Slow Speeds since I got the 8meg Max service

[Sebby]

I can't give you specifics, but with that kind of attenuation, you should be getting full sync. But then we know there's something not right with your line as it's also unstable. My memory is terrible; did I ask you to try the test socket already?

[Rik]

People on different VPs at the exchange can have different experiences, Hairy, apart from the more obvious wiring differences.

I can see that you've been moved to a different central by IDNet, and when I checked last week, there were no capacity issues within the IDNet network. I was told, though, that whilst the first batch of central changes had generally produced an improvement, later ones were not having much effect, suggesting the problem is outside the IDNet boundaries.

[hairyman]

Hi Again
Another speedtest this time during a quiet period ie not a weekday evening. As slow as ever!

My line is now stable and syncs at 6970k and IPprofile at 5000.

Test socket tried hundreds of times it will and does make no difference as I have only one phone and no slavesockets. Line length above ground here is 2metres max inc the lead to the router!!

At IPprofile of 5meg I should get 4meg now and again I guess. Saw 4meg once in 2.5years. Mostly its 600 to 800 kbps.

The central move made no apparent change. Looks like LLU will be the only way 02 is expected next year they work like a rocket on the neigbouring exchange a pal of mine has 4.5km line length and gets 5 to 6 meg download speeds on their basic 8meg £7.50 deal. His attn is higher than mine. I am getting fed up with this BT throttling as I only need 5gig a month max its I am hardly abusing the system.

BT via IDnet say they have locked my IPprofile at 5meg to remove the cycling of the profile . I get NO errors on the data flow just 5 disconnects in 10 days at the moment.

Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test: -provides background information.
    Your DSL connection rate: 6496 kbps(DOWN-STREAM),  448 kbps(UP-STREAM)
    IP profile for your line is - 5000 kbps
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 880 kbps

If you wish to discuss these results please contact your ISP.

If you are experiencing problems with specific applications, servers or websites please contact your ISP for assistance.

Your test has completed please close this window to exit the performance tester

[Rik]

Unfortunately, a migration may be your only solution.

[hairyman]

Hi Rik

Would you agree that with the BT system keeping my throughput below a one meg kbps nearly all the time, I am using a "Rolls Royce" ISP idnet with a donkey on a cart track highway ( BT ) ?

Question what donkey BT based ISP will save me cash ?

Would a transfer to 2meg with IDnet help?

Can I be put on a different VP ?

Will BT even consider upgrading the exchange if Orange , TT and soon O2 are adding their gear there and taking BT customers off the bb and voice BT network.

Memo to myself -- must sell my BT shares if they ever get off the floor again!!

[Sebby]

I would say to some extent you're right, but I don't believe BT are (deliberately) keeping your throughput low. Something is not right, but finding out what the problem is could be tough. Have you been onto IDNet? I'd be surprised if they weren't keen to get this sorted; after all, that throughput is seriously low for the profile.

[Rik]

Question what donkey BT based ISP will save me cash ?

An Enta reseller might be an option for you, but LLU seems a better route.

Would a transfer to 2meg with IDnet help?

I suspect not.

Can I be put on a different VP ?

Not generally. IDNet might be able to request a lift and shift, but that depends on BT again.

Will BT even consider upgrading the exchange if Orange , TT and soon O2 are adding their gear there and taking BT customers off the bb and voice BT network.

They should, but there are signs that they're not investing in capacity at exchanges ahead of the WBC rollout.

[Sebby]

I'm not convinced an Enta reseller would help. I think there's something wrong with the line, and really LLU is the only thing that could sort it.

[Rik]

I was just looking at the 'save cash' part of the question, Seb.

[Sebby]

Ah.

[hairyman]

Hi Sebby

Idnet have reported that BT say there is a problem with "missing VPs " at the exchange / system. They plan to upgrade so they say, but I cant see they will invest with the alien providers Orange/ TT having just activated here and O2 for 2009 Q1 all taking up custom with very good "all in comms deals" cost wise.

The missing VPs have been reported for over a year so that indicates BTs intentions!!

Up until this year all we had on my exchange was BT.

Ref my line I do have some intermittant line noise mostly when it has been dry ( ie no rain) for over a week and only when the router/routers ( as I have tried three and a USB modem) are synced up. Over the last ten days I have only 5 disconnects.

I get no corrupt data or errors on the router stats and have never seen any in the past. Just disconnects which can amount to several dozen a day at worst. BT via Idnet say they have locked my IPprofile to 5000kbps to stabilise this occasional but persistant line problem.

Yes mainly if I have to stay on sub 1000kbps rates I would seek to save money. Colleagues get much faster rats on £20 p month all you can eat type deals so it galls a bit that I get such slow internet functionallity at £17.99 pm , its so slow that often pages takinf a few seconds to load normally can take 10to 20 seconds ( we are talking BBC and other well served sites here.

