Not up to speed

[#1]

I've been using plusnet for over five years at a couple of rural addresses without issue.  I now have a flat n centrla london and have the service for a couple of months, but I just returned home after a weekend away find my download speed has dropped below the upload which is rather new experience for me:

Download speedachieved during the test was - 56 Kbps
 For your connection, the acceptable range of speedsis 50-250 Kbps.
 Additional Information:
 Your DSL Connection Rate :287 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 443 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
 IP Profile for your line is - 135 Kbps
The throughput of Best Efforts (BE) classes achieved during the test is - 12.5:26.79:60.71 (SBE:NBE:PBE)
These figures represent the ratio while sententiously passing Sub BE, Normal BE and Priority BE marked traffic.
The results of this test will vary depending on the way your ISP has decided to use these traffic classes. 

This seemed a bit odd and I had a look at https://portal.plus.net/my.html?action=data_transfer_speed and found that sure enough 250 was all I'm now getting:

Phone exchange: SOUTHWARK
Estimated line speed:5 - Checked on 2010-05-11 14:49:37
Current line speed: 250

I'm sure this was fine last week so do I need to raise a ticket when this happens or is it supposed to right itself?

[#2]

Flats are infamous for dodgy wiring which can do all that and worse.
What sort of flat is it, e.g. modern purpose-built or conversion and do you have a BT line terminated in a "proper" modern master socket?
Any extensions?

[#3]

It's a large warehouse block converted in the late 90s.  Looks to be a fairly modern socket.

[#4]

Hi Risky,
I've just had a look at your account and I'm not sure I have the right details as the address isn't in London, could you please provide me with your username? if you prefer to send it on as a PM.

[#5]

Yes, there's two of me - good customer, eh?
PM sent with the correct account - cheers.

[#6]

Morning Risky,
I've just had a look at your account in more details and have run a few line tests. It seems that the synchronisation speed seems to be an issue.
By far the most common cause of problems like this is issues with hardware or wiring so if you haven't done so already I'd recommend trying an alternate router if you have access to one and connecting directly to the BT test socket. If at all possible I'm wondering if you could connect to the test socket whilst I run some more test, this would really help us rule out anything internal being a cause of the fault.
Please have a look here if you need any advice on connecting to the test socket: http://www.plus.net/support/broadband/bbfaults/master_socket_testing.shtml
In the meantime I'll ask our faults team to have a look at the ticket you've raised.

[#7]

The router in a brand new Draytek Vigour 2710 http://www.draytek.co.uk/products/vigor2710.html
I do have an old Linksys but I'm not sure if it is here or in Cornwall.
I will connect to the test socket tonight and leave it there for now.  I don't actually have a phone connected in the flat but there is one wired extension.
NB I haven't had too much trouble with internal wiring before as in property I own I have got BT to disconnect everything and put in one master socket so the extension wiring, if required, is under my control.

[#8]

Hi again Risky,
OK if you could please let me know either via PM (which may be best as I get an e-mail that way) when you have connected to the test socket I'll get the line tested again.

[#9]

Morning all,
Just letting you know that as the sync speeds were the same in the test socket I will be raising a fault with our suppliers shortly. I'll ensure that you are kept up to speed (if you'll pardon the pun!)

[#10]

Well the ine profile hasn't changed but the sync speed is up to 3702000 down (440000 Up)
Alas the speedtest hasn't improved:
Download speedachieved during the test was - 61 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speedsis 50-250 Kbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :3702 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 440 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 135 Kbps
The throughput of Best Efforts (BE) classes achieved during the test is - 13.11:24.59:62.3 (SBE:NBE:PBE)

[#11]

Hi Risky,
Don't count your chickens just yet as it looks like we may need to progress things with an engineer visit to your premises to investigate further. I'll update your ticket shortly with some more information on this. Could you please check that ASAP and drop us a reply on there with regards to availability.
I will of course make sure that the engineer is equipped with the full history of your issue and also has some checks and task to perform that are appropriate to eliminating some of the possible causes of the fault.

[#12]

Hi again Risky,
Just thought I'd drop you a reply to say that I'm glad to see your connection seems to have improved of late. I can see that you are keeping an eye on things at the moment so please let us know how things are going if you are able to.

[#13]

Arrgh, back down again: