When can I get ADSL2+ at my exchange?

[#1]

Is there anywhere I can find out when or if PlusNet is going to offer ADSL2+ at my exchange WMBDY?
Just had TalkTalk at the door today telling me they have or are about to launch it and at SamKnows it shows they are currently the only ones. Not particularly desperate to move from PlusNet or to TalkTalk, but might have to if PlusNet are going to be a while. After weighing up the bad rep/throttling of TalkTalk against their faster speed, unlimited data, and lower over all price for phone/internet I am likely to give them a shot. It would make it a tougher decision though if I had some idea what PlusNets plans are.
Any info anywhere? Thanks.

[#2]

According to this http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange/WMBDY your exchange has already been updated to 21CN.  Therefore, based on my own experience, you will be automatically updated within about a month if it has not already happened.  Plusnet sent me an email when the upgrade was imminent.

[#3]

Plusnet's own exchange checker confirms the above:
http://usertools.plus.net/exchanges/
Assuming the information is correct you can ask PN to upgrade you "now" rather than waiting for the bulk migration.
(I don't have any personal knowledge about your exchange but I do have plenty of experience of TalkTalk, which is why I am with Plusnet!  ;))

[#4]

Are you sure you are not on ADSL2+ already? If you are a long way from the exchange your speed on ADSL2+ (or on TalkTalk) may not be any better than on ADSL1. If you could post the stats from your roter (sync speed, attenuation and noise margin) we could comment.
If there's one aspect of TalkTalk that you can absolutely rely on is that their salesmen will say absolutely anything at the doorstep to attempt to get you to sign up!

[#5]

Looking at your account you're already on ADSL1 on 21CN, the speed of your line would suggest that moving you to ADSL2+ wouldn't give much of an increase in speed (if any) as you're only connected at around 3.5Mb anyway.
I'm happy to place the order to do this though if you like?

[#6]

If you find your attenuation as reported by your router http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/max_speed_calc.php will give you a rough estimate of the speeds you should get and the sort of speed you'd get on TalkTalk LLU.
Also to bear in mind is that a long line (which yours appears to be) can be less stable on ADSL2+ than on ADSL1 over 21CN which you currently have.

[#7]

Quote from: Chris

you're already on ADSL1 on 21CN,

Do you benefit form the more lenient (88.2% of sync) and immediate (well BT, anyway) IP Profiling under those circumstances?

[#8]

That's true - it is better in that respect to be on ADSL1 on 21CN rather than being on 20CN because of the large step changes in the IP profile.
Note to chania: if you look at the Kitz page I linked you need to use the 21CN line not the 20CN line in relation to what you are currently on.

[#9]

Hi everyone. Thanks for all the responses. Attached are screen shots of the modem stats and speed estimate from Kitz. I assume that line length is accurate; I didnt enter that 3.4km.
Glad to hear I dont need to move to TT. So the question is do I bother with the upgrade? If I actually got that little increase in throughput it probably would make a difference to my experience, but can you tell from the stuff I have posted whether it will be stable?
Is it risk free? IE will it be possible to just switch back again like nothing had happened if the upgrade doesnt have the intended benefits?
Thanks for all the help!

[#10]

The router was rebooted today and I noticed that after just a few minutes and absolutely no usage it says 217 FEC errors. Is that normal?
Also, I put the new downstream attenuation number in Kitz and the estimated throughput has gone up to about 6000kbps. So I guess it really is a really rough estimate and also subject to much fluctuation. Any thoughts on what I should do? Im tempted to ask for the upgrade but I really have no idea what all these other numbers mean.
Thanks.

[#11]

You may have a poor quality or faulty line, or your internal wiring may be the cause of your lower sync speed (bandwidth down). The error rates on your line looking at the earlier stats you posted certainly aren't enormous, however the interference/noise that you line appears to be suffering from needs to be addressed.
Starting with the line itself, can you hear any audible crackling or other noises on your line when using the phone, have you had any other problems with incoming or out going calls?
Do you have an NTE5a Master Socket and are you using Microfilters that look like this?
Do you have hard wired extension sockets? Is everything plugged in connected by filters? Are you using any plug in extension leads of any type, if so where?

[#12]

Hi again, thanks for the response. I have connected the modem to the master socket and attached stats from that.
There is no crackling on the phone and I cant remember there ever being a problem. Everything is using a microfilter. Well, its just one phone and one modem into one hard wired extension socket previously, and now the same but into the master socket.
There are another couple of extension sockets around the house on the walls. One of them seems to have been added later. The whole box is on the outside of the wall and there is a cable coming from it and going maybe one or two metres up the wall and along, until it disappears into the wall. I guess this is not relevant now Im connected to the master socket though.
Looks like there are less FEC errors, but I notice the SN hasnt changed much. But I dont really understand these numbers.
Speed tests are showing 3mb. Through the home wiring they show about 2.85mb.
Modem/router is just the PN supplied Thomson.
I have noticed that the internet does have problems during rain every now and then. Perhaps slightly heavier rain, although I havent paid enough attention to those occasions to know for sure how bad the weather is. But definitely there are occasional problems during rain. I cant remember if there have been any problems during very cold times.
Any comments? Thanks for all the help.

[#13]

If you do want to try the upgrade mentioned earlier we can do that within 24 hours and the same applies to moving you back off it should it not lead to any improvement.

[#14]

Quote from: _Adam_Walker_

If you do want to try the upgrade mentioned earlier we can do that within 24 hours and the same applies to moving you back off it should it not lead to any improvement.

Hi Adam,
In that case yes please, go ahead. May as well see what happens.
Thanks very much. Let me know if there is anything I have to do. Thanks.

[#15]

Done,
I've just placed the order for you so that should complete tomorrow.