Hi Rik

Ref Can I be put on a different VP ?

Not generally. IDNet might be able to request a lift and shift, but that depends on BT again.

What would I need to do to expedite a lift and shift via IDnet and what actually does that entail at BTs / IDnets end.

Again thanks from slowsville territory in darkest Gloucestershire.

WBC rollout looks like three years plus away around here.

Hairy

[Rik]

Hi Hairy

A lift and shift is a physical change of wiring in the exchange from one piece of equipment to another. When it can be done depends on what's available to move to. It might, or might not, change the VP. Going to a fixed rate service and back is an example of when it can happen.

[hairyman]

Hi Rik

Another dismal speedtest from BT. The net seemed so slow tonight and the test confirmed it. It was taking 20seconds to load mt usual single Google news homepage. On dial up it only takes 40seconds !!

Thinkbroadband speedtest showed the same speed. At 530kbps . Router shows no errors or disconects.

Will complain to Idnet and ask them to put it back to BT may talk about a "lift and shift" ( doesnt that sound like something dodgy in the woodshed! ).

Included a Thinkbroadband traceroute to show the fairly good ping times. 



Results Image not loaded

Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test: -provides background information.
    Your DSL connection rate: 6688 kbps(DOWN-STREAM),  448 kbps(UP-STREAM)
    IP profile for your line is - 5500 kbps
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 496 kbps

If you wish to discuss these results please contact your ISP.

If you are experiencing problems with specific applications, servers or websites please contact your ISP for assistance.

Your test has completed please close this window to exit the performance tester


Host                                                  Sent Recvd Best Avg Worst
1  adslguide-gw2.core-rs2.thdo.ncuk.net  15     15     0ms   0ms   2ms
2  gi0-1-10-star1.bdr-rt1.rbsov.ncuk.net  15     15     0ms  0ms 0ms
3  idnet-gw-a.lonap.net                         15     15    0ms  0ms 1ms
4  telehouse-gw2-g0-2-400.idnet.net       15     15     0ms 11ms 83ms

[Sebby]

Definitely get onto IDNet. No way is this due to a bit of congestion; there is something more to it.

[hairyman]

Hi Sebby
Spoke to IDnet toady they were very polite but said they can do no more , the fault is with BT with missing Vps etc. They say I must be contending with some heavy users or maybe more than 50 users are sharing the 20meg of bandwidth BT allocates to every 50 connections. They explained that BTs standard terms are to provides 20meg of exchange bandwidth to every 50 users but missing Vps may increase this. Basically they gave me a polite brush off and said no more could be done.

Idnet said no more could be done about BT via them , I suggested a lift and shift they said that wasnt possible and probably wouldnt help. They for once seemed to want me off the phone to them and when I suggested a LLu transfer might be the only way to help the throughputs they said it might be the only way. I dont feel like calling them again as its a blind alley and they are only in reality are only agents for BT along with the other non LLU folk.

I am really at my wits end, would asking for a dispute procedure to be started help in any way . the other option is to cut my losses and find a super cheap BT agent type isp ( Newnet) and transfer to an LLU when my phone deal expires.

I still IPprofile at 5500kbps and tp at 600kbps , Idnet say there appears to be no problem with my end or theirs and as the above show its all down to congestion. I asked why as this has gone on for over 2 years actually probably 3 years now could it be congestion as few were on the net on bb three yrs ago compare to now. I have been on the net for over ten years now ( over 25 years if you count packet radio data via my old amateur radio hobby) and on broadband since activation in early 2003. 512kb gave just that nearly that all the time, the 2meg gave 1800kbps min most of the time but it has all gone downhill since then.

Any suggestions as the IDguys have washed their hands of it as I definitely had a polite brush off today. As a ex service engineer and manager I can say it was very well done!

[Sebby]

In fairness, IDNet are probably as fed up about the situation as you are, because of BT. Unfortunately for ISPs like IDNet, they're at the mercy of a farce like BT (maybe that's a bit strong! ) and sometimes they are simply powerless.

I think we've done everything we can, and as you say, LLU is your best bet (assuming there are LLU services at your exchange).

[hairyman]

Hi Sebby

We have Orange ( ugh) addded late last year I think and TT just activated. 02 may activate next year.
Up until last year we only had BT.

I am tied for a while to a voice line deal with BT otherwise I would be off. I do like BT for voice calls as they have good deals but maybe if 02 activates I would go for a complete mobile/voice/bb deal.

I could try a mobile internet dongle as it ought to be better than the wired speeds but I know we are in a bit of a dip and 3g hardly works. I could move ? But I had planned to retire here (sooner please rather than later).

