I'm even more confused now!
 

You've just reminded me...........

About a year ago I changed from a BT 2Mbps to a BT 8Mbps service. BT did a line check and told me that I would get up to 6.5Mbps, which seemed OK to me, so I went ahead.

For the first few months I was getting about 6Mbps, but then it dropped to about 5, then 4, with occasional bursts up to 7.6Mbps while they were working on the exchange. These were all displayed on a little icon on the start bar. After that (last October) it went down to 3Mbps which was confirmed by the speedcheck on the Channel 5 Gadget Show website, and has remained there ever since.

Seeing this thread, I've just checked again with these results.

Thinkbroadband.com Download 2.9Mbps Upload 0.37Mbps
Speedtest.net Download 3.36Mbps Upload 0.37Mbps
Gadget Show Download 1.53Mbps Upload No result

Hmm, 8Mbps seems a distant memory!

How far am I from the exchange?...........................85 metres - I could practically hit the d@mned building if I threw my PC hard enough, and, believe me, I have been tempted on occasions!

It's just the thought of trying to explain it to someone in Bangalore that depresses me.:{

GG

Ahh, GG, this is where some people trip up.

Just because you are so close to the exchange physically, it doesn't always mean that is the length of the cable run from the exchange to you. That could easily be over 1km! Add is assorted "joints" in the cable as lines are tapped off to others, cable degredation, bad connections in said joints and things like that then you can see where things can go bellyup.

Now, iirc there is a UK number for BT which doesn't go to Bangalore. Of course, it ain't freephone but a local call but you get straight through to UK techies. Of course, since I been over here for a couple of years I don't have that number any more but I would get onto them somehow as there could be a fault building up which could cause problems.