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[Debs.]

Usually (for more than 5 years) I`ve 'enjoyed'[sic] a steady and reliable 1200 Kbps. download speed on my BT broadband service......`reasonable-enough for my needs.
But, since our exchange (WNCYD) experienced a four day outage just before Christmas (due to a network problem) my download speed has dropped to barely 130 Kbps. (yes really!).....upload is same as usual/previous to the outage; a steady 386 Kbps.

Nothing else has changed, same computer/router, cabling and connected phones etc......obviously, it`s the service that`s faulty......130 Kbps. is unbearably slow; trying to see a video in 1 second bursts and snoozing whilst a crawling image downloads on a web-page has me losing the will to live!
How do I get BT to do something and put it back to a usable condition?

I called the BT broadband tech-line and evidently the "computer says no"......as a line-check says it`s not faulty; "it`s just slow"......
Hello!!!!!.....that was my point!!!!

[Welung666]

Tell them you'll take your business elsewhere unless they sort it out

[TheBoy]

If its below a set level, BT Wholesale classes it as too slow, and will investigate.  However, its getting your ISP to accept that fact.

Often with these offshored call centres, you have to keep repeated trying. Eventually, you may get a biff who understands the issue.

[Marks DTM Calib]

My phone has now failed.

I can speak and be heard, I can dial, the phoen rings but, nobody can hear me!

Apparantly the line test passes (it will do if the ringer is working!) so it cant be a line fault.

Well, having tried 3 phones directly into the wall plate I know it aint here.

Thing is, I know where the fault lies (and I suspect Mr TB does to given the symptoms)

So I feel your frustration Debs

[Varche]

In the olden days, putting your complaint (with evidence) in writing used to help especially if you threaten to move your business elsewhere (if you are able to contracturally do that). It might help in your case.

This sort of thing is like theft really as they keep on taking the money for a worsened service.

[Lazydocker]

Not trying to teach you to suck eggs or anything Debs... Have you tried disconnecting, resetting and reconnecting the router?

When mine slows down this frequently gets me back up to the blisteringly fast connection I normally have (1.5Meg if I'm lucky!)

[Broomies Mate]

I suspect they have reset all their attenuation settings which has left you with (probably) an extremely stable connection, but a bloody slow one.

Ask them to check the attenuation on your line and adjust it accordingly.

If you know the rough cable length from your house to your exchange, I'll be able to advise what I would consider to be a reasonable attenuation figure. 

[Debs.]

Not trying to teach you to suck eggs or anything Debs... Have you tried disconnecting, resetting and reconnecting the router?

When mine slows down this frequently gets me back up to the "blisteringly" fast connection I normally have (1.5Meg if I'm lucky!)

Substitute: "slightly reddened"

I have tried booting it.....kicking it......and begging it.....but, as yet; to no avail!

[Lazydocker]

Not trying to teach you to suck eggs or anything Debs... Have you tried disconnecting, resetting and reconnecting the router?

When mine slows down this frequently gets me back up to the "blisteringly" fast connection I normally have (1.5Meg if I'm lucky!)

Substitute: "slightly reddened"

I have tried booting it.....kicking it......and begging it.....but, as yet; to no avail!

 

Oh dear... Was worth a try

[Broomies Mate]

I am roughly 6.5 miles from the exchange;

On their suggested settings;



This is after I told the silly buggers what to do!




I actually had it running at just over 10Mb/s, but it wasn't the most stable connection so settled for 8-9Mb/s.

Seeing as I hate HATE HATE Virgin (not to mention I dont have Fiber Optic Cable in the street) I'm quite happy with the speed I get, especially considering the distance from the exchange.

[Debs.]

I am roughly 6.5 miles from the exchange;

On their suggested settings;



This is after I told the silly buggers what to do!




I actually had it running at just over 10Mb/s, but it wasn't the most stable connection so settled for 8-9Mb/s.

Seeing as I hate HATE HATE Virgin (not to mention I dont have Fiber Optic Cable in the street) I'm quite happy with the speed I get, especially considering the distance from the exchange.

I`m about 3.5 miles from the exchange (all cabling carried overhead on poles) but, until the recent network outage, it`d been reliable and steady at 1.2 Mbps. for years. :-/

[Kevin Wood]

Didn't you have connection problems recently? (or was that the exchange issue you mentioned).

We recently had an issue with a line at work which kept dropping due to a fault. When it was resolved the router was syncing at an appauling rate but, with 24/7 uninterrupted connection, it came back up to a respectable speed within a couple of days.

Take a look at your line parameters. If it's syncing at a silly slow rate but with plenty of SNR margin and rock solid, I wouldn't mind betting it's a similar issue. Leave it on constantly and monitor it for a couple of days. Getting the router to syslog the line status to a PC might help troubleshoot it, as you'll be able to spot any dropped connections and variations in the parameters.

Kevin

[Debs.]

Didn't you have connection problems recently? (or was that the exchange issue you mentioned).

We recently had an issue with a line at work which kept dropping due to a fault. When it was resolved the router was syncing at an appauling rate but, with 24/7 uninterrupted connection, it came back up to a respectable speed within a couple of days.

Take a look at your line parameters. If it's syncing at a silly slow rate but with plenty of SNR margin and rock solid, I wouldn't mind betting it's a similar issue. Leave it on constantly and monitor it for a couple of days. Getting the router to syslog the line status to a PC might help troubleshoot it, as you'll be able to spot any dropped connections and variations in the parameters.

Kevin

Wilco, Kevin.

I`ll be using 'DMT': http://dmt.mhilfe.de/

BTW: the exchange/network outage was the problem that I previously mentioned.

[Debs.]

Ok......after a chat with a nice chap in Bangalore; and following BT line and speed-testing, it transpires there IS a line fault (somewhere).

The speed-test came back with max-effort of just 112 kbps.

An "engineer" (sorry, MarkDTM! ) is said to be calling me back today; twixt 14.00 and 15.00.

EDIT:

Well, BT called back....

"the engineer has made changes at the exchange and the 'fault' has been cleared"....

....but, it`s now exactly the same at 112 kbps.

Looks like I`ll be calling Bangalore again, tomorrow.

[Varche]

If it is no better now, then ring now. You will be given an earlier appointment OR pop out of the woodwork as a persistent fault and be given higher priority.

My Dad is having exactly the same problem and being given the runaround. Being an older person "He doesn't want to make a fuss". i.e. he is last in any queue!