FTTC problem?

Inkblot · Sep 09, 2013, 07:37:31

AAISP are attractive apart from their pricing - although it would work for many it wouldn't work for me as my son has just gone on Netflix and I've just gone on a music streaming service. Between us we managed to bust my 50gb peak hours cap last month by downloading 65gb of data hence my move to one of the newer tariffs that doesn't differentiate between peak/off peak but as you can see from this thread - that's where it all went horribly wrong

Virgin offer a 100mb fibre connection that is unlimited although traffic management is in place much of the day. However, looking at the triggers and penalties it appears that if I download 5gb of data in an hour I get slowed to 70mb for an hour. If I download 6.250gb of data in 2 hours my speed drops to 60mb for 2 hours. My d/l speed with IDNet is about 37mb so no mater what happens I'll be running at considerably higher speed than now. If my area can deliver 120mb (which costs that same as 100mb) those 70mb/60mb figures become 84mb/72mb

Changing ISP isn't something I do regularly, I was with BT for 2 years before moving to NewNet for about 5 years until they reduced the data allowances at which point I came to IDNet and that was about 5 1/2 years ago. However, as you mention BT can feed IDNet BS and there isn't anything we can do about it except move away. I'm not wanting anybody to "pay for my Ferrari", I just want the service that I am paying for and if I can't have it, I would like to know why not and when I can expect it. I'm not an unreasonable person, I've been complaining here (but hardly bitterly complaining) but you won't find anything on ThinkBroadband, Twitter or Facebook. I'm not yelling at people down the phone or demanding money back for the loss of service. I just don't want to be lied to.

Niall · Sep 09, 2013, 18:47:53

Quote from: Den on Sep 09, 2013, 07:32:30
Hi Niall, Nice to see you back, we have missed you

I found that when I had a problem and spoke to BT they listened and acted upon it. Their response was great and communication was fantastic. Perhaps if you have a problem with a line it is better to deal direct.

Oddly enough after I posted that, my line was the best it's been for ages, which is still only 28mb, but when you're less than a mile from the exchange it should be better. I won't repeat what I've already said here over the years as I'm stressed enough as it is and my hospital results today were cr*p, so I've got enough on my plate. I just want someone to get BT to act and look at the cr*p line from my estate to the cabinet. Hell, if they moved me to the nearer cabinet that would make the job easier for them as it'd leave less than quarter of a mile, in a straight line to test. As far as I'm aware, NOT ONCE have they done any checks on the line itself, which is what I've been asking them to do since I joined IDnet, years ago.

Inkblot · Sep 09, 2013, 19:20:43

Quite possibly my final post on this subject but I was disappointed to not receive any communication from IDNet this morning. Surely any customer service has 'keeping the customer informed' as one of its key points? I waited until about 11:30 before I emailed them to ask if there was any update and sure enough within 30 minutes I had a reply. Didn't tell me anything new although it does confirm the issue is at the exchange:

Just spoken with BT again this morning, there is another engineer task raised for some more exchange work. We will keep an eye on this as we have been told we should have a further update by 6pm tomorrow. It seems the work went on other weekend and has not been completed yet. Apologies for the delay on this. I will update you as soon as I get anything new.

So now I need to sit tight until 6pm tomorrow before I can call them - bear in mind that I've been without broadband since the small hours of last Tuesday so by the time BT *should* (not will) provide another update it will be over a week since the problem happened. Sorry IDNet but that's not good enough. I've remained loyal for over 5 years, I've pushed to get IDNet lines installed where I work and championed your customer service as justifying your prices but on this occasion I feel that you haven't lived up to your billing - surely somebody could have picked this issue up at 9am this morning and sent me an email to say that they were getting onto BT and would update me once they had spoken to them. Maybe speak to BT 1st and if BT can't tell you anything let me know that BT can't tell you anything. Don't leave it until I contact you every time!

