Speed dropped after a disconnection

[#1]

We had a short internet disconnection this morning around 10am. It restored itself a few minutes later, but the download speed shown on fast.com is now down to around 7Mbps from nearer 60 usually.  I assume this is an external line fault of some sort? Would appreciate some feedback on this if possible.

[#2]

@JPN 

You could try using the Plusnet automated fault detection bot -

[#3]

I assume that means using a mobile phone? which I don't have.  I've tried to find the ticket system to raise a fault but that seems to have been moved and I can't find it.

[#4]

@JPN 

Are you able to login to whatever modem/router that you are using, and take a screenshot of

the line's maximum and actual sync speeds, the SNR and attenuation values, and any error counters

and then post the screenshot into your reply here.

Ideally try and hide your account's username and password, if they appear in the screenshot.

[#5]

The router does not contain that type of statistic, and I don't think there's a user interface on the modem (BT openreach) that I could access to see whatever it may contain.

[#6]

@JPN 

Is the modem a "Huawei HG612" or an "ECI Modem"  ?

If it is a "Huawei HG612"  then you should be able to unlock it to give you access to the line stats

using these instructions - https://kitz.co.uk/routers/hg612hacking.htm 

[#7]

It appears to be an ECI modem. 

[#8]

@JPN 

The long term solution to line speed issues would be to upgrade to full fibre broadband.

If you put your details in to this - https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL 

is there a line in the results table that says that "WBC FTTP" is available ?

[#9]

Thank you for your assistance so far, but the issue here is that on a line with a minimum guaranteed speed of 49.3Mbps I have a current speed of 7Mbps, and this shortly after a disconnection.  There does not appear to be any way available to me of getting in touch with Plusnet  to ask them to investigate this. 

That a full fibre solution may provide faster speeds at some unknown time in the future is entirely irrelevant when the speed I should be getting right now is not evident. [For your interest, I have enquired before and there is no date on the horizon for provision of full fibre in our location].

[#10]

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@JPN wrote:

There does not appear to be any way available to me of getting in touch with Plusnet  to ask them to investigate this. 

Its worse than that !

Since the last round of redundancies of Plusnet support staff, the few that had ANY technical skills have been replaced by call centre bums on seats who are clueless about anything technical or how to diagnose faults.  They will claim that they don't have the capability to check the state of your line or perform a line reset, and their next step will be to send you a new Hub Two router - in the hope that in the mean time your fault disappears.  As you already have separate router and modem, swapping to the pretty poor Hub Two could be a major disruption to your home network settings and WiFi coverage.

Given that you have limited options -

1. If you still have a landline phone, try getting somebody to call your number, and let it ring for as long as possible.  Sometimes the incoming high ring voltage will clear some poor line conditions - such as high resistance faults.
2. Try switching off your modem and router overnight, then see if the line speeds return to normal in the morning, as sometimes a long disconnection can reset the FTTC DLM counters and thereby restore sync speeds to normal.
3. Try plugging your modem in to the TEST socket, behind the screw-on faceplate of the master phone socket, as that will prove that whatever the new fault you are seeing is outside of your property.

[#11]

Aside from all the potentially useful immediate self-help suggestions above, you need to phone PlusNet and talk to someone about a fault. If there is a fault on your line, and it certainly sounds like there could be and maybe it caused the original disconnection, then the only way to get it looked at is by PlusNet logging a fault for Openreach to investigate.

And the only way to get PlusNet to do that is for you to call them.

The sooner you do that, the better. (And then there will be a ticket logged which you’ll be able to see on your account wizard.)

[#12]

Well, after having to borrow a smart phone to log a problem, the fault was repaired after a few days and speed is back up. I had already decided to switch to Zen in order to maintain my telephone connection, and that transfer completed this morning with no issues.  

Rather sad leaving plusnet after 13yrs, but the provision of 'landline' (VOIP) was critical and EE was not an option due to their customer service of which I have recent experience.

[#13]

Thanks for the update, @JPN,  and everyone here hopes your future Zen time is good. There are a few happy Zen customers who still post and respond here, so no-one's shut that door.

I'm in the process of trying to recommend Zen to someone for exactly the same reasons as you're seeing, and I am pretty confident that Zen will work out for them.