Double faults - both my service and my parents

[#1]

My parents just returned from holiday to find no phone and no internet - both as dead as door nails. Fault raised for them on Wednesday and further tests today. Awaiting engineer visit to tweak some wire in the local cabinet probably!

My broadband - 80/20 Fibre Extra Unlimited service - on and off like a lighthouse bulb in a force 10 gale. Oh and the lack of the speed I'm paying for when it does come back on.

When I first started with PN - I was getting high 60/early 70s speed and was well chuffed - nowadays just a mere year or two later I'm chuffing along at high 40s/very early 50s if I get lucky!!

Won't be any point renewing at the premium end of the scale next time round as when thats due I'll probably be lucky to be seeing mid 30s!!

I know that fibre has taken off and everyone and his dog is now getting it, but how come us folk on the 'premium' service are seeing such large drops in speed. I've put it down to the increase in customers and the inevitable choking of the fibres but surely FTTP must be coming over the hill by now?

[#2]

It's not clear to me (but I often get it wrong) whether this a request for help or whether you just want to complain about the cruel way that the broadband world is treating you.

With respect to your broadband there are many reasons why your performance is poor. The 'choking of the fibres' due to others also wanting to use the internet is unlikely. Yes it could be crosstalk on the copper wires between your house and the street cabinet causing issues or wireless interference from your neighbours (assuming that you use wireless) but if it is really 'going on and off' then that suggests a fault.

So before complaining about every-one else and their dog using 'your' bandwidth I suggest that you go through basic fault finding actions to see if you can detect a fault.