Plusnet not getting back to me

[#1]

I've had an ongoing FTTC connection problem since 13th April. Last proposed solution was to replace my router with a Hub 2, which I did last Wednesday on the promise of an open ticket for a call back yesterday. Hub 2 has made it worse and of course no callback. Ticket remains open and I don't want to start the help text thing all over again.
Any ideas anyone? Is anyone from Plusnet here who might kick-start it again?

Thanks, Stuart

[#2]

What was the problem @Junkman  - and what did PN say they had done/ask you to do?

Help Team staff are as rare as hens teeth on here.

[#3]

@jab1 In a nutshell I had a stable FTTC connection for more than 2 years at a sync rate of 40Mbps. It's been falling since 13th April and is now down to 26. Everyone else around me still at 40. Proven it's not my kit. Plusnet can't see anything wrong with the line so can't ask Openreach to do anything about it. Last gasp was a Hub 2. Fitted since last Wednesday but sync speed still going down. I was hoping it might let them interrogate the connection a little more but as per my first post they haven't even bothered to get back to me. I've been with Plusnet a very long time but if this doesn't get sorted I'll be off when my contract ends

[#4]

Understand what you are saying. Somewhere in the back of my mind I think you had another topic on this subject, or am I thinking of someone else?

[#5]

@jab1 Yep there's a long thread with most of it about 2 very nice gents helping me to set up connecting my existing router into the DMZ of the Hub 2 so I didn't have to reset everything on my LAN. But the start of the problem was 3 dropouts causing DLM to take target SNR up from 3 to 6 thus reducing sync rate to 33. Sync rate has continued to fall since then and Hub 2b hasn't helped at all

[#6]

OK. To save me having to wade through that topic, can you post the information requested in this 'questionnaire'? A fresh pair of eyes, and all that.

For Community members to be able to help, information from these sites, as screenshots, posted as pictures within the topic, not as attachments:-

BT Broadband Availability Checker (obscuring your phone number), where a landline phone is no longer supplied or known use the address version BT Broadband Address Availability (obscuring your address)

BTW Performance Tester - Over a wired (Ethernet) connection if at all possible, please report the 'ADDITIONAL DIAGNOSTICS'. This test is recommended to be performed with only one device connected.

Sight of the broadband connection status from your Hub (with the 'Username' obscured) would also be of help.

For the Hub One -

Navigate from the Home Screen to Troubleshooting > Helpdesk

For the Hub Two -

Navigate from the Home Screen to Advanced Settings > Technical Log > Information

Where the phone line is still active, 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 you are unsure about any of the above, please just ask - I am happy to help.

[#7]

@jab1 

Here is the link to the original reported issue.

https://community.plus.net/t5/Broadband/Sync-Speed-Reduction-after-2-years-Stable/td-p/1966307 

Yep there's a long thread with most of it about 2 very nice gents helping me to set up connecting my existing router into the DMZ of the Hub 2. This is me and @MisterW 

@Junkman 

How is the BMQ been looking since we last posted? Do you look at the Advanced Setting >Technical log, noted any DSL drops since last week?

[#8]

@Dan_the_Van DSL uptime now almost 7 days and no DLM resets obvious in the BQM.  But the graph has got 'noisier' in the last day or so.  We were away at the weekend and the graph over that time is flat and quiet but from about 9am Sunday lots of peaks when there has been no activity.

@jab1 I've never figured out how to embed photos in posts?

Edited to add that I'm now getting webpages failing to load and emails failing to send

[#9]

@Junkman Are you using a laptop/desktop or a mobile device? If the former, save the photo to you local drive, then hit the 'mountain' icon (between the 'smiley' and 'camera' above the reply window and follow the instructions.

If the latter, select 'desktop' mode for the forum, and proceed as above.

[#10]

@jab1 I had never noticed that mountain icon!

Screenshots below.  Explain to me how the BT Speedtester helps - because all it does is set the IP rate of the line to the sync rate, so is always gonna tell you that the speeds are acceptable.  As I said, prior to 13th April, my sync rate was stable for 2 years around 40 and my download speed 38+ (because my target SNR was 3).

Appreciate you spending your time BTW

[#11]

@jab1  my router stats end of November

[#12]

@jab1 quiet line test seemed quiet.  I actually reported a phone fault about 3 weeks ago because I had some noise on a call and Plusnet told me there was nothing wrong

[#13]

The BT Speedtester 'helps' as it shows what you are getting, speed-wise, and is just a part of the picture.

From the data supplied, I am amazed you had a stable connection at 3dB D/D SNR - your attenuation figures suggest that is impossible, unless you had a very clean line - mine, when on FTTC, was a shorter copper length, but screamed loudly if the figure fell below 4.5dB.

FWIW, my suspicion is that you have a fault on your copper connection, which is intermittent, and the DLM is reducing your speed in an attempt to compensate for this, but in that case, I don't understand why the D/S SNR is still at ~6dB - that usually rises in parallel with the speed drop.

I note on your other topic that you say your phone line gets noisy and I suspect that is the root cause, but because it is random, the automatic tester won't pick it up. Unfortunately, as I understand it, OpenReach have jacked-up their charges to ISP/CPs for fault resolution, those companies are reluctant to instigate any investigation where there is no clear-cut evidence.

@Dan_the_Van Have I missed anything?

[#14]

@jab1 completely stable for 25 months.  If it got knocked by a thunderstorm then a quick router reboot would sort it out too

[#15]

I still think it is a fault on your copper.Out if interest, is there a speed result on that BTw report - I note it is truncated?