BT testing 20MB broadband

[verytalldave]

Had a phone call from a guy at BT yesterday and he wanted to know whether I would like to take part in a 6 month trial/test that BT are about to roll out in my area.
It consists of upping my broadband speed from about 2-3MB which I have at present up to a potential maximum of 20MB. All I have to do is fill in a questionare after the 6 months is up to let them know how it went.
And for this I get my broadband free for 6 months.

Result.:bannana:

 

[Benzowner]

Kinansome:bannana:

 

[wemorgan]

I'm with BT too. I was called up about 3 months ago and was asked whether I wanted to renew my contract for another 12months at a discounted rate. I agreed. Weeks later I realised that the 'discounted' rate had become the basic rate. I felt a bit cheated.

So it's good to hear BT can offer some genuine offers to its customers.

 

[Sp!ke]

Its a scam - you sign your soul over to the devil I tell you.

OK, maybe I'm exaggerating but still, some bloke rings you up out of the blue and offers you something for nothing - best err on the side of caution hey.

 

[verytalldave]

Its a scam - you sign your soul over to the devil I tell you.

OK, maybe I'm exaggerating but still, some bloke rings you up out of the blue and offers you something for nothing - best err on the side of caution hey.

My thoughts entirely. I must admit I was very sceptical. However, no information or requests for anything was made, so whatever happens, it isnt gonna cost!
Nothing needs to be done at my end of things, all the changes required are in the exchange, so absolutely nothing for me to do other than (hopefully) notice an increase in speed when it comes on stream.

 

[Sp!ke]

For normal everyday use, I doubt you'll notice any real world difference as the speed is limited by other factors anyway.

If you abuse torrent sites however, you'll find it of benefit as you can take advantage of the multiple streams of data.

Just dont get caught.

 

[verytalldave]

For normal everyday use, I doubt you'll notice any real world difference as the speed is limited by other factors anyway.

If you abuse torrent sites however, you'll find it of benefit as you can take advantage of the multiple streams of data.

Just dont get caught.

Thanks for your concern, but I can assure you I dont download or access anything illegal.
Even my son who is a DJ pays for all his music downloads via proper legal sites. No file sharing or even dodgy software.
But I thank you for your advice anyway.

 

[raymont]

Agree with sp!ke doubt you'll notice any difference in normal web browsing.

Went from 2mb to 10mb (cable) and while downloading files is clearly much quicker everything else feels much the same.

Suppose (non finanacial) benefit depends on what you use internet for.

 

[oldcro]

My thoughts entirely. I must admit I was very sceptical. However, no information or requests for anything was made, so whatever happens, it isnt gonna cost!
Nothing needs to be done at my end of things, all the changes required are in the exchange, so absolutely nothing for me to do other than (hopefully) notice an increase in speed when it comes on stream.

When he's done at your exchange, could you send him up to mine please.

 

[wemorgan]

I find that some FTP sites for downlaoding software updates can download at 5Mb, but very few other sites.

 

[whitenemesis]

As others have said, you wont notice anything much different. The bottleneck is in the actual websites not the channel to/from them. Very few sites beat 1mb speeds for file downloads.

But as you say, it's free, so what's to loose?

 

[Druk]

Nothing needs to be done at my end of things, all the changes required are in the exchange, so absolutely nothing for me to do other than (hopefully) notice an increase in speed when it comes on stream.

They must be confident of the condition of your feed cables. I'm limited to 5mb irrespective of what equipement they install at the exchange. The cabling in the street is crap. End of .

 

[popuptoaster]

Im stuck on a crappy little country exchange with a 2mb max, my sis who's half a mile up the road is on the main exchange and gets 10mb which is irritating, i keep thinking of fitting her router with a roof arial and an amp.

 

[Antharro]

These are trials for BT's 21st century network, aka ADSL2. They are rolling it out to smaller exchanges first to avoid the huge problems that occurred when the 8Mb upgrades were first rolled out which resulted in mass disconnections, ISPs being mis-informed about how it wasn't a fixed 8Mb, it was "UP TO" 8Mb, and so on...

If you are a BT user, you can check when your exchange will be upgraded by going here (SamKnows), typing in your phone number, clicking submit, then clicking "BT 21CN".

I think if you are a Virgin customer you will need to do it by your post code instead.

popuptoaster - is that 2Mb fixed, or is that all you are getting? Any ADSL connection these days should be "up to 8Mb", tho I know there are still some ISPs who sell the old 512k, 1Mb and 2Mb products.

 

[MrT]

Be and their parent company O2 already offer up to 20MBps service on ADSL2+. I get about 14MBps download and 2MBps upload. Useful as we have a computer in just about every room of the house.

 

[popuptoaster]

These are trials for BT's 21st century network, aka ADSL2. They are rolling it out to smaller exchanges first to avoid the huge problems that occurred when the 8Mb upgrades were first rolled out which resulted in mass disconnections, ISPs being mis-informed about how it wasn't a fixed 8Mb, it was "UP TO" 8Mb, and so on...

If you are a BT user, you can check when your exchange will be upgraded by going here (SamKnows), typing in your phone number, clicking submit, then clicking "BT 21CN".

I think if you are a Virgin customer you will need to do it by your post code instead.

popuptoaster - is that 2Mb fixed, or is that all you are getting? Any ADSL connection these days should be "up to 8Mb", tho I know there are still some ISPs who sell the old 512k, 1Mb and 2Mb products.

Its an issue at the exchnage apparantely, occasionally it creeps above that in the wee hours but not by much, not due for replacement until 2012 they say because of the lack of demand from the users on it, bloody old biddies and weirdo religious nutters up here, i'm not in the middle of nowhere either, just at the outside edge of the last housing estate before the countryside.

 

[Dryce]

Agree with sp!ke doubt you'll notice any difference in normal web browsing.

Went from 2mb to 10mb (cable) and while downloading files is clearly much quicker everything else feels much the same.

Suppose (non finanacial) benefit depends on what you use internet for.

I up'ed from 8Mbps to 20Mbps a short while ago. Latency didn't improve much so even without congestion/contention a simple web page doesn't appear to load much faster after you click a button or link. However, complex pages do load appreciably faster.

 

[flango]

As most of you know when we get into speed and driver training issues I often quote my Nephew who is a petrolhead and advanced driver the same as me, unfortunately he is in the BMW camp though, anyway I digress.

In his day job he works for BT and he is responsible for this 20mbps upgrade to the network trialling in selected areas, so I presume you are in Kent somewhere? as this is where the trials are being run, eventually BT hope to get to 50 mbps down the even crappy conventional copper cables, to compete with Virgins 50mbps service (which won't run at this speed, but is capable of it, good marketing and advertising)

Another project he is on with in the London suburbs is WiMax which involved throwing blanket cover over an area within a 30 mile radius of the transmitter providing wireless internet connection at speeds of 72 mbps.

There's no catches to any of this if you are offered a trial just BT wanting to thoroughly test the technology before going to a full UK roll out thus avoiding any c*ck ups.

 

[CE230]

Quick test shows that I get the following from Virgin

• Download: 9.55Mb
• Upload: 0.47Mb

Ample for my needs.

Doesn't ASDL slow the further you are from the exchange?

 

[verytalldave]

As most of you know when we get into speed and driver training issues I often quote my Nephew who is a petrolhead and advanced driver the same as me, unfortunately he is in the BMW camp though, anyway I digress.

In his day job he works for BT and he is responsible for this 20mbps upgrade to the network trialling in selected areas, so I presume you are in Kent somewhere?..............

Correct.....
I get my service from the Orpington exchange.