About to leave PlusNet

I have speed issues yet again. BT have been tinkering in South London and there have been several problems that PlusNet know about -- I've not noticed them much myself. Except my Internet connection appeared to go down around 2pm on Aug 24th so I rebooted my router (Vigor 2820vn, latest f/w) and when it came back up I'd gone from 11MB to 3MB within the time it took to reboot. Now I know that if the BT exchange equipment see a problem they lower the line sync speed to create a more stable line. Thing is, my line was completely stable at 3dB and now it's jumped massively to ~21dB. When this happened back in March it took forever for PlusNet to pull their finger out and get it fixed. Six days of dicking around until the call was finally passed to someone who could actually help (press the right buttons). Now I'm in the same situation. PlusNet boast they will reply to tickets within 5 hours - I logged mine before 10am and they haven't even bothered to acknowledge it.

Question #34882553. Previous problem was 32502466. (btw, PlusNet make it very hard to even find the place to create a ticket -- bad, bad, bad little humons).

So I looked at Virgin's offerings and it'll cost me more money, but I'll have TV as an extra (from Freeview now), but at least I won't be scared [censored] to reboot my router and suffer from 10+ days of low speeds. I'm already paying £20/month for my package (it's an old one).

We seriously can't have a situation where rates drop to stupid speeds and stay there for 10 days whilst the system has a little think about it. This isn't progress - this rubbish needs to be ripped out and replaced by ADSL1 - at least that worked consistently. I'm now frightened to even look at my router, let alone do a firmware update where I might have to reboot it. I spent £170 on a router to make sure I avoided ANY problems, but in the end, the BT system takes away 80% of my usual bandwidth for 10 days. In fact, in my last experience, it was only with my intervention in raising a ticket that things improved. I seem to remember it was at a low speed for well over 10 days. For all I know it might have remained there if I hadn't kicked up a fuss. And it took PlusNet over a week to fix it last time. The only way to fix speed problems is to talk directly to Sheffield support staff and hope you get the one who has the magic button next to his keyboard.

Is anyone else fed up with systems which drop your sync speeds like an atomic bomb going off and only restore them (sync, then IP profile) if you're really really good for a couple of weeks ? Is that enough to make you leave ?

No LLU at your exchange? I don't have the option of cable and went to LLU for BB because I wanted nothing to do with BTs daft system.

Honestly... this place already has the outlet on the wall, and the green Virgin street box is on the other side on my fence at the front. The cable from it to my socket can't be more than 15m if that. I got BB when it was first available and paid BT £265 to install the socket --- that's how BB was done in the old days; none of this DIY stuff They were great ish at the start but within a few years it went downhill and they paid me £60 to stop bothering their CEO with my complaints -- which incidentally was the £60 I needed to activate Bulldog. Bulldog were ok for a while, until they lost the plot, so I moved to PlusNet and they were great for almost all the time until BT took over. Now we have PlusNet blaming BT, BT saying ... "so what, who cares ... we're BT you know" *sighs*

Well there you go -- apparently there is nothing wrong with my line -- PLUSNET said so. Just received this email.
---------------------------------
We are pleased to be able to inform you that a member of our Customer Support Centre has now escalated your Question [number 34882553 ] for further investigation.

The following comment was added to the Question Dear Mr Swift, Apologies for the delay in getting back to you - we work through all questions raised on a first com, first served basis and aim to respond as soon as is possible.

The results of your BT speed test show that although lower than previously your speeds are well within the acceptable limit for your line, "For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 1000-7150 Kbps.". This means that we will not be able to raise a speed fault query with BT as they would reject it as the line is, in their opinion, offering an acceptable speed.

You may be able to increase your speeds by plugging your router directly into the test socket, a guide for doing so can be found by clicking the link below.
--------------------------------------------------
I'm speechless. Those idiots over at BT screw up my line with their tinkering - it was working absolutely fine before, but it's apparently OK to go from 11MB to 3MB in a few minutes. [censored]. [censored]. I've got 25 years experience in I.T. If you think this is acceptable behaviour for PlusNet, and for BT (same company), then I need a very large bottle of Jack Daniels (and I don't really like alcohol!!!)

My line was completely stable at 11MB and 3dB SNR since March. ALL of this was in the call details - I've worked the other end long enough to know what details they need and give 1.5x that. PLUSNET need a good kick up the [censored].

If your noise margin is at 21dB you need to reboot the router.

