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Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed

thesheep
Grafter
Posts: 57
Registered: ‎14-06-2008

Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed

Back in April I got a new BT line installed, primarily for broadband, at a cost of about £130. The engineer assured me that because we are less than 1 mile from the exchange, I would get a great broadband speed.
True enough, once my PlusNet broadband was up and running, I was getting around 5000 kbps. Although well short of the advertised 'peak' 8 Meg, I was still more than happy with that.
A few weeks later, I noticed the connection speed suddenly dropped to about 1300 kbps. WFT? Upon investigation, PlusNet told me that the problem is the local exchange, which is on "virtual paths: red":
"BT is reporting that some of the virtual paths at this exchange are not operating within BT Wholesale's planning guidance, although they are still operating within the product specification.
At busy times, your ADSL connection may operate at a reduced speed, although not all customers on your exchange may be affected. You should only contact support if there is no current ETA date set."

From what this says,  it sounds like the connection would only be reduced sometimes, at peak times. But PlusNet told me, no, this would just make it slow all the time. The date given to fix this was 24 May, so I thought, OK a few weeks at the reduced speed - I can handle that.
Beginning of June came and went and no change. Now I check again and the proposed work date to fix it is now reported as 6 July. No explanation as to the delay. If it really does get fixed at the beginning of July, then that will be something. But I have no way of knowing if they will just push it back again.
Meantime I'm paying £20 per month for a 1 Meg connection. No reductions or refunds because PlusNet say it is BT's responsibility. Apparently no way to contact BT about it, absolutely no come-back. So I can either sit here and wait, or move to cable internet (which I probably should have done in the first place. Although now I've just paid BT £130 for the new line).
There is something pretty flawed in this BT wholesale system...

12 REPLIES 12
VileReynard
Hero
Posts: 12,616
Thanks: 582
Fixes: 20
Registered: ‎01-09-2007

Re: Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed

Perhaps you could sound out PlusNet with a view to being put on a cheaper package (possibily backdated) for a few months - doesn't sound like you are going to be downloading many GBytes.

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

itsme
Grafter
Posts: 5,924
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎07-04-2007

Re: Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed

If your modem/router sync rate has dropped to 1300kbps than this not down to the virtual paths but line conditions. Try rebooting to see if you can sync at a higher rate, this may be worth reading
If the 1300kbps is from a speedtest and you modem/router is connected at 5000kbps than this could be down to the virtual paths. Try doing more speed tests to see if this change at different times in the day.
Chris
Legend
Posts: 17,724
Thanks: 600
Fixes: 169
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed

Looking at your account it appears the IP profile has dropped, this will have been caused by a low sync at sometime. What speed is your router syncing at now? It's also worth having a read through this.
Former Plusnet Staff member. Posts after 31st Jan 2020 are not on behalf of Plusnet.
thesheep
Grafter
Posts: 57
Registered: ‎14-06-2008

Re: Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed

Thanks for the replies.
Yes, I've tested the speed (using something like www.speedtest.net) at various times of day, and it's always in the region of 1300 kps.
According to the BT speedtest:
IP profile for your line is - 6000 kbps
DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)  6816 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 1353 kbps
So from what you guys are saying, this probably does look like a problem with contention at the exchange, right? Because my IP profile is fine, but the actual throughput is low...

Chris
Legend
Posts: 17,724
Thanks: 600
Fixes: 169
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed

Hmm, I don't think this is contention at the exchange. Can you reboot your router and try a speedtest again, the IP profile we have doesn't match the one from the BT speedtest you've provided. I've given it a nudge and all should be well again.
Former Plusnet Staff member. Posts after 31st Jan 2020 are not on behalf of Plusnet.
VileReynard
Hero
Posts: 12,616
Thanks: 582
Fixes: 20
Registered: ‎01-09-2007

Re: Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed

Me too!
I had my BRAS profile reset (upwards) and my figures are broadly similar,
Profile=6500Kbps, Sync=7712Kbps, Noise margin 6dB
However, the speedtester maxes out at about 1400Kbps
A download of some old firefox couldn't manage more than 150KBps.
I have never noticed contention on my connection - ever.
BTW BT say their exchange is really green.
Quote from: thesheep
Yes, I've tested the speed (using something like www.speedtest.net) at various times of day, and it's always in the region of 1300 kps.
According to the BT speedtest:
IP profile for your line is - 6000 kbps
DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)  6816 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 1353 kbps
So from what you guys are saying, this probably does look like a problem with contention at the exchange, right? Because my IP profile is fine, but the actual throughput is low...

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

swayton
Dabbler
Posts: 21
Registered: ‎10-06-2008

Re: Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed

Quote from: Chris
I've given it a nudge and all should be well again.

Hi Chris,
What exactly did you nudge??  I'd like my IP Profile nudged as it's currently at 500 and my sync is at 5280 but I just get told to wait 3 days and they can't nudge anything  Sad
Stu
andyrogers
Grafter
Posts: 131
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed

I have seen this on a local exchange which my Dad was connected to.
He had his speed upgraded to upto 8mbps, with a speed of 7mbps.
When he was connected the router was sync at around 7mbps, but all he was getting was 50kbps.  At the time the exchange was showing the exact same status back in January, and it took until April for them to actually fix the problem, after it got put off Week after week between January until April.
When the exchange was exentually back on a Green light, he was getting speeds 500-600 kbps as expected.
Andy
Chris
Legend
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Fixes: 169
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed

Hi Stu,
Unfortunately I can't affect the IP profile Sad  Basically our systems have a value which should match the IP profile and ensure you get the best possible speed. Until the IP profile is raised on the BT side there isn't anything I can do.
Former Plusnet Staff member. Posts after 31st Jan 2020 are not on behalf of Plusnet.
swayton
Dabbler
Posts: 21
Registered: ‎10-06-2008

Re: Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed

Hi Chris,
Not to worry, it's gone up to 4000 overnight, hopefully will reach 4500 in next few days as now syncing at 5504 Smiley
Stu
thesheep
Grafter
Posts: 57
Registered: ‎14-06-2008

Re: Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed

Quote from: Chris
Hmm, I don't think this is contention at the exchange. Can you reboot your router and try a speedtest again, the IP profile we have doesn't match the one from the BT speedtest you've provided. I've given it a nudge and all should be well again.

Thanks Chris. I think that has helped. I've tested it over the past 4 hours and get actual throughput of between 2000 and 4000 kbps now.
10 am:
IP profile for your line is - 6000 kbps
DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)  7584 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 2035 kbps
3:30 pm:
IP profile for your line is - 6000 kbps
DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)  7584 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 4027 kbps
It's still not up to 5000 as it was, but if it stays around 4000 then that is fine.
I'm a bit surprised that PlusNet support staff didn't see what you did when I submitted a support ticket (Actually I submitted around support requests before posting here - they just said there is nothing they can do). So from this experience, it makes more sense to post problems on this forum rather than through the support system!
Thanks again for your help.
Chris
Legend
Posts: 17,724
Thanks: 600
Fixes: 169
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed

Quote
I'm a bit surprised that PlusNet support staff didn't see what you did when I submitted a support ticket

Me too and I've addressed this internally.
Former Plusnet Staff member. Posts after 31st Jan 2020 are not on behalf of Plusnet.