Help me understand please...

Things change I've changed

Things change I've changed

Things change I've changed

Soldato
Joined
27 Jul 2005
Posts
13,293
Location
The Orion Spur
I want to move from BT BB but my exchange is non LLU, now during peak times I'm only getting around 2mb max and very poor pings, makes playing online between 4/5pm to 12 midnight near impossible, now if I change ISP will it help ?, what I don't understand is, is my connection like this because of BT or because of their exchange, or both ? will any ISP provider I use though that exchange suffer the same problems as a result ?, how do I get a good ISP that doesn't suffer these problems ?

LLU enabled exchange means that it can have the ISP's own equipment in it right ?, this is all very confusing seriously :(

BT told me my exchange will be upgraded to ADSL 24+ in Jan, will that help during peak hours ?

I'm honestly about ready to move to another town because how slow BB is down here.
 
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Who is your current ISP? As if you're with BT Broadband directly that could easily explain the sub-standard performance you're seeing at peak times.

You are correct in your description of an LLU provider being someone who has their own DSL equipment at the exchange, the copper pair that runs to your house though is still the property of BT.

Moving to another provider who uses BT's network may not be a bad idea, many of them are much of the same though and those that do offer a genuinely higher quality service cost more (mostly as they buy the capacity they really need and don't over subscribe their own networks).

Examples of such providers (who IMO are few and far between) would be my personal favourite Zen, but also business orientated providers such as AAISP, and I'm fairly certain Star can offer xDSL via BT's network.

They will not offer you an unlimited connection for £20 a month, as that is simply not feasable, instead what you get is what you pay for.

With Zen that means £35 a month for 50Gb of usage, but that 50Gb will 99% of the time come down at the speed your line is able to deliver i.e. it's profiled speed according to sync rate. You also get a UK based support team who aren't a bunch of script reading monkeys.
 
Thanks for replying guys, I'm with BT atm, here's my exchange details using the link '3dcandy' kindly provided, http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange/WWNEWQ

According to that AOL, SKY, Orange, and Talk Talk are using their own equipment in my local exchange, what with BT atm being practically unusable during peak hours do you think it might be better going with one of them over a different non LLU provider ?

Also couple more points I'd like clarification on please,

  • If my exchange is oversubscribed does that effect all ISP's providing broadband via that particular exchange ?, or just the non LLU providers ?

  • And if my exchange isn't oversubscribed, and BT are just actively limiting my bandwidth during peak hours, does that effect all non LLU ISP's using the same exchange ?

Thank you for your help.
 
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Sky/Easynet have a decent reputation, though to get Sky you will need to subscribe to their TV service too so it may be worth giving Easynet a call and see what they might be able to offer you. I wouldn't touch any of the others that you've listed there with a very big stick.

Interestingly your exchange should be gong live with BT21CN soon, this is BT's ADSL2+ service and will offer speeds upto 20Mbit/sec, Zen are now offering products based on this so that is a viable alternative to the LLU providers.

As for congestion at the exchange that will be specific to certain ISP's though in the case of an LLU provider congestion on BT's network shouldn't impact performance (though since O2 took over Be for instance they seem to have this habit of piling on the users where there clearly isn't sufficient capacity).
 
I've been with Zen for a couple of years now, 25Gb bandwidth for £25 a month (no traffic shaping, throttling of download etc) but you do get decent, consistant speeds and pings. Also as has been mentioned their customer support is some of the best i've had in anything, not just ISP related.
On the couple of times i've phoned them they answer quickly, UK based (Rochdale) and they seem to be well clued up and knowledgable. Also the faults i've had have been with my BT exchange and they've even gone so far as phoning me back (yes really) inside 20 minutes after investigating the issue to tell me this and when BT expect to fix the fault.

You pay for it but its really a top notch ISP.
 
As above really, however moving from BT may help you along. I'm stuck where I am as only BT is an option...yes really I can only get BT or BT, everyone else say they will provide, but when push comes to shove none of them will. You do still get what you pay for however, and using samknows you can contact/check out the other suppliers. Easynet would seem to be best for starters where you are based...
 
lowrider007 said:
Also couple more points I'd like clarification on please,

  • If my exchange is oversubscribed does that effect all ISP's providing broadband via that particular exchange ?, or just the non LLU providers ?

  • And if my exchange isn't oversubscribed, and BT are just actively limiting my bandwidth during peak hours, does that effect all non LLU ISP's using the same exchange ?
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Click to expand...

Bandwidth generally isn't constrained at the exchange any more, but all the ISPs using a given LLU provider (whether that's BT Wholesale or someone else) are lumped together with the other customers of that provider.
BT Retail limiting your speeds during peak hours is to constrain the use of the connections between themselves and the BT Wholesale network (AKA Centrals, which are very expensive. That's common only to a given ISP.
 
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