The highest automatic settig by the DLM is 15dB, so the last reconnection took place during high noise.

We have no idea of the true state of affairs until you reboot or at least resync and get new stats, which it would be a good idea to post.

With your experience in IT I'm sure you will appreciate the best thing would be to switch the router off for perhaps 30 minutes. The power cycle would remove any confusion in the running version of the firmware, and the time gap should allow the session to expire.

You didn't really reply to TheHorseman re LLU at your exchange, which could be an option worth considering.

This all started with BT traffic problems, so I rebooted my router, and it happened after that. I agree that such an incredible change from 3dB to 21dB could have been because it re-connected during a very noisy period. However, there is no audible noise on my line, nor has there ever been. From the BT inlet I have CAT6 cable for a further 5m, terminating in BT faceplace. All input power is filtered and I suffer no power problems, glitches, etc., in this building otherwise it would be picked up by one of my UPSs. I've started a fault ticket with PlusNet so now can't reboot my router, and reboots / glitches / line noise are what appear to cause the exchange equipment to increase the SNR and lower speed. There have been no firmware changes recently, nor any need to amend the configuration. The router is totally stable and was last up for 189 days without any issues. However, I agree that another reboot "might" be worthwhile since the interleaving is zero, and it never was that way before. But surely that means BT have turned off interleaving on my line for some reason.

No "may be worthwhile" about it.

It is essential to re-sync, even if you don't reboot. I still recommend a 30-minute switch-off. The chances of that giving any more benefit than a reboot are tiny however, and the probability of a reboot being necessary is low.

It's what I would do though.

For info, this is what I have now:
> ad st
--------------------------- ATU-R Info (hw: annex A, f/w: annex A) -----------
Running Mode : ADSL2+(G.992.5) State : SHOWTIME
DS Actual Rate : 3069276 bps US Actual Rate : 1016888 bps
DS Attainable Rate : 6520000 bps US Attainable Rate : 1016000 bps
DS Path Mode : Interleave US Path Mode : Interleave
DS Interleave Depth : 0 US Interleave Depth : 0
NE Current Attenuation : 43 dB Cur SNR Margin : 21 dB
DS actual PSD : 17. 9 dB US actual PSD : 11. 3 dB
ADSL Firmware Version : 232201_A
-------------------------------- ATU-C Info ---------------------------------
Far Current Attenuation : 22 dB Far SNR Margin : 6 dB
CO ITU Version[0] : 00004946 CO ITU Version[1] : 0000544e
DSLAM CHIPSET VENDOR : < IFTN >
>
This is what I had before:
--------------------------- ATU-R Info (hw: annex A, f/w: annex A) -----------
Running Mode : ADSL2+(G.992.5) State : SHOWTIME
DS Actual Rate : 12473000 bps US Actual Rate : 888000 bps
DS Attainable Rate : 12284000 bps US Attainable Rate : 888000 bps
DS Path Mode : Interleave US Path Mode : Interleave
DS Interleave Depth : 64 US Interleave Depth : 8
NE Current Attenuation : 42 dB Cur SNR Margin : 2 dB
DS actual PSD : 20. 6 dB US actual PSD : 12. 6 dB
ADSL Firmware Version : 232201_A
-------------------------------- ATU-C Info ---------------------------------
Far Current Attenuation : 22 dB Far SNR Margin : 11 dB
CO ITU Version[0] : 00004946 CO ITU Version[1] : 0000544e
DSLAM CHIPSET VENDOR : < IFTN >

Darn you RobertS - ok, I will power down for 30 mins - what harm can it do. Thanks for giving me the nerve to pour petrol on my router !! Back in 30.

Some more info which might be interesting in the meantime:

Phone exchange: SYDENHAM
Estimated line speed: 5 - Checked on 2010-08-26 21:26:52
Current line speed: 2500

http://usertools.plus.net/@gateway/

You are currently connected to the gateway known as ptn-ag01.
This is located in Telehouse North.

My SNR did originally go to ~15dB after the reboot / problem, then went to 6db, then 21db when BT started overnight work (which they didn�t tell PlusNet about) at about 00:45 on August 26th. I remote (exchange end) was terminated every few minutes. It lasted right up until 6am, and it was them doing it because the addresses weren�t valid for PlusNet, it was �Own IP Address : 172.16.12.238�, which wasn�t going to give me Internet access. So it was BT that caused the initial problems, and BT whose work in the exchange, affecting my line, caused that 15dB to jump to 21dB. The fault lies squarely with BT.

