cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Only when it rains

barnettsab
Dabbler
Posts: 23
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎16-06-2019

Only when it rains

I have an ongoing issue where my broadband drops when the rain is heavy. BT claim to have fixed the line problem, but nothing has changed... as soon as the rains come and they get heavy, the red light starts flashing, then goes solid, then the red broadband light comes on. When the rain eases, the connection comes back.

Plusnet insist the line was fixed because BT say the line is fixed. I was told by PlusNet support to report the line fault if it carried on happening, which it did. So I raised a line fault. That was on the 9th. [-Censored-] all has happened since then. The ticket just says that someone will respond soon. 

So, how do I get support, how do I get my broadband to work in the wet or, failing that, how do I get a massive discount for ‘fair whether only’ broadband.

15 REPLIES 15
dws1900
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 407
Thanks: 51
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎17-09-2018

Re: Only when it rains

@barnettsab 

 

Is your phone line provided by overhead wires?, if so are there any tree branches touching/close to the line?

Do you have a quiet line when its raining, lift receiver, press a digit, any crackles or other background noise?

barnettsab
Dabbler
Posts: 23
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎16-06-2019

Re: Only when it rains

They are overhead wires (and have been there many years). No trees close enough to touch the wires and, I suspect, trees are not part of the problem as I don’t get broadband drops in high winds - only heavy rain.

There are no crackles on the phone line either when broadband is working or when it drops. I have noticed that the volume of the dial tone does drop when broadband is down, but it’s still clear.

I’m happy to accept that there is no obvious fault in the line provided I felt that PlusNet were trying something else. Maybe the microfilter is borderline. Maybe the router is over sensitive. I don’t know if either of those things are even possible. 

My biggest worry at the moment is that I have to work from home a couple of times in the near future and that relies on a stable internet connection. If it rains and the line drops, then I can’t work and I don’t get paid!

dws1900
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 407
Thanks: 51
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎17-09-2018

Re: Only when it rains

@barnettsab 

Hum, onto the next idea, can you log the rain periods (start/end date  and time) and then get PN to correlate the outages?

Plan B, can you consider a 4G solution?, for example one of the mobile providers is selling unlimited downloads, typically 21 - 29 per month depending on the option. (sure you will work out the supplier, there is only four main ones :))

 

barnettsab
Dabbler
Posts: 23
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎16-06-2019

Re: Only when it rains

I’ve been logging the problems on the ticket I raised with PlusNet for the line outages. Problem is, they’re ignoring the ticket. 

I actually came from a red logo’ed mobile provider. Left them when they started randomly increasing the price without telling me. I’m stuck on a fixed term contract with PN, so I kind of need them to fix it. I suppose the next step if complain to the ombudsman, but I doubt they will do anything either. 

dws1900
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 407
Thanks: 51
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎17-09-2018

Re: Only when it rains

@barnettsab 

If you go down the ombudsman route you will need to have followed PN complaint procedure (did this with my previous energy supplier)

https://www.plus.net/help/legal/complaints-code-of-practice/

With my previous ISP I raised a formal complaint, in writing, by recorded delivery signed for.

It got their attention and the situation was resolved.

I have to say PN support is way better than the previous ISP.

I never go on the phone with any organization if there is the slightest chance I will need to sue them, I don't take prisoners Smiley

 

 

 

barnettsab
Dabbler
Posts: 23
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎16-06-2019

Re: Only when it rains

I seriously don't want the hassle. I just want broadband that doesn't die when it rains.

Right now, my feeling is that they don't know what the problem is so they're just hoping I shut up and keep paying my (increased) subscription. They don't care enough to fix it - too much hassle for one customer who they can afford to lose. 

MasterOfReality
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 1,640
Fixes: 57
Registered: ‎26-03-2018

Re: Only when it rains

Hi @barnettsab 

 

Looking at your account, I can only see one drop in the last 6+ days of connection history on the 16th - is this when you noticed the drop? 

