Weird download speed fault? Speed boosted by 0845 call.

[Leicalens]

I wonder if anyone has come across this weird one.

 

After a series of issues leading to BT engineers coming to "fix the fault" ( This included the engineer waffling about going to the main exchange and changing our main box to the "new style") we have been left with a really odd internet connection.

 

When plugged into the test plug everything works fine - although still a slower speed than before the fault (around 6000).

When plugged into another line in the house the speed varies from nothing at all up to 2000. I guess this implies that the fault is with the internal wiring, although I am convinced that he just wired it up wrongly in the new box as this wasn't a problem before.

 

Here's the weird bit though - when we ring Utility Warehouse (who provide our BT line) on the 0845 number, or when they ring us on the same number our speed jumps up to 6000+. When the call disconnects it gradually goes back down again to 1000 / off completely.

 

Can anyone tell us what's going on? Utility warehouse certainly can't - it's taken 5 phone calls to persuade them to order out another engineer.

[renegadeimp]

Sounds like dodgy wiring in your house, or more-so a dodgy front plate on your sockets. If you get a solid connection plugged into the master socket, then its 99.99% likely that your internal wiring isnt up to scratch.

 

As an example, my internet was VERY flaky a few weeks ago. It actually dropped down to 1458 when it should have been around 6200. Plugged router directly into master socket, and max speeds with no probs. Turned out that the BT installed faceplate was pretty much junk. Went on ebay, bought a third party one for £2 and havent had any issues since.

[Leicalens]

Thanks. That's half of what we were thinking - but that doesn't explain why the speed is boosted when we are on the phone though does it?! Interestingly, without any change whatsoever to anything in the house the speed has cone right back up today, no drop outs at all.

[renegadeimp]

If you have dodgy wiring, any number of things can happen.

[Leicalens]

UW sent out 2 BT engineers yesterday. They had been told to test the line again. They tested the line and it was fine. They were confused as to why they had not been instructed to replace the replacement main faceplate. They did however disconnect the bell wires (orange ones). Before they left the supervisor watched as we demonstrated the lack of internet access on both the wireless laptop and the ethernet PC. Both had no access until we rang an 0845 number. Once connected there was internet access on both machines and the speed was constant at 7000 download speed. As we watched the speed tests on the machines, we hung up and immediately both machines dropped their speeds to 0 with no access at all.

 

The BT engineer was surprised and told us that it looks like a broadband engineer is needed.

 

They sent in their reports and our ISP rang later in the day. They have suggested that they will send out an engineer who will sort out the problem on condition that if the problem is within the house then we need to pay for the call out and all charges. We feel this is fair because we are not expecting to have to pay for this as we have changed nothing ourselves within the house and everything was fine before it all started.

 

We have agreed to this. We simply want our phones and internet back to what it was before the disconnect/fault at the start of August and cannot imagine that the wiring within the house has changed if nobody has changed anything within it since it all happened apart from the replacement faceplate.

 

Maybe we should get the old faceplate out of the bin and put this back on to resolve the problem ourselves. We have now spent so much time trying to get this sorted out we are considering changing supplier, however they also supply our gas and electricity.

 

Fingers crossed for the next engineer.

 

Leicalens

[Leicalens]

The broadband engineer was a Talk Talk engineer. He arrived at 14:35 yesterday. He asked to see the main faceplate. He checked the line. He then asked to see the next phone socket that was in our bedroom. He told us that this telephone needs a filter on it. We walked back downstairs and I got one of our filters and put in on the line in the bedroom. The whole diagnosis and solution took 5 minutes if that. While the engineer was still there I checked both the PCs and rang my sister using all the telephones in the house.

 

So far we have had no more problems with the telephones or broadband. We are pleased that something so simple can have sorted the problem but annoyed that BT and UW did not tell us to put filters on all lines.

 

The solution still does not explain why for the 2 years we have lived here we had no problems with any of our service prior to the fault/disconnect at the start of August.

 

So to save yourselves a lot of hastle - ADD FILTERS TO ALL SOCKETS WITH A PHONE!!!

 

Good Luck to you.

 

We expect a large bill from UW now and have to consider changing suppliers for all utilities.

 

Leicalens

[renegadeimp]

You shouldnt have to add a filter to all phones. Just the line the phone is connected to

[wobbly]

They have probably got more than one phone so filter required for each socket that has a phone

[renegadeimp]

Thats not how it works though. Only the socket with the router needs the filter. Unless it is an archaic system where the other lines are based from an extension, instead of having a sub socket leading directly off from the master.

[wobbly]

No it doesnt,all sockets which have a phone plugged in require the filter unit,otherwise the phone shorts the lines high frequency carrier which is what the broadband is carried on.