topic Re: Change of package mid-contract? in My Account/Billing

Change of package mid-contract?

OhWell — Wed, 11 Jan 2023 19:22:18 GMT

Hi,

I'm currently on fibre extra 80/20, and I've never had great speeds where we are, but have noticed over the last couple of weeks the speed sitting around 44Mbps.

I might as well be on the next package down 40/10, paying a bit less each month.

Are Plusnet likely to do this mid-contract?

Cheers.

Re: Change of package mid-contract?

jab1 — Wed, 11 Jan 2023 19:30:48 GMT

@OhWell What does BT Broadband say about your lines capabilities?

If you really need to downgrade, I suspect it will result in a new, minimum 12 month, contract.

Re: Change of package mid-contract?

OhWell — Wed, 11 Jan 2023 19:38:41 GMT

Re: Change of package mid-contract?

jab1 — Wed, 11 Jan 2023 19:47:49 GMT

Thanks for that, @OhWell . It makes me think you have a problem somewhere, as your speeds should be considerably higher, unless there is a major problem with the BT/OR infrastructure.

Could you indulge me, and give the information requested in the below text?

For Community members to be able to help, information from these two sites, as screenshots, posted as pictures within the topic, not as attachments:-

~~BT Broadband(obscuring your phone number)~~ and BTW Performance Tester - Over a wired (Ethernet) connection if at all possible, please report the 'ADDITIONAL DIAGNOSTICS', and sight of the broadband connection status from your Hub (with the 'Username' obscured) would be a good starting point.

For the Hub One -

Navigate from the Home Screen to Troubleshooting > Helpdesk

For the Hub Two -

Navigate from the Home Screen to Advanced Settings > Technical Log > Information

It may also be a good idea to report the results of a Quiet Line Test - dial 17070 option 2 from a (preferably corded) phone. After the confirmation of your phone number, there should be total silence apart from the regular 'Quiet Line Test' announcement. Any other noise - report a PHONE fault first.

If you are unsure about any of the above, please just ask - I am happy to help.

Re: Change of package mid-contract?

OhWell — Wed, 11 Jan 2023 21:39:59 GMT

I did have an issue a few months ago where my speed was being artificially capped by the DSLAM (?) thingy, and a reset BT end removed the cap. I wonder if that has happened again? Would be very frustrating if it does keep applying caps all the time

Re: Change of package mid-contract?

Mustrum — Wed, 11 Jan 2023 22:02:04 GMT

@OhWell have you ever had an Openreach engineer visit your property and had a filtered master socket fitted?

Re: Change of package mid-contract?

OhWell — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 08:17:16 GMT

Yes, last year I think. Already have the integrated filter master socket fitted.

My feeling is it is just the infrastructure where I live. Even at its peak it was just under 50mbps.

Re: Change of package mid-contract?

jab1 — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 08:24:06 GMT

@OhWell Can you post the results of a BTW Performance check as requested, and have you done a Quiet Line Test? As a point of interest, your error rate over 5 days look quite high, and - unless you have intentionally disconnected, your uptime suggests a DSL disconnection.

Re: Change of package mid-contract?

Gandalf — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 08:33:55 GMT

@OhWell wrote:
I'm currently on fibre extra 80/20, and I've never had great speeds where we are, but have noticed over the last couple of weeks the speed sitting around 44Mbps.

I might as well be on the next package down 40/10, paying a bit less each month.

Are Plusnet likely to do this mid-contract?

It was possible when I asked last year and as @jab1 suggests, it’ll involve a new contract. I can’t promise we still can though but try giving Customer Options a call on 0800 013 2632 if you’d like to go ahead.

Re: Change of package mid-contract?

Townman — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 09:00:56 GMT

@Gandalf

Alternatively to the down grade approach, does this line look fault free?

Re: Change of package mid-contract?

OhWell — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 12:41:37 GMT

Just looked at my post from October, it was DLM not DSLAM (is that even a real thing?).

I'm wondering if the same thing has happened again? Can you request a DLM reset again pls? Seems a coincidence it's at 44mps again

Re: Change of package mid-contract?

jab1 — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 12:43:38 GMT

@OhWell Can you respond to message #8 and @Townman 's post please?

Re: Change of package mid-contract?

Townman — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 12:51:57 GMT

@OhWell wrote:
Just looked at my post from October, it was DLM not DSLAM (is that even a real thing?).

