cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Held to ransom by Plusnet! Appalling!

FIXED
pir8ped
Grafter
Posts: 37
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎19-05-2018

Held to ransom by Plusnet! Appalling!

Hi,

In the last couple of weeks I switched from copper to FTTC. Under the terms of the contract, I was guaranteed speeds of 35Mb/s. I have never seen more than 26Mb/s. It frequently drops to less than 1Mb/s or drops altogether. In fact, I think the copper connection was better.

I complained, they checked and found no fault and asked me to connect a computer directly to the router using the ethernet cable, with the router connected to the master phone socket, and use the speedtest at BT. This I did, and there was no problem found, and part of the report said the fastest speed I could expect was 26Mb/s. So, I replied to Plusnet, and attached the BT report (which I have also attached here).

Plusnet's response was shocking:

During the investigation of your reported fault we asked you to complete some steps to help us diagnose the problem. You have reported that you are unable to do so.

As such, we're unable to continue the investigation so have had to close the query.

This also means you will not have the right to leave your contract without paying any cancellation fees at the end of the 30 day period from the date you raised the fault, or the date we have set out in previous emails.

 

Not only did I do the test they asked for, I attached the results in the form of a pdf. I am perfectly capable of doing any test they ask - I have worked in IT for 30 years, including teaching IT at university, and working as a network administrator.

This response from Plusnet suggests that their method of tying you into a contract is to require you to do something that you fail at, and then say you're stuck in the contract.

Plusnet, what did I fail to do?

 

John Pedersen

32 REPLIES 32
jab1
Legend
Posts: 16,820
Thanks: 5,343
Fixes: 248
Registered: ‎24-02-2012

Re: Held to ransom by Plusnet! Appalling!

@pir8ped I agree that the results you obtained above do not meet the MGALS, if as you suggest it is 35Mb/s.

What does the https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL report for your connection?

I somehow suspect the individual who read your report needs further training.

John
pir8ped
Grafter
Posts: 37
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎19-05-2018

Re: Held to ransom by Plusnet! Appalling!

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL report:

 

Featured Products Downstream Line Rate(Mbps) Upstream Line Rate (Mbps) Downstream Handback
Threshold(Mbps)
WBC FTTC Availability Date WBC SOGEA Availability Date Left in Jumper
High Low High Low        
VDSL Range A (Clean)  52.6 35 8.8 6.6 32.4 Available Available --
VDSL Range B (Impacted)  50.6 32.4 8.6 6 27.4 Available Available --
Featured Products Downstream Line Rate(Mbps) Upstream Line Rate (Mbps) Downstream Range (Mbps) Availability Date FTTP Install Process
FTTP on Demand 330 30 -- Available --
ADSL Products Downstream Line Rate (Mbps) Upstream Line Rate (Mbps) Downstream Range(Mbps) ADSL Availability Date WBC SOADSL Availability Date Left in Jumper
WBC ADSL 2+ Up to 9.5 -- 8 to 11 Available Available Yes
WBC ADSL2+ Annex M Up to 9.5 Up to 1 8 to 11 Available Available Yes
ADSL Max Up to 8 -- 7 to 8 Available Available --
WBC Fixed Rate 2 -- -- Available Available Yes
Fixed Rate 2 -- -- Available -- --
Observed Speeds VDSL ADSL
Max Observed Downstream Speed 18.63 15.56
Max Observed Upstream Speed 6.32 0.88
Observed Date 2021-03-24 2021-03-09
Other Offerings Availability Date
VDSL Multicast Available
ADSL Multicast Available
Premise Environment Status
Bridge Tap U
VRI N
NTE FacePlate N
Last Test Date 20-03-2021
Exchange Product Restrictions Status
FTTP Priority Exchange N
WLR Withdrawal N
SOADSL Restriction Y

The premise/line is associated with exchange which is NOT part of current fibre priority programme.

The premise/line is associated with exchange where WLR is not withdrawn.

The premise/line is associated with exchange where SOADSL service is restricted.

 

 

FTTP is not available.

jab1
Legend
Posts: 16,820
Thanks: 5,343
Fixes: 248
Registered: ‎24-02-2012

Re: Held to ransom by Plusnet! Appalling!

I'd contact them and ask for a further review - there is definitely something wrong.

John
Baldrick1
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 11,626
Thanks: 5,166
Fixes: 415
Registered: ‎30-06-2016

Re: Held to ransom by Plusnet! Appalling!

@pir8ped 

Did you report your test results on the ticket attached to your account?

I find it strange that with a minimum BT estimated sync (not download) speed of 35 Mbps and a BT MGALS of 32.4 Mbps you were guaranteed 35 Mbps actual download speed. Something is not right there. 

Are you testing using the test socket, that’s the one you access by taking the front off the BT master socket and connecting a computer to the router with an Ethernet cable?

If so then report a fault at https://faults.plus.net

Moderator and Customer
If this helped - select the Thumb
If it fixed it,  help others - select 'This Fixed My Problem'

Mav
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 22,371
Thanks: 4,725
Fixes: 514
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: Held to ransom by Plusnet! Appalling!

Moderator's note(s):

Thread moved from Plusnet Feedback to Fibre Broadband for better visibilty.

