Problems with latency, and support...

[#1]

Fresh of the phone with Plusnet support and got to say I'm feeling a little disappointed. It seems gone are the days where I used to get through to someone who you could converse with rather than following a script.

I Advised over the last few days I've been experiencing high latency (backed up by the BQM setup from Thinkbroadband) and upon checking my router, CRC numbers are way up.

Bless the lass on the other end of the phone, shes just doing her job - but I doubt telling me to factory reset my router is going to sort the issue. I have no packet loss on the LAN and jitter is acceptable.

I have a ZyXel SBG 3300 being used as FTTC Modem/Router, with Tenda Nova MW3 WiFi. FTTC Stats are below... Thoughts welcome.

============================================================================
    VDSL Training Status:   Showtime
                    Mode:   VDSL2 Annex B
            VDSL Profile:   Profile 17a
            Traffic Type:   PTM Mode
             Link Uptime:   11 days: 2 hours: 53 minutes
============================================================================
       VDSL Port Details       Upstream         Downstream
               Line Rate:     20.202 Mbps       73.823 Mbps
    Actual Net Data Rate:     20.000 Mbps       73.712 Mbps
          Trellis Coding:         ON                ON
              SNR Margin:        9.9 dB            6.4 dB
            Actual Delay:          0 ms              0 ms
          Transmit Power:        4.6 dBm           4.6 dBm
           Receive Power:       -6.3 dBm          -3.5 dBm
              Actual INP:        0.0 symbols       0.0 symbols
       Total Attenuation:        0.0 dB          14.6 dB
Attainable Net Data Rate:     26.615 Mbps       73.819 Mbps
============================================================================
      VDSL Band Status    U0      U1      U2      U3      D1      D2      D3
  Line Attenuation(dB):  0.1    15.7    23.6     N/A     9.6    20.5    32.5   
Signal Attenuation(dB):  0.1    15.6    23.6     N/A    12.4    20.3    32.4   
        SNR Margin(dB):  6.3     7.1    11.1     N/A     6.5     6.3     6.3   
   Transmit Power(dBm):- 6.5   -28.2     4.2     N/A     8.3     7.3     7.3   
============================================================================

            VDSL Counters

           Downstream        Upstream
Since Link time = 53 min 39 sec
FEC:        0        6077
CRC:        8845        171
ES:        2893        22
SES:        7        13
UAS:        0        0
LOS:        0        0
LOF:        0        0
LOM:        0        0
Latest 15 minutes time = 9 min 6 sec
FEC:        0        0
CRC:        5        0
ES:        4        0
SES:        0        0
UAS:        0        0
LOS:        0        0
LOF:        0        0
LOM:        0        0
Previous 15 minutes time = 15 min 0 sec
FEC:        0        2628
CRC:        5        96
ES:        5        5
SES:        0        1
UAS:        0        0
LOS:        0        0
LOF:        0        0
LOM:        0        0
Latest 1 day time = 2 hours 54 min 6 sec
FEC:        0        2636
CRC:        361        96
ES:        154        5
SES:        0        1
UAS:        0        0
LOS:        0        0
LOF:        0        0
LOM:        0        0
Previous 1 day time = 24 hours 0 sec
FEC:        0        45
CRC:        1657        0
ES:        603        0
SES:        0        0
UAS:        0        0
LOS:        0        0
LOF:        0        0
LOM:        0        0
Total time = 1 days 2 hours 54 min 6 sec
FEC:        0        6077
CRC:        8845        171
ES:        2893        22
SES:        7        13
UAS:        26        26
LOS:        0        0
LOF:        0        0
LOM:        0        0
============================================================================

BQM Ping 

[#2]

Moderators Note

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[#3]

Nothing too much to worry about with those stats/TBB report - looks like normal usage to me.

[#4]

Agreed the BQM looks normal to me. No sign of any excess latency.

[#5]

I agree the average and minimums look fine, but when the latency jumps (yellow bar) is when I'm getting severe amounts of lag on calls.

And also, the CRC's have gone up - that was my main reason for calling in and asking them to check the line.

[#6]

Is there any noise on the line - dial 17070 option 2 from a corded phone?

[#7]

No noise on the line.

I'm a Mitel/Telecoms engineer for a living - if I rang for support - it's because I've checked the basics (wiring, filters, internal network speeds, IP's etc etc) and come up with nothing.

The main issue it's causing is that we're on client facing calls and it looks pretty unprofessional, given that I work for a fairly large comms company, and I'm having issues. (I could go with them, but I prefer to keep work and home separate where I can).

With the kit I have installed at the moment I've gone from EE (no problems, just end of contract which the girlfriend had before we moved in together) to TalkTalk (great offer but speeds were slow compared to EE and 40 mintues to get to an advisor - no thanks! Got out of that as it was within 20 days of go-live) and went back to my old faithful, Plusnet. A firm who I always reccomend when anyone asks who to go with. Frustrating really.

[#8]

The Errored Seconds (ES) are high and would explain your VOIP call issues.

It may be a line fault developing or a router issue etc

The ES are above the anecdotal threshold where Openreach DLM will take action and slow the synch speed to reduce the error rate.

As far as I can find Openreach do not publish the DLM error thresholds.

There are some posts on the Kitz forum that suggests that an ES over 2880 per day will result in DLM action.

What does the BT Wholesale ADSL availability checker report for the lines estimated speeds?

Which modem/ router are you using?

[#9]

I think precaps your expectations are too high.

With more and more people working from home the internet has got much busier during the day.

5 years ago I used to have ADSL provided for my business line but had no issues using IPT Lync calls and conferences (audio and Video), but now lag spikes are more notifiable on family calls. 

Using a budget ISP is never going to give you premium results!

Again, your TBB looks entirely normal for someone who uses their line, and in many cases it would show a lot more usage.

[#10]

The modem/router is a ZyXel SBG3300

BT Broadband Checker results... Speeds arent so much of an issue. It's the dropouts/latency thats the issues. Funnily enough over the weekend - things seem to have been better but we'll see how it goes.

Around the comments of going with a budget provider and my expectations - I didn't go with Plusnet as a budget provider. In fact, if the issues continue I'll happily go with Zen or AAISP, as cost is not a factor here. 

I went with them as a returning customer, based on prior experience and the ability to give me a fixed IP. BT (their parent company) have been honking about the resiliency of their networks during the pandemic and the extra load this has placed on them - so I'm sorry but that argument doesn't wash.