Slow fibre internet

[DIYspanner]

I've had several live chats with TT tech department and they seem to think the decline in speed is due to new customers that TT has taken on in recent months is my area. I recall the Openreach engineer, who fitted the FTTC plate, telling me that 10'000 signals could be sent along one fibre cable. Well since I live in a village, contention should not be an issue.

 

[DIYspanner]

Another interesting aspect. Now when I get calls, instead of the 'ring ring', its now only 'ring'. I have a couple of two wire phones on extension sockets which I cabled myself and have worked fine for 6 years.

Does the 'ring ring' changing to 'ring' signify anything?

 

[Diver Fred]

Does the 'ring ring' changing to 'ring' signify anything?

Without fully knowing the way your 'phone/BB is externally cabled / sourced I can only take a few guesses...

Is your dial tone as was before the change in ring cadence? Including level as well as note.

Can you make (Landline) calls to friends satisfactorily? If you can then I still say your problem is a dodgy connection between FTTC and 'phone cab where the 2 systems are connected together.

Do you know if your line is TT provided or 'wholesaled' from BT? It is possible with a number of TT customers in an exchange that TT have physical kit located in the exchange.

Is your line ex-Shared Service? is the earth connection still in place? (not been used since around 1988 depending when your area went to 'digital' exchanges)

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Another interesting aspect. Now when I get calls, instead of the 'ring ring', its now only 'ring'. I have a couple of two wire phones on extension sockets which I cabled myself and have worked fine for 6 years.

Does the 'ring ring' changing to 'ring' signify anything?

Might indicate that the 'ring' or anti-tinkle wire has not been correctly connected.

 

[DIYspanner]

The two phones I have, both plugged into extension sockets, are 2 wire so I only have wires 2 and 5 connected in all socket including the master which is the FTTC type with a mk2 filter plate fitted. I've checked all connections again this morning. All is well.

If I were to get a new filter plate, I'd get a mk3 type.

It seems to me TT tech department is manned by folk who have set of questions on the screen but no real tech know how.

I'll wait till there's an Oprenreach in the village next and speak to them.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

It seems to me TT tech department is manned by folk who have set of questions on the screen but no real tech know how.

They do have some genuine technical staff, but they put staff with a script blocking you from getting through to them, along with lots of long calls to the none tech staff. I found you had to become very pi@@ed of the their none tech staff, to get put through.

I'll wait till there's an Oprenreach in the village next and speak to them.

They are not as good or as knowledgeable as the engineers used to be, back in the day.

 

[Diver Fred]

Doubt an OR technician is going to do more than pass the time of day with you as they so closely monitored nowadays.

Best you can do is to report the issue to your service provider, especially now your ring cadence has changed. Just keep onto them until they arrange a visit. Your problem sounds to be external - a dodgy joint in one leg.

Have a read of this it's old but still pretty accurate.

 

[Diver Fred]

telling me that 10'000 signals could be sent along one fibre cable.

Not strictly true - have a read of this.

 

[DIYspanner]

I've tested the ringing for an incoming call in the jack plug of the FTTC master. It gave a slow single 'ring' rather than the regular 'ring ring' I'm use to hearing. Evidence, I believe, of an external fault.

TT systems can't be much cop if they can't see a fault when there obviously is one.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

TT systems can't be much cop if they can't see a fault when there obviously is one.

It will depend very much upon the type of fault. It's a basic automated functional test. My own line is tested late evening, every evening for basic function. I know when the test happens, because my phones light up and show the words 'line cord disconnected'. TT, may in addition be able to ping your router and check your router responds and check how long it has been connected to their server.

 

[DIYspanner]

I'm going to ask TT to arrange Openreach to investigate. I'll be charged £40 if the fault's on my side but since the phone's ring cadence has changed, even at the test socket on the master, its seems evident its external.

 

[DIYspanner]

I contacted TT tech department to ask for an engineer to check the local Openreach and they've now told me there's an incident at the local exchange that will be resolved next month. They also confirmed if I don't get an improved service, I can exist my contract without charge. I used live chat and copied/pasted the chat to a word doc so they can't refute what they've agreed to.

 

[akwexavante]

My experience is that....

Less is more insofar as i would remove all telephone extensions within the property and have just one master BT socket only.

Change the BT socket to an NTE5+ box.

The master needs to be next to at least one mains electrical socket and if it isn't then create one near where the BT socket is. If you don't want to do this or can't then extend the existing telephone cabling to where you would like to have your master socket / router somewhere near a convenient mains' socket using twisted pair telephone or ethernet cable. I use ethernet cable on long runs because each pair is twisted tighter than telephone cabling and thus (i believe) reduces interference. Always use twisted pair cable, if the cable feels flat, and you can't freely roll it through your fingers then it's the wrong cable. Never run mains cables and data cables (ethernet and phone cables) side by side or bundle them up together with or without cable ties or string etc. Move the master socket onto the end of the extension though, don't add a slave and leave the existing master where it is.

You only need to connect up two wires only to terminals 2 & 5 (remove anything connected up to terminal 3). This may differ if you have an alarm system connected up to the phone line. It no longer matters which way around you connect up the wires. It does not matter which pair of coloured wires you use as long as you connect up the same colour pair at each end.

Never do a speed test from a wifi connected device if you want to get a reliable speed test, so use an ethernet connected desktop or laptop directly into the router and not via a switch or hub, an access point or home plug.

Things that can cause interference in the home are things such as heaters in fish tanks, flashing lights such as xmas tree lights, non-compliant devices and chargers, i've even known external road traffic signals interfere!