topic Re: House move, from good performance to shocking in Plusnet Feedback

House move, from good performance to shocking

jagregory — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:09:59 GMT

I recently moved house. From backwater, middle-of-nowhere, Gilberdyke near Hull, to Leeds City Centre. I transferred my broadband to my new line, and in the process have gone from an 8mb line to a 4mb line, except the performance is considerably less than that. While I'm perfectly aware that contention will undoubtdly increase moving into a city centre, but the infrastructure should be noticeably better than a one horse village.
I'm absolutely appalled at the state of this. Other providers are quoting up-to 20mb in the area, and BT itself says I should get a minimum of 5mb on this line.
Ran the BT speedchecker, which reflects my findings:
Download speedachieved during the test was - 431 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 600-7150 Kbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :4192 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 256 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 3500 Kbps
While the PlusNet line check was "inconclusive".
The speed on this line is so bad that I can't even open GMail, it times out and gives me a link to the basic HTML version "for slow internet connections". Shocking. Can't stream video, and took me over 20 minutes to download an 8mb zip last night. It's like being on dial-up again.
So I'm now in the pleasant situation of being on a seriously poor service, with a £65 charge looming if I decide to leave within the next year thanks to my house move. Seriously regret going to the effort of staying a customer, when I obviously should've just upped and left when I had the chance.
Not really sure what I expect to gain from posting this here, but I feel somebody should know about it. You never know, someone might realise my account has the "go slowly" switch turned on.

Re: House move, from good performance to shocking

bobpullen — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:29:16 GMT

Sorry to hear you're having problems. Are you rebooting your router/modem a lot or frequently disconnecting/reconnecting? If not then something looks amiss as your line's dropping out very frequently. The following is taken from our RADIUS logs:

Session Started	Session Ended	Session Duration
18:34 26/Nov/2009	N/A	  4:49:31 (on going)
09:40 26/Nov/2009	18:33 26/Nov/2009	  8:53:47
06:41 26/Nov/2009	09:39 26/Nov/2009	  2:57:58
05:47 26/Nov/2009	06:39 26/Nov/2009	  0:51:57
03:53 26/Nov/2009	05:46 26/Nov/2009	  1:53:28
23:50 25/Nov/2009	03:39 26/Nov/2009	  3:49:18
23:34 25/Nov/2009	23:49 25/Nov/2009	  0:15:1
23:07 25/Nov/2009	23:33 25/Nov/2009	  0:26:27
22:56 25/Nov/2009	23:06 25/Nov/2009	  0:9:27
22:23 25/Nov/2009	22:55 25/Nov/2009	  0:32:27
20:50 25/Nov/2009	22:22 25/Nov/2009	  1:31:43
20:48 25/Nov/2009	20:49 25/Nov/2009	  0:1:12
20:46 25/Nov/2009	20:47 25/Nov/2009	  0:1:12
20:45 25/Nov/2009	20:46 25/Nov/2009	  0:0:30
20:38 25/Nov/2009	20:44 25/Nov/2009	  0:6:25
20:34 25/Nov/2009	20:37 25/Nov/2009	  0:3:30
20:00 25/Nov/2009	20:32 25/Nov/2009	  0:32:26
19:54 25/Nov/2009	19:59 25/Nov/2009	  0:5:27
19:44 25/Nov/2009	19:53 25/Nov/2009	  0:8:42
18:59 25/Nov/2009	19:43 25/Nov/2009	  0:44:8
18:51 25/Nov/2009	18:58 25/Nov/2009	  0:7:28
17:59 25/Nov/2009	18:49 25/Nov/2009	  0:50:10
22:18 24/Nov/2009	00:18 25/Nov/2009	  2:0:6
22:04 24/Nov/2009	22:18 24/Nov/2009	  0:14:0
21:48 24/Nov/2009	22:03 24/Nov/2009	  0:14:56
20:51 24/Nov/2009	21:47 24/Nov/2009	  0:56:31
19:59 24/Nov/2009	20:50 24/Nov/2009	  0:50:54
19:59 24/Nov/2009	19:59 24/Nov/2009	  0:0:27
19:55 24/Nov/2009	19:58 24/Nov/2009	  0:3:8
19:53 24/Nov/2009	19:54 24/Nov/2009	  0:1:12
19:51 24/Nov/2009	19:53 24/Nov/2009	  0:1:24
19:51 24/Nov/2009	19:51 24/Nov/2009	  0:0:27
19:49 24/Nov/2009	19:50 24/Nov/2009	  0:1:12
19:18 24/Nov/2009	19:48 24/Nov/2009	  0:30:4
18:36 24/Nov/2009	19:16 24/Nov/2009	  0:40:36
18:23 24/Nov/2009	18:35 24/Nov/2009	  0:12:0

