Broadband dropouts

[#1]

Thanks, A.
That line speed check gives:-
Estimated line speed:
17Mb (This may vary between 10Mb and 19.5Mb) - Checked on 2015-11-21 16:31:17
Current line speed:
13.6 Mb
A neighbour gets 18Mb.
This is why I'm asking PN to answer my question!

[#2]

When the phone line is fixed, the responsibility of the phone line rental provider, then you should be able to ask Plusnet for an SNR Reset which should restore your speeds to hopefully around an 18Mbps throughput (sync speed approaching 20Mbps). But it's dependant on the line being fixed, no other reason. The exchange automatic DLM will adjust your broadband connection dependant on the line conditions to give you the most stable connection (not the fastest speed) which is why you've seen this change. Although it can adjust it back up if line conditions improve, this can take quite a lengthy time, so an SNR Reset request after the repair is the best option.

[#3]

Thanks, A, I figured that after your helpful link.
Btw, due to an emergency (my next door neighbour locked out of his house!) I helped provide power for a locksmith and chatted to the hapless chap and another neighbour.
Both said that, last week, they lost BB - down to 0.2 and 0.1! Next door neighbour's connection reverted to 8.8 after a couple of days and the other guy is still on a max of 1Mb (he's the 5Mb I mentioned above - I was wrong).
I'm going to see if I can get the lower speed guy's connection uncapped tomorrow (he never did after the ADSL2 upgrade).
What is interesting is that my next door neighbour's connection went back to 8.8 but that is probably because DLM didn't need to cut in.
Whatever, for 5 neighbours to have such serious problems simultaneously rules out internal faults!

[#4]

FYI - see attached.

[#5]

Is the phone fault now fixed? If so we can reset the line,.

[#6]

Yes and No!
We have heard nothing further from BT/OR today.
The situation is that a line test from us to the exchange shows a fault at the exchange but none the other direction (exchange to us). I and two engineers think there's a fault at the exchange; knowing BT that will take ages to sort out.
Is it possible to reset the line regardless? My suspicion is that it will be OK.
TIA.

[#7]

Bump - PN please see my post immediately above.
Nothing further from BT: the b*****s have closed the fault having told me they wouldn't! I just ran another test and - it's still showing so another fault has been logged. Clearly, BT are trying to fob me off because the fault (if it exists) is too difficult, or expensive, for them to be bothered: I'm now convinced there's a problem at the exchange.
Testing the line from the exchange to the house shows no fault so why has DLM (I assume) slugged the connection? (Line test from house to exchange shows a DIS).

[#8]

Another, three minute, dropout at 16.13 today.
I am talking to the local head of Superfast (not for that but she's a darned helpful person) and my second BT line fault has already been raised at a high level. We'll see what happens.

[#9]

Quote from: Mardler

Testing the line from the exchange to the house shows no fault so why has DLM (I assume) slugged the connection? (Line test from house to exchange shows a DIS).

There's something that needs clarifying I feel -
First, is the phone actually working? Do you have dial tone? Is there any audible noise on the line? (Use the Quiet Line Test 17070 option 2 if need be). Can you make and receive calls without issue - no ring trip on incoming calls - ie the phone rings but stops before you answer, but the caller may still be there?
Do you know precisely which test from the exchange to the house shows no fault? Is the a Broadband Test or a Copper Line Test?

[#10]

Phone line as a user is fine but up line tests show continual disconnects.
Test from the exchange was copper line as was up line.

[#11]

Well the only scenario that would seem to fit the symptoms would be some obscure fault at the exchange. I say obscure because I'm struggling to think of what fault condition would give the symptoms described. It's not beyond the bounds of possibility of there being 2 faults or that the house to exchange test (US test) wasn't just a simple CLT. To have a DIS yet still have a working phone service is odd to say the least. An Earth or Battery fault would be more understandable (still not quite fitting the bill), but this has to be something more complex especially when you take into account that neighbours are also affected.

[#12]

Agreed that it might be complex.
I'm not going to let it drop!

[#13]

Too right

[#14]

PN, please note and act accordingly.
Another OR engineer came out this morning. The fault was still there. He found a bad connection which helped but then found that we were on a "spare" line to the exchange that was unbalanced; he set up a totally new connection and all this dropped the line resistance to 2ohm of spec instead of several hundred.
The fault is no longer showing on OR diagnostics.
PN: please reset my profile.
(A thought: we initially got 18mbps and a neighbour still does. The engineer said we should get at least that. Why does PN restrict us to 16? Another neighbour, also having problems, was just told by PN that the best she'll get is 16 - why when other ISPs connect at 18+?).

[#15]

A full set of stats - router xDSL / BTw speed test further diagnostic results / PlusNET current speed (link below) - would be useful please.