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Low speed and disconnections since Friday

Alex90
Newbie
Posts: 6
Registered: ‎04-07-2015

Low speed and disconnections since Friday

Hi everyone!
I woke up on Saturday to very flakey broadband - speeds were down from their usual 18-20mbps to only around 2, and I was regularly getting kicked to a router page that told me my DSL connection was dropped, along with the broadband light on my router going off or turning red. I'm fairly certain that my previous speeds were around 18-20mbps - it always was higher than the estimate I was given by PN, so I never complained!
Since then, the DSL drops seem to have disappeared, but my speeds are still only a third or a quarter as high as they once were. I have a question/ticket in with support (#106882285) but as Twitter (where I originally asked this) seems awash with people having issues, I thought I'd ask here too!
Following the sticky above, here are some numbers:

DSL Connection
Link Information

Uptime: 0 days, 6:31:19
DSL Type: ITU-T G.992.5
Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]: 111 / 8,491
Data Transferred (Sent/Received) [MB/MB]: 29.06 / 622.12
Output Power (Up/Down) [dBm]: 12.4 / 0.0
Line Attenuation (Up/Down) [dB]: 27.6 / 21.5
SN Margin (Up/Down) [dB]: 5.5 / 3.0
System Vendor ID (Local/Remote): TMMB / ----
Chipset Vendor ID (Local/Remote): BDCM / 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): -
Error Seconds (Local/Remote): 109 / 0
FEC Errors (Up/Down): 7 / 2,132,435
CRC Errors (Up/Down): 0 / 156
HEC Errors (Up/Down): 0 / 1,606

BT Speedtest:
Best Effort Test
Download speed achieved during the test was - 4.3 Mbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 2 Mbps-7.15 Mbps.
IP Profile for your line is - 7.49 Mbps
Upstream Test:
Upload speed achieved during the test was - 0.07Mbps
Additional Information:
Upstream Rate IP profile on your line is - 0.83 Mbps
Phone exchange:
    KINGS LYNN
Estimated line speed:
    12Mb (This may vary between 10.5Mb and 14Mb) - Checked on 2015-07-04 07:54:42
Current line speed:
    7.4 Mb
I have run the BT Speedtest a few times over the weekend, and it varies from 2-5mbps. I have also tried it in the test/master socket, which makes no difference. I don't have another router to test, nor do I have a landline phone that I can plug into the line (mobiles ftw, until today)
The question I have lodged with PN says the below, though it has an estimated completion date of "xx/xx/xxxx" which fills me with dread, and the drop in connections fault is no longer the issue.
Fault Type: Drop in connections
Test Results:Fail - Fault located in local network Battery Contact
Fault Ref:TR0000004782881


So, what can I do? I admit to not having a clue how this all works or what any of the above numbers mean - so be gentle with me.
Thanks, and sorry for the giant post!
15 REPLIES 15
MatthewWheeler
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 8,896
Thanks: 1,506
Fixes: 480
Registered: ‎01-01-2012

Re: Low speed and disconnections since Friday

It looks like we've detected a fault on your phone line which will be the root cause of your issues (As your broadband goes over the phone line)
Once that's been fixed you should find the service is back to normal.
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Matthew Wheeler
 Plusnet Help Team
Alex90
Newbie
Posts: 6
Registered: ‎04-07-2015

Re: Low speed and disconnections since Friday

Ah I see - thanks!
So is that the sort of issue where someone comes round and fixes phone lines, or something that I just have to wait and will be fixed on your end? Sadly sounds like a pretty big/lengthy wait, no?
*shakes fist at Friday's thunderstorm*
MatthewWheeler
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 8,896
Thanks: 1,506
Fixes: 480
Registered: ‎01-01-2012

Re: Low speed and disconnections since Friday

It's a physical fault on the line  so it'll need a BT engineer to sort it.
It should get fixed hopefully over the next couple of days
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Matthew Wheeler
 Plusnet Help Team
Alex90
Newbie
Posts: 6
Registered: ‎04-07-2015

Re: Low speed and disconnections since Friday

Okay, thanks for your help!
Surfer
Grafter
Posts: 289
Thanks: 8
Registered: ‎11-06-2008

Re: Low speed and disconnections since Friday

Also since Friday we have been experiencing problems with connection dropping out and a web page coming about a Technicolor asking for a login details?  Then without me doing anything all is working again although speeds are very slow;  BT speedtest showed the following
Download speedachieved during the test was - 3.81 Mbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 0.6 Mbps-7.15 Mbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :5.09 Mbps(DOWN-STREAM), 0.45 Mbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 4 Mbps
MatthewWheeler
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 8,896
Thanks: 1,506
Fixes: 480
Registered: ‎01-01-2012

Re: Low speed and disconnections since Friday

@Surfer
We aren't seeing many disconnections from here although the speeds are a little slower then what I'd expect.

