I can't get more than 0.6Mbps broadband

The up to date status is this

1 I have received numerous pamphlets offering 20Mbps broadband in big letters

2 I have checked out the status of the Banbury, UK BT exchange that I am connected to, it was last updated in 2006 and is capable of only 8Mbps.

3 I have recently given up on Orange broadband as it gave me only 0.6Mbps, and no improvement was forthcoming after numerous complaints to them and BT

4 So I signed up with PlusNet who quoted me 2.0-5.5Mps (estimated 3Mbps. Great, now I can watch BBC iPlayer.

Except that when it was installed it gave me only 1.2Mbps. Again complaingin has got me nowhere, PlusNet say its my line - which is provided by BT... Its too long or something, and they are unwiling to complain to BT to do anything to improve the speed.

5 So today (10-6-11) I get an email and a Text that say that my phone number has now been transferred from Orange to PlusNet.

AND MY BROADBAND SPEED IMMEDIATELY DROPS TO 0.6Mbps!!!!

Back to square one.

This is the text of a note I sent to my MP, Tony Baldry and to Dawn Pettis at Cherwell council...

The government has committed a universal speed of 2Mbps for all of us. But the reality is that BT is frustrating this by slow investment and lack of planning.

For example, the Banbury exchange was last upgraded in 2006 and can provide only up to 8Mbps (don't believe the many advertising claims you get in the post offering 20Mbps). The Banbury exchange does however support broadband supplied by BT or by third party ISPs.

The quality of the BT line to my house is very poor, the result is that Orange were able to provide only 0.6Mbps and my new supplier Plusnet can give only 1.2Mbps.

When I signed up to Plusnet they were also advertising 20Mbps, and they quoted me 2.0-5.5, estimated 3Mbps at my post code. It turns out that these figures were simply copied from BT who also showed on their web site that my post code could achieve these speeds. BT also show on their web site a different figure if my line was with BT, this is 1.5-5.5, estimated 3Mbps!

So have

- Offers from BT, Sky, TalkTalk, Plusnet and others of 20Mbps
- A signed up offer of 2-5.5Mbps from Plusnet
- A second figure from BT of 1.5-5.5Mbps
- An actual measured speed of 1.2Mbps since my new Plusnet installation

I have discussed this with Plusnet and they say the problem is the BT line between me and the exchange. And their is nothing they can do about this…

I have tried to contact BT but with little success, they tell me to complain to my ISP, who in turn say contact BT. So this is a dead end.

BT have no published schedule to improve broadband speeds at my location, even though they are promoting their "Infinity" fibre to the cabinet system (FTTC) for high speed internet all around the area.

Cherwell council is very much aware of the problems of people in Oxfordshire to get decent broadband and have a task force trying to find a solution for all of us. Today it is reported that 90% of Oxfordshire is covered by exchanges supplied only by BT (no competitors), and Cherwell have a report showing that more than 55% of Oxfordshire premises have less than the governments committed 2Mbps speeds.

It is clear that BT is entirely responsible for this lack of service in Oxfordshire and that they have no plans of commitments to improve it. It is also clear that all broadband suppliers are making very false claims and offers to provide 20Mbps broadband when they cannot do so.