topic Re: Reduced speed profile set for my account (again)? in Broadband

Reduced speed profile set for my account (again)?

OhWell — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 14:25:26 GMT

Hi,

Over the week or so I've noticed my down stream speed drop from just under 50Mbps to exactly 40MBps. The fact it is exactly 40Mb makes me believe a lower speed profile has been applied to my account, and capping the full potential (I pay for the top fibre package)

This speed profile change has happened to my account before, and required a PM engineer to change it there end, so please can you do this again. Here is the previous time it happened.

I did phone up and try to resolve over the phone, but they seemed to think it was a wireless issue. I use my own non-Plusnet router since I joined PN, which has a speed checker built in, so can measure the connection speed at the router fairly accurately.

Can one of the Plusnet team check the speed profile on my account, and reset it to what it should be.

Thanks

Re: Reduced speed profile set for my account (again)?

OhWell — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 06:50:14 GMT

I'm paying for the Fibre Extra package which should be on speed profile 20/80, but it looks like I'm currently being capped on the lower 10/40 speed profile.

If this is the case, I might as well be paying less for the lower package, as that is what I'm effectively on.

I'm really disappointed that Plusnet are not interested in the quality of the service they provide, as they do not seem interested in even looking into the issue (which I have pretty much said what the issue probably is)

Time to change ISP I think.

Re: Reduced speed profile set for my account (again)?

jab1 — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 07:22:09 GMT

@OhWell It is taking forum STAFF an average two days to respond, so to help other Community members help you can you please supply the information requested below:

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.

Re: Reduced speed profile set for my account (again)?

OhWell — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 07:56:53 GMT

I'm using my own router as stated before, and have been doing so since I joined Plusnet. My hub 1 is in storage, and I'm not getting that out unfortunately.

The router I'm using has a reliable built in speed tester that tests at the router, not the client. This takes the wireless element out the equation (as I was trying to explain over the phone to PN)

I don't have a phone to connect to the line to test.

Below is a log of the recent speed tests that are sitting pretty much bang on 40Mb, which makes me believe I have had my speed profile changed again.

Can someone go in and check what my speed profile is set to, and re-sync if possible please. (As was done the previous time)

Re: Reduced speed profile set for my account (again)?

jab1 — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 08:19:59 GMT

OK - so does that modem/router have any useful statistical data? - and sight of the other information requested would help.

Re: Reduced speed profile set for my account (again)?

OhWell — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 09:27:54 GMT

The router has system logs on it, although no critical alerts just usual dns request etc. The router is a tp-link one which has caused no issues previously. I would check with the hub one, but it is packed away and not easy to get to.

Also has a diagnostic check feature that says the line is ok.

I don't understand why the resistance to check the speed profile and re-sync, does it require a BT Openreach engineer or something?

Re: Reduced speed profile set for my account (again)?

jab1 — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 09:36:33 GMT

Point one - I am a Community member, not Plusnet staff, so ask for information which may help me (and others) help you.

Point two - why are you so reluctant to help us help you?

Re: Reduced speed profile set for my account (again)?

Mustrum — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 09:49:51 GMT

@OhWell on your TP Link if you go to the advanced section tap on the right-hand window then scroll down to the DSL status and post that, i.e. my example below.

The DSL checker link, and the advanced speed test @jab1 provided the links to will tell him the information about the profile you are so keen to get.

Re: Reduced speed profile set for my account (again)?

jab1 — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 09:53:43 GMT

Thanks, @Mustrum 👍

Re: Reduced speed profile set for my account (again)?

OhWell — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 15:39:12 GMT

Please see below

Re: Reduced speed profile set for my account (again)?

jab1 — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 16:12:29 GMT

@OhWell Thanks for that information., quite a lot more useful than speed test results. Unfortunately, the BT speed test you have posted is not the one I asked for - I asked for the 'Advanced Diagnostic' which gives a little more useful data.Also, the first report advises that the speed to your test socket - the limit of Plusnets responsibility - is 43.98Mb/s, which is below the Handback threshold for a 'clean' line, but above that for an impacted one. Having said that, it is below the expected range.

If you could supply the 'Advanced' report, this will enable me (or others) to suggest the next step.

