Finally took the FTTC plunge

[#1]

Hope you got my PM Chris.
I'll be up early!

[#2]

Yeah I got it, just had to wait on confirmation for tomorrow.
It's booked in between 8am-1pm. Let me know how you get on.

[#3]

As I said on ticket 63817477 the engineer came but did not install the extension. That was not on his work ticket - he was instead given the task to do a 'fast check' which he did.
He also changed the Openreach modem for one which, he said, syncs slightly faster.
Speeds were OK before he left and shortly after but have gone pear shaped since - more on that after I've done a speed test using a new iMac directly from the router by ethernet cable.

[#4]

It looks as if the following 2 tickets have become a bit intertwined:

• Ticket #63645058 is about a possible speed problem but towards the end mentions installation of cables and £60 fee if no fault found.

• Ticket #63817477 is re installation of extension cable. Engineer was supposed to install it on 29'12'/12 but instead carried out line checks (and assured me no £60 fee was applicable as it was a routine 'fast check')

For the sake of simplicity, and to avoid the accidental application of a £60 call out fee, I would like to put on hold or close the speed issue (#63645058) for now but hesitate to do so as I might thereby inadvertently stop the extension cable installation process.
Chris, can you help me out on this one?
Thanks.

[#5]

Hi mikko,
Hope I can shed some light here, if you check the fault ticket (the first one you mention) in particular the update on: Saturday 29/12/12 10:41
Basically the fact that work is being done on your line has been picked up by BT as part of the fault investigation. What they're saying there is that the engineer visit to fit the new extension cable may well actually resolve the fault, so they'll wait to hear back regarding the results there before continuing the investigation - which if I'm not mistaken is what you're hoping will happen anyway?
I'll happily put the fault on hold for you though if you still would like that doing.

[#6]

Thanks Matt,
I want the extension installation to proceed (without risk of a spurious £60 fee).
Any morning except Wednesdays is OK by me.
(I know you'll do me proud, by gum).

[#7]

I look forward to the eng's visit this am.
I wish to confirm that the visit is for data extension (omited during initial fttc installation) and not for fault finding therefore 60 pound fee not applicable.

[#8]

The engineer came at 8am sharp and spent 3½ hours of testing and discussion. I fully appreciate his thoroughness, knowledge and experience.
He went to the cabinet and swapped the line over for a a spare one (which BT installed about 3 years ago and was used only for about 6 months). He also replaced some external wiring on the BT side of the master socket.
Line testing by Openreach engr showed that the downstream profile is now 56Mbps could you please get it back to 80?
Thanks.

[#9]

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[#10]

I've just done a speed test on http://speedtest.btwholesale.com/
DL and UL are low due to old (2008) laptop with it's own issues but the main point is that it confirms the line profile is 68 Mbps.
Is it possible to get that reset to 77 Mbps (as it was until recently)?
See attached capture.

[#11]

Wait until daylight hours and try turning off the router and then the modem, and leave it off for an hour and then power up again. Try and do it around the middle of the day (not near dawn or dusk). See if that helps up the sync speed.

[#12]

Latest profile was 68Mbps (up from 56 earlier). This may be as good as it will ever get as the line was switched over to a spare one (last used by us 3 years ago) and I now remember that doing a BT check on that line 3 years ago showed lower ranges of possible adsl speeds from the exchange. The line now only goes as far as the cabinet (150m±?) but there may be some slight degradation between house and cabinet relative to the original line (which was being used up to last Saturday's BT-OR visit). I've had 3 engineer visits so I'll leave it at that, after all 68Mbps profile is enough for our uses. Seems more constant now maybe because a fair bit of rewiring was done just outside the house to replace some visibly slightly corroded (externally, to the insulation, at least) wiring and re-connection of extensions. I was with the engineer every step, even to the cabinet, and no one could have been more thorough.

[#13]

Hi Mikko,
your speeds look at a more constant level at the moment, has the data extension kit not been installed?

[#14]

Sadly, once again the engineer wasn't told about the installation of the extension cable. I've given up trying as SWMBO is getting p*^>*d off with the number of engineer visits.
Right now the IP Profile for my line is 58.08 Mbps.
I'm using 3 homeplugs (total cost about £100), already purchased before BT-Or engineer's last visit. He thought the attenuation they cause is negligible and that are are a standard work-around for no cable installed. I think they cause about a loss of bandwidth of around 20Mbps at the higher line profiles.

[#15]

Sorry to hear that it again hasn't been installed, I've double checked the engineer notes and it is plastered all over the notes that a engineer is required to install the data extension kit.
If you change your mind a wish to pursue this please let me know and I'll make sure it happens for you.