BT open reach engineer visit question

Hi this is not about sky broadband obviously but its from sky. Bit of info first

for some reason my sky connection cant seam to hold anything past 9.5 meg sky set it higher and it just drops within hours to about 7 then slowly creeps back up to 9.5 the talktalk line next to it syncs at 12.5 with a higher atten than the sky so i contacted them to let them know.

They run tests and said the line was sending back tons of errors and did i have noise on the line, I said none that i can tell they said theyd monitor for 24 hours, I got an email this morning saying they was going to ring me between 12 and 2 because they need to arrange a BT OR engineer to come out because of the errors (still waiting for the call)

My question is if they dont find any problems between me and the exchange that might be causing them am i likaly to get charged a call out fee seen as i haven't actually requestion an engineer sky is insisting i have 1 is it still me liable to pay or would sky have to pay seen as there insisting.

Thanks for any help

Ash

Has sky warned you about any costs for the visit, e.g. if the engineer finds out that it is something in your home that is the issue?

The difference in two lines to the same property is not unusual, as the routing is often different heading back to the exchange. Posting the full stats for both lines may reveal some more info too.

NOTE: As ADSL2+ runs at frequencies well outside the human hearing range you invariably will hear no difference between two lines.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Has sky warned you about any costs for the visit, e.g. if the engineer finds out that it is something in your home that is the issue?

The difference in two lines to the same property is not unusual, as the routing is often different heading back to the exchange. Posting the full stats for both lines may reveal some more info too.

NOTE: As ADSL2+ runs at frequencies well outside the human hearing range you invariably will hear no difference between two lines.

They haven't rung me back yet its anything up to 2PM but i know usually if something on you end is causing it they can charge you theyll do all the warnings in that call its to read me the data protection and rules of the visit if you get me.

Basically the errors are appearing in the test socket with just the router/phone and a filter as well as when the faceplate and TV extension are plugged in so i cant see anything ive got causing them seen as there still there when nothings plugged in sept router/phone.

here's the stats for both lines

TALKTALK

Mode
Routing
ADSL Mode ADSL2+
ADSL Type Annex A
Status Up

Downstream Rate 12485 kb/s
Upstream Rate 1020 kb/s
Downstream SNR 6 dB
Upstream SNR 8.5 dB
Downstream Attenuation 40 dB
Upstream Attenuation 21.6 dB
ADSL Mode ADSL2+

Super Frames 877274 877274
RS Correctable Errors 27751 0
RS Uncorrectable Errors 0 0

HEC Errors 0 0
Total Cells 1557 16144
Data Cells 0 0
Bit Errors 0 0

SKY

System Up Time: 61:19:52
Port Status TxPkts RxPkts Collisions Tx B/s Rx B/s Up Time
WAN PPPoA 3100 3234 0 251492 1504178 13:13:59
LAN Up 1051568 489185 0 1495661507 34242466 61:19:52
WLAN Up 152476 83306 0 114110826 9133543 61:19:33
ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 9565 kbps 798 kbps
Line Attenuation 37.5 dB 20.3 dB
Noise Margin 8.7 dB 8.0 dB

sorry the sky stats look confusing the sky router is horrible to copy and past from on the stats page ive also noticed since sky started monitoring the SNR has gone from 6 to 8

Ash

On the phone with sky now they contacted me there very contradicting in the email there telling me i need an engineer on the phone there basicly ignoring the email running all the tests they did befor and saying if they send an engineer ill defo be charged unless they do all these tests again so what was the point in the email exactly lol

Edited by acpsd775 (Fri 23-Dec-11 13:22:06)

What error data for the Sky line? Have you seen the downstream sync vary on Sky? The Sky DLM can leave people with a fixed sync speed at an odd value, i.e. not easily spottable.

The TalkTalk line seems to show the errors, but this might be cross talk from your two lines.

No Openreach engineer is going to worry about a line ONLY getting 9.5Meg, yes its low for the attenuation, but only if it was 1 to 2Meg might they really notice.

Can you run this: http://192.168.0.1/setup.cgi?PATH=/bin:/sbin:/usr/bi... to get your error stats?

Else you'll have to Telnet into it to get them but I think Sky Netgear routers are disabled for Telnet.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

What error data for the Sky line? Have you seen the downstream sync vary on Sky? The Sky DLM can leave people with a fixed sync speed at an odd value, i.e. not easily spottable.

The TalkTalk line seems to show the errors, but this might be cross talk from your two lines.

No Openreach engineer is going to worry about a line ONLY getting 9.5Meg, yes its low for the attenuation, but only if it was 1 to 2Meg might they really notice.