EDIT TO ADD: Also, your DSL uptime is only showing around two and a bit days - have you recently unplugged/switched off the router?

Re: Reduced speed profile set for my account (again)?

OhWell — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 19:03:36 GMT

Hi John,

Please see below. I did reboot my router couple of days ago to see if that had any affect on the lower speed. However I usually leave it on all the time to avoid the line looking like there are faults and reducing the speed.

I will add that there have been works to the infrastructure in my local area, both new housing estate and City Fibre running through the same pipes as BT. I wonder if that has caused reduced performance?

Re: Reduced speed profile set for my account (again)?

jab1 — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 19:19:39 GMT

@OhWell Thanks for that, although thanks to the vagaries/deficiencies in that test, it isn't telling me what I really need to know, so I'll have to ask you to have a look on your account. Somewhere on there (and as I no longer have access to a full PN account, I can't tell you where), there should be a reference to your IP profile - any chance you could find it and report back - please?

From what I can see at the moment, from the data you have supplied, something is not right - you should certainly be getting greater speed than you are - but it is difficult to say what is causing you to be at the bottom of the range as shown in the BTW screen shot.

Did this drop coincide with the start of these works , or at some stage during them? - it could have had an effect, or it could just be coincidence, I honestly can't say.

Re: Reduced speed profile set for my account (again)?

OhWell — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 19:48:50 GMT

This was all I could find digging around my account.

I have been dropping slowly below 50Mb over her last couple of months I'd say, but it was around the 45Mb to 50Mb range which I just accepted as maybe temporary dip sue to lots of people online.

Only after the last week or so have I notice it drop to pretty much bang on 40Mb, which looked suspiciously like a speed limit being applied. Maybe that is just a coincidence though.

Re: Reduced speed profile set for my account (again)?

jab1 — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 20:00:00 GMT

Thanks. Looking at that, and comparing it with the BTW screenshot - I would say something is wrong, you should be getting better than that.

The Advanced Diagnostics should run properly - give it another try tomorrow.

In the meantime - @Mustrum , given what we now know, any comments?

Re: Reduced speed profile set for my account (again)?

Mustrum — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 20:09:25 GMT

@jab1 Hi John, I suspect a bit of a noisy line, DLM doing what it does and reducing speeds. From the
OP it seems a DLM reset was done last time, but not sure any other diagnostics were carried out.

For the sake of less than £10, a cheap phone would help confirm.

But I would say it is time to get a fault reported and proper checks to be carried out.

Re: Reduced speed profile set for my account (again)?

jab1 — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 20:14:40 GMT

Thanks, @Mustrum . Kind of my thoughts to be honest, but whether @OhWell sees it that way...

Re: Reduced speed profile set for my account (again)?

OhWell — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 20:33:57 GMT

Out of interest what would a phone plugged in tell you, a crackly line or something?

I still have the fault open with PN, so I might just dig out the Hub 1 and hook it up so they can connect to it, and do whatever tests they do.

For my understanding, if there were issues at some point on.my line (possibly due to infrastructure works), would this DLM sense that and re-calc the line speed lower? If so, could I not just get PN to reset the DLM? (assuming the issues have gone now)

Thanks.

Re: Reduced speed profile set for my account (again)?

jab1 — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 20:41:17 GMT

Yes, the phone would indicate if the voice side of the circuit had issues, which would affect the data side, and need fixing first.

Your understanding is correct, unfortunately, PN don't have the ability to reset DLM parameters on an FTTC line.

Re: Reduced speed profile set for my account (again)?

Mustrum — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 21:26:34 GMT

@jab1 sorry to correct you John, but PN can submit a request to get DLM reset - takes a day or so these days.

@OhWell However, give that you had one recently, and your line speed appears to be reducing again suggests there is still an underlying issu, hence my earlier suggestion to get that investigated/fixed.

It is a shame a PN staffer has not popped up on this thread yet and had a look on what is happening. Given your first couple of posts on the thread I suspect you and the Help Desk were talking at cross purposes / hopefully we have helped you to explain what we think is happening and you are able to relay that next time you talk to them.

The cheap phone really is one of the best tools you can have to investigate broadband problems. They don't need to be plugged in all the time, just as a basic check, or of you notice the router going down.

HTH