Forum Moderator and Customer
Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear - Mark Twain
He who feared he would not succeed sat still

pir8ped
Grafter
Posts: 37
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎19-05-2018

Re: Held to ransom by Plusnet! Appalling!

Baldrick,

As I said in my first post in this thread, I connected the router through the master phone socket, and used the ethernet cable to connect to my laptop.

 

I already reported a fault using the link you suggested. I received an email telling me no fault was found so the problem was with me (assuming they meant something in my house) and so the ticket was closed.

 

John

jab1
Legend
Posts: 16,820
Thanks: 5,343
Fixes: 248
Registered: ‎24-02-2012

Re: Held to ransom by Plusnet! Appalling!

@pir8ped - you say the test was via the master socket - the definitive one is via the test socket, which eliminates any internal wiring and as I said previously, the test you performed earlier, and the results in the broadband checker indicate there is a fault somewhere, despite the misleading and dismissive reply you got.

John
pir8ped
Grafter
Posts: 37
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎19-05-2018

Re: Held to ransom by Plusnet! Appalling!

Hi,

I made a mistake with the master socket. I've now unscrewed the cover, and connected directly to the phone line via the test socket, thus eliminating the couple of internal extension lines. This generated a little optimism

However, the max speed I have seen from a few tests is 17 Mb/s.

Which suggests the fault might be with the phone line outside the house maybe? The pole is at the end of my short drive. However, my neighbour had his house - pole cable replaced, and it didn't help him at all (he is also with Plusnet and has similar issues).

 

John

jab1
Legend
Posts: 16,820
Thanks: 5,343
Fixes: 248
Registered: ‎24-02-2012

Re: Held to ransom by Plusnet! Appalling!

Yep, the issue is definitely outside your property in that case, and obviously further down the network than - possibly - the local cab. Do you know other people nearby, possibly with other providers, who you could ask about their service? I seriously doubt it is a 'Plusnet only' issue, although I can see why you think it may be.

John
Mustrum
Community Veteran
Posts: 3,554
Thanks: 1,055
Fixes: 76
Registered: ‎13-08-2015

Re: Held to ransom by Plusnet! Appalling!

@pir8ped  You really need to log into the router and quote the sync and attainable speeds, easiest place to find them is Advanced/troubleshooting/help desk tab.

Speed test take longer to adjust due to profiles used or if the line is banded.

Do you have a filtered master socket, or do you need to use a dangly filter in the same way you do in the test socket?

 

idonno
Champion
Posts: 1,564
Thanks: 506
Fixes: 6
Registered: ‎22-10-2015

Re: Held to ransom by Plusnet! Appalling!

@pir8ped 

Observed Speeds VDSL ADSL
Max Observed Downstream Speed 18.63 15.56
Max Observed Upstream Speed 6.32 0.88
Observed Date 2021-03-24 2021-03-09

 

Definitely a big problem there. You are way below the Downstream Handback
Threshold(Mbps) as well. Unless the report actually says your line is impacted you should be achieving somewhere near the 'clean' speeds. The only time I had something similar (download speed way down but upload not far off) was a line fault. Its took OR four goes to sort.

 

In your shoes I'd would be contacting PN again. Good luck.

Ever helpful. Grin Sure, I’d love to help you out. Now which way did you come in?
pir8ped
Grafter
Posts: 37
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎19-05-2018

Re: Held to ransom by Plusnet! Appalling!

Hi,

A few of the neighbours have been campaigning to improve our broadband service, and openreach did some work on the cabinet making FTTC available to several of us. We all got new contracts, some with Plusnet, some wtih EE. I'll ask them if they do the bt test and I'll get back to you with some results.

Thanks,

 

John

pir8ped
Grafter
Posts: 37
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎19-05-2018

Re: Held to ransom by Plusnet! Appalling!

Mustrum,

I logged into the router:

DSL Line Status

Connection Information

Line state: Connected
Connection time: 0 days, 00:57:20
Downstream: 38.17 Mbps
Upstream: 9.434 Mbps

 

The short connection time is because I disconnected the router to take the phone socket apart.

The socket is the old fashioned type. No filter included. So I have an external filter dangling off the test socket. I have a few filters lying around, tried them all, and they were all the same.

 

There's quite a discrepancy between the 38 Mb/s reported by the router and the 17 Mb/s which has been typical recently.

 

John

 

John

Mustrum
Community Veteran
Posts: 3,554
Thanks: 1,055
Fixes: 76
Registered: ‎13-08-2015

Re: Held to ransom by Plusnet! Appalling!

@pir8ped  when FTTC was first installed an Openreach "engineer" would come and fit a filtered master socket and the modem. The reason for doing so was to make sure your internal phone wiring was totally isolated from the VDSL signal so you got the best speed for your line. Now ISP's wait untill a fault is raised.

I am guessing you are not using the Hub 1, which is why you are not showing the Help Desk page which also shows noise and attenuation figures.  If you can find them it would help.

I would carry on with the fault/raise another if closed, you are not getting the speeds you should, an engineer visit should sort out your master socket and any other issues you may have.

 option However before that, make sure your phone line is quiet, ring .17070 option 2.