Slow Speeds since I got the 8meg Max service

[davej99]

So nobody wants to step up to the plate and do battle for Hairyman?

BT seem to have congested Virtual Paths and we let them get away with it? Here we may have a customer of an essentially un-contended ISP completely let down by an over-contended monolith, hoping perhaps that LLU will obviate the need for more VPs.

Anyway, Hairyman, let us know how you get on with 3G. I was in PC World the other day and you seem to get a free computer for a mobile broadband contract. I assumed it was prohibitively expensive. Like you I take my PC out in the van and it costs a fortune connecting via GPRS, so I would be interested in the 3G economics. Sorry I guess this is off topic.

Meantime, IDNET; are you really saying if, like Hairyman, we customers fall foul of BT capacity issues, it's a Pontius Pilate job?

[Rik]

What do you expect IDNet to do, Dave?

[davej99]

Rik, if I were to be adversely impacted by say an exchange broadband capacity issue, I would expect my ISP to do battle with BT and come up with a fix. It is unreasonable to argue that a speed of a few hundred kbps is an acceptable service level. It is reasonable to expect BT to install sufficient capacity to support the wholesale marketing of its broadband services, especially where there no direct competition, and it is reasonable to expect resellers to press hard for it on behalf of the end customer.

Contractual arrangements between BTw and ISPs are a matter for those parties and I do not intend to give advice on them or how best to pursue questionable service levels. But imagine ordering a 2 litre car and finding it had been fitted with a 500cc engine. Imagine being told by the dealer that there was nothing he could do because his supplier refused to help. Would you roll over?

[Rik]

The problem as I see it, Dave, that BT are under no obligation to provide ADSL, nor is there a minimum speed limit if they do. You mentioned 500k earlier, but some lines will not deliver that at best. If the speed falls below the FTR, BT are obliged to look into it, but if they report back to the ISP that they're awaiting an upgrade at the exchange, there's little the ISP can do. It's certainly not ideal, but unless Ofcom sets some sort of service obligation, we are all stuck with what BT choose to deliver. At any time, around the country, there will be congested exchanges or VPs, servicing multiple ISPs. I'm have no idea to what level service standards are detailed in the contract between the ISP and BT, but I'd bet that BT have a big get out clause.

[miriam_idnet]

Hi Hairyman, All,

As mentioned in your previous posts you are aware of the congestion issue in your exchange. Unfortunately there is nothing we can do to force BT to upgrade their exchange equipment.
What we can do is make them aware that a customer is being affected by the congestion and try to ascertain when the regrade will take place. We logged a call with BT informing them you were being affected but at the time there was no scheduled regrade. In addition to this BT's reporting systems have been struggling the last couple of days to update correctly, further delaying any response regarding an ETA. 
BT have finally resolved their reporting issues and informed us a regrade has now been scheduled for your exchange and should complete in approximately 10 working days.

I appreciate when things are not working satisfactorily it can be inconvenient and frustrating to say the least but please do understand IDNet Support Team do absolutely everything in our power to resolve problems quickly and effectively. Unfortunately there are times when there is little we can do to help, as in this case, but that does not mean we do not continue to put pressure on BT on the customers behalf.

The upgrade should improve things for you, if you feel there has been no change after 10 working days please do contact us so we can check the status of the regrade for you.

Regards,
Miriam

[Sebby]

Thanks, Miriam. If it goes ahead in 10 days, that's not so bad.

[Simon]

Thanks Miriam, fingers crossed for Hairy!   

[hairyman]

Hi All
Just got home from work then seeing my mum she has been retired for over thirty years still super well for her age but usually has a few little jobs lined up for me. She lives in a small village over four miles ( probably 7mls by the twisted pair) from her exchange, to get even get clean voice line they had to get a DACS box installed!! So my problems are minimal fortunately she regards the net as technology gone mad, probably a wise view? Also where she lives there is zero mobile coverage unless you have Orange and stand on tip toe in the upstairs front room ( and there is favourable radio propagation) all in all a very peaceful place to live.

Anyway six miles away in "slowsville" we have some news ref Miriam's post below, I called Simon on my way home and he said there should be some good news also posted  on this forum. BT have suggested that the local exchange will be upgraded in the next ten days or so. Comment (one) about time after three years, (two) thank heavens and IDnet.

BTs reporting system has been offline for a long time so they ( BT) claim this an excuse. About time BT was properly split up ( let me sell my shares first though , should have sold at £10 a share all those yrs ago but maybe a good time to buy though?) the trouble is Ofcom seem to have become the telecoms companies trade union rather than our service protector.

Speedtest tonight reported 800kbps so not much change there.

I will observe and report back.

DaveJ I will investigate 3G dongles they can be got from £100 with a years worth of download of 20Gb included on some deals. Like voice mobiles you need to pick the one that works well where you live unless you live in a city or near a trunk road where the four providers all give fair coverage. 3 / Orange ( the same company ) seem to have the best deals most of the time. For the £200 plus I pay for my landline bb I think you can get 50Gb a year download on 3G. Speeds seem to be around old broadband levels (512k) upwards in a fair to good coverage area. Anyway I will see what I can borrow.

