BT Wholesale have been trialling a new device that could radically improve the speed of ADSL broadband connections, allow customers to finally enjoy speeds close to the advertised ‘up to’ limit.

Fixing an Interstitial Plate, or an iPlate, to the master telephone socket helps to improve connections by eliminating exterior interference. Broadband connections can be seriously affected by electronic ‘noise’ from basic household appliances with faulty power supplies. Bad power supplies from electrical equipment interferes with the so-called “Bell Wire” which runs throughout households, and creates noise on the line.

BT Wholesale proved how detrimental the effect of faulty power supplies can have on broadband connections, at a demo at their Gatwick HQ. A basic ADSL connection running at 3.8Mbps was throttled down to 700Kbps when a nearby fluorescent tube with a faulty power supply was switched on; when an iPlate was fitted to the master socket, the connection returned to its normal speed. The iPlate is installed by unscrewing the face plate in the master socket and slotting iPlate into place.

iPlates are expected to retail for a tenner, and BT have already conducted trials with 1,000 customers, so whilst they will be a self-install affair, but are also expected to become part of the regular installation feature for new customers. Ashley Pickering from BT Wholesale said “We’ve seen huge increases in speed,” stating that “on average, it makes one and a half megs of difference.”

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