You may well have an intermittent sync problem at the new address which you've misdiagnosed as a speed problem. Try disconnecting everything from the line (including anything in secondary/extension sockets) and plug your router directly into the master socket via a filter without using any extension cabling. If the problem still exists and your line continues to drop out then e might need to raise a fault to BT Wholesale.

Re: House move, from good performance to shocking

jagregory — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:05:51 GMT

Thanks for the reply Bob. I didn't realise my router was doing that, I'll look into it. As far as I'm aware there's nothing else on the line, and it's plugged in using a filter, but I'll verify before making any more wild assertions. Regardless though, is this not something that should've either been noticed in the line check, or flagged as suspicious activity on my account? It seems unfortunate that I can't be made aware of this information prior to making a forum post.

Re: House move, from good performance to shocking

bobpullen — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:10:30 GMT

Unfortunately the automated tests won't pick up on this sort of thing. I'd imagine there's some way of monitoring loss of sync via your router console though, there is with most models.

Re: House move, from good performance to shocking

jagregory — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:25:52 GMT

I've checked my setup and low-and-behold I wasn't using a filter. My mistake. The speed is now at least tolerable, but it's still barely making it over 1 megabit. Still not really acceptable. I realise that lines speeds are rarely representative, but in a city centre I would expect to be able to get more than 1 megabit.

Re: House move, from good performance to shocking

Oldjim — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:33:06 GMT

Can you post the revised router stats.
In the first set nobody commented on the upstream speed which indicated a major problem

Re: House move, from good performance to shocking

zubel — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:40:36 GMT

Quote from: jagregory
The speed is now at least tolerable, but it's still barely making it over 1 megabit. Still not really acceptable.

You'll have to wait up to 3 days for your IP Profile to increase before you see any increase in *throughput*
However, repost your router stats and we should be able to tell you whether your line is now performing optimally.
B.

Re: House move, from good performance to shocking

jagregory — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:52:34 GMT

Sorry guys, I'm at work at the moment. Are you asking me to re-run the speed test? Otherwise, what stats are you asking for?

Re: House move, from good performance to shocking

Mand — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:59:07 GMT

Hi there,
A speedtest would give the basic stats needed.
Alternatively, if you logon to your router's admin page and copy downstream and upstream speed, attenuation, and noise margin.
That'll give us something to go at.

Re: House move, from good performance to shocking

jagregory — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 21:42:21 GMT

Hi guys,
New BT speed test results:
Download speedachieved during the test was - 1418 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 600-7150 Kbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :8128 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 448 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 7150 Kbps
And from my router:


--- DSL Information ---
DSL Driver Version:  AnnexA version - A2pB022g.d20e
DSL VPI/VCI:         0/38
DSL Status:          ShowtimeRetrain Reason:	1
DSL Mode:            G.DMT
DSL Channel:         INTR
DSL Upstream Rate:   448 Kbps
DSL Downstream Rate: 8128 Kbps
                      Down         up    
DSL Noise Margin:    10.1 dB      19.0 dB
DSL Attenuation:     31.0 dB      17.0 dB
DSL Transmit Power:  19.8 dBm     12.1 dBm

Thanks guys.

