Split line

I applied for broadband with BT about one and a half weeks ago and Eircom installed the line on Wednesday. There was a line already present so the exterior wiring was left as is while the internal wiring was changed. On Friday my broadband order went through for processing and I tested the line with a dialup connection. I'm only getting 16.8k max out of it. I was going to wait until the broadband was installed to see how it went but this morning I traced the line and noticed it's split! I've attached a photo for reference.

I seriously doubt I'll get 3 meg DSL out of this so is there any way I can get them to give me my own line? If not then I'll just have to cancel as I think this is totally unacceptable. I'm in Drumcondra, probably less than a mile from the exchange in Phibsboro.

FusionNet

You may be surprised at the workmanship but this is actually how the Eircom network is held together the length and breath of the country. The crimps in your pic are Gelly crimps and they are water tight so that the connection will not corrode. This type of connection is still normally done in a water tight housing to stop other elemnts damaging it.

I wouldnt be worried about the dial up speed as you have no idea if your fuly connected to the exchange or not but I would call Eircom and say that the Engineer did not put the connections in an approved housing and you would like this sorted.

Dont forget the following few things. When you order braodband you share your 3MB connection with up to 47 other people. Secondly you are not gauraunteed QOS (Quality of Service) becasue you are not paying for it. And Thirdly distance from the exchange means little if the copper in your neighbour hood is old.

Make that call though asap.

FusionNet

FusionNet wrote: »

I wouldnt be worried about the dial up speed as you have no idea if your fuly connected to the exchange or not

I'm not completely sure I understand what you mean here, sorry.

FusionNet wrote: »

Dont forget the following few things. When you order braodband you share your 3MB connection with up to 47 other people. Secondly you are not gauraunteed QOS (Quality of Service) becasue you are not paying for it. And Thirdly distance from the exchange means little if the copper in your neighbour hood is old.

I am aware of issues such as contention ratio and QoS but with a split line I'd find it very unlikely that my modem will sync at 3072/384, I doubt I'd even get 1024/128 on it (though I'm even surprised it's passing the DSL line test). I'm going to ring them tomorrow and just hope they'll do something about it.

kaizersoze

Karsini wrote: »

I seriously doubt I'll get 3 meg DSL out of this so is there any way I can get them to give me my own line? If not then I'll just have to cancel as I think this is totally unacceptable. I'm in Drumcondra, probably less than a mile from the exchange in Phibsboro.

Your line is not split with your neighbours. You have your own line.
Whats shown in your picture is a 'joint', not a 'split'.

The cable comming from the pole has multiple cores (probably 5 pairs) inside and can serve multiple houses. Each house only needs one pair for phone and BB. If your line was truely split, ie on a pairgain, you would be failing the line test.

If so then why am I only getting 16.8k on dialup then? I just don't want to end up in the situation where I hope it'll be ok, it isn't and then it's too late for me to do anything about it. I have no use for a phone line other than a broadband connection, that's the primary reason I got one in.

There is a telegraph pole behind the houses, I would have expected the line to go back to that.

FusionNet

As I was saying before when you get a new line and are awaiting BB you are in limbo on the exchange. Depending on the age of the exchange they have to jumper your line on to the BB grid as it were. This may be a simple jod or on older sites they have to solder the connections. Dont worry about your dial up speed for now. Im pretty sure if you get broadband and your not happy you can disconnect without penalty.

And As I have said and the other poster you have your own line, its just you can see the connections where as these are normally hidden. Eircom take the line from the easiest location. If they took it from the line behind your house it may have taken longer or been more difficult. Eircom dont like difficult.

I've decided to wait and see what happens when the DSL is enabled. However I also noticed recently that my line has changed from "suitable for broadband" to an amber pass "May be suitable; subject to confirmation."

My target date has passed by and the DSL still isn't enabled. I also tried retesting my line today and it now fails. I don't want them to just say to me "your line isn't good enough for broadband" - I want them to fix the damn thing because its my only decent option.