Idnet seem very good if BT let them be. I would be happy with a reliable 1000kbps but often the net is so slow it takes 10 to 40 seconds to get any response to hyperlinks from say the BBC site. It really seems like I am waiting for 49 to 499 others to go through a narrow door first!!

[hairyman]

Just seen this item on thinkbroadband about Be seems they let you tweak the SNRs via your web portal for yourself. probably as useful as the control that alters the power steering "feel" on my car but it makes BT look archaic.


Link to it below


http://www.thinkbroadband.com/news/3731-be-allows-customers-to-change-connection-parameters.html

[Simon]

If IDNet have done all they can, to be truthful, it would be a waste of their time and yours to try to take it any further, Hairy, so the advice to consider LLU might be the best you'll get, even though you're tied at the moment.

Just out of curiosity, have you done all that was suggested at the bottom of that link?

To some extent these tweaks are not worthwhile until you have tidied up the telephone wiring in your home if searching for extra speed. Items like the ring wire and a spiders web of telephone extension wiring can easily result in the connections performance degrading a lot during the hours of darkness and with longer nights rapidly approaching, now is the time to tweak your broadband connection. As well as just removing unused telephone wiring, there are three main other things you can do remove the ring wire, fit an ADSL/ADSL2+ faceplate, or fit an I-Plate.

[Rik]

One thing you could try, Hairy, is an email to the CEO of BT.

[hairyman]

Hi Simon

Thanks for the advice on faceplates wiring etc. In really think I have done all I can but would be more than happy to find I have missed something.

Yes I did all that about a year ago, I have a ADSL nation filtered faceplate , I only have a mastersocket ie no slavesockets and even peeked into the faceplate and cut the ring wire track on the pcb just in case!! Without a slave the ring wire goes nowhere.

My tele line comes out of the ground only 2feet from my router ie the grey BT box is immediately the other side of the wall to where I am now at the PC. I can detect no local noise on a MW radio and all my cables are new and best quality. I only have one phone which can be either a DECT phone ( normal) or old fashioned wired one for tests and backup when we have power cuts. The bb is not effected by the DECT phone . I have tried several modems and routers.

I have tried four diff PCs with three diff OS on them all report the same speeds it has been this way for 2yrs and now 10months!!

I am syncing at 7000kbps right now and speedtest just showed 521kbps from thinkbroadband and 440kbps from the BTsite .  IPprofile was 5500kbps .

[hairyman]

HI Rik

Yes I might try an email to BT top dog , but I expect he is trying to get his money out of his Icelandic bank or some other scam rather than work out how to make money by keeping customers.

What I will do is send him a letter recorded delivery or similar asking for a reply within a short period of time and cc it to my MP and Ofcom.

Probably a waste of time but so is with dealing with previously Eclipse Internet and now Idnet both where very helpful but as purely agents/subcontractors for BT they have no control of the infrastructure and indeed where else can they go for said infrastructure other than the monoploy BT. Idnet even seem to have to almost beg BT to supply them with outgoing interconnects which are overdue.

I use the net in the evenings but only need less than 3gb a month , it would be pointless to do large downloads, stream or watch video on line as even VOIP is unusable due to the choppy net. Indeed even U Tube often is unwatchable.

Sad, the net was good back in 512kbps days as people produced simple websites to suit lower speeds now site pages are large being written for people on fast 8meg or better links so with 512kbps type speeds it takes an age to even browse.

I will ask Idnet to initiate a failure to agree notice and ask them to escalate it to their arbitrator which ever one they use.

[Rik]

When Uncle Ben was CEO, we saw some good results by direct contact, Hairy. I've not heard any reports about the new guy.

[hairyman]

Hi Rik

I will ferret out the BT CEO details and send him a letter and email.

Meanwhile I plan to track down one of the local BT / Openreach guys and have an unofficial chat, the local exchange is a very large building and they use it as a depot/stores/tearoom and place to park their cars when collecting their vans, plus it is only a few yards away.

Also I will  probably request a MAC and try to at least try to save some cash as NewNet is £5 a month cheaper for the same service and similar ratings. At least that way I am working a bit less to pay Idnets bill. Two pints of beer or an extra gallon on diesel ( 50miles travel ) is nothing to be sniffed at in these hard times.

Just to check on the congestion on my net connection I did a speedtest at 5am and got just over 3meg as I am IPprofiled at 5500 thats still a little short of optimal but it does show the difference as 0.5meg is normal daytime or evening. Syncs at 6670kbps and downstream SNR at 11 to 12db.

[Rik]

I can't say I blame you, Hairy. If you can't get the service, you might just as well pay less. If I were to move, my shortlist is Newnet and Zen.