Can we scrap 21CN and start again ?

[#1]

It took 5 months from my initial request to get on 21CN.  I was transferred at the end of September.  I wasn't impressed - nothing really changed except my router said ADSL2+.  I noticed sync speed dropped slightly - it was about 7Mtbits and went down to about 6Mbits - that's understandable since the upstread has increased.  However, althought actual usage speed seemed slightly quicker it has been slowing down over the last 6 months.  I know they keep telling us they are adding another 100Mbits - and another - and another.    My router was a vigor 2800 (yep, I know).  It had the latest f/w, but wasn't fully ADSL2+ compatible - I didn't know this at the time and PlusNet said nothing, despite that fact that I told them that this was what I was using.  In the last week or so I've discovered the 67 release model f/w so used that.  Where I had tens to hundreds of thousands of CRC-style errors, I then had none for days.  Anyway, I spent £200 and replaced it with the vigor 2820vn (reason - it's coming to the end of my tax year).  I replaced the microfilter with a new one also.  No wiring has been changed inside the house.
Despite talking to PN tech support, when my profile was apparently reset from 3Mbits to 5Mbits, I can't get any download speed about 3Mbits.  I used to get about 6Mbits download speed on ADSL with 7Mbits sync speed.  This is truely appauling.  This supposedly 'advanced' network is slower than what we had before.  What is the point????  We are all ending up far, far from the 24Mbit speeds they are happy to cite.  Even if most could theoretically get around 8-14Mbits, that would be ok, but I've gone back 10 years now to a point when I had a superfast 2Mbit connect and the cost of installation (you had to have a BT engineer change the faceplace) was £265.

[#2]

Download speedachieved during the test was - 1922 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speedsis 600-7150 Kbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :6652 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 1105 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 3000 Kbps
The throughput of Best Efforts (BE) classes achieved during the test is - 12.28:33.45:54.27 (SBE:NBE
These figures represent the ratio while sententiously passing Sub BE, Normal BE and Priority BE marked traffic.
Looks like I'm banded to 3Mbits profile despite 2 calls to tech support - during one of these I was cut off.
If anyone from PlusNet reads this please see my open ticket.  Can you reset my profile - please remove the banding altogether.  thanks.

[#3]

> adsl status
  --------------------------- ATU-R Info (hw: annex A, f/w: annex A) -----------
  Running Mode            : ADSL2+(G.992.5)      State                : SHOWTIME
  DS Actual Rate          :  6653000 bps  US Actual Rate      :  1106000 bps
  DS Attainable Rate      : 10660000 bps  US Attainable Rate  :  1108000 bps
  DS Path Mode            :  Interleave    US Path Mode        :  Interleave
  DS Interleave Depth    :      96      US Interleave Depth  :        4
  NE Current Attenuation  :      42 dB    Cur SNR Margin      :      11  dB
  DS actual PSD          :    18. 1 dB    US actual PSD        :    12. 7  dB
  ADSL Firmware Version  : 232201_A
  -------------------------------- ATU-C Info ---------------------------------
  Far Current Attenuation :      22 dB    Far SNR Margin      :        6  dB
  CO ITU Version[0]      : 00004946      CO ITU Version[1]    : 0000544e
  DSLAM CHIPSET VENDOR    : < IFTN >
>
In case it helps, here is (above) the router details.  Note that the max line speed "DS Attainable Rate" is 10Mbits.  Now that would seem more sensible.
SNR margin is about 11db and Attenuation is 42dB.  Typically, with the vigor 2800 attenuation was about 38dB (and original microfilter).

[#4]

It's because your DS interleave depth is 96 which has reduced the sync speed. For this to be so high there have to be a very high number of errors.  From memory I believe that the highest I saw mine was 32 before it drop down to 4, unfortunately since replacing my router a few months ago the new router does not return this information.

[#5]

How sweet.  I go looking for "DS interleave depth" on Google and find my post already indexed !
"itsme" - thanks for pointing it out - I was wondering what that was.  Hopefully someone from PN will get back to me.   

