ADSL2+ in Thurso

[Cobra]

Good afternoon folks,

I was wondering if I could seek advice from those who have already upgraded... I see that Thurso's exchange is now 21CN-enabled and ADSL2+ is available, and that some folk on the Org have managed to get the upgrade:

http://forum.caithness.org/showthrea...able-in-Thurso

I just called BT Sales, and spoke to a very pleasant lady who told me that I'm already on the fastest line they offer, and that I will need to wait for BT Infinity to come to Thurso before I can ramp my line speed up again.

I've had my broadband line since October 2012, and it was plain old ADSL that I got with the promise of an upgrade to ADSL2+. Nothing has changed since then, so I can only assume that the upgrade hasn't happened, and I've possibly been given duff information from BT when I called them.

To anyone who has successfully upgraded in Thurso, could I ask how you managed it please?

As always, any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Bobinovich]

For some it was a case of contacting their ISP to ensure early uptake, but for most I gather it's arrived naturally. To confirm what you're on (assuming your router is capable of handling ADSL2+) you can look at the router status page - any download figure greater than ~8Mbps would indicate that you are likely on ADSL2+ as the maximum for ADSL is 8Mbps. If you're unsure about accessing your router status you could run a speedtest while connected to your router via a cable (for best results) and again, any result over 8Mbps should indicate ADSL2+. Even on my current laptop connected via wifi, with multiple other wifi & numerous wired devices also simultaneously accessing the router, I'm getting a download speed of 9Mbps (router is reporting 15.2Mbps).

[Cobra]

Hi Bobinovich,

Thank you for your swift reply!

My connections speeds according to my router's connection information are:

Downstream:	7.938 Mbps
Upstream:	448 Kbps

...on a BT HomeHub 3, which should be capable of both ADSL and ADSL2+. It seems to be a case of persuading BT to migrate my connection, but they seem to think it's a case of waiting for BT Infinity.

[Asylum seeker]

Do what i did phone Bt and say that you want on ADSL2+ or give me my MAC code and i,ll switch to another provider. I was switched over with in the week and went from getting 4 to 5 mbps to getting a regular 12 to 14 mbps. You are definately on ADSL and not the 2+. They are migrating people over bit by bit but doing this i got done right away.

[Bobinovich]

Unfortunately, as per Cobra's first post, they've only had their broadband line since October 2012, so are unlikely to be let out of their contract. It's just gonna be a case of keeping on at them when you know you're in the right!

However not to say it's not a good option for anyone else...it's something worth doing with all major suppliers (my other bugbear one being Sky) to extract more modern equipment or a better deal from them.

[Cobra]

Well, I'm just off the phone to BT again... I spoke initially with the UK based team who were utterly useless. They insisted that the line would migrate automatically if a faster service became available and I would just have to wait. I pressed on with the facts, but they were unable to differentiate between ADSL Max, ADSL2+ and BT Infinity - they kept insisting as they did yesterday that I am mistaken and my service can only be upgraded once BT Infinity arrives here in Thurso. Eventually I think they had enough of being unable to explain why I could sign up as a new customer with my phone line and get ~13.5Mbps when I am presently getting 6.5Mbps and transferred me to an overseas call centre, most likely in India.

That's where things get interesting. I spoke to a gentleman who actually understood what I was getting at, and who knew his stuff about different types of broadband. He put me on hold and spent about ten minutes (sporadically coming back to me) sorting everything out with the appropriate departments to save me doing it. He eventually come back on and letting me know that my line will be migrated on 13 February, and that I can expect the usual disruption for 10 days as everything retrains. Easy as that - and no changes to the contract.

It just shows how clueless some departments in BT are, and what can be achieved when you get through to the correct deparment and someone who is actually interested in helping you out.

Thanks for the advice folks, it's appreciated!

[Bobinovich]

Great news - persistence pays off, but it is shocking that they don't know the difference, & that someone in a foreign country knows more about the systems in this country than their UK staff :/

[Cobra]

Well, just as the gentleman from India promised, our connection migrated to ADSL 2+ today. I've just arrived home, and in spite of this being the very start of the "training" period it scored 14.51Mbps down, 0.69Mbps up with a ping of 69ms.

If only all BT call centre staff were as knowledgeable, as capable and as friendly as the gentleman I spoke with. There was no fuss, no bother and he knew exactly what I was on about - and even better, he arranged it all for me and it actually happened bang on schedule. This is the first time that BT have ever managed to do anything right for me too - I've been extremely unhappy with their customer service thus far, but this has begun to make me feel better about handing over a load of cash every month.

[Bobinovich]

Great news!

[Cobra]

So, to answer my own question (with help from Bob!), in order to migrate from ADSL Max to ADSL 2+, you need to:

1 - Call BT Sales (150 from a BT line, select the "Products and Services" option)
2 - Insist on getting migrated from ADSL Max to ADSL 2+
3 - When they offer you BT Infinity, carefully explain the difference
4 - If they then put you on hold, then come back and tell you that migration is automatic, insist that they CAN mark the line for migration
5 - Keep to your guns and insist on a date and technical information, and they will pass you to their "Technical Department" in a foreign call centre
6 - Explain to the operator that you want to migrate you broadband service to 21CN and ADSL 2+ and they will get it sorted out for you no bother at all

Of course, BT should be offering you the option just to go direct to option six...

[dx100uk]

wick now listed as due jul 2013!

http://adsl24.co.uk/availability/exchange/W/

notice by the old bignold hosp
they have been working for almost 3 weeks recently.

dx

[Mr P Cannop]

switch to Sky Broadband

[hedgehogger]

switch to Sky Broadband

Don't give up your day job Mr P Cannop.....you'll never make a comedian



As for the old Bignold Hospital? whats that got to do with BT? The exchange is down Union Street is it not?

[Mr P Cannop]

give them a try

[Moonboots]

Im with them and have to say, only had alittle problem with my phone line but broadband is 19.8Mb and an openreach engineer said my line is one of the best lines he has ever come across.