PlusNet sent at email early AM confirming this. They said �resolved� but they never sent any previous email saying there was a fault, nor was this scheduled work which was previously emailed out to customers.
26/08/2010 @ 08:13 Problems connecting on 21CN in Greater London (63234) - Resolved
We have been informed that maintenance work on 21CN in the Greater London area during the early hours of this morning have affected a number of customers. This is now resolved and we would like to apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused. Should you still be experiencing difficulties then we would advise you to power down your router for 60 minutes before trying to reconnect.

Watching the clock, and waiting with baited breath. It's exciting stuff!

At least this has forced me to try tethering on my HTC Desire - works a treat - considering it is 3G it's quite fast.

Darn you RobertS - ok, I will power down for 30 mins - what harm can it do.

I see Plusnet recommend 60 minutes. They will know more about their session comntrol.

Definitely time to leave anyway. You have several very good LLU options, and you get completely away from the too aggressive BT DLM.

Let's see what stats you come up with though. The full results of a BT Performance test after the reboot would be useful as well in getting something done quickly. But a migration could be nearly as quick and less hassle.

I'm off to walk the dog!

Post reboot, 30 mins, stats are identical, but it was certainly worth a try. PlusNet finished their "automated" tests about 1:15 and said no fault, so I will press them to look further. In the meanwhile, I'm expecting a call from a Virgin

> ad st
--------------------------- ATU-R Info (hw: annex A, f/w: annex A) -----------
Running Mode : ADSL2+(G.992.5) State : SHOWTIME
DS Actual Rate : 3069276 bps US Actual Rate : 1108660 bps
DS Attainable Rate : 5956000 bps US Attainable Rate : 1108000 bps
DS Path Mode : Interleave US Path Mode : Interleave
DS Interleave Depth : 0 US Interleave Depth : 0
NE Current Attenuation : 43 dB Cur SNR Margin : 20 dB
DS actual PSD : 18. 0 dB US actual PSD : 12. 6 dB
ADSL Firmware Version : 232201_A
-------------------------------- ATU-C Info ---------------------------------
Far Current Attenuation : 22 dB Far SNR Margin : 6 dB
CO ITU Version[0] : 00004946 CO ITU Version[1] : 0000544e
DSLAM CHIPSET VENDOR : < IFTN >
>

Yep .

It looks like one of the frequent screw-ups by the DLM then - the extremely high noise margin that doesn't revert to at most 15dB on reboot.

What is most scary about the DLM is that Entanet have been on WBC since Jan 2009 and it still isn't fixed. In fact seems to have got worse. Problems there were mainly capacity planning screw-ups. The DLM never seemed to be as messed up as it is now doing on BT, Plusnet, IDNet and elsewhere.

An SNR reset is needed, if nothing else. That restarts a 10-day training period. Easy for Plusnet to trigger!

You have Be/O2 at your exchange, what are you still doing on BTs daft DLM system.

Just as an update, I just checked my router stats and my attainable rate has now gone back up to 11MB, even at 26dB SNR !

> ad st
--------------------------- ATU-R Info (hw: annex A, f/w: annex A) -----------
Running Mode : ADSL2+(G.992.5) State : SHOWTIME
DS Actual Rate : 3071872 bps US Actual Rate : 1091911 bps
DS Attainable Rate : 11532000 bps US Attainable Rate : 1092000 bps
DS Path Mode : Fast US Path Mode : Fast
DS Interleave Depth : 0 US Interleave Depth : 0
NE Current Attenuation : 43 dB Cur SNR Margin : 26 dB
DS actual PSD : 17. 5 dB US actual PSD : 12. 6 dB
ADSL Firmware Version : 232201_A
-------------------------------- ATU-C Info ---------------------------------
Far Current Attenuation : 22 dB Far SNR Margin : 6 dB
CO ITU Version[0] : 00004946 CO ITU Version[1] : 0000544e
DSLAM CHIPSET VENDOR : < IFTN >
>

My IP profile is still 2500k according to BT.

