house

3: Don't know if that's a vdsl filter? Cant remember seeing him change anything but he may have?

4: This is the extension that was already there when I moved in..

5: The box on the left was already there. He just put the right box on and looped something from the left box to the right.

[#7]

Don't know why the pics are sideways? Isnt like that on tinypic?

[#8]

Just for future reference, if you click the Reply button just below the last post (rather than use the Quick reply box) or when you Preview a post you'll see an "Additional Options and Attachments..." below the box, click on the + and you can browse to where you put anything you want to attach. This is preferable to uploading things from external servers (which can disappear in the future).
Here's a better picture http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,106397.0.html with the lower front part of the NTE5a unplugged. You've already got one fitted on that NTE5a then.
What distances/cable lengths are you talking about here? Distance from grey box to Master socket and Master socket to extension?

[#9]

Distance from grey box to master I would say approx. 4-5ft and extension from master to in the front room I would say approx. 12ft

[#10]

Did the "engineer" plug in any test equipment and run tests to prove the installation was satisfactory, or did he just plug in the modem and check all the lights came on?

[#11]

BT tightened up on FTTC installs in Jan by reminding engineers about what they should/shouldn't do during an install.
Here is a guide for the ISPs - http://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/aboutus/equivalence/downloads/Key_messages_for_GEA_FTTC_enginee...
If you go to page 6 and look at the steps on the right, this is what the engineer should have done.

[#12]

Quote from: mattprince

1: From ground to grey bt box. Can you see the grey wire at the bottom? Is that normal?

It looks like someone has attempted to repair that with some black insulation tape?
Are the visible wires solid metal strands or plastic coated wires?

[#13]

Yes Matt (& AndyH), that is often normal for a cable that's been installed a good few years when the plastic outer tends to crack and fall off. That's the outer wire sheath you can see and it does look as though someone has put some tape on. But all this doesn't normally affect the quality of the inner cable. I'd be more concerned about that White what I assume to be CW1308 standard cable going into the house especially if it seems brittle, which in any event the "engineer" ought to have replaced especially if he'd read the document AndyH has linked to 

[#14]

Please can someone explain to me what the grey box is??? I have a drop wire from the telegraph pole, does this make difference? I know that FTTP has a small white box on installation but not FTTC, I know thats managed at the Cab.
J

[#15]

I assume it's an external junction box.
BT install a similar white box (modem) for both FTTC and FTTP. I think they are trialling new equipment allowing ISPs to provide their customers with a VDSL modem/router for FTTC.