Ref BT they make no promises ref actual speeds I see IDnet get 4460k average tps speeds on a nationwide test on Speedtest.net which against the Uk average of 4203kbps showing the difference between very good ISP and an average one is small the main difference is the service and back up.  

Interestingly BT shows as 3400k for my exchange and 3000k average for my county. Not sure how that gives me and others less than 1000kbps. I know these are averages but they are based on actual real world throughputs , not on geek stuff like IPprofiles and sync rates which are all artificial figures not real, actual tps measure a providers( ISP plus network plus local loop)  actual overall real world service levels. Its no good having a fast ISP on a slow connection or a poor ISP on a cable or ADSL 2 type line. The judgement based is the actual overall rate and of course the bottom line the price of each along with less measurable things like service desk effectiveness.

Thanks to all for the help I will keep you informed and would value your further advice. I will only believe BT is upgrading the exchange when my rates get nearer to the county average of 3000kbps for BT based ISPs. But if they do after 3years of this I will thank them as well.

[Sebby]

Best of luck.

[Glenn]

Hairyman, just to let you know, 3 and Orange are different companies. 3 currently have peering agreement with T-Mobile, between them, they have formed MBNL www.mbnl.co.uk to provide mobile broadband coverage across the country.

4 days a week I work in Ericsson's Reading office supporting 3, and 1 day a week supporting MBNL in Amersham.

[hairyman]

Hi Glenn

I only know that Carphone Warehouse told me whilst I was investigating 3G coverage  that 3  handed over to Orange and vice versa when Data/voice  coverage was patchy with one. So a 3 phone would use Orange when 3 coverage was poor etc. Glad to hear someone uses T-mobile we were only talking about mobile phone networks at a works meeting and no one had a T - mobile or Virgin phone out of over thirty present. 

MBNL/3/Tmobile  sounds  a bit like Openreach and BT being seperate companies, and does anyone really think they are?  Still if all mobile providers shared hardware as happens elsewhere in the world  it might reduce the number of base station masts littering our countryside. British Rail and the Police are also adding their own masts to the mix!!

Regards Hairy

[davej99]

Lets hope BT's proposed upgrade will get a better speed for Hairyman. Were I in his position I would be delighted with Miriam's response in behalf of IDNET.

I have been following this thread with great interest because I was looking for reassurance that battle would be done on behalf of the customer. Anyone of us could experience a similar problem and we need an ISP that is not prepared to roll over. Miriam's post shows that IDNET is not content to give up in these circumstances. Moreover, sharing the facts of Hairyman's case is a very brave thing to do and it certainly builds confidence in the company. As we have seen in the past when problems have arisen, IDNET seems happy to keep us informed and more than able to deliver solutions.

[Rik]

As far as BT will let them.

[davej99]

What counts for me, Rik, is did IDNET do battle on behalf of the customer. I think the answer is a very definite yes and I will be surprised if BT do not make some progress. Their infrastructure is creaking, but they are not alone. Many ISPs are too and it is very, very easy to blame BT for that.

I thought Miriam's post struck a more positive tone and demonstrated any ability to work with BT and develop solutions. If I was BT reading this thread I would be pleased with the line IDNET has taken and more inclined to  help in the future, not least because it seems IDNET keeps its own house in good order.

I am beginning to think the art of a good ISP is hand holding customers on one side and BT on the other. So far I do not think IDNET make a bad fist of it. But then I am 2km from the exchange, enjoying 6.7Mbps all the time and do not have a broadband care in the world. Now that really is tempting fate.

[Rik]

I agree with you, Dave. IDNet have worked hard to build a relationship with BT which allows them to get things done where other ISPs might struggle, if they could be bothered to take up the cudgels in the first place. It's that kind of service that we pay a premium price for.

[hairyman]

Hi All

Thanks to all for the support , thanks to Idnet for all their work for me and us all. I will reserve thanks to BT until I get a fair speed on my connection. If I could average the county average for BT Ipstream users of 3meg ish that would be great.

Extra thanks will go to all when I see a change. Don't forget I have been on this low rate of below a 1000kbps for about three years with no one giving any productive help until now or even giving an explanation (other than nothing can be done that is).

I will monitor the speeds ,if they improve I will then work on the line problem with BT voice this  gives random disconnects in batches at a time then none for days weeks, they are weather related and get worse after several days of dry weather .

[Rik]

Sounds like a bat joint somewhere, Hairy. Whether they will spend the time required to locate it is another matter, of course.

[Glenn]

Sounds like a bat joint somewhere, Hairy. Whether they will spend the time required to locate it is another matter, of course.

So that will be in a dark place somewhere 

[Rik]

 

Well hung...

[Steve]

Well hung...

Who is?

[Rik]

Die Fledermaus.

[Sebby]

[hairyman]

Who is this well hung bat on cannabis.   
Or
Maybe BT need a bat detector to find my skunk?

[hairyman]

Speedtest at 0824 Sunday morning lets see what happens over the next 8 days

[Rik]

Who is this well hung bat on cannabis.   

Do you want the long version or the short one?