I dont have DLM turned on on the sky line they disabled it in may because it kept putting me on 7 meg and never rising the only way they could get me past 7 was to disable DLM after they disabled DLM originally they got me to just under 13meg,

Then i had virgin media fitted with 100meg and the sky line slowed down to 9.5 over time but because of the VM line it never bothered me as it only got used to sky anytime+. VM dident work out turned out been a big mistake so i got rid and went back to using the sky more (as well as my talktalk line) so i noticed the extra 4 meg diff.

one of skys emails this is what they say

Having checked your broadband speed tonight, it is currently running at 9.6Mbs.

It does not appear the we can speed your line up any more at present.

We are also getting many errors on the line .

Can you please plug you're router directly into the test socket so we can monitor your line for 24 hours please reply once this is done

I replayed to the email saying id done it and got this back

Our customer solutions team have been looking at your case and have advised you require a BT engineer.


Due to data protection reasons we require you to call us on 08442 41 05 15 as we have to read a mandatory statement before any appointments can be booked.


We will try to contact you on your mobile on 23/12 pm however if for any reason you do not receive this call please call the above number so we can proceed with your case.

Thats the only way i no i had errors because of the reply off sky

Can you run this: http://192.168.0.1/setup.cgi?PATH=/bin:/sbin:/usr/bi... to get your error stats?

Else you'll have to Telnet into it to get them but I think Sky Netgear routers are disabled for Telnet.

all i get is

404 Not Found

The resource requested could not be found on this server.

its a sky wireless N sagecom router


Also about the talktalk line (cross talk) as you put it it could be when they fitted that line he had to come back next day because of a problem on the line they share the same line from house to cab he used the second pair so could be something to do with that but i dont no how these things work so could be anything.

Sky are ringing me back again in about 20 mins he had to go have a word with higher tec support or something because hes no idea what's causing the errors he keeps getting back on his tests, hes said he dont want to book the engineer until 100% necessary because he dont want me getting charges so im none the wiser on the situation lol .

sorry if that reply was a little long winded just wanted to give a bit more background info on the connection lol

Ash

Edited by acpsd775 (Fri 23-Dec-11 14:25:30)

If it's any consolation, I was with Orange up to recently, and their CS called BT OpenReach out THREE times, due to my low download speed, which plumbed lower readings during peak time usage. The first two visits yielded a state of the art master socket with built in filter, replacement of cable running from my external gutter board to main socket .......... all this improved my core download speed marginally. However the third visit which was supposed to be in peak usage time (but was not) ........... resulted in diddly squat contribution from the Engineer. He gained! my wife gave him a cup of tea!

This is the bit you want to hear I paid absolutely nothing to Orange or BT OpenReach for these call outs, or for any work
or materials used !

Sad thing is for Orange, their efforts confirmed it was their broadband service that was poor (in my postcode area), so I thanked them for trying, got a MAC code, and paid a bit more monthly, for a much better "core" download speed from BT.Com

But you can't have everything in this world, as BT.Com's forum(s) are PANTS!!!!
Their moderators can't even take constructive criticism of their website, or their own performance

In reply to a post by shrimper1:

If it's any consolation, I was with Orange up to recently, and their CS called BT OpenReach out THREE times, due to my low download speed, which plumbed lower readings during peak time usage. The first two visits yielded a state of the art master socket with built in filter, replacement of cable running from my external gutter board to main socket .......... all this improved my core download speed marginally. However the third visit which was supposed to be in peak usage time (but was not) ........... resulted in diddly squat contribution from the Engineer. He gained! my wife gave him a cup of tea!

This is the bit you want to hear I paid absolutely nothing to Orange or BT OpenReach for these call outs, or for any work
or materials used !

Sad thing is for Orange, their efforts confirmed it was their broadband service that was poor (in my postcode area), so I thanked them for trying, got a MAC code, and paid a bit more monthly, for a much better "core" download speed from BT.Com

But you can't have everything in this world, as BT.Com's forum(s) are PANTS!!!!
Their moderators can't even take constructive criticism of their website, or their own performance

Well sky just rung me back there not sending an engineer out now there saying its imposible for me to get over 10 even though i had 13 with them B4 there sticking to the story and wotn do anything about it now typical lol

Ash

In reply to a post by acpsd775:

its a sky wireless N sagecom router

Sorry, its stats looked very much like a Netgear, My link wouldn't work with yours.

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

In reply to a post by acpsd775:

its a sky wireless N sagecom router

Sorry, its stats looked very much like a Netgear, My link wouldn't work with yours.

skys routers pretty much use same set-up on there firmware no matter what model

Ash