PPPoE is down after XX minutes uptime/PPP LCP Send Termination Request [User request]

[#1]

No problem, fingers crossed your speeds improve soon

[#2]

Thanks. All reset and back up to full speed again... for now at least. Chat again in a few months 😉

😉

[#3]

Excellent! Glad to see your speed has improved now.

We'll keep the lights on for you

[#4]

Hi, Plusnet

This is typed (swyped, actually) in good faith, with a light hearted vibe, but a serious message.

---------

As far as I can read, here, the customer has shown the patience of a *saint* with you guys. I've worked helpdesk my entire working life, and good portion of that for your parent internet company BT, on BT internet, back in the day. I'm also rather fond of the the old ITIL that's come in over the years, too.

This ticket has been open for nearly a *year* ( "04-02-2019" ) and the customer *still* has the fault ... can you not see how big of a failure that is? Somehow, though, you've found the golden customer (hi, mate, I wish you the best, you clearly *are* the best of us!), and they're *still* being kind in their responses, and you're replying to that with bargain basement placating.

Here's a summation of events, and you may see a pattern in the rather obviously capitalised/emboldened words (I'll embolden them later on a PC, my mobile browser doesn't like this editor):

1. The customer has logged their Incident.
2. The customer has pointed out others with the Incident.
3. You issue a Work Around after an engineer sees no issues with the physical connection.
4. Others have come to this thread starting that they're experiencing the Incident.
5. Work Around.
6. The customer repeatedly shows the Incident, over and over. 
7. Work Around. Work Around. Work Around.
8. I'm now adding my name to the chorus. ¹ 
9. Should I go through a year of just settling for resetting my speed? No. No, I shouldn't.

The words above show, clear as day to anyone that handles this stuff, that this is a "Problem." 

---------

When will you come clean with the user base (that's currently *dearly* in need of good service!) and firstly admit this, then secondly (given the current requirement) show that you're doing everything to resolve it?  

To sound a little harsh, and swing slightly into assumption land ( ... 😉 ... ) ... :

Admit that you either have a pretty big Problem, with no known Fix, and you're scrambling with Work Arounds ... or perhaps, just perhaps, show that you have contention ratio issues, and start issuing some refunds, because this is affecting people's livelihoods.

If it is contention ratio, then you need to supply more capacity. If it's a Problem, then for crying out loud get on with a Fix.

Oh, and even if this wasn't a year old (it's clearly older, looking elsewhere), even a month is too long. 

I'm not coming to this thread for support on my own issue, I'll work that ticket with your helpful directly, thanks. No I'm coming here to show that this is not one guy pluckily hoping that this reset is the one that will do it! 

-----

Finally, and this is just a thought, might not help anyone, might help a little ... If this is not contention, or something bigger ... could the "MER", in the modem arena, be a contributing issue?

best

Eliot

------------

  ¹ Quickly on my issue: 

1. I have the same pattern in the logs, with the disconnects. Before I called the helpdesk, I checked with a Plusnet hub one and separate router with a good connection on the BT OpenReach modern even *during* the disconnects. They came sometimes minutes apart sometimes a day. This also shows that it wasn't any bespoke settings on the router. 
2. So obviously I predicted that an engineer visit to my house would be pointless and they'd find nothing, given the OR modem's solid state. I asked the person on the phone to ensure that they would also be sure that the engineer visited the exchange and the cabinet, he said they would. 
3. An engineer came, and they saw a good line. Because it's literally a completely brand new master socket on a second line, installed 18 months ago. The engineer said that exchange visits aren't required any more. It's all set the cabinet, because this is (duh - I was stupid for not getting this) fibre to the *cabinet* ...   I'm not i n a high density area, there's no hundreds of flats around here, either ... 

Again, I'm not here for support, so please, I don't need the "have you tried" responses. I'm just providing a bit of information to back up the statement in my post where I stated that I'm also experiencing this. As is, my experience should be the least important part of my post. 😉 

Moderator's note by Dick (Strat): Post released from Spam Filter.

[#5]

@eliotcole Eliot, cheers for that. Big smile here, very well written.  Absolutely nothing there that I haven't said to Plusnet already. Spoken to some brilliant chaps and lasses in the tech team and service desk but their hands are somewhat tied when it comes to being flexible. I run an IT department and the customer always comes first, within the bounds of reason; and we bend over backwards where we are able to, to resolve an end user's issues and problems.  So I do have some empathy with service desk staff and CRM agents who work for larger organisations with less flexibility.

But over a year is seriously pushing my boundaries, nearly left twice, finger poised on the button and each time received a call coincidentally; Christopher Fraser and Mark White, two of the individuals who went out of their way (and outside of script) to try and assist, with some positive outcomes - hence me still being here.

It really is draining though, I am on first name terms with the Openreach engineers now, had that many visits. Hopefully after this next visit (Friday), been told it is being escalated with Openreach by Plusnet - and hopefully get some real focus on finding the root cause.

Seriously, regarding your problem, ask for two visits within one month - the way it gets escalated, only just found that out last week - but good luck with that, as there seems to be at least a weeks delay between updates on the incident, no matter whether it is you who updates the incident, or Plusnet passing it between teams. Last update....no matter who it was that updated....wait a week and "put it on hold". That is another major gripe for me.  

Good luck with getting yours sorted mate.

[#6]

@eliotcole Just noticed you had posted on @Prawnyloks incident, not mine, oops.  I commented on his as you did and Plusnet opened a thread for my issue separately but I still get notifications for this.  My comments still apply though, along with the advice,  All the best.

[#7]

Ello!

