O2 / Be difference in service to Sky based on stats

[HSNet]

Hi Saturday

Im looking at swapping to Be over from Sky, for reasons such as static IP and higher upload speeds.

But here is the twist, Be (on their site) claim (hang on let me quote this precisely)

We've estimated that your maximum download speed is 14 meg .This is based on information BT gave us about your BT line.

Ok, fair enough (if I didnt know better). So im scratching my head as to how on earth they came to this conclusion. On Sky Max im currently seeing a rough 6Mb connection, the stats (below) are from my D-Link router, but ive had reservations as to its 100% accuracies for a long time.

DSL Status
Connection Status Connected
Upstream Rate (Kbps) 800
Downstream Rate (Kbps) 6144
US Margin 8
DS Margin 9
Modulation GDMT
LOS Errors 0
DS Line Attenuation 46
US Line Attenuation 56
Path Mode Interleaved

Ok my Attenuation on Upstream is higher than those on my downstream (dont ask me how). Now I know Netgear routers are not very stable on my line. Infact they prove so unstable I end up with a 512k connection (if that) on a typical ADSL connection (due to the profiling).

So my question is (and I may be better of using the Netgear router just to get a second opinion on those stats) based on the stats above, what would O2 / Be realistically be able to provide me with.

Cheers,

Tom.

[Saturday]

The checker uses BT data about your line. Not usually very accurate and more often underestimates speed rather than overestimates.

Your stats are pretty strange e.g. your upstream being higher than the downstream. That really shouldn't be so. Because of that I'm loathe to comment on your possible sync speed. Have you had line problems?

If your downstream attenuation is accurate (which isn't at all certain) then you'd expect around the 8meg mark.

If you want a static IP then Be and O2 offer that for free on their top packages. However, on O2, their IPs are extremely sticky and survive reboot after reboot for months. In fact other then when they made network changes, the only way I've found to get a new IP is to use a new router (or spoof a new MAC address) for the IP to change. Even then their systems remember the old IP and give it back if you revert routers. If you could live with very occasional changes then there's no need to spend more money.

With the current £70 Quidco rebate and the first 3 months free, O2 Premium will cost a mere £1.51 a month for an up to 20meg service

[HSNet]

Well the IP side of things would be intentional for VPN purposes as well as hosting a mail, AD, DNS etc server.

With regards to O2, I am not an O2 (or active) user so I would be looking at the higher tariff (hence I was looking at Be). I have an O2 Sim which is registered to me, but im guessing that I need to be an active user spending £x every month in order to qualify.

I did have issues on my line a long while back (back in the days of Plusnet, modding their boards and trying to calm people over the ellacoyas). I do have a faceplate fitted with inbuilt splitter, and no extensions. I have done pretty much all that can be done as far as my line goes.

I reckon possibly using the sky netgear router to get a second opinion on the line stats may give a better indication as to what is happening for real?

[Saturday]

It would be interesting to see what attenuation figures the Netgear came up with.

IIRC you need to either have a monthly contract or top up £10 every 3 months on PAYG to qualify for the O2 discount.

Both Be and O2 should offer the same ADSL experience as it is essentially the same network (slightly different routing apparently). O2 CS is UK based whereas Be is somewhere in East Europe. O2 is "home" user whereas Be is home and business and their technical support is well regarded as is their (closed i.e. only Be customers can access it) user forum .

I think you'll find either of them a completely different experience to Sky.

[HSNet]

Well,

My connection technically be home and slightly business based so I reckon Be would be the better choice (if anyone adhears to terms & Conditions anymore).

When you say their support is well regarded, do you mean that it is good and second to none, or in a different manner?

The only reservations I have with either Be or O2 are that both (wanting to take advantage of their 3 month payment free offer) would land me in a 12 month contract, and the only other option would be the quarterly contract with Be. The only other bit that gets me is that Be need 3 months notice if you want to leave, compared to the industry standard with other providers of 30 days...

I will do my best to dig out the dusty old netgear today just to see what that shows. But im still half in mind on whether to or whether not to. Obviously I dont want speed to decrease downstream, but I would enjoy the extra upstream and static IP. Not to mention I cant recal ever having had a major problem with sky that has left me short on access, besides 2 occassions where there was a 4 hour downtime.

Regards,

Tom.

[JusTox]

In my opinion O2 are a better service than Sky because on Sky I was capped to 2Mb, O2 estimated my line to get 13 Meg but now am on I get about 8 Meg which am happy with because a lot faster than 2Mb.

[HSNet]

Right I have just this second had a look with the netgear.

Netgear Stats

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 6138 kbps 798 kbps
Line Attenuation 46 db 13.5 db
Noise Margin 11 db 11 db

D-Link Stats

Connection Status Connected
Upstream Rate (Kbps) 800
Downstream Rate (Kbps) 6144
US Margin 7
DS Margin 10
Modulation GDMT
LOS Errors 0
DS Line Attenuation 46
US Line Attenuation 56
Path Mode Interleaved

So from this upstream looks as though it should handle the 1.3 upstream (I know I wouldnt get exactly 1.3 lol) but downstream looks accurate. Given that evening time the SNR would drop, so give it an overhead of say 5 which takes us down to 6db.

[Saturday]

Originally Posted by HSNet

When you say their support is well regarded, do you mean that it is good and second to none, or in a different manner?

I mean that I've never heard anyone say other than good things about them.

Originally Posted by HSNet

Right I have just this second had a look with the netgear.

Yep, looks like the downstream attenuation is consistent at 46db. Depending on whether you actually have a noise margin swing of 5db, I think you should expect a bit more than the 6meg you currently get with Sky and close to 1.3meg upstream - maybe 2.5meg would be possible on Annex M if you're prepared to take a small hit on the downstream.

[Saturday]

Originally Posted by JusTox

In my opinion O2 are a better service than Sky because on Sky I was capped to 2Mb, O2 estimated my line to get 13 Meg but now am on I get about 8 Meg which am happy with because a lot faster than 2Mb.

Post your router connection stats in another thread and we can advise whether more than the 8meg might be possible

[HSNet]

Originally Posted by Saturday

Yep, looks like the downstream attenuation is consistent at 46db. Depending on whether you actually have a noise margin swing of 5db, I think you should expect a bit more than the 6meg you currently get with Sky and close to 1.3meg upstream - maybe 2.5meg would be possible on Annex M if you're prepared to take a small hit on the downstream.

Well to begin with I reckon their mid range package will do (as they allow business on that one also). Until I have a new draytek with load balancing and a nice failover server in place with customers needing to access it I think 2.5Mb is a little un needed. But then upgrading would be easy enough for Be.

So go on then Sat.....What do you reckon, is it worth the gamble to see if I can get a slightly higher speed downstream?

I wished I was made of cash I would have a second line already with a draytek in place so i could run them side by side for coparison lol.