 

Thanks, 

MoR

barnettsab
Dabbler
Posts: 23
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎16-06-2019

Re: Only when it rains

This is what I see in the modem logs when I get the error:

19:56:18, 16 Aug. (5293012.030000) CWMP: Session start now. Event code(s): '4 VALUE CHANGE'
19:55:48, 16 Aug. (5292981.590000) CWMP: session closed due to error: Could not resolve host
19:55:48, 16 Aug. (5292981.570000) CWMP: Server URL: https://dbtpnhdm.bt.mo; Connecting as user: ACS username
19:55:48, 16 Aug. (5292981.560000) CWMP: Session start now. Event code(s): '4 VALUE CHANGE'
19:55:48, 16 Aug. (5292981.100000) CWMP: Initializing transaction for event code 4 VALUE CHANGE

 

It's been sunny for a while and I am at work Monday to Thursday, so the drop-outs have not been as bad. However, I raised the line fault on the 9th (Friday) and had several drop-outs on the 10th and 11th. Every time I have seen it, I have had the "session closed due to error" message.

TheMightyAJ
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 2,511
Fixes: 126
Registered: ‎26-03-2018

Re: Only when it rains

Hi @barnettsab,

I'm sorry to hear that you're experiencing this issue. I've tested the line today and everything appears to have massively improved since the fault ticket was raised with us. The connection has stabilized and the speeds are coming in at the expected rate - as this is the case, there isn't much a further investigation would be able to necessarily be able to resolve at this stage. What I would recommend doing is keeping an eye on it and if the connection starts to drop out then please let us know and we'll be happy to pick this back up for review.

If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Alex H
 Plusnet Help Team
barnettsab
Dabbler
Posts: 23
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎16-06-2019

Re: Only when it rains

Excellent. Except it started raining at 19:03 this evening and broadband dropped.

Some progress, the phone line was crackling this time.

adamwalker
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 16,871
Thanks: 882
Fixes: 221
Registered: ‎27-04-2007

Re: Only when it rains

OK, sorry to hear that. It would be best to monitor things over a longer period so we can check for clear evidence of there still being an issue. I'll set a reminder to check in with you on Monday to see how things are if that's OK?

If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Adam Walker
 Plusnet Help Team
barnettsab
Dabbler
Posts: 23
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎16-06-2019

Re: Only when it rains

I still get the problem occasionally (when it rains hard). I’ve now raised another problem as a speed test is reporting 24Mb/s, so there is obviously something going on here.

LordFoul
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 779
Fixes: 32
Registered: ‎06-08-2018

Re: Only when it rains

Hi @barnettsab,

 

Thanks for getting in touch.


I'm sorry that you're having problems with the connection dropping after bad weather. 


Although you reported this previously we will need to look at this as a fresh issue so please can you establish whether using wired connections (i.e. an Ethernet cable) makes any difference. Please can you also go through this check if it is just Wi-Fi as well as connecting to the test socket.

 

To avoid confusion regarding any support given or fault raising, please can you keep your posts on this issue on the same thread. I can see you've raised a similar issue on another post which could result in duplication and also keep us from helping other users on this forum. This post has been responded to with the same troubleshooting requirements, if the issue persists please either respond to this post or the previous one only.

 

Thanks - LF

barnettsab
Dabbler
Posts: 23
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎16-06-2019

Re: Only when it rains

The rain eased off and I’m now getting 31Mb/s. That’s using WiFi and standing in direct line of sight of the router.

I obviously still have some kind of water issue with the line but suspect you’ll never get a fix for it. I will put up with drops and variable speeds until my contract comes to an end and will switch to Virgin fibre (which we also have in the house) then.

I’m about to retire, so having a reliable broadband connection is going to be more important to me than ever. This problem has just dragged on too long and the thoughts of opening it as a new issue is just frustrating.

Thank you for what you have done previously and I thank the BT engineers who came out in all that heat to fix a ‘wet whether only’ problem.