Re: House move, from good performance to shocking

zubel — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:19:13 GMT

In around 12 hours, the PN profile should update and you should see much better throughput.
Nice stats though
B.

Re: House move, from good performance to shocking

jagregory — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:20:25 GMT

Hey guys,
I've left it a few days now, and also moved my router to the maintenance socket as per support's recommendation. I've not seen any change at all (if anything it's got worse, but I'll write that off as contention).
Run another speed test and it reflects my feelings:


Download speedachieved during the test was - 708 Kbps
 For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 600-7150 Kbps.
 Additional Information:
 Your DSL Connection Rate :7616 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 448 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
 IP Profile for your line is - 6000 Kbps

Anybody have any thoughts? I'm getting quite annoyed at the quality of service. I'd love for it to be something stupid that I'm doing, but I get the impression it's not.

Re: House move, from good performance to shocking

Mand — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:12:38 GMT

It's not something stupid that you're doing I can assure you of that.
However, it's not something I can fix either. Your exchange is showing as red for VP capacity, which means that BTw know there are problems, and as such won't accept speed faults raised against it (as long as you're above the minimum speed of 400, which you are).
The update was due last week, so we're chasing that.

Re: House move, from good performance to shocking

jagregory — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:27:47 GMT

I've noticed the exchange fix ETA has been updated to 3/12/2013. Am I seriously expected to wait four years to get an acceptable service?

Re: House move, from good performance to shocking

jelv — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:40:26 GMT

Quote from: Bob
Unfortunately the automated tests won't pick up on this sort of thing. I'd imagine there's some way of monitoring loss of sync via your router console though, there is with most models.

Another instance where having the recent connection events available on the portal would help.

Re: House move, from good performance to shocking

Mand — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:28:57 GMT

@jagregory,
that was an error, and has now been resolved.

Re: House move, from good performance to shocking

jagregory — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:44:19 GMT

Thanks for the update; unfortunately, changing it to yesterday isn't a great reassurance.

Re: House move, from good performance to shocking

Mand — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:36:30 GMT

That's the latest update given in BT's updates, we've emailed them specifically to ask for an update on your exchange.

Re: House move, from good performance to shocking

Anotherone — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:38:03 GMT

I don't know why support suggested you move to the test socket, you had a perfect sync speed at 8128 and BT profile to match. Totally unnecessary when it is the VP capacity at the exchange causing the problem. Your current sync speed is lower at @7616 and that suggests someone has got interleaving turned on. Request that it be turned off again if it is on.
Try running the BT speedtest again at an off peak period and see what results you get.
One final tip: When you need to swap things around for testing, powerdown your modem/router and wait several minutes before unplugging anything that disconnects it from the line eg. it's cable, the filter, master faceplate etc. Don't do this more than 5 times in an hour, and then leave it alone for the rest of the day. This is to help prevent the exchange DLM from thinking you have an intermittent line problem.

Re: House move, from good performance to shocking

jagregory — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:33:18 GMT

Thanks for the advice Anotherone, I'll remember that in future.
Although I'm fuming that I'll have to pay an exit-fee for foolishly being loyal, I'm leaving plusnet. I appreciate that it's not technically their fault for the poor service, but it still doesn't look good from a consumer end. I'm going to switch to one of the providers that have dedicated hardware in my exchange, hopefully they'll be able to provide some semblance of a decent service.
I had an excellent experience with plusnet for 1.5 years in my previous home, and would recommend them wholeheartedly if your exchange is in a reasonable state; however, as they're bed-fellows with BT you're obviously never going to escape the BT hardware situation.
As an aside, it's appalling that ISPs are able to get away with poor service. They're the only service provider I can think of that is allowed to do it. If I went to Comet and bought a dishwasher that didn't work, I'd get my money back, not a shrug of the shoulders and some excuse about the manufacturer being rubbish.