Connection Problems

[#1]

That speed is still poor for the profile.
You do not have to go through the filters, routers stuff for reporting a phone fault which you do first, they are two separate issues.
Mentioning the fact that your phone fault is having an intermittent effect on your broadband is only a by the by as it's the same provider.
I'd be damned annoyed with Plusnet if who ever responded to a phone fault ticket started try another filter, router stuff.
BUT, you really do need to plug a corded phone into the test socket to isolate your internal wiring, just to be certain it's not having an influence for some reason. If the hum has gone, we'd have to look at reasons why.
If it hasn't you can at least state that it was still present with a corded phone in the test socket.
When disconnecting the modem/router, use the following Disconnect method -
Log in to the Modem/Router, where it says Broadband Connection - Internet - connected, click Disconnect to drop the PPP Internet session (this is not the sync), wait about a minute and then power down the Modem/Router. After about another minute you can unplug it from the line.
Do whatever is needed, but stay offline for at least 10 minutes. When you re-connect and power up, Login to the Modem/Router and click Connect to establish a new PPP Internet session - don't forget that bit otherwise you won't be able to browse.
Don't do this more than 5 times in an hour, then leave it for the rest of the day. This method is to help stop the Exchange DLM from thinking your sync loss was a dropped connection.
(If you have another modem/router that doesn't have an interface for you to drop the PPP session, then pull the power plug and wait a minute or two before unplugging from the line).
PS. You can do a Disconnect & Connect (without a power down) to Gateway hop.
Now when you physically remove the faceplate lower half, and of course you mdoem/router is unplugged, gently plug the faceplate in and out a few times to help remove any surface oxidation that may be present on the contacts giving a poor connection. Do the same with the phone plug in the test socket..
HTH.

[#2]

My speeds dropped dramatically again this afternoon.
BTW test results
Download:  0.03
Upload: 0.75
ping:     206.25

On a hunch I tried something I remember reading about .
I tuned a portable radio to medium wave and picked up a very loud low frequency hum across most of the MW band. The hum can be picked up through most of the house and partly into the garden. It seemed to get louder the closer I got to the phone line, but it also seemed to get louder near mains wiring. Having said that, it seemed to be 'in the air' almost everywhere around the house and surroundings.
Anyhow, all of a sudden the radio stopped picking up this hum.
So I tried the BTW test again.
The results read:
----------------
Download:  5.35
Upload: 0.76
ping:   41.25
----------------------
A sudden and dramatic improvement.
I don't yet know the source of this hum but it seems likely that whatever is causing it may also be interfering with the BB signal.
It's quite a poweful interference - it blocks out even medium-power MW and LW radio stations.
I'll have to do a few more tests using the radio to see if the appearance of the hum/interference coincides with drops in connection speed.
Is it possible the hum is actually coming down the phone line and radiating out?
I did the 'radio test' with the mains switched off at the main circuit board and it had no effect on the hum.
I can't think what might be causing it other than some sort of signal being picked up and relayed down the phone line.

[#3]

Hey now you may well be onto something. That very low throughput speed is an indicator that something major is going on, but your stats should have been showing some atrocious figures as well.
Whilst it could be coming down the phone line, the fact that you were picking it up outside suggests may be not.
I assume this radio has a ferrite rod aerial. You should be able to tune into say a medium strength station (not very strong) and rotate the radio until it "nulls out" .  try to pick a station whose transmitter you know the location of, and the line of the radio should be in the direction of the transmitter.
How long did this hum go on for?
When you say the mains were switched off, so that everything in the house including the router was dead?

[#4]

Quote from: Anotherone

How long did this hum go on for? When you say the mains were switched off, so that everything in the house including the router was dead?

Yes, everything was off- lights and all sockets.
I've heard this hum at various times in the past but only recently thought it might be affecting the BB.
It lasted for at least an hour earlier though I don't know how long it had been going on before that as I didn't have a MW radio switched on!
It's not like the usual distant radio interference sound - it's extremely loud and steady and sounds like an amplified transformer hum.

I  did another  BT quiet line test while the hum is stopped.
This time I could no longer hear that faint hum in the earpiece, but I could detect a faint hiss.
I'll have to keep a MW radio handy while I'm online!

[#5]

Are you in the sort or area where there might be any of the following - Radio Amateurs, CB Radio users or Pirate Radio stations? Might be handy to have a VHF set for the latter if this one hasn't got it just to have a tune and see if there's anything that appears and goes away at the same time as the hum.

