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Is fibre really that much better?

normcall
Dabbler
Posts: 16
Registered: ‎08-09-2016

Is fibre really that much better?

We recently 'upgraded' to fibre from a flaky 2+ service and although normal downloads are quicker and the line is more stable:

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest/1495978102121378155

We still have buffering when watching iplayer or similar. Tried 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz  wireless and hard wired both 100Mhz and 1Ghz Ethernet without any improvement. We are in a small hamlet (with it's very own superfast fibre box) a distance from the mother exchange and I admit the phones are very quiet audibly. I've run out of ideas, any suggestions anyone?

14 REPLIES 14
brush6136
Grafter
Posts: 44
Thanks: 5
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Registered: ‎24-03-2015

Re: Is fibre really that much better?

Judging from the speedtest you're on the Infinity 1 service, as am I except I'm about 400 metres from the main exchange (previously on what was known as an Exchange Only line & no fibre). I get similar results so if you're a distance away from the main exchange I'd say they're pretty good, given that it sounds as if you're not directly connected to the local exchange.
The main benefit of fibre is it's stability & greater bandwidth ( my connection has been up continuously for 95 days, am expecting it to fail anytime soon - maybe after writing this!). Notice I do not say speed which like a lot of things has been hijacked by marketeers. So you'll benefit if you have say 3/4 people banging 9 bells out of the connection. I'm on my own but spent nearly 40 years in IT before retiring 6 years ago, but I have a lot of kit which is often in concurrent use. The only on demand products I've never had an issue with is Netflix & YouTube (Europa League final flawless). iPlayer, ITV hub, All4 et all seem to have difficulty. Not sure why, possibly the apps themselves & the way they've been designed. All the other things I've tried using 5Ghz where it's supported by the client device improves things certainly. You've tried all the other things I have. The only thing I haven't is a new hub but there isn't a lot of choice maybe two or three that might improve things. Maybe someone else can come up with a few other suggestions which I'll only be too happy to hear about myself. Best of Luck.
Don't use a big word where a diminutive word will suffice.
MatthewWheeler
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 8,896
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Registered: ‎01-01-2012

Re: Is fibre really that much better?

Your line is testing absolutely fine so I'm not sure why you're still experiencing buffering.

Is it just one device you're trying to watch iPlayer on?

If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Matthew Wheeler
 Plusnet Help Team
normcall
Dabbler
Posts: 16
Registered: ‎08-09-2016

Re: Is fibre really that much better?

2 pc computers and a new panasonoc dvr, so ant other ideas?

MatthewWheeler
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
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Re: Is fibre really that much better?

If you try a alternative streaming website like YouTube does it buffer?

If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Matthew Wheeler
 Plusnet Help Team
normcall
Dabbler
Posts: 16
Registered: ‎08-09-2016

Re: Is fibre really that much better?

I've spent most of the day having to watch several you tube videos, assorted programs from the BBC, UKTV etc and everything has behaved itself.

I suspect it must be network congestion rather than our end as this 'test' was during the day and not over the weekend or evening and we normally have nothing else using the internet.

MatthewWheeler
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
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Re: Is fibre really that much better?

Can you try it this evening to see if the issue reoccurs?

If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Matthew Wheeler
 Plusnet Help Team
normcall
Dabbler
Posts: 16
Registered: ‎08-09-2016

Re: Is fibre really that much better?

This evening since about 7pm:

After watching a lot of extremely boring videos from various sources, I've come to the conclusion that the BBCIplayer and youtube appear to be the most reliable. UKPlay resisted any attempt to get a watchable picture  Channel 3,4 and 5 buffered/dropped out only on occasions.

The above using nothing else on the fibre link mainly a 2.4GHz link to the DVR with occasional switching to Ethernet suggesting the problem is further away rather than local to my end which brings me back to is the extra cost of 5 times download speed really worth it for our small usage?

Chris
Legend
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Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Is fibre really that much better?

Do the speeds slow down in the evening generally too?

 

Can you start a stream and then run a speedtest whilst the stream is running to see what that shows, it should be a little lower but only a few Mb/s.

 

is the extra cost of 5 times download speed really worth it for our small usage?

I'm afraid that's not really something I can answer.

Former Plusnet Staff member. Posts after 31st Jan 2020 are not on behalf of Plusnet.
normcall
Dabbler
Posts: 16
Registered: ‎08-09-2016

Re: Is fibre really that much better?

Stevef1
Grafter
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Registered: ‎10-12-2015

Re: Is fibre really that much better?

I have fibre unlimited and have been on it close to 18 months (in fact my contract runs out in a week and I'll be moving isp)

and I have to say in the 18 months I've had fibre it's been very hit and miss, sometimes its okay but a lot of times it's just slow and unreliable.  in fact for the past 2-3 months it's been rather poor, I struggle to hold one stream, and heck I used to watch one stream when I was on ADSL!!!  and facetime on my ipad is staggeringly bad, most of the times it doesn't connect and when it does, the image is breaking up and stuttering/pausing like crazy making it pretty much useless sadly Sad

I have reported the issue 3-4 times to plusnet but they say its a line issue contact BT, I contact BT and they do a line test and nothing is wrong..   it's a joke tbh and I've had enough, very happy my contract is up.

MatthewWheeler
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
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Registered: ‎01-01-2012

Re: Is fibre really that much better?

@normcall Those speedtest look fine as the speeds drop slightly whilst iPlayer is being used

@Stevef1 I'm just testing your line.

If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Matthew Wheeler
 Plusnet Help Team
normcall
Dabbler
Posts: 16
Registered: ‎08-09-2016

Re: Is fibre really that much better?

Oh well, if a drop from 36.89 to 27.53 is considered not bad, I really am expecting too much. Now if the same drop happened on my ADSL2+ speed of around 5.5........................

Good job I don't use iplayer etc. very much. I'll just keep on recording on my DVRs. Obviously my first thought was right as I'll rethink when contract runs out.

normcall
Dabbler
Posts: 16
Registered: ‎08-09-2016

Re: Is fibre really that much better?

I replaced the router, and so far. any buffering has not re-occurred. The supplied plusnet one is just sitting looking  a bit upset and the TP-link  archer vr400 seems to be ticking along nicely - so far.

Gandalf
Community Gaffer
Community Gaffer
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Registered: ‎21-04-2017

Re: Is fibre really that much better?

Happy to hear your new router has fixed the issue. Smiley

From 31st October 2022, I no longer have a regular presence here as I’ve moved on to a new role.
Anoush Mortazavi
Plusnet