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Line Length Problem

mikez
Grafter
Posts: 35
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎22-11-2012

Line Length Problem

Long history that I won't go in to but had lots of speed problems since FTTC installation in November. Estimated was 32 and I got 37 on the first day - progressively drops to around 16 -18. Six engineer visits and still the same. After the last visit its now only ever at max 18.
BT now saying that I have 'excessive' line length, specifically that tests show that its between 350 and 600 m from the DP (note NOT the PCP) to my Socket when I know that the pole is outside my house and its a total of 32m !!! Their estimates of the exchange to PCP length and the PCP to the DP length (600m) are about right.
I can't seem to get them to understand - any thoughts on a theory of whats going on ?
Thanks
12 REPLIES 12
Anotherone
Champion
Posts: 19,107
Thanks: 457
Fixes: 21
Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: Line Length Problem

If your pole is actually the DP, it will have a DP number on it. If not, follow the lines until you come to a pole that has a DP number.
If the distances you've quoited are correct, then 18Mbps for a 600m line is poor. That would suggest you are on poor quality cable - or it's a faulty pair. What exactly have these 6 "engineers" done?
Bald_Eagle1
Grafter
Posts: 313
Registered: ‎24-06-2011

Re: Line Length Problem

mikez
Grafter
Posts: 35
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎22-11-2012

Re: Line Length Problem

Thanks for the responses
This is an extract from a BT Email  (my comments in ITALICS)

Line loss calculator shows:-
exchange to PCP 9 1882 metres (correct)
PCP 9 to dp411 596 metres (correct and DP 411 is the pole outside my house - total of 32m from the Master Socket)
line test 2.85km
Suggests DP to EU 372 meters of unpredicted line length.
Another test system shows Estimated length 1212m PCP to EU also confirming the line is longer than estimated.
Possibly 616 metres DP to EU.
Engineer visit have included removing Filters, changing external wire outside house (but not all of it), approx 4 hours between PCP/exchange/house (x2) and changing router/Plusnet Box.
Anotherone
Champion
Posts: 19,107
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Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: Line Length Problem

Well it strikes me that if the cable goes direct from the DP to the house, they should have changed all of it, not just part of it. Personally I think that is extremely poor.
So there is faulty cable somewhere between the Cab and the DP or the bit they didn't change.
Keep moaning.
npr
Pro
Posts: 1,898
Thanks: 119
Fixes: 9
Registered: ‎21-01-2013

Re: Line Length Problem

Quote from: mikez
Estimated was 32 and I got 37 on the first day - progressively drops to around 16 -18.

If the 37mbps was the speed reported in your member centre then it may be wrong.
When I first got PN fibre, my member centre showed a current line speed of 37 mbps. This was incorrect the actual sync speed was 23mbps.
When I questioned PN about this I got this answer:
Quote
"The 37Mb/s sync speed is what we set your line profile when your connection went active until we determined the actual speed of your line, if you check again it is now at 23.8Mb/s "
http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,111808.msg958504.html#msg958504
Anotherone
Champion
Posts: 19,107
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Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: Line Length Problem

@npr, I suspect he is talking about speed test results, but which ever, it is irrelevant to the substandard performance of the line.
Edzashed
Grafter
Posts: 67
Registered: ‎18-01-2013

Re: Line Length Problem

@ mikez firstly hello can i just share in your frustration and sheer heartache you are having to put up with, i myself had a similar problem regarding bad line, 6 engineers, constant moaning. Have these engineers tried to put you on a SPARE PAIR at all as i had the issue of being told there was nothing wrong with my line to, my line is 450 mtrs away from PCP and  only 25 mtrs away from DP. Since my problem has been sorted out with a very nice man in the Plusnet offices and a lot of friendly help and support here I hasten to add, my issue was that i was getting speeds of 5Mbps down and 1Mbps up for nearly eight weeks, I have to say i think the BT engineers had had enough of my constant moaning for them to get this fixed  ;). Now after 3 weeks of stability i have settled to a rather nice slice of speed heaven and have one less thing to worry about as we are connected @ 65 Mbps down and 17.60 Mbps up.. Key word here is that there is HOPE on the horizon..
npr
Pro
Posts: 1,898
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Registered: ‎21-01-2013

Re: Line Length Problem

@Anotherone,
Yes he may be talking about speed tests, but I think this point is worth checking. I mention this incase, if like me, he fell into the trap of plusnets incorrectly reported initial figure.
Some posts are assuming the line has deteriorated from 37mbps, if the OP is quoting PN's incorrect initial line speed then the line may not have deteriorated but started off with poor speeds -- this I think is very significant.
Anotherone
Champion
Posts: 19,107
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Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: Line Length Problem

Just to clarify, these Current Line speeds at the start of a new connection aren't "incorrectly reported" figures. They are the values set by Plusnet (so as not to unfairly cap a line), depending on the type of connection, until a BT IP Profile is established for the connection. On ADSL this normally takes 2 days (+ any delay in the Delta report going from BT systems to Plusnet systems and processing by Plusnet), I think it's a bit quicker on Fibre.
The default values IIRC are 37Mbps for 40/10 FTTC, 78MBps for 80/20 FTTC, 21Mbps for 21CN and I think 7.15Mbps for 20CN. A few years back it used to be 2Mbps for ADSL as the BT IP profile was set at that value by BT's systems for 2 days but this unfairly restricted speeds for people with faster connections.
All this can, as you point out, cause confusion, but a lot of people don't check the Current Line speed as they may not be aware of it. The correct thing to do is run the BTw Performance test (ignore the red preamble except make sure no other programs are using the Internet) and at the end of the first run, click the Further Diagnostics button, enter just your Phone number and Run the Further Diagnostics Test - which will show the BT IP Profile for the Line + the sync speeds on ADSL.
However, none of this has any significance to the poor performance of mikez's line whatever the initial speed actually was.
mikez
Grafter
Posts: 35
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎22-11-2012

Re: Line Length Problem

Thanks Edzashed, one of the visits did involve swapping to a spare pair (twice) but the conclusion was that the original pair was the best result !! Thanks for the reassurance however that this might eventually get sorted.
BTW the initial speed I quoted wasn't an estimate but what I got on my laptop (and the BT Engs laptop) on the day of installation
Thanks to all
npr
Pro
Posts: 1,898
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Registered: ‎21-01-2013

Re: Line Length Problem

Quote from: mikez

BTW the initial speed I quoted wasn't an estimate but what I got on my laptop (and the BT Engs laptop) on the day of installation
Thanks to all

That's reassuring, the fact the line was initially capable of higher speed gives ammunition for your case with BT.
adamwalker
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 16,871
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Registered: ‎27-04-2007

Re: Line Length Problem

FYI I can see we're looking to arrange an appointment re this. Hopefully we'll be able to get that sorted today for you.
Adam
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Adam Walker
 Plusnet Help Team