Starting from scratch - ISP recommendations

[Biggsy]

So what I learn from this is that I shouldn't even bother asking a provider to attempt to speed up the service.  I just accept it's shit, or vote with my feet.

[Ham]

This could be an alternative choice.....




(courtesy of Engrish.com)

[inc]

So what I learn from this is that I shouldn't even bother asking a provider to attempt to speed up the service.  I just accept it's shit, or vote with my feet.

If you complain to your provider about speed there are just a few things they can do one of which is check what signal strength ( Connection Speed,  Noise Margin Downstream/Upstream and  Current Attenuation from your router) you are getting where the BT line enters your property. You seem unwilling to help them with this, every ISP will ask for the same thing. If the problem is with your phone wiring is downstream of the BT test socket that is for you to sort out, upstream it is for your ISP and BT to sort out. As pointed out upthread cheap ADSL deals means a stack em high sell it cheap these  ISP get  problems with contention so throttling happens hence slow speeds. Decent ISPs  charge more as it is generally just the BT wholesale costs are higher for less contended lines. Then there are issues with your exchange congestion.  To ask your ISP to " speed up the service" is optimistic to say the least, if only it was so simple.

[tonycollinet]

The main reason you are asked to jump through the hoops, is because if the tests are not done, and bt arrive to find a fault in your end of the line, they'll happily charge you £140. This is somthing imposed by BT, not the ISP. The ISP is just trying to ensure you don't get charged.

[Biggsy]

I know, but if the ISP can't speed up my service from their end then I don't want them to get BT to do anything if it means a charge.  If the ISP can't do anything then they could at least tell me that.  They haven't.

There is no test socket that I know of.  It's an old house with nothing done by BT for yonks.

The fact remains that I had a better service from Virgin, all with the same line and hardware.

[ian]

I know, but if the ISP can't speed up my service from their end then I don't want them to get BT to do anything if it means a charge.  If the ISP can't do anything then they could at least tell me that.  They haven't.

There is no test socket that I know of.  It's an old house with nothing done by BT for yonks.

The fact remains that I had a better service from Virgin, all with the same line and hardware.

To be fair to them, until you've verified that you don't have a local issue, they're probably not going to speculate on what else they can do. There's not some big speed dial they can turn if you ask them. You'd be helping yourself by jumping through the hoops.

The test socket usually lurks behind the faceplate of your main line socket. If you unscrew that, it should become apparent.

[Biggsy]

It's only fair to me to tell me they can't speed up the service if there's no physical problem at my end.  So nevermind about being fair to them.

People complain of "throttling".  What's that if it's not effectively a big speed dial?

Thanks for telling where the test socket might be.  The arseholes PlusNet didn't.

[Greenbank]

It's only fair to me to tell me they can't speed up the service if there's no physical problem at my end.  So nevermind about being fair to them.

People complain of "throttling".  What's that if it's not effectively a big speed dial?

Throttling can be used to slow down the connections of heavy users so that the other people that share the same uplink from the exchange aren't slowed down as much (so they get a small speed increase).

Think of it as a speed limiter on a car. You can use a limiter to stop it going over 100mph but a speed limiter isn't going to make a car that can do 120mph go any faster than that.

[Biggsy]

I did go over my download limit one month, so I wonder if they are punishing me?

Anyway, I apologise for my bad temper and hijacking on this thread.  I'm just so disappointed with the service and communication I'm getting, or not getting.  I shouldn't take it out on you nice guys!

[Biggsy]

Now found and plugged into the test socket.  Still the same speed.

[inc]

Now found and plugged into the test socket.  Still the same speed.

Your figure looks like a line speedtest but the figure you are connected to the exchange at will give a better indication of your line's potential and whether you are being throttled, you can get this from your router, they all vary but something like  192.168.1.1 in your browser bar should bring up your router admin page. The speed you are connected at should be the speed you get and the speed at the socket may be higher than elsewhere but if you are being throttled  you won't know  as a speedtest will just show what your ISP is giving you. Speed is dependent on the line length and your speed looks low to me for an urban area, I am 4.5 Km from my exchange and connected at over 5000 kbps

[Biggsy]

I was getting over 5000 kbps from Virgin (my previous ISP) on the same line, same router.

I've been told by PlusNet the line potential is 6000 kbps.

[inc]

I was getting over 5000 kbps from Virgin (my previous ISP) on the same line, same router.

I've been told by PlusNet the line potential is 6000 kbps.

Plus net are crap, change your ISP but it still may not get you better speeds if it is your local exchange or a hardware problem. I would check your line details from your router first. I  get 1000 kbs difference between different routers on the same line.

some comparisons

thinkbroadband :: Compare broadband service providers

[Biggsy]

It's the same nice expensive router that I was getting greater speed with before.

