In reply to a post by James8282:

I will keep any eye on them over then next few days and see what happens! I dont understand tho in the info Plusnet sent me it said the speeds often start off low and get better after the 10days?

Hi James8282,

I am the guy from the Kitz forum (also with Plusnet).

Would you be able to copy & paste that info?

PLusnet's Alex Rolls who has been looking at my issue only yesterday told me something completely different:-

"We are aware that the early life speed of a fibre connection (post install) is usually higher than the in life speed of the connection (following training) as we see this phenomenom with most of our fibre lines. As such the post install speed is not an accurate measure of the overall line performance. We also saw this throughout the FTTx trial. This also happens with ADSL based connections as the initial default SNR margin levels are set low (6dB) to give the highest rate possible. Whether this remains in place is dependent on the lines capability to hold the sync with no errors at that SNR margin. Usually Errors or Retrains (drops in sync) occur causing the SNR margin to increase and the in life speed to be lower than that of the early life high speed."

I too was under the impression that MSR (Maximum Stable Rate) & FTR (Fault Threshold Rate) were "set" during, or at the end of the 10 day training period.

It has also taken Plusnet more than 2 months of grief, physical (BT CAUSED) external line faults, & low speeds before issuing the statement about the FTTC lower speeds phenomenom.
I have not previously seen it anywhere in Plusnet's information pages or advertising blurb.
That's "Good Honest Broadband From Yorkshire" for you.

However, my pre-install estimate was only 14.6Mb (a little higher than yours).

Now that various BT engineers' incompetence & stupidity has completely ruined my actual speeds (that were higher than 30Mb right through the training period), I am continually being referred back to my pre-install estimate as the benchmark & FTR.

My current download speeds are around 21Mb i.e. a 12Mb reduction from the originally solid 33Mb.
They do occasionally drop to as low as 9Mb for a few days at a time (when the modem has resynced at around 12Mb-13Mb).

Good luck with your continued high speeds.
Hopefully, nobody will ruin them for you.

Paul.

Edited by deleted (Fri 14-Oct-11 09:59:07)

Alex Rolls was the guy thats been sorting out the problems I have been having! In one of the messages on the help assistant it did say the sync speed was set at 22meg. Yet BT said 31meg maybe thats what the speed will go down to! Anyway as on ADSL we were only getting 1.3meg and the estimate was 11.4 for fttc getting 20mg plus is great. As we are about 900-1000m away from the PCP it maybe unrealistic to expect speeds of up to 30meg? Who knows I dont really understand the whole thing lol! If im rite there is gonna be a speed increase next year? Maybe you will get a better speed then?

Would you be able to copy & paste that info?

It came with the netgear router, I will try and dig it out...its said something like please dont be disapointed if speeds start low as we have to manualy adjust speeds ...this will improve within 48hours and contact us after the 10day training period if speeds are slow

I also had a text saying...Your order is complete, your speed should stabilise over the next 10days. If you hare experiencing speed issues after this time please call and we can investigate

In reply to a post by James8282:

Would you be able to copy & paste that info?

It came with the netgear router, I will try and dig it out...its said something like please dont be disapointed if speeds start low as we have to manualy adjust speeds ...this will improve within 48hours and contact us after the 10day training period if speeds are slow

Ah, I got that with the Netgear router too.
It refers to the manual process where Plusnet have to update your profile in their system on notification from BT that the FTTC installation is completed & working satisfactorily.

My original profile update only took 1 hour to move from around 1Mb actual download speeds to 33Mb.
However, I got 1.67Mb uploads immediately.

My line is really anywhere between 600m to 1100m. Nobody seems to be able to confirm it for me.

One engineer told me 820m & another told me 1100m??????


Paul.

Do you think your problems is with Plusnet or a Openreach 1? I wounder if all FTTC custmomers on other ISP's have the same problem with speeds slowing down?