[#6]

Interestingly the max ("Attainable") rates are climbing.
> adsl status
  --------------------------- ATU-R Info (hw: annex A, f/w: annex A) -----------
  Running Mode            : ADSL2+(G.992.5)      State                : SHOWTIME
  DS Actual Rate          :  6653000 bps  US Actual Rate      :  1135000 bps
  DS Attainable Rate      : 11220000 bps  US Attainable Rate  :  1136000 bps
  DS Path Mode            :  Interleave    US Path Mode        :  Interleave
  DS Interleave Depth    :      96      US Interleave Depth  :        4
  NE Current Attenuation  :      42 dB    Cur SNR Margin      :      11  dB
  DS actual PSD          :    18. 1 dB    US actual PSD        :    12. 7  dB
  ADSL Firmware Version  : 232201_A
  -------------------------------- ATU-C Info ---------------------------------
  Far Current Attenuation :      22 dB    Far SNR Margin      :        6  dB
  CO ITU Version[0]      : 00004946      CO ITU Version[1]    : 0000544e
  DSLAM CHIPSET VENDOR    : < IFTN >
and a little while later....
> adsl status
  --------------------------- ATU-R Info (hw: annex A, f/w: annex A) -----------
  Running Mode            : ADSL2+(G.992.5)      State                : SHOWTIME
  DS Actual Rate          :  6653000 bps  US Actual Rate      :  1135000 bps
  DS Attainable Rate      : 11348000 bps  US Attainable Rate  :  1136000 bps
  DS Path Mode            :  Interleave    US Path Mode        :  Interleave
  DS Interleave Depth    :      96      US Interleave Depth  :        4
  NE Current Attenuation  :      42 dB    Cur SNR Margin      :      12  dB
  DS actual PSD          :    18. 1 dB    US actual PSD        :    12. 7  dB
  ADSL Firmware Version  : 232201_A
  -------------------------------- ATU-C Info ---------------------------------
  Far Current Attenuation :      22 dB    Far SNR Margin      :        6  dB
  CO ITU Version[0]      : 00004946      CO ITU Version[1]    : 0000544e
  DSLAM CHIPSET VENDOR    : < IFTN >
(I had done one reboot this morning - about an hour ago)

[#7]

Profile is still at 3Mbits:      I was hoping to avoid cancelling and moving to Virgin Media but if that's what it takes to get a proper speed ... so be it.

Download speedachieved during the test was - 2940 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speedsis 600-7150 Kbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :6652 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 1134 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 3000 Kbps
The throughput of Best Efforts (BE) classes achieved during the test is - 21.39:20.14:58.47 (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. 
If you wish to discuss these results please contact your ISP.

[#8]

Quote from: jswift909

Your DSL Connection Rate :6652 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 1105 Kbps(UP-STREAM) Looks like I'm banded to 3Mbits profile despite 2 calls to tech support - during one of these I was cut off.

You are not banded to 3Mb because the speed you are connected at is 6.6Mb as highlighted above.

[#9]

IP Profile for your line is - 3000 Kbps
This is from the BT checker.  Correct me (ofcourse) if I'm wrong but don't PlusNet get the banding from BT.  But I was told PlusNet had requested to reset the BT side - this doesn't seem to have happened.  What's the point to new improved, faster, advanced ADSL when it doesn't work.  My download speed (many checkers) are showing a maximum of 3Mbits.  The BT profile is 3MBits.  It needs to be reset.  Is this beyond PlusNet's ability?  Pretty please.   
Jonathan

[#10]

With a downstream sync speed of 6652 it does look like you're on a banded profile. See jameseh's "ADSL2+ is Live" thread at the top of this forum for more details, but the band you're on is probably the 3328-6656 band. In theory, if you stay at your current sync rate, your IP profile will climb (to 5500). In my experience, it takes longer for the IP profile to rise than the times advertised, and then you also have to check that the Plusnet IP profile has risen to match BT's (which can take an extra day).
With an attenuation rate of 42 you should be able to get a higher speed (though I'm surprised you were able to get 7mb/s on ADSL1), but it all depends on the state of your line, and the problems might be inside or outside your home. It may be that the higher frequencies used by ADSL2+ are flakier on your line. The only easy thing you can do is to get a filtered faceplate (if you have the right sort of master socket) or have your bell wire disconnected (if you don't have the right sort of socket). See http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/socket.htm (and apologies if you know all this already).
You could ask for your banding to be removed, but unless the line conditions improve it will only come back again.
Graham

