BT broadband

Markjf

Hi all,

As you may have read from some of my previous posts, I am having problems with my BB here in Maynooth, the latest is that in the evening my 2mb line dies and I am lucky to get 200kbs. I have been on to BT support over the last month or so and they finally rang me back today to tell me that they would have to down grade me to 1mb as my line can't take it.

Personally I think this is bull**** as my line is fine during the day and I get full and steady 1.71mb but once it hits 4.30/5 o’clock when most people come home from school and work, my line starts to drop.

I know that the 2mb packet has a contention ratio of 48/1 so I asked if they would upgrade me to the next package, 3mb contention ratio 24/1 but they said I would have to ring customer service myself which I did, they said it would cost me 30 euro to upgrade to 3mb and if it didn’t solve the problem it would cost me 30 euro to down grade again.

I really think this is a capacity issue, be it on BT or Eircom’s side but there answer to it is to downgrade me.

Do any of you have any thoughts on this or even having similar problems I would like to here from you.

Thanks Mark.

skyhighflyer

I can't offer a solution to your issue but I was interested to notice that your download spped is exactly 1.71 Mb too... that's exactly what I get on the same BT package (Naas exchg.)

Markjf

Hi skyhighflyer,

Is the 1.71mb download speed you get pretty steady at different times of the day or do you loose speed in the evenings like I do?


Mark.

Gandalf23

Hi Guys

I recently downgraded from 3mb to 2mb with BT. I'm currently based in Kilcullen, so working off the Naas exchange too.

My speeds since downgrade have been about 300mb at peak times. When I had the 3mb connection, speeds were always over 2mb/sec even at peak times.

This 2mb BT line is absolute crap... I'm thinking of switching back up to 3mb.

kaizersoze

Markjf,
What are the line stats on the modem? (ie. Line attenuation and SNR).
Check them when the speed is good during the day and in the evening when it's bad.
Btw, ther is a charge for downgrades but upgrades are free afaik.

Markjf

Hi kaizersoze,

BT customer support told me yesterday that I would be charged to up and down grade my connection, but you know what they are like and if I rang today I would probable get a different answer.

I have attached a speed test and line noise test for this morning if you would like to have a look, I will do another one later to show you the comparison.


Thanks Mark.

Sponge Bob

keep and eye on those line stats and tell us how they go.

if there is a correlation between crap stats and crap speeds at a given time of day then either

1. there is sporadic interference between you and eircom exchange, maybe neighbour plugs in sky box when they get home

2. The eircom dslam in the exchange has a problem / issue of some sort

or if you are really unlucky

BOTH

kaizersoze

Both those sets of figures look fine for 2mb. The line stats look ok to support 3mb and higher.
Go to www.irishisptest.com/myspeed and do a speed test there. You have to register (free) but it's more accurate and stores your last 10 results for comparison. That Eircom one is crap.
As the Sponge said, see if your line stats go haywire in the evening.

Markjf

I do use irish speed test all the time, don't know why I didn't this morning, but here is a speedtest from there now.



thanks Mark.

Scruff

i have bt 3mb but use the netopia 3343(?) wireless router from eircom. I mainly use the wifi to connect and notice that the speeds can drop drastically the longer the router has been left on. A reset normally fixes it.
Anyone else have this kind of problem?
Using the lan cable the speeds are fine.

/aside 2000th post! w00t!

/edit
look what i spotted on the randomly displayed quotes\sayings on www.theinquirer.net today (attached) Ha!

jor el

I have BT 3Mb in Limerick and it's always fine. Yesterday morning it was bouncing around at the low end, but by the evening it was fine again. I can consistantly get 340-360MBps (that's 2.7-2.8Mbps or my 3Mb) which is pretty damn good. I also find that after a while (maybe every few weeks) I need to reset both the Zyxel modem and my Belkin wireless router or things can go funny. I haven't noticed any real difference in speeds between evening (peek) and daytime speeds though.

Markjf, if your problems only surface in the evenings then it could well be a contention issue due to capacity. Given BT's track record on customer service I wouldn't expect them to realise this, or care. Upgrading to take advantage of the lower contention might help, but as you say it comes at a cost. Downgrading might also make it worse as your contention will be the same, but upload and download max speeds will be reduced.

Markjf

Well I am back with some speed and noise test as my download speed begins it journey towards dialup for another evening:mad:

markol

I am still waiting for my modem after 5 weeks. 3 weeks ago I called BT Ireland and asked why my modem hadn't been delivered. They said I had to pay a deposit because I was tennant and not the house owner. I asked whay I hadn't been informed of this and they said I should have got a letter. I didn't.

