Speeds from other providers

[#1]

All internet companies seem to advertise speeds that are optimistic.

I am potentially displaying my ignorance by wondering if LLU services do actually give better speeds than BT FTTC?

Off topic  - I notice the footpaths near my home have "BT" painted on at regular intervals. Should this make me optimistic about improvement?

[#2]

@TeeGee 

Off Topic - you could have a look roung the following sites to see if any speak of FTTP

https://checker.ofcom.org.uk/

https://www.openreach.com/

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL

Brian

[#3]

I’m sure that LLU doesn’t exist for FTTC in the sense that the DSLAM in the cabinet is all Openreach whether you’d go to an ‘LLU’ or a BTW based provider. 

LLU providers though may use their own backhaul at the exchange for FTTC but this wouldn’t affect a sync speed, as the sync speed is the physical rate your modem negotiates at to the cabinet.

Granted, going to LLU may affect throughput but I wouldn’t say there’d be a noticeable difference unless there’s a fault on the line that ought to be fixed.

[#4]

I assume that there is the possibility that different ISPs (LLU or not) might provision new connections with different default Openreach DLM stability profiles (choosing between the options of "Stable", "Standard", and "Speed").

Therefore potentially if an ISP always initially provisions DLM with the "Speed" (least stable) profile, but another ISP defaults to "Stable" or "Standard" - then the first ISP could claim to provide higher sync speeds as their customer's SNR margins are on average is likely to be lower - even on the same physical infrastructure ?

[#5]

Helpful replies, TVM. It is the lack of consistency which is both confusing and irritating.

Checking the @bmc  links I am told with some joy that Superfast broadband is available at my address from a choice of some 29 providers.  18Mbs might well have been superfast ten years ago but but today. 

On the principle of if it ain't broke don't fix it I have no intention of sampling the 28 other suppliers for comparison purposes!

[#6]

@TeeGee 

Only thing left is to hit the search engines and check to see if your local area is in the plans of any of the alternative suppliers.

Brian