Not much point keeping unlimited extra? My speed rarely goes over 40mbps

[#1]

Anyone know if it is possible to downgrade after having upgraded to fibre extra for the additional upload speed.

since Plusnet announced increasing upload for regular fibre I feel I’m not really getting the benefit. My B.B. speed is usually around the 40-42 mbps and it seems silly paying almost £10 more for such a small boost. I’ve got 5 months left of a 18 month contract 

what are my options?

[#2]

Hi @Jeffster

I've just tested yoru line and can see you are syncing at just above 48Mbps upload and 17Mbps download.

These are indeed Fibre Extra speeds are if you were to be on the lower package you would not be able not be able to receive higher than 40Mbps upload and 10Mbps Download.

I have copied in a snippet of the test result below for you to view yourself.

Test Outcome	Pass
Test Outcome Code	GTC_FTTC_SERVICE_0000
Description	GEA service test completed and no fault found .
Main Fault Location	OK
Sync Status	In Sync
Downstream Speed	48.7 Mbps
Upstream Speed	17.0 Mbps

In regards to downgrading, you are able to do this if you wish. I would advise speaking to our Customer Options Team who will be able to discuss the ins and outs of this with you.

Telephone number:
0800 013 2632 or 0330 123 9197 (Both free from a Plusnet Landline)

Opening Times:
08:00 - 20:00 Monday to Friday
09:00 - 19:00 Saturday
09:00 - 18:00 Sundays

Thanks,

Alisdair

[#3]

Hi again.
I’ve now noticed if I check another provider e.g. BT that my top speed is showing as 40 mbps.
This is the extract from the initial email I received from Plusnet
Estimated line speed: 44.8Mbps to 62Mbps
Current line speed: 54.8Mbps

Currently not hit above 40 for over a month. Has the line speed been reduced?

[#4]

Hi Jeffster,

A reduction in the synchronization speed a line will support, is a fundamental weakness in the design of VDSL as implemented by BT Openreach.

As more residents take fibre broadband, the VDSL signals on each telephone line will suffer an amount of "interference" from the other lines. This causes the background RF noise level to increase on your telephone line. This is called "crosstalk".

To maintain the VDSL signal to noise ratio (need to avoid loss of DSL connectivity or large error rates)  the synchronization speed has to be reduced.

The VDSL modem/router  (at home) and the "Fibre cabinet" trade speed for stability.

There are some techniques to mitigate the effects of crosstalk, such as "vectoring" but these require more hardware in the Fibre Cabinet and compatible modem/router. BT Openreach have not employed vectoring on a wide scale.

Richard

[#5]

Hi Jeffster, 

Line speeds can and do vary by a few mbps over time for the reasons RichardB covered. 

Let me know if you need any further help or have any more questions. 

[#6]

A few mbps over time I accept however the original speeds promised are considerably lower than the ones I am now getting. Would Plusnet not be upset if I starts paying %less each month proportionate to the decrease in speed?
Would you be happy buying a car with an average speed of 60mph only to find it only goes 39 within a year?

And on top of that I’m now paying more than I did when I signed up (£2 a month more) but getting lower performance.

[#7]

Seems to be the norm start you off on the agreed speed then they apply the breaks without telling, trades discriptions might be interested

[#8]

Hmmm will be interesting to see if trading standards can bend the laws of physics! 

As explained a lowering of speed is a consequence of increased uptake.

Whilst many perceive a reduction in speed as a loss of a pound of flesh, in reality there is unlikely to be any discernible loss of enjoyment of the service.  If there is, then the issue is more likely to be elsewhere.

[#9]

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@Jeffster wrote:
A few mbps over time I accept however the original speeds promised are considerably lower than the ones I am now getting. ......

---

I wouldn't think you would notice "A few mbps" ... a few Mbps possibly However, you say you are getting "considerably" higher speeds "than were promised" anyway.

Phil

[#10]

@Jeffster, I'm afraid as your line speed is still within estimates and our tests aren't showing any signs of a fault there's not much we can do.

If you would like to discuss downgrading I'd recommend calling our customer options team on the number we've advised above.