So I paid the deposit and waited for my modem. No sign of it. I also didn't get a receipt for paying my deposit and had to ask for one.

Again I called and asked what the delay was. The customer rep looked into it and said that nothing had been done since I called last. I asked him if anything would have been done if I hadn't called them and he said "To be honest, probably not". This isnt acceptable.

So Im still waiting for my modem. What are the chances of getting it soon? Dont know.

Over the 5 weeks I received no contact of any kind from BT Ireland. Disgraceful service.

Markjf

And the slide continous, but the noise margin stays the same ?

Markjf

Well Guys,

From the test above do any of you think I have a case to get back onto BT or is there anything else I could test?
As you can see my speed drops way down but my line noise stays the same so is it a line problem or not?

I just don't want to give them ****ers more money to upgrade when they just don't want to solve the problem; they seem to have the same answer for everything,
”your line can’t take it, we will have to downgrade you”

God if there was another option I would leave them now but with all the ISA using Eircoms network it’s going from the frying pan to the fire:(

Thanks Mark.

Sponge Bob

If the s/n figures are not mutable but the connection degrades over time anyway then I suspect a dodgy modem is the cause , some component heats up or something.

Fortunately BT Technical Support are highly competent and professional , unlike their appalling Billing and CS droids and with the data you have already collected there I would say they can be easily persuaded to organise a swapout .

Tell us what they say , 1800924924 is their number. Refer to this thread.

Markjf

Hi Sponge Bob,

I got a new Zyxel prestige 660RU-T1 ADSL2+ about two months ago form them when I was having different line problems so I can't see them sending out another one.

Would a faulty router cause the problem considering it's on all day and only in the evening it starts to affect my connection?
I have noticed it does get very hot, even now the top and more so the bottom or quit hot.


Thanks Mark

Sponge Bob

can you maybe dangle it off a coat hanger to get some air circulation going all around ???

nearlyhappy

Sponge Bob wrote:

can you maybe dangle it off a coat hanger to get some air circulation going all around ???

LOL

Markjf

Sponge Bob wrote:

can you maybe dangle it off a coat hanger to get some air circulation going all around ???

I will try that, at this stage I would pi** on it if i thought it would work:)

Sponge Bob

Also test what happens if you turn it off for a half hour and turn it on again ....say around 7pm .. it all helps .

If you still feel the need to use your personal water cooling system on it I recommend short squirts in case it discharges a capacitor and ....emmm ..... toasts your scroats

Markjf

Sponge Bob wrote:

If you still feel the need to use your personal water cooling system on it I recommend short squirts in case it discharges a capacitor and ....emmm ..... toasts your scroats

Thanks Sponge Bob,
I will keep that in mind, the wife wouldn't be to happy if I damaged the wedding tackle:rolleyes:

Sponge Bob

Before you piss read this


maybe there are some bad ones out there and you got 2 from the same batch which is extra unlucky of course but ultimately not worth a tenderised testicle

Markjf

Sponge Bob wrote:

Before you piss read this


maybe there are some bad ones out there and you got 2 from the same batch which is extra unlucky of course but ultimately not worth a tenderised testicle

Yes I think I will have to go down the route of a new router. I play a lot of Xbox live on the 360 so I was thinking of getting a router that's on there compatible list because I am having some problems with that as well.


Mark.

I am in Dublin but am now having the same problem. THe speed is terrible. THis has only happened over the last week or so. Its very noticable.

Rainy Day

Same here, in the last week or so my BT connection is terrible in the evenings. :mad:

Markjf

Well I am back,

and I don't know whether it was the fact that I posted here, are that I rang BT on Wednesday inquiring on how to disconnect from there serves, or just the fact that it was a nice evening last night and there was no one online, but whatever reason my connection last night was perfect.

Someone somewhere did something as this is the first time in months that I have had a decent BB series in the evening.
So if it's the same tonight I hope this puts an end to my problem and also proves once and for all that it's not my line that is the problem.

I would like to thank you all for your help especially Sponge Bob and hope I won't be back tomorrow crying again about my speeds.

Mark

Rainy Day

It was fine for me also last night but it started to go downhill at about 10pm as opposed to 6-7pm. Didn't stay on any later to see how bad it got.

Cooee

Something has badly gone wrong with BT in the last few days for sure. I was happily up in the 1.5Mb zone. At the moment I am around 370 Kbps :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

nearlyhappy

I rekon the Billing dept have taken over the Internet Access Dept..


:rolleyes:

peckerhead

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