The unfortunate thing is that PlusNet forced my hand by very poor customer service. Since they didn't appear to be bothering to sort it out - even though my call is with the faults team - I've now ditched them. September 10th -- it's all gone and Virgin is in for the next 12 months. It's costing me a little bit more but not much. However, I won't put up with poor service from PlusNet, nor price increases from BT when we're just out of a recession (possibly going back in), and they make a fortune and paid their CEO and bosses huge bonuses. Goodbuy PlusNet, goodbuy BT. BT can blame PlusNet for forcing my hand. Excellent people, let down by very poor processes dealing with speed faults.

No change overnight in speed.

> ad st
--------------------------- ATU-R Info (hw: annex A, f/w: annex A) -----------
Running Mode : ADSL2+(G.992.5) State : SHOWTIME
DS Actual Rate : 3071872 bps US Actual Rate : 1059909 bps
DS Attainable Rate : 11928000 bps US Attainable Rate : 1060000 bps
DS Path Mode : Fast US Path Mode : Fast
DS Interleave Depth : 0 US Interleave Depth : 0
NE Current Attenuation : 43 dB Cur SNR Margin : 26 dB
DS actual PSD : 17. 7 dB US actual PSD : 12. 6 dB
ADSL Firmware Version : 232201_A
-------------------------------- ATU-C Info ---------------------------------
Far Current Attenuation : 22 dB Far SNR Margin : 6 dB
CO ITU Version[0] : 00004946 CO ITU Version[1] : 0000544e
DSLAM CHIPSET VENDOR :
>

Phone exchange:SYDENHAM
Estimated line speed:5 - Checked on 2010-08-26 21:26:52
Current line speed:2500

IP profile stuck at 2500 - should be 10k.

Still no contact from PlusNet - no call, no email, no update to my ticket .... nothing.

I've still also got no idea by BT or PlusNet turned off interleaving -- it was never that way before, now:

DS Path Mode : Fast US Path Mode : Fast
DS Interleave Depth : 0 US Interleave Depth : 0

Clearly, I couldn't have turned off interleaving, and my router couldn't have turned off interleaving, so it was BT or PlusNet.

Hi js909,

I'm sorry that your fault ticket has not had much attention so far. I will assign this to a member of our faults team for you so that we can give some extra ownership and focus.

DLM has obviously struck here and has set a profile of 2500k. As you may be aware this is as your connection has been dropping over the past few days so we would need to focus on that issue first. Following that and 72 hours of constant connectivity we should be able to get things back to where they should be in terms of connection speeds.

Adam

Are you saying the BT speed test shows the 2500 profile, or your Plusnet control panel?

Plusnet hold a copy and that can be slow or fail to update. The only place to be sure, (except even that is playing up), is the BT speed tester.

Yep, 2500 is from PlusNet - last updated from 26th Aug. However, BT Speedtest no longer works for me. Didn't work yesterday - would not complete the tests. Today is says there is an error and it cannot proceed. Might be because BT now have the termination order.

PlusNet rang and said there was nothing they can do as they need to wait for the DLM to increase the speed - it will do that over the next 72 hours provided I keep my grubby little mits off my router !!! (I added the "grubby little mits" in case you are wondering).

It's not PlusNet's fault as BT caused the line speed to drop by the work they've been doing over the last few weeks, including taking my line up and down 50 times in 6 hours one night, and we all know about the DLM problems. But hopefully speed will increase over the next 4-5 days. Virgin install is on 10th and PlusNet crease has been processed for the 11th. FINGERS CROSSED !!

Hi all,

just to clarify the profile is set by BT's DLM and is reflected on our systems. I've set myself a reminder to check your logs in a couple of day's time js909 to check if you've had the elusive 72 hours of uptime that you need.

If things have not worked in your favour I'll volunteer to step in and deal with the fault for you if you want.

Adam.

In reply to a post by thatadamwalker:

Hi all,

just to clarify the profile is set by BT's DLM and is reflected on our systems. I've set myself a reminder to check your logs in a couple of day's time js909 to check if you've had the elusive 72 hours of uptime that you need.

If things have not worked in your favour I'll volunteer to step in and deal with the fault for you if you want.

Adam.

The reflection into your systems often fails, for whatever reason, and the Plusnet copy has to be manually updated or wait for a further BT change.

And what is this 72 hours that the person on the phone said and you have just repeated? That system was ditched in (I think) August 2009. Maybe it was 2008.

(Edit - unless it has been re-introduced recently of course).

Edited by RobertoS (Tue 31-Aug-10 17:54:42)

Ah yes, I have it on this page. August 2008.

Also points out that many BT documents have never been updated. Maybe Plusnet's haven't either.

