Issue with new fault on Talk Talk ADSL connection

Good morning all, I hope someone can help.

For the last couple of weeks my girlfriend has been having some serious issues with the speed on her TalkTalk ADSL connection. Speed has dropped from about 17/1 to 2/0.2 and it keeps on dropping out completely.

We raised a call with TalkTalk on the phone and were initially fobbed off with the usual reset the router and we'll try changing a few settings on the line etc. This made no change. The next guy we spoke to was much more helpful and seemed to actually know what he was talking about and did some line tests and said he found a fault on the line and said he was escalating it to openreach and that an engineer visit may be required. This was about a week ago.

Since then my girlfriend has had a couple of texts from TalkTalk saying that they think it should be resolved, but there has been no difference in the connection. So I don't know what is actually being done, if anything. And no-one has been in touch to try and arrange an engineer appointment. We've rung back multiple times and each time TalkTalk just keep saying that Openreach are looking at it. But they can't provide any updates or tell us what they are actually doing. TalkTalk promise that they have escalated the ticket and someone will ring us back, but this so far hasn't happened.

So basically what I want to know; is there a way to speak to BT openreach directly and cut out the seemingly useless middle-man Talk Talk, or is there a way to speak to someone more helpful in TalkTalk?

I'd greatly appreciate any help anyone can offer.

Thanks

Tim

is there a way to speak to BT openreach directly

No. (Not much help, but it's the correct answer) Keep badgering Talk talk.

In the meantime, can you describe the set up, how it's all connected, are there extensions connected, what else is connected and how ? This may be an internal wiring issue that you can resolve yourself.

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

is there a way to speak to BT openreach directly

No. (Not much help, but it's the correct answer) Keep badgering Talk talk.

Damn, not the answer I was hoping for!

I've tried various things such as changing micro filters and disconnecting other equipment and so on, all to no avail. So I'm pretty certain that the fault lies beyond my girlfriend's wiring. Unless it is literally the master socket itself in which case there's not much we can do.

Will keep on badgering TalkTalk.

Thanks

Tim

In reply to a post by heisenberg912:

is there a way to speak to someone more helpful in TalkTalk?

Ask for an update via the TalkTalk forums and/or their Twitter feed, both are very good channels for resolving TT issues.

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/
https://twitter.com/talktalk

Also have a look here:
https://help2.talktalk.co.uk/delays-repairs

Edited by deleted (Wed 01-Mar-17 11:26:47)

Thanks for the suggestion, will give those a try.

I have seen the page about damage caused by Storm Doris but my area wasn't really hit that badly and the issue pre-dates Doris by a good week or so.

Thanks

Tim

If there is any extension wiring and it is possible, remove the faceplate from the master socket and connect the router to the test socket inside using a micro filter. That way you can be sure it is not your girlfriend's wiring that is at fault and which Openreach would want to charge for any repairs.

In reply to a post by Michael_Chare:

If there is any extension wiring and it is possible, remove the faceplate from the master socket and connect the router to the test socket inside using a micro filter. That way you can be sure it is not your girlfriend's wiring that is at fault and which Openreach would want to charge for any repairs.

There's no extension wiring but I guess I could give the test socket a go anyway.

Thanks.

Tim

hello Tim

here is a link which will show you haw to test the line and rule out any problems with internal wiring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IG8rcadbj0&list=PLC...

Once you have carried out the test as shown in the video and have ruled out any problems with the internal wiring, contact Talktalk fault reporting when they answer ask to be connected to the fault management team. hopefully they will be able to resolve the issue for you.

Please let me know how you get on.

Edited by rego (Wed 01-Mar-17 17:13:30)

The good news is that openreach are looking at it.

Can you speed it up, not massively as that's just the speed that openreach are dealing with it at.

Talktalk as you mention do typically provide SMS updates throughout the process. Did they have an old ISP and if so was this faster?

In reply to a post by rego:

Once you have carried out the test as shown in the video and have ruled out any problems with the internal wiring, contact Talktalk fault reporting when they answer ask to be connected to the fault management team. hopefully they will be able to resolve the issue for you.

Thanks for the link. I've tested the connection directly to the test socket and there's no difference. Same speed and same random dropouts.

I think we might have been speaking to the wrong dept before, I didn't realise they had a specific fault department we were just ringing a generic 0345 number. But a little googling tells me that there is a number specifically for fault reports so we'll give that a try tomorrow when we're back at her house, assuming they've not got in touch before that.

My main gripe is they're just not keeping promises. They've been saying since early last week someone would get in touch within 24-48 hours and still now no-one has done so. Every time we ring in they just say they've escalated it to their management and that someone from management will get in touch. But again they don't. I appreciate BT might be busy but to be honest I just get the feeling TalkTalk are giving us the runaround and given the complete lack of concrete info I have no confidence that they've done anything to actually push the issue along.

I did try raising the issue with the team on their twitter feed but again they were of little help. Said they'd raised the issue and we could expect a text update "soon". When I pushed for a timescale again I was told up to 48 hours.

Anyway will keep on plugging away and thanks for the ideas folks.

Tim