Plusnet Fibre Packages 2Mb/s v 10 Mb/s Upload - Vote

[#1]

Hi All,
I seem to have only now just found the cloud in my silver lining.  I had my FTTC upgrade today after waiting for my cabinet to be upgraded, I went for PlusNet Extra Fibre and The Pro option.  I would like to stress how painless the process was and despite my rant below the excellent support and professionalism from all at plus as always.
Whilst I appreciated the line speeds will take a while to settle down I couldn’t work out why my upload speed only saw a 2/3X increase rather than the 10X my download is seeing.  I spoke to PlusNet technical (very helpful) who explained a 2 Meg cap.  I double checked with these forums and in general and it seems this is a PlusNet imposed limit and NOT a limit of FTTC - indeed I could get the BT equivalent with a (theoretical) 10 Meg upload speed for a few quid more.
I have just spoken to PlusNet Customer Services and Options and they have stated there is no option (paid or otherwise) for me to get the 10 Meg upload.
I am really disappointed as a long-time PlusNet customer (getting on for 10 years with the original dial up products) and I feel this is thoroughly miss-represented on the normal product description, product upgrades and even wading through the small print in the T's and C's on the website.  It seems my only option is to exercise my 7 day cooling off option and port to BT, but I really don't want to do this,  I recommend PlusNet all the time and I am really disappointed at this - my joy is turned to woe!
I have always trialled new products with plus where I could and it is only that my cabinet was not upgraded that meant I couldn’t do it this time.  I understand that trial customers were provided and maintain their 10Meg upload speed.
Is there anything that can be done - does anyone have any recommendations?  I know it sounds like I am making a fuss and I really don’t mean to but the whole reason I waited for FTTC and then for Plus rather than go with Virgin Cable  is because of the long-standing relationship and excellent help and support. The reason I am so hot on the upload is that when working remotely I want to get to the files on my NAS at a sensible speed. This was not possible with ADSL so FTTC with Plus seemed like the ideal answer, but the incremental speed I can now expect just won’t cut it.  I am not a heavy user overall and its only for a couple of files here and there (I don’t go mad on P2P/Usenet or anything of that nature, other than the occasional use).
I really want to stay with plus but it sadly seems that I don’t have an option if I want to get the full available upload speed (I don’t even mind paying for it, although that seems a little misrepresented too, but there doesn’t even seem to be a business or other package I can move to).
I assume I am not the first with this issue - can anyone here advise if they have found a solution?  Sadly I didn’t pour over the forums prior to my order as I didn’t think it was necessary.
Cheers
Neil

[#2]

Quote from: ngins

I double checked with these forums and in general and it seems this is a PlusNet imposed limit and NOT a limit of FTTC

Not strictly true. There are two wholesale variants and we supply the variant that's capped to 2Mbps upload *at BT Wholesale's side*.
Providing uncapped upload costs us more money at the Wholesale level. We are hoping to offer it at some point for an additional monthly charge, but there's a few development problems we need to iron out first before it can be made available.

[#3]

Hi Bob, thanks for your update - so basically there is no way I can get this form PlusNet right now? - can I even get on a trial as you work out the development issues - always happy to contribute there as I have done in the past.
Again I wait to stand corrected but I dont see this being made very clear, unless I am being dumb (also very possible!).  I know the Pro Option quotes line speeds but I can't find mention of the 2Mbps upload line speed.
Its just really dissapointing as everything else including the support went so well as always with you guys.  

[#4]

The key on the upload speeds page explains
[quote=http://www.plus.net/support/broadband/speed_guide/upload_speeds.shtml]
Line Speed depends on the type of broadband you have
    Fixed speed: up to 256Kb/s
    Max DSL: up to 448Kb/s
    Max DSL Premium: up to 832Kb/s*
    ADSL2/ADSL2+ Annex A: up to 1.3Mb/s**
    ADSL2+ Annex M: up to 2.5Mb/s***
    Fibre: up to 2Mb/s
but I agree, it isn't easy to find that.

[#5]

Quote from: ngins

Hi Bob, thanks for your update - so basically there is no way I can get this form PlusNet right now? - can I even get on a trial as you work out the development issues - always happy to contribute there as I have done in the past.

The FTTC trial used the 10Mbs upload speeds so there is not going to be another one just for that as it has already been done.
The choice of 2Mbs or 10Mbs was a commercial decision by Plusnet, most (if not all) FTTC lines will support the faster upload speed as that is what it was designed for.

[#6]

Thanks all - understood.  Having googled even further it seems like I am probably better off with 2 Meg from Plus and no traffic shaping and less contention than a theoretical 10 on Infinity with the various traffic shaping profiles and likely higher contention ratios (again all anecdotal).  I guess I had an initial shock but I’ll run it over the next month or so and see how it looks and I’ll certainly be interested in the option to pay for an upload speed upgrade at some point in the future.
Many thanks for all the replies and feedback.
Neil

[#7]

Quote

Having googled even further it seems like I am probably better off with 2 Meg from Plus and no traffic shaping and less contention than a theoretical 10 on Infinity with the various traffic shaping profiles

There isnt "No traffic shaping" on the plusnet Fibre products. see:
Product Traffic shaping comparison
Adding the "Pro" add-on removes the shaping (in essence) - Just wanted to make sure that was clear ngins.
Personally, i'm looking forward to the addition of 10mbps US (for a sensible price), will mean the various projects i start and never finish i can run from home (websites etc.) until i get bored and scrap them 
Regards

[#8]

It appeared to me that ngins' reference to "no traffic shaping" on the Plusnet fibre products related to upload speeds. In that context the reference is correct - line speed applies to Value and Extra Fibre, with or without the Pro add-in.

