Do BT Throttle?

Mad as it may sound thinking of moving back to BT from Entanet. Many reasons I won't bore you with but in the BT unlimited? package it does say that it can throttle P2P at certain times of the day and weekend. What are users experiences. Thnaks

Yeap they throttle P2P, and on Option 1 limit rate for video streaming to ~900Kbps

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Yeap they throttle P2P, and on Option 1 limit rate for video streaming to ~900Kbps

I would be going in the unlimited package. Got a 3mb line, Any idea how low does the throttling take the download speeds? Thanks

I was on Sky Broadband's Connect which is a "up to 8Mbps" rebadged BT product. They throttled me back from my reasonable 3Mbps down to 0.5 - 1.0 Mbps during peak times (6pm to midnight).

In reply to a post by BandAid:

I was on Sky Broadband's Connect which is a "up to 8Mbps" rebadged BT product. They throttled me back from my reasonable 3Mbps down to 0.5 - 1.0 Mbps during peak times (6pm to midnight).

That's a different product altogether. The discussion is about BT Retail.

BT Retail and Sky Connect are both BT Wholesale ADSL Max, but not re-badged as you call it. The throttling occurs within the BT Retail or Sky systems, not the BT Wholesale service.

Plenty of good non-throttling ISPs such as IDNet, Zen, Newnet, AAISP and O2 Access sell exactly the same ADSL Max product.

Edit - typo of AAISP

Edited by RobertoS (Wed 15-Apr-09 19:09:06)

In reply to a post by doleawg:

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Yeap they throttle P2P, and on Option 1 limit rate for video streaming to ~900Kbps

I would be going in the unlimited package. Got a 3mb line, Any idea how low does the throttling take the download speeds? Thanks

It doesn't seem a "consistant" level - Some users can't even stream "YouTube" videos in 'Peak Periods'....

I really, really would think long and hard before you leave Enta"Tiscali"net for the shambles that is BTBroadband.

There are better providers in the form of 'Newnet', 'IDNet', 'Zen', 'A&AISP', 'Sky' (if you can get LLU), 'Be / O2' (again if you can get LLU). I left BTBroadband around 2 years ago (when the ellacoyas was first implemented) and I haven't been happier since!

Edit: There is also the fact with BT that you'll be locked in a contract for 12 months minumum with the general packages being offered now on an 18 month term. You'll have to buy yourself out of that contract if you want to leave early!!!

Really, really think about it first...

Edited by phantom66uk (Wed 15-Apr-09 17:17:08)

With ADSL24 at the moment and for some reason 4 weeks ago my line went from 3mb to 1.75mb. Have raised a fault with ADSL24 and they have basically said tough and that BT have re-configured my SNR and there is nothing they can do about it. I don't believe them as I have another broadband line to the house and and both it and the line in question have run at 3mb for a long time (the other line is running fine at 3mb).

I feel as though at least if I go back to BT I can speak to the enginners not some powerless re-seller.

I just left BT because of the throttling of p2p and you tube, i was on the unlimited package too.

BT Broadband is from BT Retail who buy ADSL Max from BT Wholesale.

The connection between you and the exchange is owned and maintained by Openreach, who charge BT Wholesale for access to it.

Openreach are required by OfCom to provide exactly the same service to other wholesalers as they do to BT Wholesale.

BT Wholesale are required by OfCom to provide exactly the same ADSL Max service to all ISPs as they do to BT Retail.

So you would not get to be able to speak to the engineers any more than you can now. In my opinion you would more likely get a call centre in India with script-monkeys and even less chance of a useful support experience.

If you post your line stats from both lines in the Entanet or General Broadband Chatter forums here you might get some decent analysis of your problem. It sounds like typical IPSC or WBC inflexibility. You will probably find similar threads in the Entanet forum.

This comparison may interest you. Pity Feb and March are not showing, but you can see the Entanet drop in Jan. Not quite as bad as BT at that point.

What exchange are you on?

Edited by RobertoS (Wed 15-Apr-09 19:10:15)

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

What exchange are you on?

Tafs Well, its run on diesel and coal, allegedly going 21Cn early next year but they have been saying that for 2 years and it still won't replace the wet string that runs to my house. To be honest was happy wiht 2 x 3mb lines running to the house but now one has dropped to 1.75mb its annoying. I'll post some stats tomorrow in Entanet section.

In England, and BT, we call it Taffs Well .

Have a look at the Vivaciti Surfwise 75 thread when you are in the Entanet forum. It looks good - it isn't Enta!

In reply to a post by doleawg:

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

What exchange are you on?

Tafs Well, its run on diesel and coal, allegedly going 21Cn early next year but they have been saying that for 2 years and it still won't replace the wet string that runs to my house. To be honest was happy wiht 2 x 3mb lines running to the house but now one has dropped to 1.75mb its annoying. I'll post some stats tomorrow in Entanet section.

I was on ADSL24 before I came onto Bt, it was great, I only came to Bt because I wanted BT broadband anywhere. I have heard that Entanet have gone downhill a bit now, I still watch the Enta forums. Shame really.

Anyway, I am on option 3 and to be honest it is ok. I did have some problems with them shaping and I had to have a go at them because I could not use you tube or other video streaming products at peak times and things seems to be better now.

