For the last few weeks I have been suffering from multiple dropouts and low speeds and am currently achieving below my Plusnet minimum guaranteed speed
Last year a fault was identified by Openreach (Q#193013608) on a stretch of cable coming from the roadside cabinet onto my estate. I was told that they had it in their future plans to replace it but as far as I know they have done nothing about it. The faulty cable is producing crosstalk and I was advised that because I am near the end of the cable it will be impacting me more than my neighbours.
I do not know whether the current problem is new or just a worsening of the old problem.
I am on the Unlimited Fibre Extra product. In April 2019 (before the previous fault) the Broadband Availability Checker showed I should be receiving download speeds of between 73.4 Mbps and 50.7 Mbps and upload speeds of between 18.5 Mbps and 12 Mbps. I was achieving the top end of those estimate.
At the end of November last year (after the fault was diagnosed) I entered into a new 2 year contract with an estimated download speed of 45 Mbps to 65 Mbps and upload speeds of 10 Mbps to 15 Mbps. The minimum guaranteed speed was 40.7 Mbps. I was achieving just above those minimums at the time.
Now back to the current problem.
My router is currently synching at 34.9 Mbps down and 0.8 Mbps up with the Noise margin is 10.6 down and 11.6 up. My latest BT Wholesale speed test (attached) achieved a download speed of 27.43 Mbps down and 0 Mbps up. It states ‘For your connection the acceptable range of speeds is 21.61 Mbps to 30.88 Mbps. IP Profile for your line is 30.88 Mbps.
I am finding that generally my line becomes unstable late morning to early evening. During this time the line drops multiple times (but not necessarily every day). The upload synch speed varies from under 1 Mbps to about 7 Mbps. By early evening to the following morning the router is synching in the mid 30’s Mbps down and about 7 Mbps up. Throughout this time the noise margin varies greatly particularly for the upload speeds. Is this because of crosstalk ? Multiple BT Wholesale speed tests have been undertaken over the last weeks which presumably Plusnet have access to.
The dropouts are happening on the the line (not WiFi). All speed test have been carried out wired with no other internet traffic happening.
My usual router is a Netgear D7000 which is wired to a 5C master socket. I have tried it in both the test socket (with a filter) and in the filtered front socket. There was no difference. Have also switched routers to a Plusnet Hub One and done the same. Results were worse than with the Netgear.
I have also carried out a quiet line test with a wired phone direct into the test socket. There was a constant background hissing on the line but no other interference.
I would like to lodge a fault on my line but am unsure how to proceed.
Is a quiet constant hissing noise on the line (when doing a Quiet Line test) normal ? How quiet should quiet be ?
The broadband troubleshooter asks whether I am aware of a faulty cable. Should I say Yes ? If I do it says something to the effect that an engineer will come out to investigate. Last time I had about five different Openreach engineers investigating and in the current time I do not particularly want any calling at my home. They already know the previous fault has not been fixed. Will they be able to identify whether it is the same fault or a new one without entering into my property ?
With my speeds being below the minimum guaranteed by Plusnet what happens next ?
Assuming it is the previous fault getting worse as a result of increased internet usage during lockdown can anything be done about it ? Are you able to contact BT Openreach again to see if they have a date for fixing the cable ?
Apologies for the length of this post but I just want the fault fixed !
