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New Customer - Fibre Broadband Getting Slower And Slower

CJ18
Grafter
Posts: 29
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎28-02-2017

New Customer - Fibre Broadband Getting Slower And Slower

I joined Plusnet as an Unlimited Fibre customer on 7 March, and set-up went absolutely fine.  I was up and running with trouble.  I have FTTC in my area, and it isn't the quickest, with my line supposedly capable of the below:

Line.JPG

 

Early speed tests after connecting up showed download of around 23 mbps and upload of 1.8 mbps.  I was a bit concerned about the upload speed but happy enough with the download.  In fact, this is the entry from that point in my Plusnet Hub log:

Installed.JPG

 

Over the next couple of days, download speed settled at around 21 mbps and upload stayed around 1.8 mbps.  Then on 15 March, the Plusnet Hub restarted itself and came back looking like this:

 

Reset.JPG

I don't know why, but the download speed dropped a bit.  Speed tests were now giving results of about 19.5 mbps (upload was still around 1.8 mbps).  I powered the Plusnet Hub off/on manually later that day and speed dropped again:

OffOn.JPG

In a slightly desperate move, I relocated my Plusnet Hub to try to limit any electrical interference, etc. which meant powering it off again.  When back up and running, the download speed had dropped again:

Moved.JPG

Speed tests now come in at 18.5 mbps.

Note that the majority of my speed tests are run from a laptop connected directly to the Plusnet Hub over Ethernet.  It seems my problems are twofold: my upload speed has been poor throughout (it was around 3 mbps with my previous provider) and my download speed is gradually getting worse.  From a stable 21-22 mbps in the first 8 days, I'm now down to 18.5 mbps with nothing having obviously changed.

Here is the current look of my connection according to the Plusnet Hub, from the Helpdesk page:

Helpdesk.JPG

It shows my maximum data rate as 4 mbps up and 24 mbps down, which I am obviously not getting, but then I'm not getting what is stated on the Data Rate line either.  The noise margin fluctuates a little (download has been between 5.8 and 6.3) but on upload it has been around 9.9 throughout, which seems high.

I've tested my phone line and it is quiet.  The Hub is also plugged straight into the master socket.

I'm really concerned about the performance of my new connection here.  I would be perfectly happy with a stable download speed in the low 20s as I appreciate the fibre is limited where I live (I'm over 2km from the exchange) and I think the upload speed should be much higher than it is.  I've raised a ticket with Plusnet but wanted to see if I could get any further advice or assistance from the community or Plusnet support.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

21 REPLIES 21
NSCOFFIELD
Grafter
Posts: 33
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎20-02-2017

Re: New Customer - Fibre Broadband Getting Slower And Slower

From the threads here and my own experience ( joined plus-net this month) this is a common problem, I doubt it is related at all to your equipment or line.
SpendLessTime
Hero
Posts: 3,000
Thanks: 928
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Registered: ‎21-09-2009

Re: New Customer - Fibre Broadband Getting Slower And Slower

@CJ18

The upload speed will never get above 2Mbps as the Plusnet maximum speed for your product is up to 38Mb down and up to 2Mb up. So your upstream speed is the best it will get.

As for your downstream, Plusnet will probably not log a fault with Openreach as your maximum data speed is 24138 so within the BT Checker estimates. Plusnet and Openreach use the max data speed (aka the sync speed) as the measure of how quick the line is, not the other speed values.

But hopefully I'll be proved wrong and they will come up with something. I just want to make sure that your expectations of Plusnet customer service were not too high.

Ex - Plusnet Customer (2009 - 2023) now with BT
Browni
Aspiring Hero
Posts: 2,673
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Registered: ‎02-03-2016

Re: New Customer - Fibre Broadband Getting Slower And Slower

The data rate is the sync speed on a Hub One but that is within estimates so Plusnet won't raise a fault with OR.
CJ18
Grafter
Posts: 29
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎28-02-2017

Re: New Customer - Fibre Broadband Getting Slower And Slower

I get the upload speed limitation, although try as I might I can't find this printed anywhere in anything Plusnet have sent me or on their website.  Happy to be proven wrong.

What I cannot understand is if the maximum speed is around 24 mbps and I'm getting 18 or so when I test, where on Earth does the Hub get a 20400 sync rate from?

It's frustrating as just a few days ago it was stably around 21-22 mbps and nothing has changed.

Browni
Aspiring Hero
Posts: 2,673
Thanks: 1,054
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Registered: ‎02-03-2016

Re: New Customer - Fibre Broadband Getting Slower And Slower

You can see the upload speed in the 'legal bit' at the bottom of this webpage https://www.plus.net/home-broadband/fibre/
CJ18
Grafter
Posts: 29
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎28-02-2017

Re: New Customer - Fibre Broadband Getting Slower And Slower

Thank you, must have literally been the only thing I hadn't read.  At least it explains that!

rongtw
Seasoned Hero
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Registered: ‎01-12-2010

Re: New Customer - Fibre Broadband Getting Slower And Slower

Yes Plusnet sort of hides the Upload Sad  plenty of post about it !!

