Recent peak-time speed problems (Nov 08) - Please read this!

[#1]

There have been many reports of *severe* speed problems during peak times across packages and gateways recently.  I would like to collate some information on them in the hope that Plusnet will be able to use this information to investigate common threads.
So, if you are having problems with peak-time speeds, can I ask you to read the following, and submit a reply answering as many of the questions as possible.
1.  Your product type
This information can be found here. For example, mine is:
"PlusNet Broadband Your Way Pro with included 15GB bandwidth"
2.  Your current usage from the VMBU
The "View My Boradband Usage" tool will show you exactly how much you have used in the current billing month.  You can access the VMBU tool here.  Please post your current usage similar to the following:
Paid-for usage  11.22GB  8am - Midnight 
Paid-for allowance: Up-to 15GB 8am - Midnight
Free usage: 55.62GB Midnight - 8am
Total usage: 66.84GB
3.  Your IP Profile, as reported by Plusnet
You can access this information here.  Please copy/paste the information like this:
"Your current broadband speed is 7150 Kbps"
4.  Information from the BT Speedtester
Please run the BT Speedtester and post the results in the following format:
Your DSL connection rate: 8128 kbps(DOWN-STREAM),  448 kbps(UP-STREAM)
    IP profile for your line is - 7150 kbps
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 6252 kbps
5.  A Speedtest from an external testing site.
Please try to do an external speedtest.  I recommend using This one.  Post the results including the date and time of the speedtest.  If there are particular times when you connection is "bad", please try to post a comparative speedtest from when your connection is "good".
6.  Your gateway
If you visit this link and please post the results:
"You are currently connected to the "City Lifeline, Juniper 8" gateway. This gateway is sometimes known as pcl-ag01."
7.  Your exchange status
Go to the Exchange checker and post the "VP Status" of your exchange:
"VP capacity at this exchange is currently showing as Green."
8.  Any other information
Please include any other information that you think may be pertinent.  Please keep it brief and to the point.  If we can collate together as much information as possible then it should assist Plusnet in identifying a common cause and resolving the issue once and for all.
I have included a template post below, which you can quote from and then fill in.
Please note that any posts that are not in this format are likely to be split off, or removed without warning
B.

[#2]

1.  Your product type
2.  Your current usage from the VMBU
3.  Your IP Profile, as reported by Plusnet
4.  Information from the BT Speedtester
5.  A Speedtest from an external testing site.
6.  Your gateway
7.  Your exchange status
8.  Any other information

[#3]

EXAMPLE POST:
1.  Your product type
"PlusNet Broadband Your Way Pro with included 15GB bandwidth"
2.  Your current usage from the VMBU
Paid-for usage    11.22GB        8am - Midnight   
Paid-for allowance:    Up-to 15GB      8am - Midnight   
Free usage:    55.62GB      Midnight - 8am   
Total usage:    66.84GB
3.  Your IP Profile, as reported by Plusnet
"Your current broadband speed is 7150 Kbps"
4.  Information from the BT Speedtester
Your DSL connection rate: 8128 kbps(DOWN-STREAM),  448 kbps(UP-STREAM)
    IP profile for your line is - 7150 kbps
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 6252 kbps
5.  A Speedtest from an external testing site.

6.  Your gateway
"You are currently connected to the "City Lifeline, Juniper 8" gateway. This gateway is sometimes known as pcl-ag01."
7.  Your exchange status
"VP capacity at this exchange is currently showing as Green."
8.  Any other information
"Speeds are slow from exactly 4.00pm every day until 4.07pm, then speeds seem to return to normal."

[#4]

Barry, Can I suggest that external speed test results should include the date time the test was run and if they are seeing slowdowns at particular times of the day results from when it is both good and bad should be posted as a comparison.

[#5]

1.  Your product type
Broadband Your Way 2
2.  Your current usage from the VMBU
Key: Peak usage Paid-for usage 2.57GB 8am - Midnight
  Paid-for allowance: Up-to 15GB 8am - Midnight
Key: Peak usage Free usage: 133.11MB Midnight - 8am
  Total usage: 2.7GB
3.  Your IP Profile, as reported by Plusnet
7150
4.  Information from the BT Speedtester
9 Nov

Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test:  -provides background information.
    Your DSL connection rate: 8128 kbps(DOWN-STREAM),  448 kbps(UP-STREAM)
    IP profile for your line is - 7150 kbps
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 2347 kbps

