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Variable download speeds

Felix64
Dabbler
Posts: 12
Registered: ‎11-01-2016

Variable download speeds

Hi,

I've been a Plusnet customer (on Unlimited Fibre Extra) for sometime and put up with a disappointing broadband service. Most of the time performance is adequate (though usually below the advertised speeds) however there are frequently serious drop offs in download performance, particularly at peak times but occasionally at other times of day too, making video streaming all but unusable at times.

Measuring the issue has been difficult owing to the intermittent nature of the problem. When all is good, I see download speeds of 30-40 Mbps, but at worst it will drop to 1-2 Mbps (using Ookla speed test). Sometimes this will rectify itself if I reset the router (Plusnet Hub One).  Usually these measurements are taken over a wireless connection as we don't have a device with a permanent wired connection to the router, however the issue does seem to affect wired connections to the router too (e.g. connection to Smart TV).

I haven't taken the time to seriously measure upload speeds since I'm less dependent on them, but they seem to be more consistent.

Given the difficulty of capturing a result from an ookla speed test due to the amount of variation, I discovered an online "continuous" speed test and ran it for 20 minutes this morning, on PC with direct Ethernet connection to the router.  This showed a significant speed variation, with maximum speed of 40 Mbps and minimum of 9 Mbps. The speed fluctuations are very fast, e.g. the 9 Mbps measurement was just 2s after a 31 Mbps measurement. Note that there was no other internet traffic at the time of the test.

Please can you investigate this issue? If it is a problem with the line (I doubt it is since it's been tested in the past when I've had similar problems) then that is Plusnet responsibility too since I pay line rental to Plusnet too. I'm at the point of cancelling my broadband contract and going over to mobile broadband with my phone supplier in the expectation that this will be more reliable, if this issue can't be rectified, so I'd appreciate it if this could be taken seriously. If there is any more information I can provide, please let me know.

Thanks

15 REPLIES 15
Mads
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 1,873
Fixes: 79
Registered: ‎06-08-2018

Re: Variable download speeds

Hello @Felix64,

Thanks for reaching out to us here.

I'm sincerely sorry to read that you have been having intermittent speed issues and I apologise for the frustration caused.

It's sometimes quite hard to catch intermittent speed faults, as you mention on testing your services today you are in sync at 48.9mbps which is just below your MGS. As you've tested while connected into the test socket, I'd recommend getting connected to the test socket and run a further wired speed test if possible and let us know the results here. This will rule out if the faceplate is faulty or causing these issues.

 

How to locate the test socket and set your connection into it can be found here

If the problem still persists, please can you raise a fault here and let us know once completed.  

 

Thanks.

 

Felix64
Dabbler
Posts: 12
Registered: ‎11-01-2016

Re: Variable download speeds

Hi @Mads,

Thanks for your reply. I carried out the test as requested. I saw the same connection speed (48.94) logged onto the router connected to the test socket as I did connected normally to the face plate, so no indication of any "internal" issues.  Still connected to the test socket, I repeated the continuous speed test I tried before (periodically downloading a 50 MB file every 20s) and achieved an average download speed of 36 Mbps and minimum of 30 Mbps over a couple of hours, so this is perfectly adequate.

However, this doesn't convince me that no fault exists that is Plusnet's responsibility, given the highly intermittent nature of the issue. If I continue to monitor wired download speed and report to you a time that it becomes particularly slow, are there any records that you keep that might allow you to retrospectively check performance of the line at that time?  If not I don't see how this issue can be resolved.

Thanks

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

Re: Variable download speeds

Hi @Felix64,

I'm sorry to hear that you're experiencing issues with your speeds. I've tested the line again today and the speeds do appear to be just below the estimated speed range we'd expect them to be in, so it's possible there's an external issue causing the speeds to slow down. I would ask if you've tried other troubleshooting steps, as detailed here.

If you've tried these steps as well and you're not seeing any improvement then we may need to arrange an engineer visit to investigate further. I've raised a ticket on your account concerning this, which can be viewed here. If you wish to proceed with arranging an engineer visit, please respond to the ticket and then let us know on here once you've done so, so that we can pick this back up for review as soon as possible.

If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Alex H
 Plusnet Help Team
Felix64
Dabbler
Posts: 12
Registered: ‎11-01-2016

Re: Variable download speeds

Hi @TheMightyAJ ,

Thanks for your reply. I've replied to the ticket with available dates.