[#11]

Graham, cheers for that info.  No bell-wire.  Where it comes in to the house, just inside the window, I have a small junction box.  Then there is about 4m run of telephone cable to the master socket.  No other sockets.  I've tried two brand new (different makes) of filter - same results.  Router is brand new, Vigor 2820vn.  I'm considering replacing the 4m run of telephone cable with a length of cat6 (I have some spare).  It's installation cable, solid core.  This might squeeze it up a bit more.  I'll leave it to see if it goes up to 5500 profile - hopefully if I check in a few days it may have started climbing, slowly.
thanks,
Jonathan

[#12]

Provided you stay synced at that rate it should lift straight to the 5500 profile - fingers are crossed for you. Unfortunately we can't force a profile reset on 21CN like we could on Max, but if it doesn't uplift let us know and we'll see what we can do.

[#13]

still on 3000 profile.  You can tell I'm the silent, patient type 
Download speedachieved during the test was - 3078 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speedsis 600-7150 Kbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :6652 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 1134 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 3000 Kbps
The throughput of Best Efforts (BE) classes achieved during the test is - 22.03:20.73:57.24 (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.

[#14]

Quote from: Matt

Provided you stay synced at that rate it should lift straight to the 5500 profile - fingers are crossed for you. Unfortunately we can't force a profile reset on 21CN like we could on Max, but if it doesn't uplift let us know and we'll see what we can do.

There is an open ticket, 32502466, for these issues.  I raised that on Monday but haven't had any update or response from PlusNet.
Please do not close the ticket as you can see the problems haven't been resolved.  How do I escalate this ticket?  I really think the ticket should have been acknowledge and updated since Monday.

[#15]

Using the link on the PlusNet members area for mybroadbandspeed.co.uk I was able to see old speed tests that I'd done.
These were:
Date Download Speed Upload Speed 
Today 13:32 3077 kbps (385kB/s) 951 kbps (119kB/s)
Yesterday 09:28 2975 kbps (372kB/s) 958 kbps (120kB/s)
Monday 15:22 3322 kbps (415kB/s) 770 kbps (96.3kB/s)
Mar 8, 08:27 6450 kbps (806kB/s) 758 kbps (94.8kB/s)
It shows that on March 8th I was getting ~6.5 MBits actual download speed - which is what I was saying all along.  I currently get 3Mbits although PlusNet have told me that the issue is currently waiting on the faults team to clear.  This is categorical proof of previous speed rather than checking BTs web site which, at one point, said I might get 3Mbit speeds.  My new vigor 2820 is rock solid at 6Mbits sync, but does say attainable speed is over 11Mbits.
> adsl st
  --------------------------- ATU-R Info (hw: annex A, f/w: annex A) -----------
  Running Mode            : ADSL2+(G.992.5)      State                : SHOWTIME
  DS Actual Rate          :  6653000 bps  US Actual Rate      :  1125000 bps
  DS Attainable Rate      : 11700000 bps  US Attainable Rate  :  1124000 bps
  DS Path Mode            :  Interleave    US Path Mode        :  Interleave
  DS Interleave Depth    :      96      US Interleave Depth  :        1
  NE Current Attenuation  :      42 dB    Cur SNR Margin      :      12  dB
  DS actual PSD          :    18. 1 dB    US actual PSD        :    12. 7  dB
  ADSL Firmware Version  : 232201_A
  -------------------------------- ATU-C Info ---------------------------------
  Far Current Attenuation :      22 dB    Far SNR Margin      :        6  dB
  CO ITU Version[0]      : 00004946      CO ITU Version[1]    : 0000544e
  DSLAM CHIPSET VENDOR    : < IFTN >