unlimited broadband only

[#1]

Yup absolutely

[#2]

Hello @Gandalf my VDSL line was previously serviced by TalkTalk broadband and is now serviced by PlusNet broadband, starting on 01 January 2020. (Message 47 has result of my line's Broadband Availability Checker.)

Still struggling to understand why my PlusNet Fibre speed is slower than TalkTalk Fibre, as discussed Here.

Is it because the PlusNet Hub One is a budget router and my line would provide a speed increase if it was a BT Smarthub 6, see Here? 

Your thoughts on getting the 37Mbps stable speed on my VDSL line appreciated. 

Kind regards. 

[#3]

Hello @Gandalf, PlusNet says my download throughput (actual) speed is 37Mbps. Today's BTW Diagnostic result says my download speed is 23.86Mbps which is slower than PlusNet Fibre's Minimum Guranteed Speed of 24.9Mbps. 

BTW Diagnostic result   

Why is PlusNet Fibre not delivering the advertised speeds to its customer? Kind regards. 

[#4]

Thanks for getting back to us @crimsom 

As explained Here your bRAS profile is 36mbps due to retransmission high which is correct for a sync speed of 40mbps. There's nothing we can do to influence this especially as you're within the estimates of your line.

When you ran that speed test last night was that on a wired connection with no other devices switched on, and nothing running in the background on the computer you were using?

[#5]

Hello @Gandalf, thank you for keeping in touch.

Confirm that the BTW speed test was undertaken on a wired connection, there were no other devices using the router, the computer’s task manager says CPU usage was 3% just before BTW speed test.

The GEA test results say that my downstream Profile Name was 0.128M-40M, Retransmission High on 17 Jan and thereafter it has reduced to 0.128M-35M, Retransmission High.

Can PlusNet arrange for my Profile Name to be ‘frozen’ at 0.128M-40M so that my maximum download sync speed of 40Mbps is reinstated?

With a Minimum Guaranteed Speed of 24.9Mbps, where does it say in the GEA test results (or elsewhere) that PlusNet ensures that my Fibre download speed is never less than 24.9Mbps?

Thank you in anticipation. Kind regards.

[#6]

Thanks for getting back to us @crimsom 

As far as I'm aware you're already sync'ing at 40mbps on a 40mbps profile albeit with retransmission high giving you a bRAS profile of 36mbps. We cannot turn off DLM which means that the settings on the line can change automatically, we can't stop that sorry.

If you can post up your router stats, we'd be able to advise further, go to http://192.168.1.254 > Advanced Settings > Helpdesk.

Your minimum guaranteed speed is only a contractual speed, it's not something which will be on a GEA test. What's your speed like now?

[#7]

Hello @Gandalf thank you for the clarification that PlusNet's Minimum Guaranteed Speed is only a contractual speed. I was hopeful that my downstream Profile Name of 0.128M-40M would be changed to 25M-40M. To use your terminology, another red herring then. 

My previous attempts to get router stats failed. Have used http://192.168.1.254 > Advanced Settings > Helpdesk, see image. However, this customer is apparently denied access to router stats. 

Kind regards. 

Advanced Settings

[#8]

Hi @crimsom Can you click on Troubleshooting then Helpdesk and post up a screenshot showing what you see? Just make sure you remove any account information like your username. 

With regards to your profile there isn't any such thing as 25M-40M I'm afraid, the profile you're on at 0.128M-40M means your router can physically sync at a speed anywhere up to 40mbps. 

[#9]

Hello @Gandalf, there is different router information at http://192.168.1.254/help.htm#T_HDESK.

As requested, attached redacted image from http://192.168.1.254 > Troubleshooting > Helpdesk. 

Kind regards. 

Helpdesk redacted

[#10]

Thanks @crimsom looks like your line speed has since dropped from the 40mbps, let me look into this further when I'm back in the office tomorrow.

[#11]

Hello @Gandalf, thank you. Your help is very much appreciated. Kind regards. 

[#12]

Hi @crimsom thanks for getting back to me. Upon further investigation I can see your line is erroring fairly badly which would likely be causing the intermittent slow speeds you're experiencing.

I think it'd be a good idea for us to arrange a broadband engineer to investigate further, and I've just added a reply to this ticket with this information. Could you reply again by going Here with when you'd be free for an engineer to visit?

[#13]

Hello @Gandalf thank you for looking at the Information for Helpdesk agents results and concluding that my line has recurring intermittent errors that results in slow broadband speeds.

Openreach checked and fixed a fault on my line in December 2019, so that PlusNet can give me the Fibre package. BT is my phone provider and in response to the January 2020 PlusNet information, BT took responsibility for Openreach to check and fix another fault on my line. BT then did their own checks to say that my line was free of faults. 

Thank you for providing what payments are due when PlusNet sends a broadband engineer to verify that the contents of their Sagemcom box does not contain faulty items. However your checks have already revealed that my line has recurring errors. Therefore sending a broadband engineer with a limited remit to check PlusNet parts would not remove the faults found on my line. 

PlusNet emailed me today about the slow speed fault, saying: Rest assured we're working as hard as we can to give you the fastest speed your line is capable of. 

Kind regards. 

[#14]

I think there's some confusion here with regards to the notes I've added to your fault ticket. I was generalising, referring to the line as in anything between your router and the exchange including all the broadband equipment.

Even if there is a fault on the line, as this is impacting your broadband service this is within our remit to fix. Broadband engineers can investigate both line faults affecting broadband and actual broadband faults.

The only time we'd need to pass you back to your phone provider is if your phone service isn't working as it should be or a line test detects a specific fault with the phone line.

As I assume your phone service is working fine and line tests aren't showing any specific issues, we need to arrange a broadband engineer. The purpose of an engineer visit isn't to simply check your own equipment as that's your responsibility to do hence the call out charge if the fault is internal, the aim is to carry out an investigation into the problem.

To investigate the very low mean time between errors(MTBE) we'd need to arrange an engineer visit, if you've not already can you add a reply to your ticket with some availability when you'll be free?

I'll then pick this back up tomorrow when I'm in the office and book the soonest time-slot we have available.

[#15]

Hello @Gandalf thank you attempting to clarify the billing arrangement for broadband engineer call out(s).

When the Fibre order was placed, the £50.00 upfront fee was paid in addition to the first month's broadband service fee. 

My Plusnet Fibre broadband was first used on 01 January 2020. So I am about a month into this problematic 18 month contract. 

The PlusNet email sent to me yesterday says: If the (broadband) engineer finds the problem is with your internal wiring, your equipment, the condition of Openreach equipment within your property and its boundary, or if no fault is found, you will be charged £65.00 to cover the cost of the engineer. This charge will also apply if you miss the appointment or cancel without giving us 2 working days notice. (and) This will apply at all times whilst we are working on the fault. 

The prospect of being billed £65.00 on each occasion a broadband engineer visits, is equivalent to signing up to an open ended repair contract, with the total final bill being substantial. This type of contract billing is not equitable. 

Kind regards.