Anyone know the exact process of changing to an LLU provider

Hi Guys,

I've been having all sorts of problems with my internet connection since I moved into a new build property 2.5 months ago.

To cut a really long story short, the headlines of the fault are as follows:

- Move in into new home
- Get connected to the internet
- 1 day of expected normal 7Mbps speed before line bombs to average at 30kbps
- BTWS engineer comes over - says it's my fault as he get's an all clear
- ISP tell BTWS it's not my fault or theirs
- BTWS confirm my VP is running hot and will monitor (three weeks pass)
- ISP demand that BTWS move me to a new card - work is carried out and speed is back up at 7Mbps Yay!!
- 6 days later, speed drops to around 30Kbps for 24 hours (Last Sunday)
- 24 Hours later, speed increases and remains stableish at 2Mbps

Sooo, I'm getting sick and tired of waiting almost three months to get a stable internet connection and as such I'm starting to look at other options. I suspect the problem I have is that the hardware in the exchange is faulty and BTWS are fudging repairs in some way.

So the question I have is; does anyone know for certain what process is involved in changing to an LLU provider from BT? Will I be unplugged from BTWS's equipment and plugged into the provider's hardware, or will it be some kind of virtual switch-over and the problems will continue to exist. Who will do this switchover, will it be BTWS or do the LLU Providers have their own engineers?

I know for certain that it's not anything on my end, I don't think it's a REIN fault as my SNR doesn't fluctuate during these big slowdowns. Taking all things into account, when BT moved my line to a different piece of hardware I saw an immediate change in speed to what I'd expect living < 3K from the Exchange, and as such I can only put it down to a BTWS issue that they just can't resolve.

Regards
Xet

If you move from a BT-based service to LLU, your line will go from BT-equipment to LLU equipment.

All work at the exchange is done by a BT Openreach engineer.

Matt

If the issue is a line issue (wire between your modem and the exchange) is at fault then moving to an LLU provider will not fix this.
If the issue is a problem in the exchange, faulty port (you say it may have been changed) or tie pairs then a move to LLU may well resolve the issue.
Who is the ISP? it's possible it's a wiring issue or something else similar that can be diagnosed and resolved with someone a little more technical.
If you can post your full router line stats, run a BT speedtest (www.speedtester.bt.com) and again post the results back.
Do you use the phone line, are there any noises when using the phone?

Thanks for the advice but I've gone through all the tests so many times now that I have them set as favourites in my toolbar...

Router stats are all good

Upstream 448
Downstream 8128
SNR Margin(Upstream) 28.0
SNR Margin(Downstream) 16.8
Line Attenuation(Upstream) 13.0
Line Attenuation(Downstream) 19.0

It's been weeks of diagnosing and quarterly hour tests, we've definitely isolated the problem to being outside our property. When BTWS changed the circuit in the exchange a week ago, all the problems went away for 6 days, but they've come back now and It's just driving me crazy

In November, there was a major outage at my local exchange.
After that my internet connection kept dropping and kept setting my snr -1, only my old netgear dg834g could hold onto the internet.

Phoned Vivaciti tech support, they checked the stats and said there's a fault, bt wholesale did diagnostics and they said there was no fault. the fault went away for a few days after the diagnostic test then came back again like yours. So in total bt wholesale did 6 tests and said nothing wrong each time, had an engineer out to my property, and he checked everything and said there is no fault found. I gave up and decided to switch to Vivaciti surfwise variety 100gb fup ( talk talk LLU ), they disconnected the broadband for about 10-15 minutes to plug me into the new equipement, and the line's rock solid, no flakey snr value. been connected for 181 hours since being switched to LLU.

So Vivaciti's tech support said the fault was at bt's exchange, i said i thought it was at bt's exchange. By passed BT's aging equipement and im happy once again.
I havent had any slow downs at all, but the thinkbroadband speedtester doesnt work properly. Andrew Ferguson said its a routing problem from surfwise, but everybody elses speedtester seems to work so im not bothered.

If your stats don't vary then it's down to BT/ISP. Some are better than others.

Which exchange are you on http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange_search ?

Upstream 448
Downstream 8128

do they stay like that ?

I have seen very low throughput despite high sync, two properties on same exchange. Overheating exchange equipment was the problem.

I'm on the Aberconwy Exchange

My US and DS rates never change. My SNR levels are always stable (Although it has recently increased from 22/13.4db's to 28/16.8db's since the last drop in connectivity)

My ISP tells me BT wont do any work until they get the speed results from speedtester.bt.com but all I get when I try that is "Authorisation failed Incorrect Telephone Number - Please try again" It used to work fine until yesterday.

When speedtester was working it used to tell me that my IP profile was 7150. which is why it's so frustrating.

Another thing... I spoke to a Sky sales rep last night and asked about getting moved onto their equipment. I'm in another 18 month contract with BT 'cos the new house is a new build. Sky Sales told me that I can use their LLU equipments but continue to be billed by BT for the telephone,,, Is that right? Most LLU providers I've seen is an all or nothing package.

Cheers
Xet

most LLU is "shared metallic path" with BT providing the phone and the LLU operator the broadband. Sky used to do only this, but recently started moving to full LLU doing both - sounds like you have the option.

If I take the option, will it still mean that I'm plugged into Sky's equipment? or will it be some kind of weird hybrid half 'n half that may still affect my connection.

Xet

Hello,

Mine is half half, telephone is by bt and the broadband is LLU.

The package im on is only a 1 month contract instead of the big name isp's which are 12-18months so if you dont like it you can migrate out after 1 month. The speed is upto 24mb, but i sync at 16mb with a constand downspeed of almost 14mb.

Oh and its 100gb usage and £20 a month.

It's available at your telephone exchange ( Talk Talk CPW )

Plugged into skys kit for broadband and BT kit for telephone

There are two types of LLU

How'd you get the 1 month contract? All I can see from Talk Talk is 12 Month contracts for their LLU services...

Xet

Possibly via one of the providers selling the Opal Wholesale products

In reply to a post by Xeteskian:

How'd you get the 1 month contract? All I can see from Talk Talk is 12 Month contracts for their LLU services...

Xet

It's via Vivacity,
Surfwise Variety LLU ADSL2+ upto 24MB 100GB FUP £19.80p a month
http://www.vivaciti.net/prices.php
Not the one inc phone !


This way you dont get spammed to death and nuisance phone calls from cpw 6 time s a day.

In reply to a post by Xeteskian:

If I take the option, will it still mean that I'm plugged into Sky's equipment? or will it be some kind of weird hybrid half 'n half that may still affect my connection.

Half and Half (SMPF) is basically the same at the exchange as you do in your home with the ADSL splitter.

Half for voice, half for data