Service Getting Worse and worse

[#1]

A few weeks back I had really good internet. Pay for 66MBPS and I was connected at 80 downstream and 20 upstream. Then started getting loads of disconnections. Disconnection after disconnection. So I contacted Plusnet and they said there was a line problem. An Openreach engineer came out and sorted the wiring out but said he thought there was a problem with the router. It kept dropping out so I contacted Plusnet expecting an apology and a new router but they wanted to charge me for one! I am now using an old Talktalk router which is much better than the Plusnet One that I had. Now they keep slowing my line speed. It was 57 last week and now they have reduced it to 33. I've got a year of this left before I can go back to Talktalk. I am not getting the service I am paying for.

[#2]

@HJ1 That 'it's a router problem' is the current stock response from BT/OR engineers, and probably a load of bull. How long have you had your PN Hub? Incidentally, I'm surprised an 'old TalkTalk router' works on Plusnet - they are usually locked down to TT.

I would suggest re-installing the Hub1 and then following the below.

For Community members to be able to help, information from these two sites, as screenshots:-

BT Broadband(obscuring your phone number) and BTW Performance Tester - Over a wired (ethernet) connection. Please report the 'ADDITIONAL DIAGNOSTICS', and sight of the HELP DESK tab from your Hub would be a start.

It may also be a good idea to report the results of a Quiet Line Test - dial 17070 option 2 from a (preferably corded) phone. After the confirmation of your phone number, there should be total silence apart from the regular 'Quiet Line Test' announcement. Any other noise - report a PHONE fault first.

If phone test is OK then take the front off your telephone master socket, you may need to remove two screws. In behind you will find the test socket. Plug a filter in here and connect that to your hub. If it’s still dropping out then report a fault at https://faults.plus.net.

[#3]

As John writes, it does initially appear that the first diagnosis from OR is the router.

I experienced a similar issue some years ago. On the first OR visit the master socket was changed and "it's probably your router." He reset the connection. Speeds back to previous. To their credit, PN sent out a new router at no cost to me.Two further visits and after two more new master sockets the issue persisted. I would restart the Hub 1 and my speed would go back to 79 down. Then over a few days would decrease to below the BT threshold.  Line management was detecting a fault and reducing to a stable speed. Fourth visit, after PN insisted there was no fault, OR detected noise on the line. He spent ages trying to diagnose where, cabinet, line between cabinet and pole then pole to master socket. It was between the pole and socket. New cable installed, happy days. I had not followed the advice to test for a quiet line. The fourth time it was a telephone man and not broadband.

[#4]

Thanks for your story, @newagetraveller . If the OP follows my 'guide' above, we should cover all bases. I still don't know why they insist on the 'it's your router' rubbish, though.

[#5]

Thanks for your post @HJ1 and welcome to our Community Forums.

I'm really sorry to see you're having connection & speed issues again.

I've tested your line today and the tests are showing what's known as a high resistance fault, so we'd need to arrange another Openreach engineer visit to investigate further.

Could you reply to the ticket I've logged on your account Here with when you'll be available for a visit? If you can post back once you've responded, I'll make sure we book the engineer as soon as we can.

[#6]

I have responded to your message and it now appears that I have lost broadband totally.

[#7]

Thanks for getting back to me @HJ1

I'm sorry to see your broadband's dropping out still.

A line fault can cause an connection to be intermittent, so we'd need an engineer investigating this.

I can see we've booked the engineer visit and updated the ticket 221995249 with the appointment details.

Let me know how it goes.

[#8]

So I join the forum to complain and I end up with no broadband at all. Is this what "we'll do you proud" means?

[#9]

@HJ1 Joining the forum is totally divorced from you having a problem - the issue which will be addressed by the ticket raised should  get resolved on the engineers visit.

[#10]

@HJ1  You have a line fault, why do you think that joining the forum has anything to do with it.🙄

[#11]

Who knows, @RealAleMadrid ?🤔

[#12]

Well the broadband coincidentally stopped working after they tested it. They tested it because I joined the forum and complained. I am sure it would have totally failed today anyway. Total coincidence.

[#13]

Who knows, @HJ1  - electronics and network equipment don't give warnings as to when they are going to go bad.

[#14]

I've just had to go and setup a new Talktalk router for an elderly relative. I built her a PC and got her on to TalkTalk. They just sent her the router. She hadn't asked for it or had any problems.

With Plusnet the Openreach engineer says you need a new router. Plusnet say "That'll cost you". So now they send out another Openreach engineer. I have read other people with the same. Sounds like it's free for them so they keep sending out engineers.

Ironically I went with Plusnet because I thought they had good customer service.

What happens if he says it's still your router?

They seem to have blocked me from using my Talktalk router. Should have kept my mouth shut on that one.

[#15]

@HJ1 As pointed out previously, BT/OR engineers like blaming the customers kit - saves them actually finding the problem in the infrastructure they are responsible for - although the vast majority do investigate properly, there are some that don't.

When you move providers, most will send their own kit, although the odd one or two don't unless you ask.

Openreach used to charge the ISP ~£120 a visit, which the ISP would charge the customer £60 per visit for if the engineer reported back that the issue was the customers side of the test socket - that has now changed (for PN at least), and there is no charge to the customer.

I am not surprised the TT router no longer works on your line - I did say they were locked to TT.