I can connect to the router via a browser, but can't see line details.  I don't want to bother with that anyway.

I've decided to switch ISPs, but it's complicated by having my phone service with Plusnet too.

[tonycollinet]

Bigsy

It is worth doing some checks. If the problem is line related, then they will just follow you to a new ISP.

If you follow this link (plusnet info) what does it say "current line speed" is? (You may need to log in)

https://portal.plus.net/my.html?action=data_transfer_speed


What router do you have?

[Biggsy]

If you follow this link (plusnet info) what does it say "current line speed" is? (You may need to log in)

https://portal.plus.net/my.html?action=data_transfer_speed


What router do you have?

Thanks.

"Estimated line speed: 6Mb (Accurate to within +/- 1Mbit) - Checked on 2010-11-24 12:35:48
Current line speed: 3.5 Mb".

The router is Belkin F5D865-4.

[tonycollinet]

What about if you do a bt speed test at
Test Result

If you post the results back here, it will tell us if that 3.5mb/s comes from BT or plusnet. If it is coming from BT, then it is not going to get better at another ISP unless whatever is causing the issue is fixed first.

[Biggsy]

Test1 comprises of two tests

1. Best Effort Test: -provides background information.

   Download Speed
   3406 Kbps
    
0 Kbps   4000 Kbps
Max Achievable Speed

 Download speedachieved during the test was - 3406 Kbps
 For your connection, the acceptable range of speedsis 1200-4000 Kbps.
 Additional Information:
 Your DSL Connection Rate :4524 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 440 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
 IP Profile for your line is - 3500 Kbps
The throughput of Best Efforts (BE) classes achieved during the test is - 19.78:22.32:57.92 (SBE:NBE:PBE)
These figures represent the ratio while sententiously passing Sub BE, Normal BE and Priority BE marked traffic.

The results of this test will vary depending on the way your ISP has decided to use these traffic classes.

2. Upstream Test: -provides background information.

   Upload Speed
   350 Kbps
    
0 Kbps   440 Kbps
Max Achievable Speed

>Upload speed achieved during the test was - 350 Kbps
 Additional Information:
 Upstream Rate IP profile on your line is - 440 Kbps

[pcolbeck]

It's not your ISP then Biggsy it's BT. You IP Profile is stuck at 3500 Kbps and your actually managing to get 3406 Kbps which is close enough. Since you DLS synch speed is 4524 Kbps your IP profile is correct. See here for a list of synch speeds versus possible IP profiles.

I doubt you can get BT to do anything about this as they will see this as a reasonably solid connection rate. If next door gets 8Mb/s then you may have some leverage but it's probably just the distance you are from the exchange.

[Biggsy]

Ok thanks.  So, being paranoid, I expect Virgin arranged for BT to downgrade my line after I complained about their customer service.  I was getting over 5 meg with Virgin, but they weren't cheap (considering the phone package I had).

[pcolbeck]

Your synch speed may have dropped for some reason (interference on the line or such) you can try switching your ADSL router off an back on again and see if it synchs higher. If it does then your IP profile should catch up after a few days (usually three but sometimes more). DO NOT keep switching your router on and off repeatedly as the BT equipment will see this as an unstable connection and drop your IP profile as it tries to lower the speed until you get a stable connection.

[ian]

Ok thanks.  So, being paranoid, I expect Virgin arranged for BT to downgrade my line after I complained about their customer service.  I was getting over 5 meg with Virgin, but they weren't cheap (considering the phone package I had).

I think that short of Richard Branson breaking into your local exchange with a crowbar, this is an unlikely scenario. Anyway, if you annoy Virgin, the standard punishment is an indeterminate wait at Crewe.

Oddly, despite years of being stuck with a sync of less than 4000 KB/s, mine has now crept up to a breathless 5000. Probably that dropped piece of the engineer's sandwich has finally worked loose.

[tonycollinet]

When you started with plusnet, you probably restarted the 10 day "training period". If there were any significant line drops duirng this time, then the IP profile would be reduced. (Do you keep your routrer on 24/7?)

Plusnet will (if you ask them) reset the system and put you into another training period. If you keep your router undisturbed during that time, and the line is stable, you should see an increase to the speeds you had with Virgin.

Tell them about those speeds when you ask for the training period to be restarted. Ask through the ticket system rather than by email.

[Biggsy]

Router is kept on 24/7, but reset occasionally.  Thanks for the tip about the training period request.  That sounds hopeful.

[Charlotte]

Update:

BT OpenReacharound have just left the building and I've fired up the router.  Hurrah!  No more shonky mobile internets!

This is not just any old internets... This is Andrews and Arnold internets