Big drop in speeds shown in BT Broadband Checker

[Wuggy23]

I wonder if anyone can give me an explanation for the following situation.

I signed up for BT Infinity 1 last December. At the time I was quoted the following speeds.

Download 40 - 54 Mb

Upload 7 - 10 Mb

Guaranteed minimum 35 Mb.

This was confirmed by the BT Broadband Availability Checker. I have carried out several checks since on the Broadband Checker, the last time being about one month ago when the quoted speeds remained the same.

After fitting a filtered faceplate in May and being one of those SNR margin was reduced to 3Db I have, for the past 6 or 7 months had a rock solid connection which syncs around  50 Mb Down and 8.2 Mb Up. I have been more than happy with this.

Today I contacted BT and re-contracted for another 18 months at an acceptable price. In the confirmation email I subsequently received I was quoted the following expected speeds.

Download 32 - 44 Mb

Upload 5.5 - 7.9 Mb

Guaranteed minimum 28 Mb.

These are the same as NOW shown on the Broadband Checker.

These speeds are way lower than they were just a month ago. However I contiue to sync at approx. 50 Mb down and 8.2 Up.

Can anyone explain why there is now such a big difference in expected sync speeds on the Broadband Checker and, more importantly, have I anything to worry about, i.e. will my sync speed suddenly drop in the near future to the now much lower figure shown in the Broadband Checker.

Thanks for any advice.

[imjolly]

The checker is an estimate but from your stats there isn't no reason for your connection to change just because cheaper shows lower speed. The checker speeds will be based on the normal noise margin of 6db which would result in a lower connection speed

[Wuggy23]

Thanks for reply but the DSL Checker speeds were shown at the higher rate long before the drop in SNR margin to 3Db and continued at those speeds long after. I'm wondering why the DSL checker speeds have suddenly (in last month) shown a much lower range.

[john46]

The Checker speeds are updated regularly as more connections become live on a cabinet

[licquorice]

The speed shown in the checker has absolutely no influence whatsoever on the speed you will receive, it is purely an estimate of your likely speed and may not reflect reality.

[Wuggy23]

Thanks for that. Can I assume (although i know I shouldn't) that the more live connections in a cabinet then the slower the speeds? I was somehow under the impression that distance from the cabinet was the main player here.

[licquorice]

Not necessarily, distance from the cabinet and quality of cable is the prime factor. More live connections can result in increased crosstalk which can impact speed but it is very dependant on where physically in the cable your pair lies.

[imjolly]

Distance from cabinet is the main thing that determines your speed but as more and more people are added to cabinet the crosstalk increases and can result in a drop in connection speed

[pippincp]

Disdtance from the cabinet is still the main player. A cause of slowdown due to number of connections would be due to the possibility of crosstalk. Not everyone suffers crosstalk though.

[Wuggy23 · Accepted solution]

I understand the problems with crosstalk as cabinets become more congested but I can't imagine that the DSL checker takes this into account. The problem that I can see is that IF my download speed drops from its current level then BT can quote to me the  new updated minimum guarantee of 28 Mb rather than the most recent one of 35 MB with the result that I would be fobbed off as I am perhaps just on the minimum guaranteed margin. Just a thought.