[#6]

Quote from: Anotherone

Are you in the sort or area where there might be any of the following - Radio Amateurs, CB Radio users or Pirate Radio stations? Might be handy to have a VHF set for the latter if this one hasn't got it just to have a tune and see if there's anything that appears and goes away at the same time as the hum.

Unlikely to be a pirate radio station, but who knows?
Because it's intermittent it's not easy to trace, but I will be keeping an eye (or rather an ear) out for it from now on.
It's a very strong low pitched hum, similar to poor quality transformer hum, but much louder, amplified as it is by the radio.

[#7]

I would still do the phone line check in the test socket when this huge hum isn't present, and do it with the mains on & off, then at least you can completely rule out any influence from with your own property.

[#8]

Well, I haven't heard any hum for a couple of days now and the connection appears to be stable.
From what I've read on here and other sites, intermittent REIN problems are not always easy to solve.

-------------------------
latest router stats:
Thomson Gateway
Link Information
11/09/14 8pm

Uptime: 2 days, 0:38:31
DSL Type: G.992.5 annex A
Maximum Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]: 960 / 9,152
Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]: 959 / 6,168
Data Transferred (Sent/Received) [MB/MB]: 62.00 / 391.53
Output Power (Up/Down) [dBm]: 11.5 / 20.0
Line Attenuation (Up/Down) [dB]: 24.0 / 41.5
SN Margin (Up/Down) [dB]: 6.0 / 11.0
Vendor ID (Local/Remote): TMMB / IFTN
Loss of Framing (Local/Remote): 0 / 0
Loss of Signal (Local/Remote): 0 / 0
Loss of Power (Local/Remote): 0 / 0
Loss of Link (Remote): 0
Error Seconds (Local/Remote): 6,371 / 0
FEC Errors (Up/Down): 0 / 0
CRC Errors (Up/Down): 33,054 / 351,753
HEC Errors (Up/Down): 25,003 / 936,465
-------------------------
BTW TEST  11/09/14  20:10

Download speed achieved during the test was - 5.47 Mbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 2 Mbps-7.15 Mbps.
IP Profile for your line is - 5.44 Mbps
2. Upstream Test: -provides background information.
Upload Speed
0.77 Mbps

0 Mbps 0.83 Mbps  Max Achievable Speed

[#9]

No REIN problems can be damned tricky. I've sent you a PM btw.

[#10]

Briefly disconnected again about 20 minutes ago.
Checked the radio - lo and behold - very heavy hum/interference again, apparently emanating from the mains wiring but hard to say as it went almost as quickly as it came.
Internet connection quickly established as soon as hum disappeared.
I think I can safely say that whatever is the source of this hum/ REIN is causing my connection to drop. 

[#11]

Downloading RouterStats from here - http://www.vwlowen.co.uk/internet/files.htm - configured as described here - http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,128606.msg1122269.html#msg1122269 - is a useful approach to monitoring the presence of REIN.

[#12]

Thanks I will get on to that.
I lost connection again this afternoon.
The loss coincided with the noise.
I've done a few elimination tests.
Switching off my own electricity supply made no difference, so I think I can safely say the interference is not emanating from any electrical/electronic equipment in the house.
The interference appears to be radiating from the actual copper wires that bring the phone line into the house.
I took a portable AM radio out and around the neighbourhood and I could hear the hum down the length of the street, especially loud where telephone wires were visible.
At the end of my road (about two hundred yards or so distance) there is a telegraph pole (one of only two in the whole length of the road).
Amazingly, there are about half a dozen cables hanging off the top of the pole down to waist height, with the bare ends of the wires clearly visible - very strong hum radiating from all of them.
There is a garage/workshop near the pole.
I don't know if this is the source of the REIN, but it's a bit of a worry.
What is the best way to report this?

[#13]

I think that kind of damage - loose cables hanging off telephone poles - is one of the few things you can contact openreach directly for.
http://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/contactus/tellussomething/tellus.do

[#14]

Quote from: ejs

I think that kind of damage - loose cables hanging off telephone poles - is one of the few things you can contact openreach directly for. http://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/contactus/tellussomething/tellus.do

Thanks for the link.
I guess I will also need to report a fault on my line via the Plusnet portal, as Plusnet is my phone supplier?

[#15]

Yes.