PlusNet: Warning: asking about possible faults. They /BT may make it worse.

[#1]

Reported a couple of (mini) complete connection losses and also the line speed slowing to 4 MBps but then going back to the "normal" 6.5.
Just wanted to check as I was also getting some line noise and in the past this then built up to complete loss of BB and Phone or one or the other.
Thought it might be a known problem or the alu in the exchange playing up again or  "explanation" 27 etc
Next thing the BB speed dropped from 6.5MBps to 1.9MBps from 6 Jan....now 15 Jan (10 days) and its a constant P= 41 D=1.98 U=0.38
I find out  from the ticket PlusNet move me to a "less congested line".
I didn't ask for this nor was offered this as a "solution" by PlusNet
I am waiting for a reply on status ( last entry was 12 Jan 2016 ) with promise of "within 72 hours"
Tried to call but waiting times are now 60mins...and I can't stand the loud awful music.
Normally the service and support was first class - seems to be falling of a cliff recently with loud music.

[#2]

Hi ruralpeace,
I'm sorry to hear that hasn't helped. I've sent your fault ticket back through to the correct team.
We'll continue to investigate this for you and get back to you soon.

[#3]

Um please DO NOT.....I appreciate your offer to help but this is how it all started.
So please before you do anything can you first ask.
I already suffered about 10 days of 2MB and just got it back, which could have been avoided.
Sorry would have replied faster.

[#4]

Haha, what a funny thread, the sad part is that it's true, from the moment that I contacted them things when from bad to even worse, crazy but true.

[#5]

Phone line noise is the root problem.
Dodgy extension wiring, try your phone in the test socket of master socket, screw the cover off and its inside it.  If the noise clears up then its the extension wiring.  if not try another phone if you can, they do become faulty.
Once you have tested using the the test socket of the master socket and noise is still found, then report a phone line fault asap.

[#6]

Thanks for the tips.
All of that has been done plus checking routers ( am lucky to have 3 spare ones) and a very old phone to test the line (no power/batteries - needed here as we have virtually no mobile signal and suffer from "mini power cuts"
That according to the power supplier is due to "micro cracks in the cables causing shorting".....we list it as: "Power  Excuse Number 28"
BT have made 3 or more "fixes" now at the local exchange due to various issues and advised:
* corrosion on the copper / alu wires (2x)
* residual "debris" from a 2007 flood at the bottom of the hill (1x) - it was full of "blue" water absorption pellets
* checked for a fault in the cable between our house and the exchange ( about 500 metres).(actually 3 or 4 times due to faults on the 6 houses between here and the exchange)
Our neighbour also suffered from a line loss as well. Their line was out for about a week, ours was ok...ours went down for a week and they were ok.
The issue seems to be more with ancient copper / aluminium  at the exchange to our external connection since our internal system is pretty "modern" ie post 2000.
I do not know about other parts of the UK but for anyone moving rural Wales ( and outside the Golden Triangle) just be advised:
Smart Phones may not work as you expect....in fact they may not work at all.. 3G is not very common outside the "towns" around here.
Broadband has got better but anything more than 0.2MB is a big improvement
Torches, batteries and a small camping gas cooker are essential in case of power cuts
Have at least a months worth of food in the larder (non frozen) in case of floods, gales, power cuts, blocked roads, road works, snow, ice (they don't grit all the roads)
Account at Tesco etc ( if they deliver to you....)