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Plusnet compared with BT?

stevew10000
Grafter
Posts: 32
Registered: ‎28-12-2011

Plusnet compared with BT?

Apart from a significant glitch earlier this year my broadband speed has remained pretty constant and reliable. Generally between 6 and 7Mbs.
However BT is telling me if I move to them I will get connection speed between 10Mbs and 19.5Mbs, their estimate is 17Mbs.
How is BT able to offer significantly faster speeds than I currently achieve, or is it marketing hype? If it isn't hype, can Plusnet match the BT speed? Surely must be using the same exchange and wires?
15 REPLIES 15
Oldjim
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Re: Plusnet compared with BT?

If you post your router stats - speeds, noise margin and attenuation - we should be able to give a clear answer
MisterW
Superuser
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Re: Plusnet compared with BT?

Quote
However BT is telling me if I move to them I will get connection speed between 10Mbs and 19.5Mbs, their estimate is 17Mbs.

Looks like you're currently on 20CN and therefore limited to 8Mb. It looks like your exchange ( Wem? ) has recently (AUG 2012) been upgraded to 21CN and now supports ADSL2+ which is where BT are getting the higher speeds from. PlusNet will upgrade you to 21CN free of charge and I'm sure if one of the DC team see this they will pick it up and sort it out.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

stevew10000
Grafter
Posts: 32
Registered: ‎28-12-2011

Re: Plusnet compared with BT?

Quote from: MisterW
Quote
However BT is telling me if I move to them I will get connection speed between 10Mbs and 19.5Mbs, their estimate is 17Mbs.

Looks like you're currently on 20CN and therefore limited to 8Mb. It looks like your exchange ( Wem? ) has recently (AUG 2012) been upgraded to 21CN and now supports ADSL2+ which is where BT are getting the higher speeds from. PlusNet will upgrade you to 21CN free of charge and I'm sure if one of the DC team see this they will pick it up and sort it out.

Thanks MisterW,
Wem is indeed my exchange. I had an email from Plusnet back in September that read, in part, as follows,
"We have good news for you. Your telephone line is in an area that can now benefit from our new broadband network (this is known as 21CN).
We will be switching your service over to this new network and there will be no need to change any settings on your ADSL modem/router or your username and password. You will remain on the same 'up to 8Mbps' speeds that you have currently but are likely to see a better broadband performance.
The change is free of charge and there will be no other changes to your existing broadband account, contract or usage allowance."
So puzzled that if BT is able to offer an increased speed why Plusnet are not taking the opportunity to do so?
stevew10000
Grafter
Posts: 32
Registered: ‎28-12-2011

Re: Plusnet compared with BT?

Quote from: Oldjim
If you post your router stats - speeds, noise margin and attenuation - we should be able to give a clear answer

Thanks Oldjim. I don't have an issue with my current speed has remained stable for months. My query is if BT can offer more, why Plusnet cannot offer the same, maybe the can, but how do I find out about it?
Oldjim
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Re: Plusnet compared with BT?

Your stats will tell us approximately how much more you can get on ADSL2+ or indeed whether there is a problem causing your speeds to be lower than they can be
stevew10000
Grafter
Posts: 32
Registered: ‎28-12-2011

Re: Plusnet compared with BT?

thanks,
the BT Speedtester gives the following,
Download 6.72
Upload 0.89
Ping Latency 44.75(ms) what ever that means.
I have looked at your posting on getting information from routers but mine is not included. I use an Apple Airport Extreme (which is a router only) connected to a Draytek Vigor 120 Modem.
I have no problems with current speed on current up to 8Mbs package, just wondering if BT can offer faster speeds why that wouldn't also be available with Plusnet?
Also worth mentioning that the advertised BT packages are for up to 16Mbs, they say they can give me 17Mbs so seems odd that they don't have a package that covers that speed. Hence my original question is it all hype designed (in the words of an advert for a bank) to "hook me in" and then the promise is never delivered.
dick:quote
MisterW
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Re: Plusnet compared with BT?

