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Max realistic line length FTTC

AlanL33
Dabbler
Posts: 13
Registered: ‎29-05-2015

Max realistic line length FTTC

Hi All
I'm new here so hoping that someone can give me some pointers to whether I should be getting a decent speed at a distance 2.4Km from the cabinet?
Previously on ADSL we were getting between 0.8 and 1.8 mbps downstream and up to 0.5 upstream. We had fibre installed around 10 days ago and it is connected at 1.1 mbps both up and down. http://www.dslchecker.bt.com/ gives an expected range for an impacted line of between 6.4 and 15.
We had an engineer visit this week and he could find no line fault, but his equipment measured a line distance in excess of 4 km from the cabinet, this is clearly not right as the cable route is pretty clear, unless there is 1.6km of cable coiled somewhere.
Anyone out there getting good speeds at similar distances? BTW anything over 5 I would regard as good, we're not expecting double figures!
Alan
12 REPLIES 12
NedLudd
Grafter
Posts: 1,898
Thanks: 8
Registered: ‎20-10-2012

Re: Max realistic line length FTTC

Do you happen to know if it's copper from you to the cabinet or ally?
That can make a big difference as ally is not good for data although sufficient for voice!
Geoff,
York.
AlanL33
Dabbler
Posts: 13
Registered: ‎29-05-2015

Re: Max realistic line length FTTC

That I can't be sure, there is 1500 metres of underground from the cabinet along the road side, then there is a section on poles, this has been replaced relatively recently so I would guess it is copper, the last 250 m is buried across a field and has been in maybe 20 years, not sure what it is.
Alan.
MatthewWheeler
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 8,896
Thanks: 1,506
Fixes: 480
Registered: ‎01-01-2012

Re: Max realistic line length FTTC

I can see the ticket is still with our Faults team.
We can look at sending another engineer to see if aluminium involved.
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Matthew Wheeler
 Plusnet Help Team
AlanL33
Dabbler
Posts: 13
Registered: ‎29-05-2015

Re: Max realistic line length FTTC

Thanks Matt, that would be good.
WWWombat
Grafter
Posts: 1,412
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎29-01-2009

Re: Max realistic line length FTTC

Quote from: AlanL33
I'm new here so hoping that someone can give me some pointers to whether I should be getting a decent speed at a distance 2.4Km from the cabinet?

Ordinarily, you'd expect to get superfast speeds (24mbps) around 1.2km, but service can peter out anywhere beyond the 2km range.
However, much longer distance have been recorded - I think a 4km has been seen in PN - but those longer lines very much require thicker copper than the normal 0.5mm.
Unfortunately, it is much harder to find out the gauge of the line than the length.
Plusnet Customer
Using FTTC since 2011. Currently on 80/20 Unlimited Fibre Extra.
AlanL33
Dabbler
Posts: 13
Registered: ‎29-05-2015

Re: Max realistic line length FTTC

Thanks for the suggestions, we would be pleased to get anywhere near 10 mbps, nevermind 24!
godsell4
Rising Star
Posts: 3,366
Thanks: 15
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: Max realistic line length FTTC

@AlanL33 do you know what the downstream attenuation value is for your line? It is a value reported by the Openreach modem. This is the best indicator of what speed you will get.
If you can not get the value from the Openreach modem, ask the BTO engineer what the value is the next time he connects his JDSU test equipment to your phone line.
--
3Mb FTTC
https://portal.plus.net/my.html?action=data_transfer_speed
AlanL33
Dabbler
Posts: 13
Registered: ‎29-05-2015

Re: Max realistic line length FTTC

Well, we have just had another visit from the engineer who came out a couple of weeks ago, after a bit of discussion I managed to get him to do a more thorough check on the line and he now says that we have aluminium in the roadside section. This would seem be the reason for the awful speed (1 mbps), what are our chances of getting the aluminium replaced with copper?
Alan
jsm51
Grafter
Posts: 42
Registered: ‎20-12-2012

Re: Max realistic line length FTTC

I would say pretty low on the basis that it will improve your broadband speed. We had a piece of Alu cable replaced and the OR guy said that he his bosses had agreed for it to be done because it would reduce the number of faults (and therefore maintenance costs) caused by the Alu corrosion. I think that's the only kind of argument OR understands.
godsell4
Rising Star
Posts: 3,366
Thanks: 15
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: Max realistic line length FTTC

Quote from: AlanL33
... I managed to get him to do a more thorough check on the line and

And did you manage to take a look at the values his test equipment gave which we asked for? these number are really very critical an affect any thoughts and guidance you would get from anybody on this forum
--
3Mb FTTC
https://portal.plus.net/my.html?action=data_transfer_speed
AlanL33
Dabbler
Posts: 13
Registered: ‎29-05-2015

Re: Max realistic line length FTTC

I only got to speak to him on my mobile as I was not here at the time and couldn't remember what value you had asked for. Can I get the figure from the Openreach modem easily enough? If so I'll go and check when I have a minute.
Alan
godsell4
Rising Star
Posts: 3,366
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Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: Max realistic line length FTTC

OK, understood, it is not always possible to be around when BT are in the house.
If you have the Huawei HG612 modem, Yes you can but I think you need to unlock it first, which is simple to do, have a read of http://www.kitz.co.uk/routers/hg612unlock.htm.
Have a close look though, there are two modems Openreach provide they look very similar, they are made by different companies, ECI and Huawei, but the sticker on the bottom should tell you which one you have. If in doubt, do ask.
--
3Mb FTTC
https://portal.plus.net/my.html?action=data_transfer_speed