Still no change at all in my sync speed. IP profile stuck at 2500k (it was 11Mbit) I have done what PlusNet asked, the router has been up for 133+ hours. I am not aware of any problems in connectivity except a remote disconnect caused by BT or PlusNet (proved from the router logs I supplied to PlusNet).

NOTE. ADSL did NOT go down, only the WAN1 authenticated connected, hence uptime on WAN1 is 18 hours, but the router has been up for 133+ hours.

PlusNet told me there is nothing they can do and have to wait for the BT DLM to fix itself. This isn�t what happened back in March, when they were able to fix the problem. Now they claim they are powerless to fix it.

Download speed achieved during the test was - 2520 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speedsis 1000-7150 Kbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :3071 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 1059 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 2500 Kbps
The throughput of Best Efforts (BE) classes achieved during the test is - 18.92:23.33:57.75 (SBE:NBE:PBE)
These figures represent the ratio while sententiously passing Sub BE, Normal BE and Priority BE marked traffic.

> ad st
--------------------------- ATU-R Info (hw: annex A, f/w: annex A) -----------
Running Mode : ADSL2+(G.992.5) State : SHOWTIME
DS Actual Rate : 3071872 bps US Actual Rate : 1059909 bps
DS Attainable Rate : 11408000 bps US Attainable Rate : 1060000 bps
DS Path Mode : Fast US Path Mode : Fast
DS Interleave Depth : 0 US Interleave Depth : 0
NE Current Attenuation : 43 dB Cur SNR Margin : 25 dB
DS actual PSD : 17. 7 dB US actual PSD : 12. 6 dB
ADSL Firmware Version : 232201_A
-------------------------------- ATU-C Info ---------------------------------
Far Current Attenuation : 22 dB Far SNR Margin : 6 dB
CO ITU Version[0] : 00004946 CO ITU Version[1] : 0000544e
DSLAM CHIPSET VENDOR : < IFTN >
>

WAN 1 Status:Connected
Enable:Yes Line:ADSL Name:PlusNet
Mode:PPPoA Up Time:18:48:44 IP:xxxxxxxxxxxxx GW xxxxxxxxxxxxx
TX Packets:174585 TX Rate:21 RX Packets:214745 RX Rate:39

ADSL Information: ADSL Firmware Version:232201_A
Mode:ADSL2+(G.992.5) State:SHOWTIME TX Block:4168563 RX Block:222298776
Corrected Blocks:0 Uncorrected Blocks:9
UP Speed:1059909 Down Speed:3071872 SNR Margin:25 Loop Att.:43

>
Uptime for router is 133+ hours. As reported already to PlusNet, Remote closed with LCP failure � possibly reboot of Edge router by BT, or problem at PlusNet, for 15 minutes at 00:15 (Friday 3rd Sept).

Faults team seem to be ignoring Question #34902918 despite my daily updates. This is why the actual customer support from PlusNet is substandard. I have provided regular updates to the call and the Faults Team / Technical Support have provided absolutely no updates whatsoever. I have waited, and I have waited, and PlusNet appear to have done nothing � not even a courtesy update.

Edited by js909 (Sat 04-Sep-10 10:11:04)

NOTE. Last time in March I was speaking to someone in Faults and whilst I was on the phone they FORCED my SNR to ~3dB and the line speed went up to 11Mbit. If you won't intervene and FORCE this SNR change I'm guessing BT's DLM will keep my profile at 2500k. It was at 11Mbit since March with absolutely no problems at all.

In reply to a post by js909:

Faults team seem to be ignoring Question #34902918 despite my daily updates. This is why the actual customer support from PlusNet is substandard. I have provided regular updates to the call and the Faults Team / Technical Support have provided absolutely no updates whatsoever. I have waited, and I have waited, and PlusNet appear to have done nothing � not even a courtesy update.

I suggest *not* updating your question daily. I'm not sure whether this still happens but not so long ago a customer update put the ticket at the back of the queue.

Procedures are meant to be in place to identify this occurrence but best to avoid the situation in the first place.

I wondered if that might be what was happening - but we just don't know how their system works.

They have a responsibility to provide a service which is fit for use.

I have to keep the ticket up-to-date on a daily basis so that the regulator will be able to see what has been happening at PlusNet and put it right.

