UPDATE: Telecom just supplied a URL to a PDF that lists all exchanges that have been upgraded to ADSL2+. Click here to see it. I've also added some interesting comments from another St Heliers reader at the end of this post.

On February 8 I brought you a sadly rare case: a reader gobsmacked not by the usual broadband glug, but a sudden jump in his broadband speed (read about it here, including a number of interesting reader comments).

A Telecom spokesperson just came back with this reply:

It is likely this customer has benefited from one of the larger network upgrades Telecom has undertaken in recent years; the roll-out of ADSL2+. The St Heliers Bay exchange was upgraded late last year, so it is likely that the combination of the customer's Broadband plan, their distance from the exchange and the use of an ADSL2+ modem would have resulted in this noticeable jump in the speed of their DSL connection.

UPDATE 2: Just got an email from Alex Taylor, which I thought I'd post in full:

As a regular reader the "Flying in St Heliers" has proved timely.

I am an IT professional based in Mission Bay, and in the last week my IHUG broadband connection has gone form a typical 2500k download speed to around 5000k consistently.
I am very happy with this.

Unfortunately, the VPN Client I use to connect to a major client has ceased
working in exactly the same timeframe, and having endured multiple reinstalls & setup checks I am 99% sure it is an exchange problem as my laptop hits the VPN perfectly from some other sites.

IHUG as my ISP have referred me to DLINK who made my router, who think it is probably a network problem, so here we go again.

It smells a lot like a particular port or protocol is being choked at this exchange, and your coverage of the speed increase -which prompted my owntests, has me suspicious that this may be a factor.

Any recommendation on escaping from this conundrum? The other parties areall pointing at each other but I have critical work to complete for my client that is being obstructed.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated!