Banding

[#1]

Thanks Matthew. Two questions. Firstly why does my line keep being banded (this is the 2nd reset you have ordered in about 3 weeks) and is there anything that can be done to prevent this? Secondly why do you keep referring to my sync speed being lower than the banding (of 32.4) when I have already demonstrated that the line is capable of syncing at more than 37Mbps for at least 2 weeks solidly? Really don't understand both these.

[#2]

Hi @Junkman.

Banding is applied generally due to line instability.

We can see that the banding has now been removed and after a quick reboot you should notice the speeds pick up.

With regards your sync speed - it's more about what the line is hitting rather than it's actual capability. If a line isn't (at the moment of testing) hitting the cap it can be a nightmare for us to get unbanded as we're essentially told that as you're not at the cap there's no point removing it.

[#3]

Thanks for the reply OskarPapa.  But it still doesn't answer my question.  Since my line has been synced at 37Mbps for extended periods (of weeks) then how can it be unstable?  Yes I can understand this happening due to a fault, but not again and again and again.

Sorry but I really need to understand this fully, otherwise we will just be here again in 3 weeks time. 

AND - the banding reduced last night from 29999 to 27399.  I have just rebooted as you suggested and the line is still banded at 27399.  Please see attached router stats from 10 minutes ago

[#4]

Thanks for getting back to us @Junkman 

We've checked a backend system and we can see your line is banded at 27.4 mbps which explains your router reporting a sync speed of 27399 kbps. I can see Matt sent a request on Tuesday night to reset your line however due to the time of night this wasn't submitted to our suppliers until yesterday. I'd recommend allowing a couple more days for this to go through.

With regards to why your line keeps getting banded, unfortunately it'd be difficult to answer definitively as line tests aren't showing any causes for this however I'd suspect it's due to the drops you've had in your connection.

If the drops continue and/or your line gets banded again, I'd recommend reporting a fault to us at http://faults.plus.net posting back once you've done so and we'll arrange an engineer to investigate this further.

[#5]

Thanks Anoush.  I'm relatively certain already that the banding isn't due to drops.  This time around it started at 0400 on 24/11 when it my sync speed was banded at 32399 after around 2 stable weeks at 37000+.  You can see that there were only 2 drops in the 6 days prior to that first round of banding.  Both those were early hours so exchange driven, not me rebooting.  In any case, surely 2 drops in 6 days shouldn't cause banding to be applied?  It was then dropped to 29999 at 0400 on 2/12 and then to 27399 at 2315 on 3/12.  The drops during daytime hours on 3/12 were you insisting that I had to do the test socket test and the ones on 4/12 and 5/12 were me rebooting after your colleague Owen advised me to - after telling me the banding was already lifted. 

I know that this isn't an unstable line as I have software which monitors the connection, so I think there's a good certainty I will be back to you soon.  

Stuart

[#6]

Thanks for getting back to us @Junkman 

I understand what you've said however as line tests aren't showing any causes, unfortunately we'd be unable to advise what's causing the banding and if this is continually being applied then I'm afraid it will need an engineering investigation.

[#7]

Good morning.  As I predicted, this is happening again.  The banding was lifted around 1600 on 05/12 with an immediate connection rate above 36000kbps.  All was fine for 5 days and there were no dropouts during this time apart from one deliberate router reboot on 08/12 .  Around 0300 on 10/12 the connection was banded at 34997, at 0030 on 13/12 banded at 32399, 0430 yesterday down to 29999 and at 0300 this morning 27399.  No further router reboots or disconnections during this time.  Yesterday afternoon a couple of one hour massive increases in latency were recorded and I can demonstrate this if useful.

Router still showing attainable rate above 36000 this morning - stats attached.

Is it time to report a fault now?

Thanks,

Stuart

[#8]

Hey @Junkman,

Thanks for getting back in touch with us.

I've ran a couple of tests over your service today and the GEA is showing your sync speed at 26.2mbps with profile of 27.4mbps so you are not banded currently, and you are reaching above MGS for your line. The speeds you've mentioned above - are they over a wired or wireless connection?

Thanks.

[#9]

Thanks for the prompt response Mads.  It's always a wired connection when I am reporting speed issues and, in any case, I don't see how that is relevant when I am reporting router stats not speedtest results to you.  I you have time to read the history we have been here before several times now.  I have demonstrated that my line is stable at sync speeds in excess of 36Mbps.  Last time for almost 2 weeks, this time for 5 days.  If you look at my router stats today, the attainable rate is still 36.  .And you have already concluded that there may be a fault.

Also, if I'm not banded, how do you explain that, as the speed drops, I am invariably connected at the levels I described in my last message - 34997, 32399, 29999, 27399 etc. are banding levels are they not? 

I understand from previous conversations that you have difficulty getting a reaction from Openreach if the sync speed is showing less than the banded speed, but there is definitely something more peculiar than that going on with this connection - and, as I say, you have already concluded that and offered to open a fault ticket if it happens again. 

From your colleague Gandalf/Anoush 2 weeks ago "I understand what you've said however as line tests aren't showing any causes, unfortunately we'd be unable to advise what's causing the banding and if this is continually being applied then I'm afraid it will need an engineering investigation".

It is now obvious that it is continually being applied and I am asking for an investigation.  Please advise.

Thanks, Stuart

[#10]

Thanks for coming back to me, @Junkman.

Apologies I didn't fully comprehend the previous conversation, I've been in discussion with @Gandalf & we are currently raising this to our suppliers for unbanding - it'll more than likely be processed tomorrow due to the time now.

Thanks.

[#11]

Thanks for coming back to me again Mads.  But if all you do is get it unbanded again, we'll be having the same conversation once again in 10-15 days time.  This is a recurring issue that I keep reporting.  The line gets unbanded and then it gets progressively banded again for no apparent reason.

To quote your colleague Gandalf again " if this is continually being applied then I'm afraid it will need an engineering investigation"

It is obviously continually being applied so is it possible to get it looked at please?

Thanks, Stuart

[#12]

Thanks for getting back to us Stuart,

Apologies for the confusion, could you report a fault to us at http://faults.plus.net so we can arrange an engineer?

If you can drop me a reply back once you've raised it I'll book the engineer with you and get notes for the engineer added to advise that each time your line is reset, your line starts erroring pretty badly and the line speed gets restricted again.

[#13]

Thanks Gandalf.  Just did that and noted on there that the fault has been discussed in detail here + you will have some notes for the engineer accordingly.

Stuart

[#14]

Thanks Stuart,

I've just added a reply to your fault ticket now you'll be able to respond to by going Here.

I've also moved the ticket to my workflow so I can more easily proactively follow up for you

[#15]

Thanks - I see it says I closed it but I didn't.  Your system is asking me to run a BTW test - do you still want me to do this?