NOTE. BT LINE PROFILE NOW 9000. PLUSNET PROFILE NEEDS TO BE UPDATED TO 9000 - CURRENTLY 2500. PLUSNET LINE PROFILE HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED SINCE AUGUST 26TH ---- THE PLUSNET SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK.


**** PLEASE, PLEASE GET Question #34902918 SORTED OUT.


Download speed achieved during the test was - 2140 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 2000-21000 Kbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :3071 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 1059 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 9000 Kbps
The throughput of Best Efforts (BE) classes achieved during the test is - 22.47:28.02:49.51 (SBE:NBE:PBE)
These figures represent the ratio while sententiously passing Sub BE, Normal BE and Priority BE marked traffic.

> ad st
--------------------------- ATU-R Info (hw: annex A, f/w: annex A) -----------
Running Mode : ADSL2+(G.992.5) State : SHOWTIME
DS Actual Rate : 3071872 bps US Actual Rate : 1059909 bps
DS Attainable Rate : 11556000 bps US Attainable Rate : 1060000 bps
DS Path Mode : Fast US Path Mode : Fast
DS Interleave Depth : 0 US Interleave Depth : 0
NE Current Attenuation : 43 dB Cur SNR Margin : 25 dB
DS actual PSD : 17. 7 dB US actual PSD : 12. 6 dB
ADSL Firmware Version : 232201_A
-------------------------------- ATU-C Info ---------------------------------
Far Current Attenuation : 22 dB Far SNR Margin : 6 dB
CO ITU Version[0] : 00004946 CO ITU Version[1] : 0000544e
DSLAM CHIPSET VENDOR : < IFTN >
>
Telephone number: xxxxxxxxxxxx
Phone exchange: SYDENHAM
Estimated line speed: 5 - Checked on 2010-08-26 21:26:52
Current line speed: 2500

The fact that the Plusnet profile hasn't been updated since Aug 26th is irrelevant.
On the 4th Sept you reported a BT speedtest with an IP profile of 2500kbps
http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,8842...

Download speed achieved during the test was - 2520 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speedsis 1000-7150 Kbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :3071 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 1059 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 2500 Kbps

The Plusnet system is normally updated within 12 to 24 hours of an IP profile change

In reply to a post by js909:

Download speed achieved during the test was - 2140 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 2000-21000 Kbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :3071 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 1059 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 9000 Kbps
The throughput of Best Efforts (BE) classes achieved during the test is - 22.47:28.02:49.51 (SBE:NBE:PBE)
These figures represent the ratio while sententiously passing Sub BE, Normal BE and Priority BE marked traffic.

Probable junk result from the current BT Performance Tester! Quite common these days.

Note the connection speed and noise margin. To get a 9000kbps profile you would need to be connected at 10208+ for a fair while. 2500 is correct for that sync, which you seem to have had for a while.

The facts are that I first reported this problem on August 26th and it still hasn't been fixed. Once my Virgin Media is installed I intend to take this matter up with the regulator since clearly the level of service has been unfit for purpose. I have supplied daily information and had almost no feedback. This is TOTALLY unacceptable. I know it, you know it, PlusNet know it, and I intend to make a formal complaint to the regulator. PlusNet had the opportunity to reset the SNR last week and wouldn't. They've done this to themselves. - although I also have sympathy because it is largely BTs DLM that is screwing up everyone and wasting everyones time.

I'm sorry that we weren't able to resolve this problem for you in your expected timeframe, DLM has clamped down and applied a 1-3Mbps banded profile to your line which is why you're getting high SNR margins on the downstream, low sync and low profiles. Your line is still dropping (or being switched off and on, our logs don't show any difference) so the banded profile is still applied.

As you've chosen to leave our service I can't perform full fault diagnostics or raise a fault to investigate further. In addition, SNR resets can only be performed on the 20CN network, not 21CN but this is a moot point.

I wish you all the best with Virgin and hope that if you choose to use our service in the future then we are able to do better than what you've experienced over the last two weeks.

So what you're saying is because I'm leaving PlusNet, you refuse to fix the fault. I'm sure the regulator will love that one.

I'm trying to fix the fault with PlusNet can't be bothered to fix. I switched my router off for six hours overnight to see if that might help - it didn't. ANY other line drops are recorded by my router and if you look at the notes of the call you'll find some further BT/PLUSNET line/LCP drops. In particular one LCP drop where ADSL did not drop.

I wish you all the best with the regulator and have saved the link so I can provide them with your statement.