RandallFlagg
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 1,915
Fixes: 75
Registered: ‎11-01-2018

Re: Variable download speeds

 

Thanks @Felix64

 

I've escalated this to our suppliers for you and our faults team will be in touch with the required next steps (either the engineer appointment they've booked for you, or further information if the fault is an external issue).

 

Thanks

 

Dave

Felix64
Dabbler
Posts: 12
Registered: ‎11-01-2016

Re: Variable download speeds

Hi @RandallFlagg 

thanks for your reply. However I'm confused now. I've received a message from Plusnet customer support saying that my broadband speed is greater than 40 Mbps and asking me to provide evidence of a speed test. I'd done this previously when I started this thread, so why am I required to do it again? It seems that one part of Plusnet agrees I have a fault and another denies it!  As it happens I'm away this week so won't be able to do a test until next week.

thanks

RandallFlagg
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 1,915
Fixes: 75
Registered: ‎11-01-2018

Re: Variable download speeds

Hi @Felix64

 

My apologies for the confusion - it looks like my colleagues in the faults team have picked this up for you and are awaiting some work to be performed that may negate the need for an engineer - they'll update you within the next 48 hours via your open fault ticket here.

 

Best wishes

 

Dave

Felix64
Dabbler
Posts: 12
Registered: ‎11-01-2016

Re: Variable download speeds

Hi,
Thanks for your reply the other day. Since then, the ticket has been updated with all kinds of internal messages, and I received yet another email asking me to perform a speed test, so I'm really unclear what's going on. Can you help please?
KatieC
Pro
Posts: 204
Thanks: 11
Fixes: 11
Registered: ‎23-12-2019

Re: Variable download speeds

Hi @Felix64

 

I am sorry to hear of the confusion that has been caused.


I am currently liaising with our suppliers to investigate the problems that are being experienced. I have raised updated the fault ticket on your account, which you can view here.

 

Should you need anything in the meantime, please do let us know!

 

 

If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Katie C
 Plusnet Help Team
Felix64
Dabbler
Posts: 12
Registered: ‎11-01-2016

Re: Variable download speeds

Hi,

there is something else I'd like to know. Having just returned from being out of the country for a week, I found I'd received a message on my landline from [CSA Removed] from Plusnet technical (21st Jan 13:29) saying they had found that Openreach had placed a restriction on my line speed, and that a fault had been raised on them which was expected to be resolved in 24 hours (I.e. by 22nd Jan). Can you please clarify what's going on as there is no mention of this on the ticket which seems to claim there is no fault, although I have continued to see occasional short-lived speed drop-offs.

Thanks

Moderator's note by Dick (Strat): CSA name(s) removed (to an area staff can see) as per Forum rules.

Felix64
Dabbler
Posts: 12
Registered: ‎11-01-2016

Re: Variable download speeds

Hi,

A brief update to note that issues definitely don't seem to be resolved at this end; at 16:10 this afternoon I had a complete loss of broadband connection at my router (router LED amber) for some minutes.

Mads
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 1,873
Fixes: 79
Registered: ‎06-08-2018

Re: Variable download speeds

Hey @Felix64,

Thanks for getting back in touch with us here.

It can take up to 3 working days for the line to be unbanded - I can see Katie raised this on Friday so it'll need a day or so more. I am sorry for those drops in connection you experienced, I can see the connection has come back online since and is working optimally.

 

Thanks.

Felix64
Dabbler
Posts: 12
Registered: ‎11-01-2016

Re: Variable download speeds

Hi @Mads ,

Thanks for your reply. So just to be clear, are you saying that the restriction placed by Openreach hasn't been lifted yet? The voice message on my landline from Plusnet Technical last week indicated it would have been fixed by now. Just trying to understand whether I should still expect some kind of improvement in the next few days.

RandallFlagg
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 1,915
Fixes: 75
Registered: ‎11-01-2018

Re: Variable download speeds

 

Hi @Felix64

 

I've spoken to Katie who has taken ownership of this for you and she's advised that we're awaiting an update from our suppliers which is due tomorrow.

 

I've asked Katie to get in touch to keep you in the loop as to the current state of play.

 

Thanks

 

Dave