FTTC Slow-down (waiting for OR) and DLM question

[#1]

I'm wondering how long it usually takes for Openreach to respond when Plusnet report a problem? I have a ticket open and don't want to fuss sooner than necessary, but I've been waiting since the 17th now so it's more than the stated 48-72 hours.
I am noticing other threads too where people are having similar slow-downs to me on their FTTC speed. Mine used to be in the 70's but is now around 52Mb/s. Actually it might have been that way for many months, and I'm wishing I had kept up my speed checks now.
I've also read that it's possible for Plusnet to change your DLM profile with FTTC. If I was to ask for mine to be set to Speed rather than Standard, am I likely to get too many disconnections to make it worth doing? I should probably wait for my speed issue to be resolved before getting into that too seriously.

[#2]

I  have just dropped from 80 to 60mbps sync.
There is plenty of SNRM spare - the line can still do 80, so I've asked to be moved to the 'speed' profile.
I'm wondering if BT have changed the profile configuration which results in slower speeds (and hence the change in estimated speeds).

[#3]

FWIW, my speed estimate was lowered from 30 Mbps some time in May.
I have just noticed it has lowered yet again.
Sync speed is now a paltry 19.72 Mbps.
It was achieving a steady almost 30 Mbps back in December, with 6 dB SNRM.
Unlike mikehiow's connection though, there is no spare SNRM.

[#4]

I haven't seen it said before but I can't help thinking that they drop the 'estimate' based on actual line performance (possibly to try to make some customers think they're getting what they should be when they're not).
My own estimate has dropped to nearly match the lowest sync speed I have had for any significant time (though the actual speed has improved a bit since).

[#5]

Thanks for the replies guys.
I'm wishing I had kept doing speed tests the whole time, so I would know exactly when my slow-down started. I often use a laptop with WiFi so can't rely on the speed test results, so I did often check the connection speed logged with Plusnet to make sure that was still high. Well it always was still in the 70's. However, I know now that that's a load of cobblers. Since raising a ticket for this problem, they now also show an estimated speed on my account, whereas they didn't before. As you said w23, they do seem to drop the estimate based on actual results. The estimate for my line gives the date and time it was last tested (by me, using the BT wholesale speed tester) and it showed around 54Mb/s. Strange that the connection speed still shows in the 70's!
I'm assuming that the SNRM is the signal to noise radio, the same as with ADSL? I was able to see that figure with my old ADSL router/modem but with the current Openreach modem I'm not able to look at it. If memory serves, the modem would set the speed as fast as possible while maintaining an SNR above 6db. Is that the same with the FTTC modem? I think it would be a very useful figure to be able to see with a problem like this.

[#6]

Just to add to this - My ticket has been updated with fault test results, showing nothing is wrong. It appears to be a Plusnet test rather than BT, but I am not 100% sure as terminology I am not familiar with is being used (such as CCT and AA).
If I understand it correctly, it's saying that I am syncing above estimate so there is no problem. The estimate is created by myself though with my own speed tests a few days ago! So I have made a comment on the ticket. I am writing it here too as I tend to get far faster responses from Plusnet in the forums than on a fault ticket. I shall appreciate it if a moderator would look at my ticket please and clarify for me what the situation is.
Many thanks.

[#7]

Hi there, couple of things:
1) The standard profile is the speed profile, it's the fastest available and it's what we supply people on as, well, standard. The other options are Stable or Super Stable.
2) The moderators are volunteers, customers like yourselves. It's only us with the Staff tags that can check on your account, but we don't do any moderating of the forums.
As for the acronyms, CCT is short for Circuit (i.e. your actual broadband line) and AA is Awaiting Appointment. Basically our faults team are saying they'll pass the fault back to our suppliers in order to arrange for an engineer to visit your premises and test the service from there.
Hope that helps explain

[#8]

Thanks for the response Matt.  
[edit] I wrote about the speed profile here but I see it's all been answered in another thread today, so I may as well delete what I had here.    [/edit]
The abbreviations explanation helps, thanks. The fault was already passed to your suppliers on the 17th though and I was waiting to hear back about that. Maybe that got lost in the system somewhere.

[#9]

No, that's the way the faults process works
We raise it to our suppliers, they make some changes and pass it back saying 'we think it's fixed, let us know if not' - rinse, repeat until resolved. They'll always try and fix it remotely first if they can as that's a lot cheaper for them, but if they can't then it's time to send an engineer.

[#10]

Ok got it, thanks Matt.