You're all good, @47077362 , the fact that you even assumed it was your issue does show that this is a "Problem" ... *even moreso*.

((( also i'm glad that the post was released from the spam filter! 😮 )))

@Prawnyloks may not be where they should be right now, but I'm hoping that all of this can *at least* be being built in to a learning exercise for the desk. But at best be what it should be; a high severity service affecting (for the customers - don't worry, I know my place 😉 ... ) Problem with an ongoing 3rd line resource looking in to replication and resolution.

That no-one (that I can see) is being asked for anything more than incidental information could be troubling, too.

Anyway, I don't wish this to sound like I'm bashing the desk. For the record, I wouldn't change the customer service that I've received from Plusnet for anyone else. They're brilliant. 👍

Suffice to say, though, it's still not a great situation.

Here's two more notes that I hope will help everyone following this to build any 'mini-cases' in their heads ... it may or may not have any effect on things, but ... hey ... it's more information, that's a good thing:

Firstly:

Since the engineer visit the line dropped twice on the One Hub. Same logs as before and here.

Secondly:

Time Servers - One of the settings that isn't accessible on the One Hub and Openreach modem is the automated time setting. As anyone who's dabbled with networking might know, sometimes the time being *roughly* correct goes a *very* long way to ensuring that everything works.

I noted that on my TP-Link C1200 there's a setting for the time server, and the NTP servers that were listed seemed to be out of comission. I've added the UK Pool to both of these (see below) from the NTP Pool Project, so I'll try to return here with more news on this.

1. 0.pool.ntp.org
2. 1.pool.ntp.org

However it's all a waste if I can't look at the configuration of the OR modem. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Plus if I'm having the issue with the MER (beyond my skillset) then it's all a wash anyway.

So, yeah ... I'll make sure that they schedule another engineer, just for the hell of it, thanks for that, 47077362. That way I can ensure that my ticket is, at least, escalated properly. However I would hope that this forum post does that for me ;-).

[#8]

Hi @eliotcole and welcome to my very old thread. Thanks for pointing out that this had been sent to the spam filter. I had wondered when I couldn’t find it in recents, but it was obviously in my own subscriptions.

Tbh, I only really visit when I need another reset every month or two. If and when other more suitable options become available I will most likely move on, which is a real shame as I have been with PlusNet for what seems like forever! In the past customer service has always been spot on, but recently I feel the team might be under pressure and struggling to keep up and therefore people are left wondering if their problem will be dealt with.

There does seem to be quite a few instances like ours though and I do think more thorough investigation could be of use. I would be willing to give information if requested to help get to the bottom of this, but I doubt in the current climate this will be top priority. We can live in hope though 😉

[#9]

Currently keeping a close eye on things each day @Gandalf, and speed drops seem to be occurring daily or there a-bouts again. Now back down at 24999kbps from 40000kbps. If I get a couple more drops I’ll be back requiring and DLM reset again.
Unfortunately with work from home being required more in this new climate I’m going to be very reliant on a decent internet service. Occasionally it has been known to reset itself back up to 40000kbps, so you never know.
I will post again in the next day or two if necessary.

[#10]

@Prawnyloks

Please do let us know how it goes!

[#11]

Yo, @KatieC , we spoke on Twitter. 🙂 Nice avatar!

Also, I've come here with some thoughts, based on my usage, and when I've seen cut outs of my service.

I have to use a bespoke DNS server (and sometimes VPN) for work stuff, and other services. When I *actively* use that service (ie. I enable or use the active components on the service) I've noticed that my connection to Plusnet drops. Almost *exactly* on that time stamp, or there abouts, without fail.

So I guess that means that I have a question that can go to @Prawnyloks and one that can go to Plusnet, and they're both on the same subject. 🙂

Prawny - Do you (or a.n.other in your home) use any DNS, VPN, routing, services to access any work stuff, or something else (say Netflix US, or Stan [Australia], or something) that you could test to see if it drops the connection. DM me here (or on Twitter, I'm easily found) if you want to test this.

Plusnet - Do you operate any policy that disconnects users for using such online services? Or alternatively, is there maybe a feature of your ISP services that is wrongly detecting this activity as some kind of bad event, and should be looked at *definitely* disabling?

To be clear, Plusnet, I'm not accusing you of cutting the chords, here, or doing anything 'nasty' on purpose. But the question kind of needed to be asked. Because the times match almost *precisely* with the 4-6 disconnects I had a night or two ago.

[#12]

@eliotcole Hi Mate, I am connected using a VPN almost constantly for work,  and it stays connected for weeks, unless I reboot.So don't think it is this.

I am below MGS again after a lift and shift and down to 24Mb after 33Mb for a week!  

[#13]

Thanks @KatieC. Muddling by so far. It did reset itself over the weekend back to full speed at 40,000kbps. Already back down to 29,996kbps, so hoping it’s doesn’t go too much lower. I did notice my connection for work seemed a tad more sluggish today.
Keeping everything crossed.

[#14]

Hi @eliotcole. No DNS routing services here. Sorry 😐

[#15]

Hi all at PlusNet @KatieC , @Gandalf and gang.

Looks like I've reached the point of needing that DLM reset yet again.

Speeds are now at 22399 kbps down, 9787 kbps up. So in reality I'm getting closer to 16-18 mbps down. This is definitely making for work from home a lot more sluggish and less productive at them moment.

Hopefully I can be back up to speed again asap. Any chance of requesting the reset to be out of my working hours which are generally 8am – 4pm-ish at the moment? Will save me potentially loosing work when my connection goes down!

Hoping to hear from someone soon.