11th

Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test:  -provides background information.
    Your DSL connection rate: 8128 kbps(DOWN-STREAM),  448 kbps(UP-STREAM)
    IP profile for your line is - 7150 kbps
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 5694 kbps


Today 08:05  7329 kbps (916kB/s)  381 kbps (47.6kB/s) 
Yesterday 17:56 6313 kbps (789kB/s) 377 kbps (47.1kB/s)
Yesterday 17:18 3366 kbps (421kB/s) 351 kbps (43.9kB/s)
Yesterday 16:35 2619 kbps (327kB/s) 382 kbps (47.8kB/s)
5.  A Speedtest from an external testing site.
6.  Your gateway
You are currently connected to the "Telehouse North, Juniper 6" gateway. This gateway is sometimes known as thn-ag1.
7.  Your exchange status
green
8.  Any other information
OK in Morning and after about 2200Hrs
Rough in afternoon.
on the myspeedtest the speed needle is very jumpy  goes from say 2400 - 4000 and back down again
weekend speed test 5/6th Nov below

[#6]

1.  Your product type
"PlusNet Broadband Your Way Pro with included 15GB bandwidth"
2.  Your current usage from the VMBU
Paid-for usage 1.03GB 8am - Midnight
  Paid-for allowance: Up-to 15GB 8am - Midnight
Free usage: 8.24GB Midnight - 8am
Total usage: 9.27GB

3.  Your IP Profile, as reported by Plusnet
"Your current broadband speed is 8000 Kbps"  <-- please leave this as is (I'm happy with it and it is not related to the fault)
4.  Information from the BT Speedtester
Your DSL connection rate: 7456 kbps(DOWN-STREAM),  448 kbps(UP-STREAM)
    IP profile for your line is - 6500 kbps
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 4123 kbps  (@21:10 tonight)
I was well surprised by this 4123 kbps!  Over the last few days it would be a miracle to get anything above 2150 or so.
Note: I've had the same sync rate and IP profile for the last 50 days.
5.  A Speedtest from an external testing site.
mybroadbandspeed.co.uk

Date	            Download Speed	        Upload Speed	
Today 20:20	    1885 kbps (236kB/s)	339 kbps (42.4kB/s)	
Yesterday 21:04	1162 kbps (145kB/s)	339 kbps (42.4kB/s)<--MSWindows patch Tuesday
Monday 20:13	   1311 kbps (164kB/s)	341 kbps (42.6kB/s)

Normal evening speeds:

6.  Your gateway
You are currently connected to the "Telehouse North, Juniper 2" gateway. This gateway is sometimes known as ptn-ag2.
7.  Your exchange status
"VP capacity at this exchange is currently showing as Green."  (It's always been green - I live out in the sticks).
8.  Any other information
"Speeds are slow from around 6:45pm every day until after 22:00-23.30pm depending on the day, then speeds seem to return to normal."  Late at night and early in the morning I get speeds of c. 6214 kps which corresponds with my 6500 IP profile.

[#7]

Quote from: Barry

1.  Your product type PlusNet Broadband Your Way Option 1 with included 6GB bandwidth 2.  Your current usage from the VMBU   Paid-for usage  2.36GB  8am - Midnight    Paid-for allowance: Up-to 6GB 8am - Midnight Key: Peak usage Free usage: 0KB  Midnight - 8am   Total usage: 2.36GB 3.  Your IP Profile, as reported by Plusnet Your current broadband speed is 7000 Kbps 4.  Information from the BT Speedtester Your DSL connection rate: 8096 kbps(DOWN-STREAM),  448 kbps(UP-STREAM)     IP profile for your line is - 7000 kbps     Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 1181 kbps 5.  A Speedtest from an external testing site. 6.  Your gateway You are currently connected to the "Telehouse East, Juniper 4" gateway. This gateway is sometimes known as pte-ag2. 7.  Your exchange status VP capacity at this exchange is currently showing as Green. 8.  Any other information Really pleased to get 6Mbps d/l while checking in the afternoon - 2pm, but then after 6pm roughly speeds drop fairly dramatically - checking every 20 - 30 mins shows a drop down to 1.7Mbps by 9.30pm. Having said that, last night - 11/11/08 speed was down to 890kbps by 8pm! Hope this helps and Thanks for the template.

