Banding and changing from ADSL to Fibre

[#1]

Over the past couple of weeks, I started getting lots of dropped connections (sometimes a couple of drops each hour).  Did the usual checks, bought new filters, but didn't have handy access to a different router to try.  Rather than waste money on a (possibly unnecessary) new router, I figured I'd bite the bullet and upgrade from ADSL to Fibre, as I've been thinking about making the switch for a while now.  Switch-over is due on the 17th Dec, and I'm awaiting delivery of the Plusnet fibre router/hub.

However - since applying for the switch, our broadband speed has dropped significantly (used to get around 8-10Mb/s, now getting less than 1MB/s).  Having looked into this, I assume the BT exchange has put us on a banded profile because of all the dropped connections.  BTW - connection is now stable at the slower speed.

My question/concern is whether or not this banding will remain when the switch over to fibre happens, or whether we get a fresh start/profile?  Obviously, if we still have problems with dropped connections after the switch, I'll know (almost certainly) that it's a line problem rather than a hardware problem, and I can start to get that sorted without fear of having to pay for engineer visits.

I've pasted some recent info from my router in case someone with more knowhow than me can shed light on whether these figures indicate an obvious problem with the line.  I am roughly 500m from the nearest exchange.

Thanks in advance for any help.

PS Starting getting connection problems didn't coincide with my switching on any LED xmas tree lights, in case you were wondering! 

DSL Modulation Type:ADSL_2plus

Annex Type:Annex A/I/J/L/M

	Upstream	Downstream
Current Rate (Kbps)	888	1152
Max Rate (Kbps)	888	19072
SNR Margin (dB)	14.4	31.7
Line Attenuation (dB)	10.3	20.5
Occupancy (%)	100	6
Errors (Pkts)	0	0

[#2]

VDSL issues and performance have little to do with ADSL. Some issues can affect both but there's no point speculating. Order fibre and wait to see how it performs.

[#3]

Thanks - that's reassuring.  Will wait + see what happens on fibre.

By the way, does my 100% upstream occupancy suggest there is in fact an issue with my line (at least as far as ADSL goes)?

[#4]

I don't think there's anything in the stats to indicate if the problem is with the line itself of something else. The occupancy numbers appear to be the Current Rate as a percentage of the Max Rate, and normally the current rate would be close to the max rate.

You said filters - how many filters do you need? Not having a centralised filter, and having more than one socket, is not an optimal arrangement, and it can affect VDSL2 (used on FTTC) worse than it affects ADSL2+.

[#5]

I have had exactely the same trouble as you have said and I to have upgraded to fiber optic on the 5th dec. that was a two week nightmare and still in it!! I read somewhere that bt and plusnet are only partial fiber I don't know if that just my area but figures are not so great as with basic broadband?lost my dial tone was told it was resolved? eh ho whattta you know still not got dial tone done all the checks but someones telling more porkies here. So back for my 9th call..

[#6]

We have 2 telephone sockets.  Both now have new micro filters.  Router is plugged into master socket, as well as one phone.  Another phone is plugged into the other socket.  When I was having connection problems, I tried unplugged both phones, but still had problems with connection dropping.  Nothing was changed as far as our phone setup to trigger the regular loss of connection (which has happened in the past, but only very rarely)

[#7]

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@jude- wrote:

I have had exactely the same trouble as you have said and I to have upgraded to fiber optic on the 5th dec. that was a two week nightmare and still in it!! I read somewhere that bt and plusnet are only partial fiber I don't know if that just my area but figures are not so great as with basic broadband?lost my dial tone was told it was resolved? eh ho whattta you know still not got dial tone done all the checks but someones telling more porkies here. So back for my 9th call..

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Ah - that's not so reassuring, jude...

Anyhow - posting on here seems to have jinxed my connection, as it has started dropping again.... 

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[#8]

Although it may sound strange, with more than one socket, and if each socket is wired to the next in series, it should be best to place the modem at the last extension socket, so that it's at the end of the chain.

Or alternatively get a filtered faceplate, or just disconnect all extension sockets and use cordless phones instead.

[#9]

Hi theskids,

Sorry to hear your having connection issues. Hopefully the move to fibre will resolve the problems but in reality all depends on whats causing the issue in the first place.

Fibre is only provided to the cabinet the last part of the connection will remain on the existing copper cables that run to the property, now if the cause of the drops is somewhere between the cabinet and the property then there is a strong possibility the drops in connection will continue. 

The same if the issue is with the extension socket. To rule out the internal extension the best option would be to disconnect it by connecting the router directly to your test socket which can be found behind the removable faceplate.

Now once connected that way because the DLM has banded the line we wouldn't see the difference best thing is to have the line reset and the banding removed. If the connection remains stable then the issue was more than likely the extension.

Hope this helps 

[#10]

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@jude- wrote:

I read somewhere that bt and plusnet are only partial fiber

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Compared to what? BT and Plusnet sell the standard type of fibre broadband that most ISPs sell. In fact it uses the same hardware which is installed and maintained by a company called 'openreach' (part of BT). That's all that most of the country has at the moment.

In a few areas of the country full fibre is also available but it's rare. Interestingly PN and BT are two of the few ISPs that can also provide a service over that kind of connection.

So whilst it's hard to know what you actually mean if there is a difference it's that PN and BT can sometimes offer a better kind of broadband than most ISPs.

[#11]

thanks! i guess we all get a little up tight when you upgrade but not really seeing much difference. i have been told a new master socket with separate phone and adsl sockets also built in filter may produce a better and reliable service? than the openreach single socket using a separate filter.

[#12]

A new master socket may have a very small advantage over a very old socket, and the filtered faceplate that goes on the master socket with the separate phone and DSL sockets may be slightly better than a plug-in filter, but if you only have the one socket, it may not make a big difference. It's not really the socket itself, it's the ability to filter off all the extension wiring that's the main advantage.

[#13]

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@PeterBirt wrote:

Hi theskids,

Sorry to hear your having connection issues. Hopefully the move to fibre will resolve the problems but in reality all depends on whats causing the issue in the first place.

Fibre is only provided to the cabinet the last part of the connection will remain on the existing copper cables that run to the property, now if the cause of the drops is somewhere between the cabinet and the property then there is a strong possibility the drops in connection will continue. 

The same if the issue is with the extension socket. To rule out the internal extension the best option would be to disconnect it by connecting the router directly to your test socket which can be found behind the removable faceplate.

Now once connected that way because the DLM has banded the line we wouldn't see the difference best thing is to have the line reset and the banding removed. If the connection remains stable then the issue was more than likely the extension.

Hope this helps 

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I switched over to the master socket last night.  It took several attempts for the router to establish a connection, and then it did drop a few times during the evening.

I guess it could still be an issue with my router rather than the line - but it's only a couple of years old.  Still awaiting delivery my new plusnet fibre router so will have to wait to see.  

Incidentally, will the new Fibre router be able to operate on ADSL until my service switch-over date arrives?

I understand the need for banding on a faulty line, but I seems to me that it subsequently makes diy fault-finding more difficult, since theoretically the speed has been reduced to a level where errors are no longer a problem.

[#14]

If you receive the Plusnet Hub One then it is ADSL & FTTC  compatible.

[#15]

Doh!  I've just checked my account, and it seems I misunderstood the info about my switch date - 17th Dec is just when my call plan is due to change (ie monthly billing date).  

So I've actually no information yet about when my fibre switch over date is, and even my Hub One order is still just pending dispatch almost a week after applying .  Anyone have any idea how long it can take from applying to switchover date?  My broadband is still very slow (download 0.4MB/s, but bizarrely upload 1MB/s!).