P2P they certain shape at peak times, but it don't worry me.

If the line have dropped, could it be the line or the exchange? What you connected to at the exchange would normally be the same with what ever ISP you are with.

In reply to a post by phantom66uk:

I really, really would think long and hard before you leave Enta"Tiscali"net for the shambles that is BTBroadband.

What have Tiscali got to do with Entnet? I know they do use LLU, but only for business use.

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

In reply to a post by phantom66uk:

I really, really would think long and hard before you leave Enta"Tiscali"net for the shambles that is BTBroadband.

What have Tiscali got to do with Entnet? I know they do use LLU, but only for business use.

It's one of the many variations on the name Entanet since the problems there started - to draw attention to the decline and the similar performance to be expected.

I am an absolute beginner to this forum so I know none of the acronyms like ADSL24 etc.

About 2 months ago i signed a new contract with BT, having been with them for some 6 years, last 4 on Broadband (BB). I am on option 1 ironically listed as 'up to 8Megs'. My speed was about 1.5Mbps.

About a month ago my BB seemed to slow up down to 0.9 mbps, so I had a nice chat with an Indian lady who checked my line and pronounced that there was a line fault and that an engineer would call. The next day he did and within 24 hrs said it had been put right but "it wont solve your BB problem; it needs a BB engineer".

After a lot of prompting and threatening to cancel my contract; and also threatening to contact Ofcom, the BB engineer duly arrived and installed a new filterless master socket; rerouted my wiring to optimise connexion, and checked everything on his laptop. He showed me the result saying that it was now faultless without any errors (which apparently is unusual) and that the line supports over 5 megs. His speedcheck at that point, 1130 hrs midmorning, was just over 4 megs. When I checked it on my PC in front of him it only returned 0.9 mbps. He then said that it must be capped.

Back to India and I told the NIL (nice Indian lady) that BT were cheating me, and that I would cancel contract, report to Ofcom and contact National Press, BBC, local MP etc, at which point she suggested that I check it again in the morning (Good Friday). And the Easter miracle took place before my very eyes � No; not the resurrection; but the BB speed leapt up to 4395 mbps !!!!!!!

Since then I have been getting between 2.5 and 4.3 mbps depending on time of day.

It would seem that BT are capping the speed to retail users (several of my friends are only getting about 1 mbps). It also appears that if you shout loud enough, and threaten cancellation etc., something gets done and the cap is lifted,

I live in Woodhall Spa, Lincs and we only have a small, old exchange. I guess the capacity is not large and they are rationing the BB rather than extending and updating the exchange. All private capitalist firms will always choose the cheapest (most profitable) solution and to hell with customer service. DISCUSS

Yup, as RobertoS pointed out, it's simply a nickname that Entanet have gained in recent months. You need to read more of the ISP subforums

Good overall package. P2p heavily throttled in the evenings.

In reply to a post by RandomJointer:

Good overall package. P2p heavily throttled in the evenings.

What do mean by throttled, waht sort of speeds are you getting? Evenings not an issue for me.

p2p is dial up in the evening. It is not worth going with BT if you use a lot of p2p.

If you don't use p2p, it is a very good package, particularly with today's 3 months free offer.

Edited by deleted (Thu 16-Apr-09 18:36:38)

http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/IPprofile.htm

In reply to a post by phantom66uk:

Yup, as RobertoS pointed out, it's simply a nickname that Entanet have gained in recent months. You need to read more of the ISP subforums

I see, it is a shame because they was so good. I only pop into the forum to see what is happening, too many people complaining and most of them doing the complaining are the ones that have been moved onto WBC, very worrying.

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

I see, it is a shame because they was so good. I only pop into the forum to see what is happening, too many people complaining and most of them doing the complaining are the ones that have been moved onto WBC, very worrying.

Errr - no!

It's the ones that have been moved on to IPSC who are doing most of the complaining. WBC sems to be not too bad recently.

Though the last week IPSC seems to be recovering - possibly as more are moved onto WBC ADSL(1) or 2+ at the newly enabled exchanges so lowering the load on the nodes/MSILs.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

Errr - no!

It's the ones that have been moved on to IPSC who are doing most of the complaining. WBC sems to be not too bad recently.

Though the last week IPSC seems to be recovering - possibly as more are moved onto WBC ADSL(1) or 2+ at the newly enabled exchanges so lowering the load on the nodes/MSILs.

ah, I see., still worrying.

to answer the ops original question BT do throttle p2p during peek periods and weekends this is approx 3pm untill aprox midnihgt (can be earlier or later) and your p2p will be throttled to below 30kbs, i am a very heavy user and d/l most of my stuff over night outside of these periods and they are allways done as expected. i dont seem to suffer from the inability to stream bbc i player and you tune like some do this does seem to strike people at random but never been a problem here. The op does seem to have a noise burst issue as he has experianced a resynch the one good thing about migrating would be that his snr would be reset on migration to any provider.

geordiekris

Thanks, the throttling at those times don't worry me, still thinking about it and giving my exisitng provider a chance to sort out why my line has halved in speed of late. Cheers