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Speed and Profile Drop, Nothing wrong says Customer Service

danludlow
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Registered: ‎03-12-2014

Speed and Profile Drop, Nothing wrong says Customer Service

My Broadband speed has been slowly deteriorating for some weeks, I raised it as an issue some time ago in this forum but rather than risk an Engineer visit decided to leave it alone provided Broadband remained functional. My profile has lowered steadily. Last week it was at about 42Mbps which means about 39-40Mbps at my PC. Somewhat lower than  the 45-47Mbps that I was getting about a year ago. 

Today Speed Test showed about 35.7 at the PC where not a week ago it was 39-40Mbps, a drop of just over 20%?

I checked the Speed on BTW Performance Tester (attached) which showed 34.72 as maximum speed and my Profile shown as 37Mbps, Down from 42Mbps not a week ago.

I contacted your Customer Service who tested the Phone line and the broadband (two tests whilst I waited). Tests came back as No fault. A week or so I had a look on BT's site to see what they were offering for my line and it suggested up to 46Mbps if Memory serves. I am on Fibre Plus Extra,  supposedly not below 40Mbps and this was the expected minimum.

What I am getting this morning has a profile set below that!!

If I bought a top of the range Car from a dealership and having taken it for service went to collect it then found they'd put my number plates on a supermini roundabout I'd be in a very strong position to make legal claims against them, but in the case of broadband, you seem to buy one thing and be arbitrarily given another almost at will. 

I am not happy.

I have been a loyal PlusNet Customer for many years going back to its early days before it was an offshoot of BT. I am sad that you increasingly follow a budget route and seem unable or unwilling to cater for all. I would very much like to have FTTP and reliable fast broadband but I accept that this is not a service that Plusnet are willing or able to provide, at least for now. 

However constantly slowing FTTC Broadband is not going to keep me a loyal customer forever, something needs to be done. A guy in the pub said that the reason for slowing FTTC is to make FTTP more popular when it arrives at a higher price to recoup the investment in it.

Nah! I said, Plusnet don't offer FTTP so I know you're wrong..... or do I?? 

 

 

 

 

 

64 REPLIES 64
RichardB
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Re: Speed and Profile Drop, Nothing wrong says Customer Service

Hi Dan

Slowly reducing speeds is typical of FTTC VDSL as more customers take up FTTC VDSL.

Crosstalk between the copper cables causes the ambient noise to increase as more VDSL signals are present.

As BT consumer own Plusnet, I assume BT consumer do not want PN to provide cost competative FTTP, rather BT want customers to sign up with their more expensive BT retail brand for FTTP.

Regards

Richard

danludlow
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Re: Speed and Profile Drop, Nothing wrong says Customer Service

Thanks for your reply RichardB, I think you hit the nail on the head. If PlusNet was independent it would be able to compete but as it is it's dancing to the BT tune. 

dws1900
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Re: Speed and Profile Drop, Nothing wrong says Customer Service

@danludlow 

 

It is correct that crosstalk can cause your throughput speed, so can interference (fttc is radio frequency based on lines not designed for the frequencies employed) and other line issues.

 

It would be helpful to check your connection speed (the speed your router talks to the fibre interface in the green cabinet),

by posting your routers statistics.(Follow the help pages to get to the data accessible in your router).

Also, request and post a GEA test from PlusNet (its free), which may identify other issues with your line.

danludlow
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Re: Speed and Profile Drop, Nothing wrong says Customer Service

Thanks @dws1900 that's very helpful, I will do as you suggest, Much Appreciated.

danludlow
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Re: Speed and Profile Drop, Nothing wrong says Customer Service

PLUSNET, Please can you carry out a GEA test and post results for my connection.

 

Attached is the data from my Hub One Router that @dws1900 suggested that i post to show the speed that the hub is connecting to the Cabinet.

Many thanks. 

danludlow
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Re: Speed and Profile Drop, Nothing wrong says Customer Service

Just to prove my point, I attach a BTW Performance Test for my Broadband connection taken a year ago yesterday

danludlow
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Re: Speed and Profile Drop, Nothing wrong says Customer Service

Plusnet can you please run a GEA test on my connection and post it here.

If you look at the thread you will see details of current speed test, one year ago speed test, and My Router connection data including current connected speed.