I think it should be the otherway around speeds start low and get higher as the modem checks for good Sync it would avoid all this dissapointment!

Do you know what the second DSL port on the OR modem is for? I though it could be for bonding 2 lines?

In reply to a post by James8282:

Alex Rolls was the guy thats been sorting out the problems I have been having! In one of the messages on the help assistant it did say the sync speed was set at 22meg. Yet BT said 31meg maybe thats what the speed will go down to! Anyway as on ADSL we were only getting 1.3meg and the estimate was 11.4 for fttc getting 20mg plus is great. As we are about 900-1000m away from the PCP it maybe unrealistic to expect speeds of up to 30meg? Who knows I dont really understand the whole thing lol! If im rite there is gonna be a speed increase next year? Maybe you will get a better speed then?

The problem is that ISPs & BT also don't appear to fully understand it yet either.

AFAIK, the speed increase will be via even higher frequencies than the high frequencies currently used for FTTC.

As people with "longer" lines (say 800m upward) already struggle to get the current high frequencies (BT Profile 8c), I am not sure we/they will see much improvement (if any).

I do believe the higher frequencies (Profile 12a?) will also have a "power" boost compared to the currently restricted power levels on 8c, so there may be a slight improvement for us?

Those living close to the the cabinets will supposedly be able to achieve up to 80Mb or so (no doubt for a substantial additional cost)

Paul.

In reply to a post by James8282:

Do you think your problems is with Plusnet or a Openreach 1? I wounder if all FTTC custmomers on other ISP's have the same problem with speeds slowing down?

I think it should be the otherway around speeds start low and get higher as the modem checks for good Sync it would avoid all this dissapointment!

Do you know what the second DSL port on the OR modem is for? I though it could be for bonding 2 lines?

In my case, I strongly believe that BT engineers caused the problem, & Plusnet can't/won't pursue it any further in their belief that pre-install estimated speeds are the benchmark used by BT, regardless of any undeniable proof that a connection has maintained stability & high speed for a month or so.

From what I have read in other forums, other customers appear to report the fault, get it fixed, & then get their BT Profile reset at 40Mb.
Mine appears to be stuck at 25Mb & Plusnet refuse to even ask BT to try it at 40Mb again.


Paul.

P.S. Did you know that Plusnet are actually owned by BT?
It doesn't appear to add any value to speedy/accurate fault resolution matters though.
I endured 4 days with no phone or broadband service at all after BT's cOck up.

We can always hope lol! Im pritty sure thats it for now mind, I cant see FTTP until about 2050! Even tho the Exchange next to ours is going to be FTTP enabled in December! Anyways this FTTC line is my folks I been sorting it for them! I have VM broadband you dont get any of the distance/speed problems. It runs @ almost 31 meg all the time. The whole install process has been rubish if u ask me its hit and mis! lol! Virgin seem so much better if your lucky enough to live in an enabled area!

How long have you got left on your contract? Next time don't choose Plusnet its rubish if you locked into a contract and the provider doesn't wanna sort your problem!

I have written a complaint about being without broadband for 2 days etc and that not 1 person actually said sorry for the mess up, the OR engineer passed the blame to lol!

In reply to a post by James8282:

We can always hope lol! Im pritty sure thats it for now mind, I cant see FTTP until about 2050! Even tho the Exchange next to ours is going to be FTTP enabled in December! Anyways this FTTC line is my folks I been sorting it for them! I have VM broadband you dont get any of the distance/speed problems. It runs @ almost 31 meg all the time. The whole install process has been rubish if u ask me its hit and mis! lol! Virgin seem so much better if your lucky enough to live in an enabled area!

I would have had VM like a shot if it was available in my area.

BTW, I forgot to mention, the 2nd modem port can be used to install the "unlocking" firmware that allows you to actually monitor your connection stats whilst still using the first port for normal internet access via your router.

You'll get no really useful connection stats from the Netgear router itself.