Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed
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Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed
14-06-2008 10:57 AM
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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...
Re: Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed
14-06-2008 12:49 PM
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"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."
Re: Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed
14-06-2008 2:01 PM
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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.
Re: Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed
16-06-2008 9:46 AM
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Re: Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed
17-06-2008 5:09 PM
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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...
Re: Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed
17-06-2008 5:14 PM
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Re: Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed
17-06-2008 5:36 PM
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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."
Re: Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed
17-06-2008 6:17 PM
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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
Stu
Re: Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed
17-06-2008 6:18 PM
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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
Re: Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed
18-06-2008 9:16 AM
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Unfortunately I can't affect the IP profile 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.
Re: Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed
18-06-2008 9:18 AM
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Not to worry, it's gone up to 4000 overnight, hopefully will reach 4500 in next few days as now syncing at 5504
Stu
Re: Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed
18-06-2008 3:41 PM
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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.
Re: Local BT exchange 'condition red' - date for fixing it gets delayed
18-06-2008 3:55 PM
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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.
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