A few months ago, one of you (Matthew Wheeler comes to mind) found that my profile was set to stability rather than balanced and that was slowing me down. Normal setting is balanced speed and stability and my account was returned to that. I don't know how it was ever set to stability first, Not at my request and it needs intervention seemingly.

Has it reverted to a Stability First Profile? Is there something wrong in my paperwork, or a glitch? 

Moderator's note by Dick (Strat): All caps text edited as per Forum rules.

 

 

 

 

danludlow
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Re: Speed and Profile Drop, Nothing wrong says Customer Service

Just done another speed test and whilst the Profile remains unaltered, my Downlink speed has lost 1 Mbps since yesterday, how long to no speed at all?

Slower and yet slower cannot be right can it, 12Mbps lost in year, one a month, and now seemingly losing that in a day?

danludlow
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Re: Speed and Profile Drop, Nothing wrong says Customer Service

Hi @Strat 

All Capitals? I merely highlighted a request because my post has not received a response from PlusNet staff (unless you are a PlusNet Staff member?)

I wrote the post originally having phoned and spoken to Customer Service about falling speeds and been told all was OK.

I'm sorry if I've broken posting rules trying to attract PlusNet attention. Having scanned through the rules I did not readily see any I'd violated.

At the end of the day PlusNet are a service provider and their customers are essential to maintaining the business, they should be embraced as friends, not seen as the enemy to be kept at arms length  and endured.

I have been with PlusNet since it's early days, long before it became a plaything of BT. I have remained loyal in all that time and shunned offers from many who are keen for my business. With my contract ending in December, I might well seek a supplier who has my best interests at heart, and who can supply me with reliable broadband at the fastest possible speeds and who will at least respond when those speeds fall. 

If I do I will look for an ISP who offers FTTP and would be willing to extend it to and connect my property. I have never sought cheap, I want the fastest, once upon a time Plusnet filled both those requirements, today I'm not so sure. Should I ask for a GEA test on a separate post, or will this still be seen by PlusNet? 

 

Strat
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Re: Speed and Profile Drop, Nothing wrong says Customer Service

Hi @danludlow I am not Plusnet staff, just a customer volunteering my time to help with moderating this forum.

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danludlow
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Re: Speed and Profile Drop, Nothing wrong says Customer Service

Thanks for a speedy reply @Strat 

Will my current post be seen and acted upon by a PlusNet staff member, or should I raise a new post requesting a GEA test?

Many thanks for volunteering your time.

Strat
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Re: Speed and Profile Drop, Nothing wrong says Customer Service

I'm afraid I have no influence over how the staff utilise their time however it can't do any harm to raise a request for a GEA.

Openreach are prioritising their resources on instances of total failure of service rather than slow speeds connections.

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To argue with someone who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead - Thomas Paine
Mustrum
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Re: Speed and Profile Drop, Nothing wrong says Customer Service

@danludlow  have you not already raised a post asking for a GEA test?

That said it does not seem that long ago since your last round of complaints about your speed.

However if it is still within the range the DSL checker says then nothing will get done.

 

In any event, the days where you may have go a response on here from PN seem long gone and you would be better raising a fauly at faults.plus.net.

 

danludlow
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Re: Speed and Profile Drop, Nothing wrong says Customer Service

Thanks @Mustrum 

Yes I have raised a GEA request and there is also an open ticket raised with faults posted by Customer services following our conversation.

I understand that in these times one cannot expect limited resources to be used simply for speed issues, which is why when originally a fault was shown I told PlusNet I was happy to leave it until better times. Since then, the speed has slowed even more, and looks to be slowing faster. That is why I asked about it and had it checked. I feared a slow to no service at all or dreadfully slow speeds, when perhaps the slow-down indicated a fault.

 

I would willingly pay double to have a reliable fast connection, but with PlusNet that isn't a product that they offer and instead they run a model of constantly advertised budget broadband making their profit by controlling cost. I wish they'd start supplying FTTP. That might be what I should be looking at. Out in the sticks we have little choice and BT Openreach have the place to themselves pretty well, so take it or leave it and be grateful is the order of the day. 

It needs Competition, maybe PlusNet should be floated off from BT by Ofcom?