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Starting switch from TalkTalk, how does this look?

linden
Newbie
Posts: 4
Registered: ‎12-01-2015

Starting switch from TalkTalk, how does this look?

Hi there,

I'm currently a TalkTalk customer on their LLU service; we've been with them since they first went LLU, we transferred from a BT 20CN IPStream connection (remember them?).

We currently have connection statistics of:

ADSL Link
Downstream Connection Speed 9800 kbps,  Line Attenuation 41.0 db, Noise Margin  5.3 db
Upstream Connection Speed 1020 kbps, Line Attenuation 19.2 db, Noise Margin 7.3 db
Connected by ADSL2+, with channel: FastPath (yup, not interleaved).

Can anyone give me an idea of what kind of connection I may get with Plusnet?  I understand that it is a 21CN WBC product, is this correct?  Is FastPath even possible? I ideally don't want to lose speed.
I'm particularly worried as the online speed estimator is giving me an estimate of 5mb/s, and as long as the speed is above about 3.5mb/s we can't leave due to dodgy speed after 14 days - 3.5mb/s really isn't going to cut it.  Unfortunately, although we are on a WBC enabled exchange fibre hasn't got to us yet, so upgrading to that isn't an option.
Is TalkTalk's equipment really that much better than BT's that their sync speed will be about twice as fast as with BT's equipment?

Does anybody have anything I should look out for during a switch, to make the process as seemless as possible?  Anything else to watch out for?  Is it even worth it if we run the risk of a massive speed drop?

I hope you can help.

Cheers
9 REPLIES 9
plusnettony
Plusnet Staff
Plusnet Staff
Posts: 2,188
Thanks: 48
Fixes: 18
Registered: ‎24-07-2014

Re: Starting switch from TalkTalk, how does this look?

It's difficult to say without knowing the full facts, but I'd expect about 8Mbit sync on that line. Of course, numerous factors can change this. It's worth pointing out that I haven't check your estimate on the BT checker (it seems to be down/really slow) at the moment.
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Tony T
 Plusnet Help Team
linden
Newbie
Posts: 4
Registered: ‎12-01-2015

Re: Starting switch from TalkTalk, how does this look?

That's what's so odd.  A downstream attenuation of 41db normally fits with a line around 3km long, and when the engineer first installed it he said it was 3.14km long.  So everything fits as exactly average, but the speed estimator seems to think otherwise.  I was worried the checker knew something no one else does.
I did notice that during the order process the address matcher matched our address correctly (there is no other address it could be) but the address is formatted rather oddly - you can see this if you enter the postcode on the account into the Royal Mail address finder as a comparison.  Will this cause any issues?
Anotherone
Champion
Posts: 19,107
Thanks: 457
Fixes: 21
Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: Starting switch from TalkTalk, how does this look?

Hi linden, welcome to the forum.
Your current speed would suggest you essentially have a good quality line and hence no real reason why you shouldn't see similar speeds on a 21CN WBC product.
Fastpath means no Interleaving, it doesn't have anything to do with speed, but it does mean you have quicker ping times (lag) than when there is Interleaving turned on. (Interleaving is a form or error correction). Less lag could be important if you are a gamer.
Put your phone number in https://www.btwholesale.com/includes/adsl/main.html it will tell you which BTw products are available and which cabinet you are connected to. Obviously don't post your phone number.
As for the Royal Mail Postcode checker http://www.royalmail.com/find-a-postcode I've just tried on mine and it's giving mine correctly, the finder has been updated since I last used it!
linden
Newbie
Posts: 4
Registered: ‎12-01-2015

Re: Starting switch from TalkTalk, how does this look?

Anotherone,
That's exactly why I thought it so odd; the line quality looks fine, we were just worried that the Openreach speed estimator knew something no one else did and the our speed would suddenly halve on OR equipment!
As for the address, as we have an LLU line, the telephone number checker doesn't work, it simply says "there is no data available for this number".  The address checker then lists our address twice, once correctly as:
House Number, Street Name
Locality
Posttown
Postcode
and once as:
Street Name
House Number
Street Name
Posttown
Postcode
Plusnet has placed an order against the oddly formatted version.  I just wanted to make sure this wouldn't have any effect either.
jem16
Grafter
Posts: 874
Registered: ‎27-10-2014

Re: Starting switch from TalkTalk, how does this look?

Quote from: linden
As for the address, as we have an LLU line, the telephone number checker doesn't work, it simply says "there is no data available for this number". 

Your only concern would be if your exchange still wasn't enabled for 21CN which is still possible. In that case the LLU provider could give a higher speed.
You could check Sam Knows where you can input a house number and postcode - this will let you check what's available.
https://www.samknows.com/broadband/broadband_checker?address=true
Anotherone
Champion
Posts: 19,107
Thanks: 457
Fixes: 21
Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: Starting switch from TalkTalk, how does this look?

Well done jem, I was assuming that it was 21CN from the OP, but still worth checking.
As for the address linden, I haven't ever had the double street name issue (I'm assuming in your case both those are the same, whereas in mine they aren't if I get an odd address order), but depending on the organisation and I assume the address reading software they use, the "locality" is missing which causes me real problem as the Posttown is another village and it also has a 2nd street name the same as in my "locality" village.
Postie advised me to contact the regional sorting office as they can enter the system and change the database.
But from the point of view of locating you for your line it shouldn't make any difference as the Postcode should be fine.
linden
Newbie
Posts: 4
Registered: ‎12-01-2015

Re: Starting switch from TalkTalk, how does this look?

Hi,
Well, good news from SamKnows:
BT Wholesale information
ADSL status: Enabled as of 13/08/2003
ADSL Max status: Enabled as of 31/03/2006
SDSL status: Not available
21CN WBC status: Enabled

Nevertheless, if someone from Plusnet sees this thread again, I would appreciate it if they could check that the order does look sensible, even with the strangely low speed estimate and dodgy address format.
jem16
Grafter
Posts: 874
Registered: ‎27-10-2014

Re: Starting switch from TalkTalk, how does this look?

You should be fine - they told me around 5mb.
I do have some other issues going on at the moment but speed has been anywhere from around 5.6mb to just under 7mb. When I was with Sky and O2 I had around 6.2mb to 6.5mb.
MattyC
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 3,201
Fixes: 46
Registered: ‎10-04-2014

Re: Starting switch from TalkTalk, how does this look?

@anotherone - Thanks for alerting this thread to me.
Hi linden,
At the moment, your BT estimate is around 4.5Mbps.
A quick Google search suggested to me that you could receive about 8.8 based on those levels of attenuation, and a 6db SNR (we'll say that as it's usually the default setting). Though I can't really guarantee these speeds.
Why do the speed estimates understimate [in theory]? I couldn't really tell you, unfortunately. A big factor that is taken into account with the DSL checker is the speeds of other users in your area with similar lines.
I'm passing on your account to a provisioning expert to oversee your order now.
Matty
ex-Plusnet staffer. Any posts after 28/07/2017 aren't on behalf of Plusnet