Buying Broadband - Part 6

It turns out to be quite funny. The reply to my last answer:

Case ID: 1392853

11 April 2005

Dear Mr Wissel

Thank you for your reply.

I seek your understanding that we are not able to guarantee that you
will receive the maximum doanload speed. You may wish to refer to the
following factors on why your broadband download speed may sometimes not
be optiomal.

a) Your access speeds may be affected by the content providers'
bandwidth connection to the Internet, especially when accessing oversea
site.

If this bandwidth connection is insufficient, you may experience slow
access speeds.

b) Slow connection speeds are sometimes also due to overseas routing
delays/congestion. Unfortunately, such delays are usually beyond the
control of SingNet.

c) Computer system configuration.

d) Transfer loss due to overheads (such as cable condition, distance
from exchanges, etc) (highlight by me)

e) Whether you are running any other Internet monitoring software  (such
as a firewall)

f) PC infected with 'hidden' programs, such as 'Spyware', 'Malware'
and 'Adware'.

At the same time, you may wish to refer to IDA's website with regards to
the speed issue:
http://www.ida.gov.sg/idaweb/pnr/infopage.jsp?infopagecategory=industry:
pnr&versionid=3&infopageid=I1913


I hope I have addressed your concerns. For further clarifications,
please reply to this email or you may visit our webpage at
http://.. . to send
us an online feedback form.

I look forward to serving you.


Yours sincerely

So slowly we get somewhere. My reply then:

>
> d) Transfer loss due to overheads (such as cable condition, distance
> from exchanges, etc)
THAT is what my question is ALL about!!!!
You own the cables, knows the network, runs the exchanges etc. So you are supposed to be able to
make a statement if a certain location can support that speed of ADSL. If you read my previous messages carefully, that is what I repeatedly highlighted.
And I would like to have a confirmation that the line to my flat CAN support the speed. If you need to send a technician and do a measurement I'm ready to pay a reasonable fee for that (or you do that instead of the installation --- don't need that service).
If the cable conditions, distance from the exchange etc. don't support the speed at all it would be selling me a service you can't deliver. Would you want to pay for a service you can't use?

So again: How can you check and assure me, that the overheads don't limit the maximum ADSL speed at my location? And that is not a GENERAL question, but a very specific for ONE location. Once that question is answered I'll be a happy subscriber.