[#9]

well spotted spraxyt.
Apologies on that one must be getting tunnel vision.
Regards

[#10]

Hi All - great topic..
I would like to add my support to all the comments regarding the restricted 2Mb FTTC upload limit...
I admit it IS shown on the upload speed information page on the portal BUT:
1. FTTC is supplied at EITHER 2Mb or 10Mb by Openreach at present with 15Mb already planned for the 80Mb download version
2. When I enquired about going on the business trial I was not made aware of the 2Mb speed cap and no option for 10Mb - even though I double checked there would be no loss of functionality companred to my existing unlimited business account.  Only providing 2Mb where there is a 10Mb option is clearly NOT a full and unlimited product.
3. Comparing the residential orrderings from PlusNet, they make NO mention of the lower upload speed.
4. The only other ISP without a 10Mb option for residential services (let alone business) is TALK TALK - is this the level of service PlusNet are competing with? - To say I expected better is an understatement.
5. My best option at present? - BT Busienss infinity for £35/month is as cheap as PlusNet Business on the Fibre trial with the PROPER upload speed and future upgrades to a 80Mb/15Mb service.  Why would I NOT do this? - BT Business support are a world apart from their residential services and have both answered the phone and been helpful on the occasions I have spoken to them recently.
6. With about 100 current referrals on this and other PlusNet accounts I think I have promoted PlusNet well over the last 10 years - but to propose the current FTTC offerings to residential OR business clients would be to ignore the best needs of the customers.  I see absolutely NO reason to promote the current products to anyone but the most basic of users with poor ADSL speed.  Anyone else would be better served with a MAC code and migration to alternative FTTC products.
Last year, there was a similar issue with Vtesse broadband, where their upload speeds were lower than comparable Infinity products.  One telephone call with their CEO, Aiden Paul resulted in the products being brought in line with comparable speeds in less than two weeks.  That was last October - When will PlusNet get with the game and provide a product range that addresses their clients needs? - Or was that the "Old" PlusNet and now we need to look elsewhere for a company with an understanding of the needs of businesses and professionals?

PlusNet need to get back in the game with a CURRENT product range for Business AND Residential users RIGHT NOW.
We don't need a "Business FTTC TRIAL" - we need full spec products to propose to clients.  Get on with it - it's already too late.

rdowns

[#11]

I have voiced my frustration on this same topic today here but will enter it here also.
Having ordered fibre last week I was very impressed with the prompt install only a week later.
I was disappointed to find however that my upload speed is capped at 2mbps; a limitation which was not detailed during the purchase of the product (over the phone).
This has infuriated me as other providers are offering 10mbps up (for example BT).
Furthermore annoying is the difficulty in actually finding the upload cap detailed on the plusnet site.  
This upload cap isn't detailed anywhere during the purchase process and can only be found on the site via the search box, and not via the fibre broadband pages.
I will be strongly considering cancelling my newly installed fibre over the next week as I feel cheated out of a reasonable upload rate.
Are there any plans to improve the maximum upload rate?   Given that plusnet are owned by BT I can see no reason other than internal politics which would prevent you from delivering an equal service.
I would very much appreciate a response covering two key points;

• 1.  Are there any plans to increase the maximum upload rate cap to 10mbps on par with BT (and other providers).


• 2.  Why is your service capped at such a low ratio?   A 20:1 download to upload ratio on a broadband connection is not normal; a ratio between 4:1 and 8:1 is far more standard (and always has been).

I patiently await your response.

[#12]

BT Wholesale offer ISPs (including BT Retail) two fibre products. The standard product has a 2Mb upload, the premium product for which they charge extra is 10Mb. BT Retails have chosen to sell the premium 10Mb product (as Infinity).
It is probable that on Plusnet the faster upload will be an optional add-on for which there will be an extra charge.

[#13]

i wish they'd have just gone for the 10mbit option.  any idea when this my become available ?
adie:quote

[#14]

If they'd gone for the higher speed as standard the price would have been higher. There's many users for whom the higher upload speed would be of minimal benefit and prefer the lower price.

[#15]

Quote from: Bob

.....Secondly is the question of demand. Did you know that when we provision a customer on ADSL2+, we cap the upload at 448kbps (rather than the 1Mbps or so that's attainable in cases)? Yes, there is a process for requesting this is uncapped but how many people request this? Well I can tell you it's relatively few....

I know this is reviving an old thread but the above statement REALLY annoyed me!
It you don't advertise something, how do you expect there to be a demand for it! I have been a Plus Net customer since October 2003, I have been on ADSL 2+ since it became available in my area, BUT I only recently had my line upgraded to a faster speed, simply because I stumbled upon a thread on these forums, I had absolutely no idea that Plus Net offered this option, although I knew ADSL2+ supported faster speeds than I was getting.
I've recently taken to using Cloud backup, but as you can guess it is very slow, even at the .75Mb/s I get now, so I would love to have 10Mb/s upload speed, and if Plus Net are not providing this it may be time to move on!
This http://www.plus.net/support/broadband/speed_guide/upload_speeds.shtml would see suggest your still stuck on 2Mb/s, is this still the case?