what is line noise?

[Kate]

When broadband speeds are considered, line noise seems to hold the key.
What is line noise actually? I was told my phone line has a noise level of 80 db and I often have slow down or complete disconnections a few times. Is the noise level too high? If so, how to rectify this problem?

It will be nice to hear some useful tips on this issue

[Mike]

Line noise on the ADSL line is caused by some kind of disturbance - sometimes natural, some times it is caused by us. Thunderstorm, rain can produce it or when your system and router is near to electrical appliances like microoven etc.

If it is due to man made resource, remove these electrical devices away from your PC. If you find line noise caused by other factors, you can inform BT. However, use the following tips to minimize line noise.

Check microfilters - its quality and whether it is properly positioned. Good microfilters help in reducing line noise.

Remove the faceplate from the master socket in your BT box (where your phone cord is connected to BT line) and connect the cord right into test socket.

As you say, the noise of 80 db is pretty high, so try these tips or call someone from BT

[Kate]

That's a great piece of technical advice, Mike. I changed my microfilter and also removed the faceplate of BT box and I could see notable improvement.