Move to DV with BT on FTTC - yoyo line

I've just received an email from BT saying my move to DV over FTTC will be in the next 30 days.

We don't use the landline for outgoing calls and only receive calls from elderly relatives, so I'll need to keep using the SH2 for another 14 months when my BT contract will end and hopefully, FTTP will be available and then I'll split the services.

So far, no offer of an adapter or simple VOIP phones. A BT webpage says I'm not eligible.

I'll need to do some Voice Reinjection wiring from my NTE5a with VDSL plate, but it looks like the extension wires are on the first plate to be removed which gives access to the test socket.

My line has good speeds (I'm on Fibre1) but it is up and down like a yoyo at the moment. The last 3 days are below. Sometimes it stays up for days. Sometimes a new IP is not allocated. There isn't much difference in the connection figures. If there were errors then surely the figures should drop a lot more than what I'm seeing to get a stable line.

08:16:56 26-Jul DSL Link Up: Down Rate=53698kbps, Up Rate=9999kbps; SNR Margin Down=3.3dB, Up=6.4dB
21:48:48 25-Jul DSL Link Up: Down Rate=54647kbps, Up Rate=9996kbps; SNR Margin Down=3.3dB, Up=6.3dB
18:53:44 25-Jul DSL Link Up: Down Rate=54997kbps, Up Rate=9997kbps; SNR Margin Down=3.3dB, Up=6.3dB
16:51:45 25-Jul DSL Link Up: Down Rate=54997kbps, Up Rate=9999kbps; SNR Margin Down=3.2dB, Up=6.3dB
12:30:44 25-Jul DSL Link Up: Down Rate=54997kbps, Up Rate=9998kbps; SNR Margin Down=3.3dB, Up=6.3dB
10:38:48 25-Jul DSL Link Up: Down Rate=54997kbps, Up Rate=9997kbps; SNR Margin Down=3.4dB, Up=6.3dB
23:27:25 24-Jul DSL Link Up: Down Rate=54997kbps, Up Rate=9995kbps; SNR Margin Down=3.3dB, Up=6.3dB

Anyone got any suggestions for a more stable line - besides switch to FTTP

Current stats are:

Data rate 10.0 Mbps / 53.7 Mbps
Maximum Data rate 10.5 Mbps / 55.1 Mbps
Noise margin 6.1/3.3
Line attenuation 11.1/21.8
Signal attenuation 11.1/24.1

Edited by BarkingMad (Wed 26-Jul-23 12:12:55)

My guess would be that the router is struggling with the 3.3db snr … are you seeing reasonably high FEC errors ?

DLM has crept the target SNR down as the line has been very stable … the last adjustment has gone a little too far, hence now being unstable.

Running with such a low margin will make your line susceptible to picking up more external noise, electrical storms, local RFI, etc, etc.

Your query on the voice re injection, does your current SH2 not have a phone jack on the rear of it ? If it does, run a fly lead out of there, and then terminate on the NTE front plate (leaving disconnected from the main NTE)

Or run a wireless handset straight out of the jack on the router ?

Hi Zarjaz,

AFAIK the SH2 doesn’t show detailed info like FECs. I will need to connect my old Billion to get that info.

RE VRI. You described nearly what I will do. A 4 way 3 metre extension is on its way. Also got a BT 77B. I may make extension wires exit the NTE, connect to the 77B, and then connect extension to the 77B. Or, use your suggestion.

I could move the wireless base unit to near the router as you have suggested.

Was this the webpage you used?

https://shop.bt.com/other-pages/bt-customer-offers/b...

If your line isn't holding sync then call it in as a fault. You're using the BT-supplied router into the master socket with an Openreach filter on, so it's pretty clear that nothing you're doing is causing the problem.

Hi jpm,

Different starting point but same end point http://bt.com/dvequipment

Would BT investigate a line not holding sync? Is there a definition for the not holding? E.g. 5 syncs in a day? Perhaps I am limited by the current copper technology and nothing can be done. I cannot see any investment with my copper supply

The syncs cause work from issues.

My Billion is connected so I will report of FECs tomorrow.

Virgin are in the street but the WhatsApp street group has lots of unhappy comments. And Hey B are using BT ducts and poles and could offer service in the near future but there is a long thread of unhappy customers on TBB.

In reply to a post by BarkingMad:

RE VRI. You described nearly what I will do. A 4 way 3 metre extension is on its way. Also got a BT 77B. I may make extension wires exit the NTE, connect to the 77B, and then connect extension to the 77B. Or, use your suggestion.

Just to be clear your proposed extension wiring setup must be isolated from the NTE5. This can also be achieved by diverting the existing extension(s) away from the NTE5 by hard-wiring to a separate phone socket. Then adapting a standard phone lead, also hardwired to that separate phone socket, connected directly to the router. This would also allow a phone to be connected to the front of the separate phone socket if required.

Hi 4M2,

Thanks, I understand. We don’t want the router DV output connecting to the exchange. I will be following this https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=Id_KGXMcJHk

Already implemented for my Dad when he moved to FTTP

A line dropping once a day I'd consider to be faulty. Multiple drops in a day are definitely a fault.

Post deleted by Zarjaz

In reply to a post by BarkingMad:

Hi 4M2,

Thanks, I understand. We don’t want the router DV output connecting to the exchange. I will be following this https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=Id_KGXMcJHk

Already implemented for my Dad when he moved to FTTP

Obviously in your case, for the time being, the VDSL broadband and "digital voice" combination would still be via copper through the NTE5 to the DSL port on the router. In the future, if required, the same isolated analogue voice extension setup could still used with FTTP when the copper connection and the NTE5 becomes redundant and the ONT is positioned fairly close to the current router's location (or an ATA in the current router's position as the case may be.)

Good luck.