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samsung 850evo 250gig , WD black 2 TB . Asus Phoebus sound ,
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CJ18
Grafter
Posts: 29
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎28-02-2017

Re: New Customer - Fibre Broadband Getting Slower And Slower

Although I now understand that the upload speed is capped, it still remains that my download speed is falling after over a week of stable speed.  I was easily getting 21 mbps + and I'm now struggling to get around 19 mbps.

Last night I ran the BT Wholesale speed test, as recommended by Plusnet, and this was the result (including further diagnostics):

BTW Diag.JPG

This states that the maximum I would get is 19.75 mbps, which is below the minimum 19.9 mbps my line is supposed to be capable of and nowhere near even halfway towards the maximum 27 mbps.  Or, for that matter, the 24 mbps my Plusnet Hub says I can get.

I still don't think the connection is performing as it should and I have no evidence that the line is impacted in any way, so would really like to know why I am getting these results and what can be done to improve it. 

The service I'm on is 'up to 38 mbps' and although I appreciate that isn't possible where I live, I would still like to get the best I can, and with the fibre speed pretty low in the first place, every megabit counts!

CJ18
Grafter
Posts: 29
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎28-02-2017

Re: New Customer - Fibre Broadband Getting Slower And Slower

I raised a ticket with Plusnet for this issue on Friday, does anybody have an idea of what response times are like for these?  I haven't heard anything yet other than an automatic update on the ticket itself (from Friday) about line tests and so on.

MatthewWheeler
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 8,896
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Registered: ‎01-01-2012

Re: New Customer - Fibre Broadband Getting Slower And Slower

Our faults team aim to update all faults within 72 hours.

If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Matthew Wheeler
 Plusnet Help Team
CJ18
Grafter
Posts: 29
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎28-02-2017

Re: New Customer - Fibre Broadband Getting Slower And Slower

@MatthewWheeler

Thank you for the update.  In the meantime, would it be possible to please get a GEA line test performed, so I can at least see if my line is a large part of the issue here?

MatthewWheeler
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 8,896
Thanks: 1,506
Fixes: 480
Registered: ‎01-01-2012

Re: New Customer - Fibre Broadband Getting Slower And Slower

Here you go
Test Outcome Pass
Test Outcome Code GTC_FTTC_SERVICE_0001
Description GEA service test completed and no fault found but unable to check for customer equipment connected to modem.
Main Fault Location OK
Sync Status In Sync
Downstream Speed 20.4 Mbps
Upstream Speed 2.0 Mbps
Appointment Required N
Fault Report Advised N
NTE Power Status PowerOn
Voice Line Test Result Pass
Bridge Tap Not Detected
Radio Frequency Ingress Not Detected
Repetitive Electrical Impulse Noise Not Detected
Cross Talk Not Detected
Estimated Line Length In Metres 1184.3
Upstream Rate Assessment Very Good
Downstream Rate Assessment Reasonable
Interference Pattern Regular Interference Observed on Week Days
Service Impact Errors Observed
Interference Duration Longest Occurrence From 04:00 to 05:45
Interference Location Customer Premise
Home Wiring Problem Not Detected
Downstream Policing Discard Rate 0.0
Customer Traffic Level Upstream and Downstream Traffic Detected
Technology VDSL
Profile Name 0.128M-40M Downstream, Error Protection Off - 0.128M-2M Upstream, Error Protection Off
Time Stamp 2017-03-08T14:30:00
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Matthew Wheeler
 Plusnet Help Team
Browni
Aspiring Hero
Posts: 2,673
Thanks: 1,054
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Registered: ‎02-03-2016

Re: New Customer - Fibre Broadband Getting Slower And Slower

Interesting to see that the speed doesn't seem to have changed since the OP indicating a stable line.

One thing worth trying would be a single disconnect/reconnect around midday to try to squeeze some speed out of the line (or midnight to try to get it below estimate!) You can do that easily from the routers homepage.

benfphillips
Grafter
Posts: 62
Thanks: 6
Registered: ‎05-03-2017

Re: New Customer - Fibre Broadband Getting Slower And Slower

I'm in the same sort of boat with my connection speed, it started at 30mbit and is now down to 18mbit one month later..

 

I've raised a fault but I'm probably going to get told that it's within acceptable limits as the website said 20-30mbit. The speedchecker is SO misleading and the upload speed is not displayed when ordering the product (to the best of my knowledge) it's hidden within the terms and conditions and that not has the time to read in their entirety, however a brief overview of what you're ordering would be nice.