Surprised and disappointed with Plus Net

[#1]

Just to add a point to JELV's post - it can be the Router or the Router power-supply that is the source of 'noise'.  I've had both occur with a BT 105 (Router) and a BT 205 (Power supply)
I can be a pain following these slavish 'Try this, try that' but it can be worth it.  I resisted changing the router for several weeks 'cos it seemed very unlikely to be the cause of the symptoms I was seeing.  But that was the root cause - after changing out the router things got back to normal very quickly. 
And yes!  Being a dedicated sceptic, I did put the  suspect unit back into service as a trial!  And it still failed  BT 105 Router ----> BIN!   
Maurice

[#2]

Does the 105 have a separate PSU? Wondering if it might have been that!

[#3]

Don't think it has.

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The BT ADSL USB modem pack contains...     * BT ADSL USB modem     * USB cable     * Telephone line cord     * BT ADSL Microfilter*     * CD Software Disk

[#4]

Cheers John, sorry Ubi we seem to have gone off-topic a bit.

[#5]

True but so many things can affect adsl - how many times have we seen central heating system causing problems and, the soon to come, Xmas lights.

[#6]

It seems clear to PN technical support that the fault lies with the line.  Would that not act as a trigger to the processes which fix line faults?  I'm not certain that I want to spend my day unscrewing wall plates and inspecting wiring that I know nothing about.
In terms of infrastructure at my end, there are two things which have changed :
1)  I moved from Sky, who used to provide my line and broadband, to PN;
2)  My broadband speed halved on doing so.
Perhaps I'm being simplistic but if I reversed the only changes made I could have a reasonable expectation of resuming my previous broadband speed.  I think I've been quite patient, giving PN two months to resolve the issue.
It's difficult to see that PN have taken meaningful, or any, action in that time.  I'm not sure that is a solid foundation for self congratulation on service levels.
It's all very puzzling.  When I was last with PN, a couple of years ago, the broadband speed was also double what I'm getting now and the service was genuinely worth having.  I even recommended it to other people!  What changed?

[#7]

In view of your installation, I'm not sure how they think they can tell what is down to your line or your internal wiring!!
I'll try and explain things clearly - but at the outset I will say your problems are not PN's fault or under their control - and I'm not just defending them, I will criticise when necessary. Taking your points above -
1) With Sky, you were probably on LLU kit which was ADSL2, you will now be on plain ADSL where speeds are slower.
2) BT's exchange Dynamic Line Management is not as responsive as LLU tends to be, so if you have interference or fault problems, performance will go down quickly and recover slowly - if the problem goes away!
Yes you are being simplistic. You won't get faster speeds until/unless any line/wiring problems are fixed or/and your exchange is 21CN enabled to move to an ADSL2 product, or if unbundled - move to an LLU provider but even then you will not get the best from it, even if it is better, if you continue to have a line/wiring problem!
Even if it were the case that your first modem/router was faulty and was a part cause of the problem, it's clear from Mand's post that there must be some sort of interference issue only present when you are home on the assumption your modem/router was left on whilst you were away.
I've found it necessary to provide the following information for a couple of people recently, so they fully understand who is responsible for what -
You get your Broadband service over a pair of telephone wires. You pay Line Rental for those wires and a telephone service to a provider who has the main responsibility, to the customer - End User (EU), for this. The Broadband supplier (ISP) only has the responsibility of providing an acceptable (within the definitions) service over those wires. If the wires go faulty, this often appears as a problem on the telephone service.
These days you are provided with a line to the telephone exchange which terminates on your property in Network Termination Equipment (NTE) which is normally a Master LineBox. Beyond that anything connected, extension wiring/sockets/phone/modems etc is your responsibility, it's called "Self Install". This is why YOU are required to carry out a number of tests and checks to ensure it is not your own equipment or installation causing the problems or face a charge of £144+VAT from BT which is passed to your provider and then you (read page 5 of the Phone book as far as basic service is concerned).
The definitions of acceptable broadband service are so wide that it can be sometimes very difficult and very frustrating to pin down intermittent and obscure faults and get things fixed. These definitions are not PN's, they are industry wide and regulated by OFCOM, it doesn't matter whether you get your services from BT Retail, PN, or any other ISP or Communications provider (CP) they are all regulated by the same rules. And don't forget, whoever your CP's are, it's the same wires and usually the same equipment (unless you're LLU) at the exchange.
It doesn't matter who you buy your services from the same rules apply.
Just because you don't have a NTE5a Master Linebox, it does not detract from your responsibility to demonstrate that none of your own equipment is the cause.
Not even asked yet, whether you can hear / have heard any crackling or other intermittent noise on your phone, if you do, plug a corded phone direct into the master socket with everything else unplugged and confirm it is still present. If so, ring your phone service provider, directly to speak directly to an adviser, do so whilst the noise is still present, and try and do so quickly before you receive an incoming call because ringing on the line can often clean a bad connection. Do not use any automated tests and do not mention the broadband, this is a phone fault you are reporting, otherwise you'll get given the run around. Make sure the adviser can hear the noise, get them to confirm it and log it and log it as intermittent with the request that they ensure Openreach are made aware it's been intermittent. The engineer is likely to fit an NTE5 as part of the fault investigation/fix.
In view of the fact, if I've understood this right, you're on your second modem/router it would seem sensible to try and eliminate wiring problems from the equation first.. So even if you don't want to spend time unscrewing wall plates and inspecting wiring, if you can provide the information requested, you will most likely move more quickly to a resolution.

