Help please before I get a huge BT bill re internet problems

pseudopensioner

Thanks for the info folks.

Whatever buttons the BT folks 'tweaked' appears to have done the trick, first night in months I've been able to use the internet.

I will chat to them about BT Total Broadband with the help you've given me.

:beer: on this old lady:A

SuzySF

may be the wrong place but had a look around !!

i have ongoing problems with connection- it's been going on for 10+ yrs. first it was dial-up and it would improve with broadband - that came - eventually - and its still the same. connection drops out - sometimes router is flashing amber and not connecting for 3 or more hours. when it is connected the green lights are flashing. I am 4.7 km form the main exchange...have complained to ISP and BT. I now just ring once a month and log a line faults on phone. I have a BT installed filter socket (no dangly filters) and this is the one and only socket in the house. no extensions. router (as was adsl modem) directly connect to main socket. BT confirmed no problem in the house/computer but its the line. Numerous engineers have said the line is old and cannot carry Bb'nd and needs to be upgraded. Several houses here on the small estate have this same problem. all complain regularly. i have written to BT Newcastle (Bb'nd HQ) but nothing...is it worth doing Ofcom. speed is showing as 512 kbps but is actually reporting 423 kbps down speed and 230 kbps upspeed. tho BT say 2 meg is available up to 6km roll out (and more!! 3 mls away they get 8meg+ ggrrrr) also pay same as sister to ISP and BT but she gets better serivice than i do !! wouldnt be so mad but 1/2 ml away they get 2 meg and 1 m other direction off next big exchange they get 4 meg (i equidstant 3 mls from each exchange )
what can i do?? who can i contact now ?

SuzySF

p.s. the times of the drop out/no connection are random - i logged it for months at BT request. no time pattern at all !!!! nor does the weather affect it ( as was suggested by BT operative lol --rain in the joints ...too windy..leaves hitting the wires ???)

pseudopensioner

Have the engineers been to your house and found nothing amiss?

Surely, if it is their external cabling that is at fault then you must have some form of comeback.

Just to add, my connection continues to be good following on from the engineers visit last week.

I remain very thankful for the help on these boards.

gorblimeyguvnor

Post your line stats - http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/frogstats.htm downstream/upstream .
BT do install those filtered faceplates free of charge if you have had problems due to line length which suggests there is nothing more that can be done if you are on a fixed line rate.
Weather does indeed play a part and you will find problems get worse as the nights get longer due to interference etc..

Old_Skool

Hi SuzySF,

There are many factors that can effect your line length.

The first thing is that BT has fitted an NTE adsl face plate which is a good start. You have also said that this is your only socket which rules out faulty extension wiring as this can impact on the line length.

Other devices such as a sky box can also have an effect.

It's possible that your external line is not routed as direct as it could be to the exchange. If the cable routes in your area are running close to capacity it is a possibility that service has been provided via a different cable to a neighbour and is routed through different roadside cabs and arrives at the exchange on a different cable - this can increases the line length.

There is nothing wrong with this as the phone network was originally designed for voice, before the days of data.

I would ask BT to check the route to see if there was a more direct route available to the exchange to reduce your line length to try to help stabalise the service.

Another factor is the external cable type - the optimum service is designed to run over copper but there are still aluminium cables in the network.

Again could ask BT to check if there are any aluminium cables in your route as the connections are known to corrode causing high resistance - this effects data more than voice to start with.

All the above may be irrelevant to yourself but after 10 years of trouble anything is worth a go.

Hope this helps.