I've since booked an install with Virgin and cancelled my IDNet broadband - but even that isn't being done right:

Email1, sent@13:49: Since its a 30 day notice period we can have this ceased for the 5th of October.
Email2, sent@18:30 below...
Order ID: xxxx
Order Date:   Monday 9th September 2013
Order Type:   Cease
Cease Date:   Monday 7th October 2013
DSL Telephone:   xxxxx

5th or 7th? As today is the 9th and it's a 30 day notice period I expected it to be the 9th but when the email came through stating the 5th I thought perhaps they were compensating me for not having had broadband since 3rd. When I got home I found the 2nd email stating the 7th

Either way I'm still a little sad to be leaving, I suspect that over time many small ISPs will slowly disappear and we will be left with the big ISPs and a few smaller independents - let's hope IDNet continue to be one of them, there's a lot to be said for providing a good service and backing it up with a good customer service - but for the last week I don't feel I've had either. IDNet can, and usually do, do better than this.

Niall · Sep 10, 2013, 13:58:02

I expected a similar call during one of my issues but heard nothing then support claimed to have only heard back after receiving my email. Convenient. Personally I think they now have more customers than the support staff can monitor. Originally you would have been called or emailed the hour they received info. Sadly no longer it would seem.

Gary · Sep 11, 2013, 07:28:23

Quote from: Den on Sep 09, 2013, 07:32:30
Hi Niall, Nice to see you back, we have missed you

I found that when I had a problem and spoke to BT they listened and acted upon it. Their response was great and communication was fantastic. Perhaps if you have a problem with a line it is better to deal direct.

You are not dealing direct, BT and BT wholesale are not the same company, Den. The engineers that came round don't work for your internet supplier even though its called BT. The companies have been separate for ages.

Den · Sep 11, 2013, 07:39:45

BT told me exactly when open reach were coming they kept in touch with me every day to make sure that it was OK. BT then kept texting, phoning and emailing to make sure all is well and that I was satisfied. If that is the standard that they are aiming for then I am well pleased. If I was with a third party still such as Idnet they have to get their information from BT and then pass it on therefore another link in the chain. I think it is hit and miss on the standard of bloke from Openreach as some of them are still training and have not been with them very long but those are the same ones that we would get whoever we are with.

As I said be fore I changed with trepidation and have had a very pleasant surprise.

Gary · Sep 11, 2013, 09:38:06

Quote from: Den on Sep 11, 2013, 07:39:45
BT told me exactly when open reach were coming they kept in touch with me every day to make sure that it was OK. BT then kept texting, phoning and emailing to make sure all is well and that I was satisfied. If that is the standard that they are aiming for then I am well pleased. If I was with a third party still such as Idnet they have to get their information from BT and then pass it on therefore another link in the chain. I think it is hit and miss on the standard of bloke from Openreach as some of them are still training and have not been with them very long but those are the same ones that we would get whoever we are with.

As I said be fore I changed with trepidation and have had a very pleasant surprise.

BT still have to get their information from openreach just like IDNet there is no extra man in the middle, but BT are a huge company with massive outsourcing, so what do you expect, IDNet do not have the infrastructure to send you multiple emails and texts telling you the same thing that was told to you the day you booked the visit, but its the same engineers and same service. My mothers BT has settled down, it works ok BT's DNS servers seem slower than IDnets but thats to be expected I guess. I just know trying to communicate my REIN issue to a outsourced call centre would have been hell, with IDNet it was simple. That's why I stay, CS is fine for me at this time. I'm glad its working fine for you though.

Steve · Sep 11, 2013, 11:18:34

Mind you Den does seem to do well , changes ISP all's well, same with Windows 8 loves it.

Simon · Sep 11, 2013, 11:22:50

Easily pleased.

Inkblot · Sep 14, 2013, 18:40:34

Well I expected my last post to be my last post (if you see what I mean) as I thought everything would be sorted by now. Turns out I was wrong

IDNet are now keeping me more up to date with the problem which is good but BT haven't been able to fix it which isn't. Last email from support promised me another update on Monday which is the same day that Virginmedia are coming to install my cable connection so even if BT do manage to fix it I won't be using it at all unless Virgin 'do a BT' and don't bother turning up.