Strange broadband fault

Hope someone can help with this as it has persisted for almost 3 years on and off and I can't find anyone else with the same problem.

We have BT broadband and live in a rural area so both the line and connection speed are poor. Line is allegedly rated up to 2 mbps, but we usually get around 0.5mb.

We get frequent line problems with a very noisy line, but this is intermittent (at best can go several months without a problem) and BT have never been able to find a fault, just say that the line is old and nothing will really improve until it's replaced, which is probably won't every be.

When we get the noise the broadband connection drops. We can get it back only one way, by dialling a number, usually 1471 so that we can stay connected long enough, usually around 40 seconds, for the broadband to re-connect. This isn't a one-off. It works every time, but only long enough until the line goes noisy again and the connection goes which can be anything from a few minutes to a day.

BT say there is no problem with a broadband connection that can be helped by dialling a number, but this has worked hundreds of times for us. If we don't dial a number the connection stays flashing orange. If we dial a number and stay on the line it comes back to blue - it's not a coincidence.

Currently getting around 0.3mbps again as every time the line has problems the broadband speed drops permanently until BT turn it up again. Best we have ever had on a reasonably steady connection is 0.9mbps. BT did turn it up to 2mb once, but the line couldn't cope.

We have called BT dozens of times in the last 3 years or so and nothing gets done. They don't recognise any problem yet accept there is one.

Everything is the house has been checked (no extensions, router in master socket which has been upgraded so it doesn't need a filter) and replaced so they know it's an external fault, but can't sort it. Now they are threatening to charge over £100 if we call them out again, but we still have a problem. If we had an alternative I'd leave them like a shot, but whoever we use the line is still BT's.

Any thoughts gratefully appreciated.

That's a High Open or High Resistance fault.

Thanks. No idea what that means, but it's a better answer than any of the dozen or so BT engineers we have had out!

At least I have something to look up and work on when I ring them next

What are the connection speed, attenuation and noise margin figures from your router

Hi. Not sure - how would I test that? I can get simple speed tests, though BT's test said the line was too slow for it to work!

Edit. Hopefully here? Line has improved a little since the last cut-off about an hour ago,

ADSL Line Status
Connection Information
Line state: Connected
Connection time: 0 days, 00:55:43
Downstream: 704 Kbps
Upstream: 448 Kbps

ADSL Settings
VPI/VCI: 0/38
Type: PPPoA
Modulation: G.992.1 Annex A
Latency type: Interleaved
Noise margin (Down/Up): 7.0 dB / 15.0 dB
Line attenuation (Down/Up): 58.3 dB / 31.5 dB
Output power (Down/Up): 16.6 dBm / 12.5 dBm
FEC Events (Down/Up): 888914 / 15
CRC Events (Down/Up): 771 / 18

Edited by deleted (Sun 18-Aug-13 22:52:55)

Line noise together with the HO/HR symptoms should give the engineers enough to go on to at least recognise a fault exists.Your phone line should be silent, after all.

I had exactly this. Twice!

I reported it the first time, and they ended up changing my connection at the cabinet to a different pair from there to the exchange. That fixed it for a while, but it also caused me a permanent loss of about 700kbps from my previous ~6500kbps.

Talking to the engineer, and confirmed by a few others seen at the cabinet since, I found out that the cable(s) from it to the exchange are in a really bad state. Even connecting a new phone subscriber, or swapping to a different pair like was done for me, takes them an age. Phone mind you - never mind broadband.

They sit there talking to base, and get three unused lines suggested. They test them, no good. Another three please. And so on and so on.

It started up again, and gradually got worse, until it was more than once a day on average. I used to use the Quiet Line Test, 17070 Option 2, as although ringing anything fixed it almost straight away, I needed to keep the call going for 5-10 minutes to make it stick.

Fortunately it didn't affect my connection speeds as I was on O2 LLU, that doesn't have the BT Wholesale DLM.

I waited as long as possible, as I didn't want an even slower pair. Then I was lucky and FTTC became available, cutting out that that section of cable for the broadband. So I went for it. Fine ever since, and never notice any phone line noise either.

That option may not be available or practicable for you though .

Looks slower than it should be and the errors show line is noisy.

The diagnosis of a high resistance fault sound reasonable. They can be difficult to fix but engineers have tools to help

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

Line noise together with the HO/HR symptoms should give the engineers enough to go on to at least recognise a fault exists.Your phone line should be silent, after all.

Thanks

The problem is every time they test the line it's 'fine'. The noise is intermittent and we have never yet managed to get an engineer out at the same time as the noise.....

You have said that it is generally cleared by dialling a number etc.

Do you literally have to do that; and hear the Ring Tone, plus possibly have to wait for the other phone to be answered; or is it cleared earlier in the sequence, such as when you first hear Dial Tone or key the first digit etc?

Do Incoming Calls have any effect, from when your phone first rings through to when you "hang up"?