Today I've had one from the BT speed tester at 2500, another a couple of hours later at:

" IP Profile for your line is - 4543 Kbps"

and another just recently at 2500. ADSL2+ is total pants. I know a lemon when I see one.

btw.

"SNR resets can only be performed on the 20CN network, not 21CN but this is a moot point."

HOW then, when I was moved to the 21CN and had these problems in MARCH 2010, did someone COMPLETELY reset my 21CN ADSL2+ line last time. Try looking up Question 32502466, and you'll see that you are wrong on this.

Pay closed attention to the phrase " logic adaptive screen not showing a change in progress hence raised as EPP".

Also, how come my Line Profile stored at PlusNet hasn't updated since August 26th. Your systems don't work.


In addition, the current call is updated with the message from Technical Support that:

"I advised that the faults team will be looking into his issue and we will reset his SNR level if it is necessary"

Where do you get your info from ?

Edited by js909 (Mon 06-Sep-10 16:47:43)

In reply to a post by js909:

Today I've had one from the BT speed tester at 2500, another a couple of hours later at:

" IP Profile for your line is - 4543 Kbps"

and another just recently at 2500. ADSL2+ is total pants. I know a lemon when I see one.

Exactly what I was saying, there is no such profile.

The trouble is when you get gibberish results like the two you have posted there has to be great doubt about even the valid-looking ones.

I'm not saying we refuse to fix the fault, I'm saying that we cannot. As soon as either a MAC is used, or a cease order placed on a line then we cannot perform fault diagnostics and we cannot raise a fault. These are restrictions in the BT Wholesale fault diagnostic and reporting systems.

Question 32502466 refers to raising a fault and manually requesting certain work to be performed by BT Wholesale as part of a fault resolution. This is different to an SNR reset which is a service available on 20CN lines only.

Your profile has not updated since August 26th, mainly because your line is capped.

I get my information from my experience working as a Technical Support Analyst, during that time I have been seconded to the Faults Team. I'm not guessing at this information, I know it to be right. I'm sorry if contradictory comments have been placed on a ticket as you quote.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

ADSL2+ is total pants. I know a lemon when I see one.

The BT version is pants with its very aggressive DLM, however, LLU such as Be / O2 don't use a permanent DLM like BT (it's only active for the first week and then it is turned off).

Anyhow good luck with Virgin.

I understand that Plusnet have to pay around £160 for BT to fix a fault - under the new BT agreements imposed on to ISPs.

It's all explained in gory details here:
http://aaisp.net.uk/kb-broadband-sfi.html

and this probably accounts now for why there is a reluctance to do anything which might involve BT, and I can see the same resistance in many of the posts on this and other forums relating to PlusNet, and clearly this is the same for many BT-provided lines. And I don't blame PlusNet for designing and implementing a failed DLM system - obviously that's something BT has done.

I do feel that the regulator now needs to step in and carry out an investigation because technically if the service is not-fit-for-service it's PlusNet and other ISPs which may suffer.

My SNR should have been reset by PlusNet themselves without any need to reference BT wholesale - I am informed that all ISPs received a script from BT which allows you to do this. Furthermore, this appears to have been exactly what was done to clear the problem back in March. Whether this is true or not, I cannot confirm - but you could (but I won't ask you to put yourself in that position).

The aggressive nature of the DLM makes it essential that ISPs are able to reset the line, whilst BT should be forced by the regulator to amend their DLM settings. Remember that in my case ALL problems were initially caused by BT. So an engineer arrives to fix your washing machine and blows up your tumble dryer in the process, only to say I'm not fixing the tumble dryer - I have no responsibility.

Remember this. All through this PlusNet, and as it happens BT, had the chance to keep me as a customer. They failed so badly that I'm having Virgin installed on Friday. And I'm not the only one leaving, I've seen numerous posts going back many months of people leaving. And I've only been looking at PlusNet, not other ISPs who use the BT-provided network.

I came to PlusNet on the recommendation of a friend who I trust implicitly, and it was "the" place to be once. But line speed is critically important, and PlusNet told us 21CN was the best thing since sliced bread. Whilst for some it's actually worse than 20CN, and your other previous LLU offerings.

It is my firm intention now to take this to the regulator to obtain my £25 disconnection fee back from PlusNet since they, and BT, through their actions (more correctly inaction), forced me to leave for Virgin. If PlusNet had fixed the problem within a few days of August 26th I would have stayed.