Lag / Packet loss
I believe Google like many others rate-limit ICMP so a lot of ping requests will be rejected as their routers are simply busy prioritising normal traffic instead of responding back. This makes it look like there's packet loss on a ping or traceroute.
The lag and slow speeds you've said you're seeing doesn't sound good though. Switching to a provider who uses the exact same equipment at the cabinet/exchange as us probably wouldn't move things forward to a resolution.
Is your PC connected to your router using an ethernet cable and what speeds do you get when you go to a speed test website like Here? What are also your speed estimates for your line when you type in your landline phone number Here?
Do you have your router connected into the test socket as explained Here bypassing any internal wiring or extensions?
Hello Gandalf
I know what you're saying, but wouldn't it be in BT's interest to prioritise their own customers? 
I get 33.2 MBps which is about right for my achievable speeds. But, it's more packet loss vs the speed.
Recently (this year) had quite a few problems with the connection and a brand new socket and test socket has been installed where the router plugs into.
I'm plugged into the Ethernet port.
Strangely the connection seems stabl now, check this out:
C:\Users\macfa>ping google.co.uk -n 25
Pinging google.co.uk [216.58.206.99] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 216.58.206.99: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=54
Reply from 216.58.206.99: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=54
Reply from 216.58.206.99: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=54
Reply from 216.58.206.99: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=54
Reply from 216.58.206.99: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=54
Reply from 216.58.206.99: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=54
Reply from 216.58.206.99: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=54
Reply from 216.58.206.99: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=54
Reply from 216.58.206.99: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=54
Reply from 216.58.206.99: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=54
Reply from 216.58.206.99: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=54
Reply from 216.58.206.99: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=54
Reply from 216.58.206.99: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=54
Reply from 216.58.206.99: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=54
Reply from 216.58.206.99: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=54
Reply from 216.58.206.99: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=54
Reply from 216.58.206.99: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=54
Reply from 216.58.206.99: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=54
Reply from 216.58.206.99: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=54
Reply from 216.58.206.99: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=54
Reply from 216.58.206.99: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=54
Reply from 216.58.206.99: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=54
Reply from 216.58.206.99: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=54
Reply from 216.58.206.99: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=54
Reply from 216.58.206.99: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=54
Ping statistics for 216.58.206.99:
Packets: Sent = 25, Received = 25, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 13ms, Maximum = 14ms, Average = 13ms
The BT you’re referring to would be BT Retail who in this instance are a provider just like ourselves or anyone else who chooses to use the suppliers of the broadband infrastructure Openreach and/or Wholesale. They aren’t allowed to provide something to BT (Or any providers of the BT Group) that other providers outside or within the Group can’t get.
It’s easier to diagnose a speed problem as opposed to simply packet loss/lag, because more often than not, lag is normally just a side-effect as opposed to a cause.
If you can leave this with me I’ll be happy to check things out tomorrow when I’m back in the office.
Thanks for getting back to us @spaced
I've tested your line and everything is showing as spot on:
| GEA Test Detail | |||
| Circuit ID | NA | Service ID | [redacted] |
| Test Outcome | Pass | ||||
| Test Outcome Code | GTC_FTTC_SERVICE_0000 | ||||
| Description | GEA service test completed and no fault found . | ||||
| Main Fault Location | OK | ||||
| Sync Status | In Sync | ||||
| Downstream Speed | 35.8 Mbps | ||||
| Upstream Speed | 6.4 Mbps | ||||
| Appointment Required | N | ||||
| Fault Report Advised | N | ||||
| NTE Power Status | PowerOn | ||||
| Voice Line Test Result | Pass | ||||
| Bridge Tap | Not Detected | ||||
| Radio Frequency Ingress | Not Detected | ||||
| Repetitive Electrical Impulse Noise | Not Detected | ||||
| Cross Talk | Not Detected | ||||
| Estimated Line Length In Metres | 835.7 | ||||
| Upstream Rate Assessment | Reasonable | ||||
| Downstream Rate Assessment | Reasonable | ||||
| Interference Pattern | Not Detected | ||||
| Service Impact | No Impact Observed | ||||
| Home Wiring Problem | Not Detected | ||||
| Downstream Policing Discard Rate | 0.0 | ||||
| Customer Traffic Level | Upstream and Downstream Traffic Detected | ||||
| Technology | VDSL | ||||
| Profile Name | 0.128M-40M Downstream, Error Protection Off - 0.128M-10M Upstream, Error Protection Off | ||||
| Time Stamp | 2019-07-16T15:00:00 | ||||
| Parameters | MIN | MAX | AVG |
| Down Stream Line Rate | 35.1 Mbps | 36.3 Mbps | 35.8 Mbps |
| Up Stream Line Rate | 6.4 Mbps | 6.9 Mbps | 6.7 Mbps |
| Up Time | 787.0 Sec | 900.0 Sec | 899.7 Sec |
| Retrains | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Current and Last 15 Minute Bin Performance | ||
| Parameters | Last Traffic Count(Upto 15 mins) | Current Traffic Count(Upto 15 mins) |
| Start Time Stamp | 2019-07-29T14:34:13.342+01:00 | 2019-07-29T14:49:13.342+01:00 |
| Ingress Code Violation | 0 | 2 |
| Egress Code Violation | 0 | 0 |
| Errored Seconds | 5 | 2 |
| Severely Errored Seconds | 0 | 0 |
| Unavailable Seconds | 0 | 0 |
There's also no congestion showing on the BT infrastructure at the exchange.
Apart from two drops yesterday your connection seems to be stable:
Do you experience the same issues across multiple games assuming you play any others? Also are you able to try a different computer to narrow down where the issue lies?
It may also be worth doing a factory reset of the router to see if that clears the issue.
Finally what do traceroutes look like to the gaming server or a server like pingbox1.thinkbroadband.com?
Let us know how it goes.
[edit]
@spaced wrote:I want to stay with PlusNet - simply based on how great the customer service is... The response on this forum was fantastic.
Cheers for the positive feedback and kind words. 
