It frustrates me that my next door neighbour gets 5Mbps + ADSL downloads via
a "talktalk" connection; when I get only ~3Mbps with a dedicated BT Business
Broadband connection coming from the same exchange and telegraph pole.

An obvious difference is that neighbours master socket and router are about
2 metres from the point where the cable enters the house; and in my case the
internal wiring takes a convoluted route of about 20 metres, crossing and
running alongside mains cables....with prehistoric telephone wire

I can easily replace this cable segment with a new cable directly from BT's
choccy block where the wire enters the house to my master socket....that
almost completely avoids mains wiring and other sources of interference.

My question: I want to use the best grade of wire available to do this.
Can anybody recommend what would be best? Will screened twisted pair
instrumentation cable, or CAT 6 be any better than ordinary telephone wire
for this purpose?

All opinoins will be gratefully received.