[#8]

1.  Your product type

PlusNet Broadband Plus up to 8Mb

2.  Your current usage from the VMBU

Peak usage: 1.45GB 4pm - Midnight
Off-peak usage: 1.53GB Midnight - 4pm
Total usage: 2.99GB

3.  Your IP Profile, as reported by Plusnet

Your current broadband speed is 6500 Kbps

4.  Information from the BT Speedtester

"Good(ish)": Weds 12/11/08 17:50
Your DSL connection rate: 7616 kbps(DOWN-STREAM),  448 kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP profile for your line is - 6500 kbps
Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 4160 kbps

"Bad": Mon 10/11/2008 19:00
Your DSL connection rate: 7616 kbps(DOWN-STREAM),  448 kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP profile for your line is - 6500 kbps
Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 634 kbps

5.  A Speedtest from an external testing site.
"Good: mybroadbandspeed.co.uk 11/11/08 07:16  5910 kbps (739kB/s) 346 kbps (43.3kB/s)
"Bad":  mybroadbandspeed.co.uk 11/11/08 18:32  821 kbps (103kB/s) 350 kbps (43.8kB/s)
6.  Your gateway

You are currently connected to the "City Lifeline, Juniper 9" gateway. This gateway is sometimes known as pcl-ag02.

7.  Your exchange status

VP capacity at this exchange is currently showing as Green

8.  Any other information

Browsing experience laggy, stuttery, poor.
 

[#9]

in addition to my report - #4
It seems much better tonight, graph of last three days

[#10]

In response to Barry's template (thanks for including the links to the various sources of info):
1/ PlusNet Broadband Pay As You Go with included 2GB bandwidth
2/  Paid-for usage 224.76MB  8am - Midnight 

  Paid-for allowance: Up-to 2GB  8am - Midnight 

Free usage: 29.07MB  Midnight - 8am 

  Total usage: 253.83MB   
3/ Your current broadband speed is 3000 Kbps (Note it was 3500 late last night and I'm only 1.7km from the exchange.....))
4/ 'The system is currently busy. Please try again shortly, however if this problem persists, raise the issue with your service provider' Exactly!
Then at 21:57 today 12/11/08
Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test:  -provides background information.
    Your DSL connection rate: 3776 kbps(DOWN-STREAM),  448 kbps(UP-STREAM)
    IP profile for your line is - 3000 kbps
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 733 kbps
i.e pretty poor!
5/ http://www.mybroadbandspeed.co.uk/
Today 22:00 715 kbps (89.4kB/s) 372 kbps (46.5kB/s) 
Yesterday 22:29 672 kbps (84kB/s) 236 kbps (29.5kB/s)
i.e pretty poor!
6/ "You are currently connected to the "unknown" gateway"
?????????????????????????
2nd attempt gave me You are currently connected to the "Telehouse North, Juniper 1" gateway. This gateway is sometimes known as ptn-ag1.
7/ VP capacity at this exchange (Milton Keynes) is currently showing as Green. Record last updated: 20 Oct 08

Any other info
A "good report"
16/08/2008 19.39 Line Rate 4160 Kbps 448 Kbps Sync rate 3500     IP profile for your line is - 3500
Attainable Line Rate 4576 Kbps 1036 Kbps     DSL connection rate:  4160
Noise Margin 6.1 dB 20.0 dB 448
Line Attenuation 50.0 dB 29.0 dB     Actual IPthroughput achieved during the test was - 2710
Output Power 11.9 dBm 19.1 dBm
I'd be pleased to know why this has ground to a halt. Contention? I thought I was paying extra for less contention. Maybe not, and if so where's it come from?
Cheers,
cjc

[#11]

On the whole were speeds better or worse last night? We made some changes to the ellacoyas to try to alleviate some of the issues and are interested if they have made a difference.
@Cartzim,
There were still some gold packets dropped last night, however this was nowhere near the level of the previous night. Are you able to try again tonight, if you see the same speeds try rebooting your modem/router and test again.

As a general note, we've seen a massive increase in gold traffic during October which is in part causing some backlash, we've got some more tweaking and work to do on the profiling and will get the speeds back to normal asap.

[#12]

How much of a drop off would you expect to see on PAYG at 9:15 last night on ptn-ag2 (4789) compared with just now (6713)? Is that acceptable or do I need to do the full report (in which case I'll edit this post).

[#13]

TBH jelv that's very likely just normal contention, it tends to be slightly lower on the days just after a patch Tuesday.

[#14]

It's one reason I normally stick to RIN - I don't then see those slowdowns!

[#15]

I'll do some proper testing when I'm off again but would it also be useful to note what you were actually doing? e.g. browsing when you noticed the slowdown? (I shall read the full definitions of traffic classifications as I haven't done yet)
Does it just seem to be Gold class traffic then?