FTTC download speed decreased from 50 to 5 Mbps

[#1]

Sometime in the last few days my FTTC connection which has operated reliability for the last 18 month or so, has become very slow. Download speed has effectively decreased from 50Mbps to 5Mbps and is now slower than the upload speed. The guaranteed download speed is 45Mbps. The VDSL router is reporting sync speed of 53Mbps and 6db SNR (see Sync speed attachment) which is the same as previously. The Wholesale speed test results show a download speed of 5Mbps which is confirmed in the Performance report both of which are attached.

So the connection is working, but slowly. Video conferencing on which I rely is now only just viable. Would it be possible for someone to pass this to someone in the operations team to investigate and hopefully resolve?

[#2]

@gollum1 I would normally post my 'help sheet', but as (1) you are not using a Hub suppllied by PN and (2) there is a glaringly obvious fault, I suggest you raise a fault report direct at: https://faults.plus.net

[#3]

I have reported the problem as you suggest. Many thanks for your rapid response.

[#4]

@gollum1 your IP looks like its a static IP , am I correct ? If so then what does it say for 'Current Line Speed' if you log in to the member centre and click the 'Broadband' tab ?

[#5]

Your broadband service

• Product: Unlimited Fibre Extra
• Estimated Download Range: 52 - 58Mbps
• Estimated Upload Range: 4 - 5Mbps
• Minimum Guaranteed Speed: 47.1Mbps
• Current Line Speed (Download): 52Mbps

Yes - it is a fixed IP

[#6]

Out of curiosity @gollum1 what speeds do you get when you test on other services like fast.com and speedtest.net?

[#7]

@gollum1  thanks, that theory is out of the window then, Current line speed looks fine. If for some reason the line has a low synch event, then the BT wholesale profile will drop and then recover when the synch speed returns. Problem is the Plusnet profile ( Current line speed) follows the BT one down, but sometimes doesnt follow it back. Also, even if the PlusNet one recovers, it doesnt take effect until the PPPoE session is disconnected and reconnected. Yours looks like its only been up for about 3 hrs so I cant see that being the case but it might be worth just dropping the PPPoE just in case.

The reason for asking about static IP is that the Current Line speed only affects those accounts.

[#8]

Other speed test sites report the same speeds as the BT Wholesale speed test. One might begin to think that it was a Plusnet problem if it was not for the fact that OpenReach has been in the telephone ducting installing pull throughs for fibre. Hoping to struggle on until FTTP is available, which might be days or perhaps more likely, months away.

[#9]

UPDATE

Not sure if it was speedy action by Plusnet or the sunny weather drying out the copper cables, but the situation is gradually improving. Ping times have decreased from 35ms to 18ms and download speed has increased from 5Mbps to 40Mbps. Not quite what it used to be but a big improvement and able to support next weeks video course.

Given the imminent arrival of FTTC I do not feel it worth pursuing the issue and I have closed the support ticket. Oh how I am looking forward to getting rid of the increasingly unreliable copper (and BT).