Yes it is - DLM (Dynamic Line Management) is what is applied to the DSLAM (Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer) and is done so to keep the line stable, usually in response to line faults. It does it just enough to keep things working, so there is no surprise it is what it has been previously.

There is zero point doing a DSLAM reset until the cause of DLM line throttling has been addressed. What have you done to follow standard fault processing?

Broadband is not going to work well if the "phone" line is not working properly.

Please perform a quiet line test - dial 17070 select option 2 using a phone plugged into the test socket behind the face plate of the master socket (ideally this should be a corded phone). The line should be silent. A noisy phone line (or no dial tone) will have a marked adverse impact on the performance of broadband.

If the line is noisy or there is no dial tone, then a PHONE LINE fault needs to be raised with your phone provider. If this is PlusNet, you can report a fault on line using the button below. NB: You need to put your LANDLINE NUMBER after "PHONE" [missing instruction].

Phone Faults

How is your line performing?

Please post your router stats (include line speed, attenuation, SNRM, uptime and if available, error counts); for PN routers use the buttons below, for other routers look at the Kitz link.

Also run a BT Wholesale speed test (ideally using an Ethernet wired PC with the WiFi turned off) then run the further diagnostics, download the .PDF report and post the results here. DO NOT REBOOT the router!

Check the Plusnet user portal for the "Current Line Speed" which is relevant to users with static IP addresses.

Re: Change of package mid-contract?

OhWell — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 17:25:54 GMT

I don't have access to a physical phone to plug in to do the QLT.

For the BTW test is coming out around 44mps as well, but the advanced test option says there was an error so unable to determine if the speed is acceptable.

This sounds like a repeat of what happened back in October, where the DLM restriction was applied. The BT engineer that came around could not detect any issues at the time if I recall, although not sure exactly what test he did at the time.

There was/is a lot of full fibre stuff going on in the local area (CityFibre). Maybe just a coincidence, but maybe they have impacted the BT infrastructure someway?

Looks like the next step will be to either request a BT engineer visit again, or just accept the limited speed and downgrade the package.

Re: Change of package mid-contract?

Townman — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 19:23:01 GMT

A handset is a highly desirable diagnostic tool ... and a cheap enough route to clarifying what might be going wrong.

In the absence of buying or borrowing one, you should run the phone line faut bot before running the broadband fault bot. See the links below.

Re: Change of package mid-contract?

OhWell — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 22:05:41 GMT

Ok, I'll try those bots tomorrow during the day when they are back online.

I thought they were going to kill off the land line phones soon anyway?

Re: Change of package mid-contract?

Townman — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 23:20:01 GMT

Do not confuse the demise of PTSN (voice services) with the total demise of copper circuits. Whilst there is some interconnection, they are not the same. PTSN (the call switching network) is planned to be switched off, that will happen before all of the copper is removed from the "outbound" network.

At the moment, data is carried over voice service networks. In the future, voice will be carried over data networks, some much delivered over full fibre, some still over copper borne broadband.

Whatever, you have what you have at the moment...

Re: Change of package mid-contract?

OhWell — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 10:28:52 GMT

Phoned in the issue with PN this morning, they checked the line, and said they could not detect any issues. They checked for any DLM restrictions and said there were none they could see. They stated the line was only capable of 41 to 47Mbps due to length of line etc, and that if I wasn't happy I should downgrade.

Transferred to accounts team, who said I would have to pay cancellation fees to downgrade! I tried explaining that I'm only just getting above the next package down anyway in performance, but they weren't interested.

I am very disappointed in PN response here, as I wasn't looking to leave PN, just downgrade to the more suitable package. Fair enough if I wanted to leave to another ISP, but that isn't the case here, and I have a valid reason to request a downgrade. Perhaps PN shouldn't have miss-sold the package in the first place!

Customers shouldn't have to battle for customer service like this.

Disappointed.

Re: Change of package mid-contract?

adamwalker — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 10:42:47 GMT

Hi OhWell, I'm really sorry about that, there should be no penalty to downgrade in your situation.

I feel a coordinated approach would be best here so would it be OK to arrange for one of my colleagues from the customer options team to give you a call after I've explained the situation to them?

Re: Change of package mid-contract?

OhWell — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 12:30:03 GMT

Hi adamwalker,

Yes by all means, please arrange that.