[#8]

I'm off to an LLU provider.  Requested a MAC key today.  Could have avoided all this misery if Piss Net had been upfront about being unable to provide ADSL2 on the exchange.

[#9]

Oh but excuse me, when I first signed up to PN albeit some considerable time ago, I did read all the relevant Ts&Cs, FAQ's and so forth, and likewise on the two occasions I've changed my package.
What package did you sign up for, did you read ALL the relevant information?
During the sign-up you will have been provided with an estimated speed, so at that point you should have queried why it wasn't as fast. Also maybe you hadn't noticed if your Sky connection had deteriorated just before you left.
That estimate is also ultimately available at the member centre and from the information you have provided, your connection did perform to that estimate at some point, but no longer continues to do so for a couple of probable reasons
1) Your internal wiring is substandard  2) other equipment may have deteriorated
This has resulted in your Target Noise Margin being raised by BTw's automated exchange equipment and hence your slower speed.

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.............  I think I've been quite patient, giving PN two months to resolve the issue.

PN are not responsible for your substandard internal wiring.
Several people have posted here to try and help you solve your problem, but you seem to refuse to accept the End User's responsibilities that I pointed out in my previous post, and unwilling to follow some advice and check a couple of things that could lead to a simple resolution ......

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I'm not certain that I want to spend my day unscrewing wall plates and inspecting wiring that I know nothing about.

That's the whole point of the advice ... to enable you to deal with the things you know nothing about.
FYI, there is very little difference in the achievable performance for your line length from the exchange between ADSL and ADSL2. By your own admission you have achieved this performance previously on ADSL.
Well good luck to you on your move, you take your substandard wiring and line to the exchange with you, along with anything else which may have deteriorated.

[#10]

well at least that will be one more less for you to ponder about Anotherone 

[#11]

For your information, after obtaining a MAC from Plus Net and contracting with a new ISP, PN promptly doubled the download speed to 0.92Mbps.  No action at all was taken by me.  http://www.speedtest.net/result/646027609.png
Useless link:censored  What a way to run a business.
Would you care to revise any of your pious pontificating about the equipment in my house?

Moderators note by chemical brother - Attempt to evade swear filter removed as per the link:rules

[#12]

No.
Neither am I a PN employee nor do I run their business. This is a Community forum for other customers to provided help and advice to others. It is also supported by PN, but is not an official support channel.
The issues to do with internal wiring are a proven fact. I do not intend to waste my time explaining it to you, just google bellwire and find out for yourself.
Your speed will have gone up because your profile will have gone up because of a higher sync speed with the exchange. It can take anything upto  3 to 5 days for BTw's crazy automated system to raise a profile, and PN's should follow within 12 hrs.
Because of your internal wiring you will have a low sync event at some point in the future, you may not notice the effects to the same extent if you are on an LLU system, but it will still be there and reduce your performance.

[#13]

Hi there,
Anotherone, as usual, has hit the nail on the head. Basically your IP profile increased on the 5th up to 1000, this is why you are seeing higher speeds again. The profile will change depending on the sync speed of your router and takes around 3 days syncing at a higher rate before it increases whereas it only takes a short sync at a lower speed for it to reduce.
You can find the information about how MaxDSL works here: link:speed

[#14]

Moved to 02 today.  Immediately getting over 2Mbps downstream and 0.79 upstream.  Well happy.  http://www.speedtest.net/result/649771900.png
I wonder if yet another man with a dangerously little knowledge and his little helpers might usefully desist from offering "advice" in these forums.
The whole PusNet thing was a bad experience and I'm well shot it.

[#15]

of course to an ignorant person he would say that his new supplier is better, to the more informed it is because you have moved from ADSL to LLU