I'm not terribly technical in this thread, but:
I'm about 2.2 miles from the central office equipment, our speed is 
high, neighbor 1/4 mile further down the road only can get low speed 
DSL. About every 2 years the central office equipment for our line goes 
out. Takes a call to tech. support to issue a work order, and by 11:00 
A.M. the next morning we are back online. Has the technician changed out 
your central office module? Has he tested for signal at the pole, or 
interchange box, or some other places along the distance to the central 
office. I tend to think unless the cable is damaged, the cable isn't the 
issue. Our circuit starting at the central office is 2.2 miles of many 
pair cable hanging on poles, 100' of 2 pair drop cable to the pole in 
front our house, 100', and 50' multi pair underground direct burial 
cable in plastic conduit, 15' cat-5, 3' cat-5. All these pieces of cable 
are terminated, mostly with stud and nut, and some RJ-45. With this mix 
of cable, and it works fine, can't be that fussy. :)
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