Date   : Tue, 23 Mar 2010 04:39:05 +0100
From   : rick@... (Rick Murray)
Subject: [OT] ADSL capabilities

On 22/03/2010 20:52, John wrote:

 > This was normally in the night so I think BT probably test
 > periodically (the line was good so not likely to be intermittent).

Yes, BT do test the line. There's some fancy way of detecting how many 
things are on the line by... I dunno, send a pulse and wait for a 
reflection? An engineer did explain it on a call-out when I asked why 
the line always goes "ting!" at half one on a Wednesday. But he got all 
mathy and my eyes glazed over...


 > Interestingly it made not one jot of difference to my average line
 > speed.

This was 2001, predating common high speed internet.


FWIW, Orange have a special tool that runs on your computer (very very 
slowly!) which connects to a special test server. All comms are logged 
and a report made in each instance. Odd thing is, I very much doubt on a 
lame night when I'm struggling to get connectivity (which, I should 
point out, is REALLY REALLY RARE; I was online for the entirety of that 
nasty storm we had a month back (well, both of them!)) that an engineer 
will see to the line in a matter of minutes. I suspect if the line is 
below par, info is sent to the exchange itself to try to improve 
matters. I run the test a number of times, and by the third time it 
usually passes, unless things are really messed up.

My only complaint is that the download rate is "acceptable" above about 
512kbit, while the upload rate is "acceptable" above zero. I once had a 
situation where my download was clocking 1.5megabit with an upload rate 
measured in characters per minute, seriously I *could* Google, but it 
took around 40 seconds for the information to be sent, the line test 
read upload rate: zero.
Obvious problem - if there is no acceptable lower limit on the upload 
rate, then the world's fastest download will be no use if you can't ask 
for stuff.
But, then, seeing as my one megabit line was running 1.5, I suspect the 
exchange was just throwing a wobbly. Maybe it had updated BitDefender on 
it? ;^)


Best wishes,

Rick.

-- 
Rick Murray, eeePC901 & ADSL WiFI'd into it, all ETLAs!
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