Quote
My query is if BT can offer more, why Plusnet cannot offer the same, maybe the can, but how do I find out about it?

PlusNet can offer you exactly the same speeds as BT since they both use BT Wholesale to provide the service. The only reason you are currently limited to 8Mb is that for some reason when PlusNet changed you to 21CN
Quote
We will be switching your service over to this new network and there will be no need to change any settings on your ADSL modem/router or your username and password. You will remain on the same 'up to 8Mbps' speeds that you have currently but are likely to see a better broadband performance.
they put you on an ADSL1 profile. Goodness knows why ?, since normally anyone with a speed >4Mb on 20CN would get transferred to 21CN on an ADSL2+ profile.
As Jim says , your stats will give a definitive answer as to the likely speed on ADSL2+ but getting them from the Draytek 120 may not be that easy.
If it's in the default config then I believe its web ui will respond on the url http://192.168.2.1 ( see here http://www.draytek.co.uk/support/kb_vigor100_setup.html ). Whether the Airport will route that address to the 120 depends on how its configured, but it should. So just try pointing a browser on any of your PC's at that url and see if the 120 responds. If it does it's likely to want a username and password etc
If that doesnt work then you will need to temporarily connect a PC directly to the modem ( instead of the Airport ) to get the stats and that should work ( but will obviously disable internet access whilst connected that way ).

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

chrispurvey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 5,369
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Registered: ‎13-07-2012

Re: Plusnet compared with BT?

Hi stevew10000,
You're currently on ADSL1 which is which is why your speeds are what they are, they cannot go any higher. I can place an order to move your product to ADSL2+ that will complete tomorrow and you will then see the speeds around 17MB/s Smiley Let me know if you would like me to do this, I think I know the answer Wink
Chris
stevew10000
Grafter
Posts: 32
Registered: ‎28-12-2011

Re: Plusnet compared with BT?

Thanks Chris,
Please place the order Smiley
As an observation, why isn't this done, or at least the option given when BT carried out this work? There must be loads of people who are getting standard letters from BT advertising all their services, prompts me to look on line and see the speeds they say can be achieved, which is exactly in line with what you are saying at 17Mbs.
You would get loads of free advertising, happy customers saying how Plusnet have more than doubled their internet speeds.
Anyway you now have a v happy customer
thanks again
Steve
dick:quote
stevew10000
Grafter
Posts: 32
Registered: ‎28-12-2011

Re: Plusnet compared with BT?

MisterW and Oldjim,
thanks very much for the response and advice, but delighted to see the comment from Chris above,
must say wasn't overly looking forward to disconnecting the Airport Extreme from the Modem, work on the basis if it is working don't touch it.
cheers
Steve
MisterW
Superuser
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Re: Plusnet compared with BT?

Yes, lets wait and see what it looks like tomorrow.
Quote
As an observation, why isn't this done, or at least the option given when BT carried out this work?

As I said above, normally lines synching at 4Mb or above are automatically upgraded to ADLS2+. For some reason the automated system decided yours should be on ADSL1.
A glitch somewhere in the system perhaps...

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

chrispurvey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 5,369
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎13-07-2012

Re: Plusnet compared with BT?

As MisterW mentioned when the automated order was placed it actually placed you on ADSL1 and not ADSL2+, that's all placed for you now and will complete sometime tomorrow.
Let me know how you get on.
stevew10000
Grafter
Posts: 32
Registered: ‎28-12-2011

Re: Plusnet compared with BT?

Thanks again Chris,
off to London in the morning, back Friday, so will report then.
Mrs W will be first to see the benefit.
cheers
Steve
stevew10000
Grafter
Posts: 32
Registered: ‎28-12-2011

Re: Plusnet compared with BT?

Quick update, currently running at about 13Mbs down, and nearly 1Mbs up, twice as fast as previous.
Last night it was 10Mbs down. Don't know if that is because others start to use it, or it takes time to settle down.
Anyway V Happy Smiley
Thanks to Chris for sorting it.
Steve