BT Connect - Major Problems

kwikbreaks

Well without the router stats I can't be 100% sure but it looks very much to me like your line has had a fixed profile applied to it by the BTw line management routines. If that is the case you will find that your router stats report a modest attenuation (I'd guess at 35dB or less based on your earlier speeds) and a very high downstream noise margin of 20dB or more.

Now why you suddenly got allocated that profile is a bit of a mystery but getting the stats again when everything is connected normally may throw some light on it - if it is your internal wiring screwing you up I'd expect to see a significantly lower noise margin than when connected to the test socket if the fault is still there.

Until you come up with some stats though I can't really offer any more comments on this. If it is an ISP issued router then they should be able to take you through getting the stats but I don't hold out a lot of hope because just the stats from the BT tester are a huge clue as to why your speeds are low if not how they got that way and if the ISP rep is puzzled then it isn't a very technical tech rep you've been dealing with.

Anna*_2-2

I really appreciate the help so far.

I have run a test from the 2 Wire router, results as follows:

Link Test:

DSL Synchronization UP
G. DMT ATM Signal UP
PVC Connection UP
PPPoA Service UP
PPP Authentication UP
IP Connection UP
DNS Communication UP

DSL Diagnostics:

Physical Line 1

General Information

DSL Line (Wire Pair): Line 1 (inner pair) Downstream Rate Cap: 576 kbps
Downstream Atten. at 300kHz: 21.7 dB Uncancelled Echo: -12.3 dB Ok
VCXO Frequency Offset: 26.7 ppm Ok
Final Rx Gain: 15.5 dB Ok
Impulse Noise Comp. Tones: 0 Ok
Excessive Impulse Noise: 0 Ok
Impulse noise protection: 11.13
Delay of latency path: 8.00 ms



I have just noticed that when I look at the status of my connection it states:
IPv4 Connectivity: Internet
IPv6 Connectivity: No internet access

kwikbreaks

The low reported attenuation confirms that your line should be capable of maximum sync. There is no noise margin shown though which would have been the clincher had you been able to take stats both in the test socket and connected normally.

I think you need to get back to the ISP and insist on speaking to the next level support as your line should be capable of supporting far higher than your profile is allowing it to.

Can't you find a standard stats page?

You can ignore "IPv6 Connectivity: No internet access"

Anna*_2-2

Thank you KB.

I pretty much read out your email to 'customer support' and they are sending a broadband engineer round today. Was supposed to be here at 1pm it is now 4pm. I'm going to make him a !!!! cup of tea if he does decide to show up.

Your advice is really appreciated.

Anna*_2-2

Just an update. The BT broadband engineer spent about 2 hours going through everything with a fine tooth comb. The router is working fine and is configured correctly, my line is also fine. He changed the ADSL box as a precaution. He then phoned the call centre to say that they must increase my speed to what it was before as I am working on a system that is slower than dial up. They said that they would up the speed within 3 hours. They haven't bothered to restore my service and don't seem to be bothered that I cannot run my business.

Really not sure what to do now as the complaints department don't care, technical support are useless as are customer services. I would love to terminate my expensive contract with them but am I able to with 12 months to go on it?

Any advice would we gratefully received.

espresso

Anna* wrote: »

Just an update. The BT broadband engineer spent about 2 hours going through everything with a fine tooth comb. The router is working fine and is configured correctly, my line is also fine. He changed the ADSL box as a precaution. He then phoned the call centre to say that they must increase my speed to what it was before as I am working on a system that is slower than dial up. They said that they would up the speed within 3 hours. They haven't bothered to restore my service and don't seem to be bothered that I cannot run my business.

Really not sure what to do now as the complaints department don't care, technical support are useless as are customer services. I would love to terminate my expensive contract with them but am I able to with 12 months to go on it?

Any advice would we gratefully received.

Send an e-mail to [EMAIL="ian.livingston@bt.com"]ian.livingston@bt.com[/EMAIL] explaining your problem and it will be looked into promptly. It should not be necessary to contact the CEO but having done this myself, this I know that it does get problems resolved very quickly.

Anna*_2-2

Just an update, my upload speed was still laughable this morning (1Mb). I phoned the BT Connect 'manager', went a bit mental on the phone explaining that I have not been able to work all week and that there was nothing wrong with my line or equipment......within 5 minutes amazingly my Mb went up to nearly 8Mb.

They had capped my speed and wouldn't admit it.

Thank you for all your help and that email address may well come in handy.

Now to catch up with work.......:(

brewerdave

Probably capacity issues at your exchange - they (and other ISPs) seem to just select people at random to cap,hoping that they won't notice.My S-I-L had a similar very slow connection with TalkTalk;he had to threaten cancellation(he was out of contract) before they finally put him on to 2nd level Tech support - who solved his problem within 15 minutes! Speed jumped back to ~ 7Mb from an unreliable 700Kb!

kwikbreaks

Glad to hear you got it sorted.

I don't think there was any deliberate action to scupper your connection - the abysmally poor BTw automated DLM is quite capable of screwing you up without manual assistance. It seems to have got worse since I was able to ditch the BT products a couple of years ago initially for LLU and now to cable following BT's inability to fix a line fault.

Anna*_2-2

After my last post, when I was running at 7Mb after all the hassle with BT, about a week later my speed dropped to 1MB and now I am running at 0.43Mbps. I have spent the past three weeks speaking to 'tech support' who are reading from a manual, each one has a different idea as to why I cannot got a proper connection ranging from "it's to do with your Christmas lights being on".....(I don't have lights in my office) to "it must be one of your neighbour's burglar alarms that has slowed your line down". I really have heard it all.

In short, the engineer that initially came round has given my equipment the all clear. BT Connect really couldn't give a stuff about me not being able to work. I phoned 'customer services' to ask them politely to release me from my contract as they are not providing me with their service level agreement (the contract has another 12 months to run). The 'customer services' rep barked at me that I should be happy with a speed of 0.50Mbps and that if I want to terminate my contract it will cost of £300 + VAT. I am reluctant to pay them off until they fix or admit that they cannot fix the problem.

I really do not know who to turn to at BT or what to do?