I'd recommend working through our faults troubleshooter using the link below.
https://faults.plus.net
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Matthew Wheeler
 Plusnet Help Team
Surfer
Grafter
Posts: 289
Thanks: 8
Registered: ‎11-06-2008

Re: Low speed and disconnections since Friday

Quote from: Matthew
@Surfer
We aren't seeing many disconnections from here although the speeds are a little slower then what I'd expect.

I'd recommend working through our faults troubleshooter using the link below.
https://faults.plus.net

thanks however one of the requirements is to try a different router.  If I go out and buy one and it is not the router at fault, will Plusnet refund me the cost of the router which they can then have?
catelliott
Grafter
Posts: 242
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎05-02-2015

Re: Low speed and disconnections since Friday

Hi there surfer,
We're not able to refund you the cost of a router I'm afraid. Sad Is it possible that you could borrow one from a friend or family member just to test the connection? Smiley
Surfer
Grafter
Posts: 289
Thanks: 8
Registered: ‎11-06-2008

Re: Low speed and disconnections since Friday

We live in a rural area so sadly not many people about.
Alex90
Newbie
Posts: 6
Registered: ‎04-07-2015

Re: Low speed and disconnections since Friday

Hi,
I asked on your Twitter account about some clarification of when "xx/xx/xx" is, as my connection is still very slow, and was told that it will be today, at some point between now and midnight - hooray!
But, I then asked about whether I'd need to be in when the engineer arrived and was told that it would be fixed remotely and so they did not need access to my flat. From what I understand (albeit with a limited knowledge of these things) the "Fault located in local network Battery Contact" is a wiring issue - how can this be solved remotely? Unless in this case remotely just means at the cabinet/somewhere that isn't my flat?
I'd also just like to mention this [see attached pic], what I assume is a box/wiring that's involved in my broadband. It has always been like this since I moved in a year ago, but I never payed it any attention as the internet has worked flawlessly for a year now. But, I don't know if this could be part of the issue now? Sorry for all the cobwebs!   Wink
Thanks!
JayG
Pro
Posts: 1,145
Thanks: 143
Fixes: 6
Registered: ‎30-10-2011

Re: Low speed and disconnections since Friday

Following thread on the Kitz forum tells you probably more than you want or need to know about battery contact faults:
http://forum.kitz.co.uk/index.php?topic=11746.0
I had an engineer out this year who fixed a battery contact fault by swapping me to a spare pair - this was done at the cabinet and up the DP pole, although the checking to make sure he had actually made an improvement was done from my house.
Battery contact faults can be intermittent - even tree roots can affect 'iffy' underground cables in strong winds apparently.

Can't help you with the junction box issue I'm afraid.
Alex90
Newbie
Posts: 6
Registered: ‎04-07-2015

Re: Low speed and disconnections since Friday

Well just an hour after posting, the BT engineer was sitting in my living room - remote indeed!
But the result is that everything is fixed and working!
BT test now says:
Download speedachieved during the test was - 7.44 Mbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 4 Mbps-21 Mbps.
IP Profile for your line is - 19.45 Mbps
Upload speed achieved during the test was - 1.02Mbps
Upstream Rate IP profile on your line is - 0.83 Mbps

The engineer tells me that the speeds could fluxuate over the coming days and settle on a stable number - so I'm hoping the DL speed rises a little to make use of that 19-21mbps max. Can PL confirm?
Thank you to Plusnet and BT for getting this all fixed quickly!
MatthewWheeler
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 8,896
Thanks: 1,506
Fixes: 480
Registered: ‎01-01-2012

Re: Low speed and disconnections since Friday

Glad to hear he managed to get it fixed.
I've changed the profile on our end.
If you test it now the speeds should be better.
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Matthew Wheeler
 Plusnet Help Team
Alex90
Newbie
Posts: 6
Registered: ‎04-07-2015

Re: Low speed and disconnections since Friday

Wow, shot up to 19mbps - perfect.
Thanks for all your help!