Trouble-free BT BB until switching from Eircom to BT Line Rental

I've had reasonably solid BB provision from BT for about 4 years - at best, I'd measure my connection around 2.4Mbit rather than the 3Mbit I was paying for but I was reasonably happy with it. Then, about a month ago, I took up the combined calls+BB package from BT which meant transferring line rental from Eircom to BT. At more or less the same time, my broadband went down and has not recovered since.

I've tried both the original BT modem and a Belkin router/modem. The former will sync for about 10-20 seconds during which time it's impossible to load a webpage, then the connection is dropped and this process repeats indefinitely. The Belkin will hold where it got to with a webpage and (eventually) gets to completely load but around half the speed of dialup at best.

After being bounced around between Customer Care and Tech Support, the line was tested and was reportedly fine - this despite the fact that I'd even lost the dial tone at this stage. The dial tone has now been restored but the original connect/disconnect recycling remains. When the modem connected, I was getting a noise margin of around 12dB receive - in response to this, the only suggestion now out of BT is that I step down my connection to 1Mbit, even though nothing to my knowledge has changed from 2 weeks ago when all was well.

My suspicions regarding this BB fault arising after 4 years continuous use at the precise moment I switch from Eircom line rental to BT I should probably keep to myself. But whatever, it seems I either accept that my line has inexplicably degraded (and even 1Mbit may be a step too far) or that a problem has arisen with the main socket in the house - since this is all that hasn't yet been tested.

Anyone had any experience like this ?

setanta74

My phone went dead in November for 10 days before eircom decided they wanted to fix it. In that time my DSL broadband worked perfectly. The techie came out and fixed the phone. No explanation as to what went wrong. He did some re-wiring in my main socket.

Anyway the upshot was since that day my broadband has not worked properly with the exact same problems you have mentioned above i.e half the speed of dialup.

4 months later and half a dozen calls to eircom support I have given up. The only thing not tested was the socket. They had the nerve to tell me it was firewalls on my PC slowing my connection speed!!! I'm getting rid of eircom this morning.

CptSternn

Thats an Eircom issue, not BT. Eircom actually owns the lines, and causes problems like this when you switch to BT or other companies. I can sit here and tell you a DOZEN or more similar stories, a few of which I personally experienced, of when switching FROM Eircom how all these problems occur.

BT will get it sorted, but only after Eircom stops screwing with your line.

I had this happen TWICE when I moved into a new flat (switching the current flatmates line from Eircom to BT+BB).

I think the logic behind it is, if you get fed up with issues you will switch back to Eircom. The reality is, it's Eircom's issue, and they know this. A BT tech told me this happens regularly.

MajorMax

CptSternn wrote: »

. A BT tech told me this happens regularly.

Oh and he wouldn't lie would he? "It's not my fault it's someone else's fault" That's as reliable as "My mate said" or "a bloke in the pub said"

MajorMax

MajorMax wrote: »

Oh and he wouldn't lie would he? "It's not my fault it's someone else's fault" That's as reliable as "My mate said" or "a bloke in the pub said"

BT told me the same and obviously it does sound like an excuse. Nevertheless, the chances of the switchover coinciding with a sudden and dire drop off in line quality would be somewhat small, I would have thought given that the phone line isn't supposed to have changed.

Ecu

Hi Gloria Victorious Giant, are you still with BT, has the line quality improved?

Hi,

Yeah, still with BT. I downgraded to 1mbit, ditched the modem they supplied me which kept disconnecting and reverted to the Belkin router/modem and stability was restored. I then asked to be upgraded back to 2mbit with their "at your own risk" caveat. I was expressly told this would be a waste of time. I immediately got a 4mbit connection which has been stable ever since. If only all such wastes of time could be so productive. The noise margin I'm getting now is 6.4 downstream, attenuation 53.5 so I think 4mbit is the best I can manage with that arrangement.