random speeds...

[#1]

hi,
can we get a bit of focus on why some of us are getting very slow and almost random throughput during the evening?
i am quite often a factor of 10 worse off than on adsl2+
this is clearly a fttc issue i think?
i'm also on pro and don't really appreciate paying extra for a service that i'm clearly not getting.
at least i would like an update from plusnet on what they think the issue is and a plan for addressing it.
this is what the trial is for isn't it?
cheers
pete

[#2]

Paying extra?
As for the slow down, I suspect that's Plusnets throttling, I can't watch streaming media in the evening at all, and my ADSL2+ is rated at 19mb

[#3]

Quote from: fourfourdevon

Paying extra?I suspect that's Plusnets throttling

yes i am paying extra to be on the pro product which is supposed to have no throttling at all

[#4]

heres tonights test results...

it's pretty mad that my upload is faster than my download...

[#5]

That looks similar to the speeds I was getting until I opened a ticket and Dave worked his magic.  If you do a BT speedtest and find you're getting full line speed on Test 1 then you may have the same issue.
This is my speed tonight:

[#6]

not getting the full 27k i should get on bt's tester, but it is saying 20k which is 10x the above
so maybe you are correct and it is soemthing that dave can fix
do you know what was done?
Dave are you around? Can you work your magic 🙂

[#7]

Hi,
Have you tried rebooting both the BT modem and your router? I'll have a look when I'm back in the office tomorrow to see if I can see anything wrong. I've seen a few cases like this before and a reboot does help a lot of the time.

[#8]

Quote from: dave

Have you tried rebooting both the BT modem and your router?

to repeat what i've said elsewhere...

but why would that help and why does it all go back to normal the next day, it's clearly something that is time of day dependant.
to be quite frank asking me to reboot is just the same as 'is it plugged in, have you turned in off and on again'
it's not helpful and it doesn't tell us what is going on
we'll see what you find when you get in..

[#9]

I can only tell you from the experience I've seen with other people on the trial that a reboot of both pieces of kit most of the time works. It may be down to there being so many different points of contention that the reboot will completely re-establish the path to take across the Openreach, BTW and our networks. I don't like just rebooting one of the BT modem and router because I've also seen in the past it not reconnecting automatically (the BT modem won't drop the session in some cases) or it taking a long time to re-authenticate. We've seen so far the FTTC is a far more stable connection generally than ADSL with lots of people having session times running in to weeks but things do end up grinding to a halt occasionally, sometimes with patterns, sometimes just all the time and almost every one I've spoken to the reboots work.

[#10]

but surely plusnet won't be able to go live with that as a service
your support team will get overrun

[#11]

Hence it's a trial while we work through issues like this and try and work out if the reboot is coincidence or if there's a genuine problem somewhere or something else. So far like I say I have a theory that because the session times are longer you're seeing the effects of contention somewhere, that could be your side, at the cab, fibre to the exchange, exchange and Openreach network, BTW network, our network, Internet or more likely a combination of some or all of them. Parts of our 21CN network have been busier than others the last week or so as we've getting it in balance (same on 20CN), and I know there have been a couple of busy areas on the BTW network too (Slough area in particular but that will cover a lot of exchanges around it).

[#12]

thanks dave..sorry hadn't realised you were out of the office so was getting a little frustrated with the lack of responses
bit odd how this is only happening on fttc though as i hadn't seen this on adsl2+
will try a reboot next time i notice it and report my results

[#13]

ok tried the reboot tonight although the drop in speed before was only a third
anyway it has has absolutely no effect whatsoever
one thing i should emphasise is that these speed problems tend to only occure at last night time
and that's another reason why i don't think it's contention...although i sppouse torrents could be running overnight
out of interest are bt throttling/capping the bandwidth running along FTTC?

[#14]

@bluewhale
I think BT must recognise that they don't have enough bandwidth for full speed all the time.
This is what I got from their speedtest yesterday
Best Effort Test:  -provides background information.
Download speedachieved during the test was - 8271 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 8000-28532 Kbps .
Additional Information:
IP Profile for your line is -28532 Kbps
Previously they had the  lower limit at 10000 not 8000
Further they said:
We were unable to identify any performance problem with your service at this time.
It is possible that any problem you are currently, or had previously experienced may have been caused by traffic congestion on the Internet or by the server you were accessing responding slowly.
That will include their own speedtest even when logged in as a BT test user will it?
If you read through the consultation document from 2008 (publicly available, found by Google) you can read:
Openreach has consulted with other network operators globally to determine network configuration models that make for good quality service to CPs and their end users and we believe that the tiered service structure with defined Minimum Assured Rates makes for the best service as it provides a clear limit on end user ability to train up to the maximum line capability rate; without these controls this can lead to issues with service quality and resultant disputes. Openreach believes that a tiered pricing structure linked to bandwidth combined with setting a peak rate limit is the most sustainable market model because:
␣ It makes for a lower price entry point for customers wanting lower grade service. ␣ It enables CPs to test the market take up at several pricing points with appropriate products
within which they can dimension their own tiered product offerings
␣ It introduces minimum levels of service that would not be enabled through a flat pricing model.
␣ It enables the calculation of assured bandwidth rates which would not be possible through a flat pricing model where lines were allowed to run at maximum rates.
␣ It stops there being a possibility of one user’s service impacting adversely on another's which could be the case using a flat pricing model where lines are all allowed to run at maximum capability.
␣ It enables Openreach to more cost effectively plan and build the access and backhaul to meet CP demand and to deliver a consistent and equivalent service to all.
␣ It recognises the additional costs inherent in supporting higher speeds of service.
They wrote about peak and assured rates as follows (see image attached):

[#15]

bluewhale:
I have been on FTTC since Thursday afternoon.
My first test and my most recent are attached. SInce the first, download speed has been > 32Mbps. Upload has been rock steady on.
BT Speedtest is a little lower.
I should point out that I am the BT engineer told me that I am first user to be connected to the local cabinet.
Dave