topic Re: Lower download speed since contract renewal......why?? in Fibre

Lower download speed since contract renewal......why??

5guitars — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 10:23:32 GMT

I've been an AOL/TalkTalk customer since 2004 when I bought my first computer. Over the years there have been many issues, some resolved satisfactorily and some not, but the most significant ones have had to do with fluctuating speeds and not receiving the speed range advertised for the service.

The previous time that I renewed my contract, my download speed dropped from what had been a steady 37.5 Mbps to 32.5, just the day after renewal. Querying this, just brought up the usual and repetitive round of 'tests' with the usual negative result. There were no discernible 'faults' on the line or with my equipment and as no practical reason for this drop could be given, it was once again resigned to the great vault of TalkTalk 'mysteries.'

Which brings me to my current situation.....

I'd been out-of-contract on my Fibre 65 service since October 2022 and had just been paying the subsequent increased rate. Rather oddly, since being out-of-contract, I noticed that my speed had increased from the previous 32.5 to a consistent 40.5 with a corresponding increase in upload speed from around 5.5 to a giddy 10 ! It was this unexpected bonus and my indecision about whether to re-contract with TT or take the opportunity to switch providers, that made me defer the decision until earlier this month.

In the 1st week of this month, I spent hours over 4 conversations with several TalkTalk 'Better Value(!)' agents, attempting to achieve a mutually acceptable new contract. Honestly, it was close to torture and it wasn't until the final call that the agent was able to offer the speed range that is both advertised for Fibre 65 and that is available to my address. It was like pulling teeth, but I thought that I'd got there in the end : Highest 41.5, Lowest 37.5, Guaranteed 33.6. Upload 9.62 - 10.7

I made it clear that I was already receiving the upper band of that range and wanted to ensure that it wouldn't change, just by renewing my contract and I was assured (as before!) that nothing would...

Apparently, rather foolishly, I believed once again what I was told because from the day after I signed up to a new 24 month contract, both the speed to my router and to my devices started to drop.....

For several months prior to this and up until the day of my contract renewal, the speed to my router (using TalkTalk's Speed Test) was 48Mbps and to my device was 41.5Mbps. Each day subsequent to signing up to the new contract those speeds have dropped and the speed history on TalkTalk's graph clearly shows this. Prior to writing this, the speed to my router is now just 35Mbps, but, rather conveniently, still just within the guaranteed minimum.

To say that I'm both disappointed once again with TalkTalk's tactics and annoyed at my stupidity at falling for what I was told, is an understatement and I'm literally kicking myself for it! If TalkTalk is to claim that this is just a 'coincidence' I'm sorry, but that just doesn't make sense at all. The only thing that has 'changed' from the period up until the 6th September, is that I renewed my contract.

Re: Lower download speed since contract renewal......why??

Chris-TalkTalk — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 11:14:17 GMT

Hi 5guitars,

I'm sorry to hear that you're unhappy with your speed. Your line profile isn't restricting your speed. Is your router currently connected to your test socket? Are you experiencing any problems with your telephone service, any noise on the line?

Chris

Re: Lower download speed since contract renewal......why??

5guitars — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 12:58:05 GMT

Thanks for your response Chris....

As before I renewed on 6.9.23, my router is connected to the main and only socket. I had zero problems with speed prior to the renewal date, as stated in my lengthy, earlier message. Just done a speed test now using Ookla and it has dropped further to 26.9Mbps.

BTW, over the last 2 days, the TalkTalk Speed Test utility has changed its format.....why is this?

I used to be able to see both the speed to my router and the speed to my device, but now (conveniently??) you don't see the test being performed in 'real time' and I just get the message "the speed to your router is performing as expected at 36Mbps." Well, that's patently not as expected as I was given to believe and also not when compared to an independent speed check.

Am I once again expected to accept that this drop in speed is purely coincidental with its exact connection to my renewal and another of those mystery 'technical' issues?

Re: Lower download speed since contract renewal......why??

5guitars — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 13:00:25 GMT

BTW.....no problems/noise on the telephone line.

Re: Lower download speed since contract renewal......why??

Chris-TalkTalk — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 13:01:28 GMT

Thanks for the information. Could you switch your router off and leave it off for at least 30 minutes, then switch back on and check to see if there's any improvement. Please let us know how you get on

Chris

Re: Lower download speed since contract renewal......why??

5guitars — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 13:28:51 GMT

After once again checking my speed this morning, I switched the router off for half an hour or so and found, not unexpectedly, there was no improvement.

Re: Lower download speed since contract renewal......why??

Chris-TalkTalk — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 13:40:48 GMT

OK thanks. Can you connect your router to the test socket, if you have one, and leave it there over the weekend. Can you bump the thread on Monday and we'll check to see if there's any improvement

Chris

Re: Lower download speed since contract renewal......why??

5guitars — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 12:59:59 GMT

OK Chris......it's connected to the test socket now and will remain so until Monday.

Re: Lower download speed since contract renewal......why??

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 06:17:43 GMT

Morning,

Thank you. I've re-checked the connection stats now and we can see the following message. No problem found on the Openreach network. The performance of this service may be impacted by a recent mass sync event. Submitting a fault to Openreach cannot expedite the restabilisation of this service.

We'll continue to monitor this and hopefully the sync speed will increase again once the line has fully stabilised again. We'll post back with an update in 48hrs.

Thanks

Michelle

Re: Lower download speed since contract renewal......why??

5guitars — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 12:56:17 GMT

Good afternoon Michelle,

Have had the router and phone connected via the test socket over the weekend and the speed (av. 35.4 download & av. 8.9 upload) remains unchanged from before. They are now back connected normally.

Stephen.

Re: Lower download speed since contract renewal......why??

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 06:22:47 GMT

Morning 5guitars,

I've re-checked the connection stats and I can still see a few re-connections on the line which might be why the sync speed hasn't increased as yet. Can I just confirm, is your connection dropping or have you been rebooting/switching off the router please?

Thanks

Michelle

Re: Lower download speed since contract renewal......why??

5guitars — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 16:33:16 GMT

'Afternoon Michelle,

No, I haven't been re-booting/switching off, just briefly at your request to connect via the test socket. At certain points, speed has dropped to the mid. twenties!

Stephen.

Re: Lower download speed since contract renewal......why??

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 05:40:50 GMT

Good morning,

Ok. I think we should send a replacement router for testing purposes to rule this out to see how both the stability and speed compares, would this be ok? We would also send a router returns bag so that one of the routers can be returned.

Thanks

Michelle

Re: Lower download speed since contract renewal......why??

5guitars — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 13:02:40 GMT

Certainly Michelle, although I am currently using the new router/wi-fi hub, that was sent to me upon contract renewal. I will certainly return that one to you if you include a returns bag.

Stephen.

Re: Lower download speed since contract renewal......why??

Debbie-TalkTalk — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 13:09:33 GMT

Hi Stephen

The router is on its way, please allow 24-48hrs for this to arrive.

Let us know how the connection compares with this router.

Thanks

Debbie

Re: Lower download speed since contract renewal......why??

5guitars — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 13:52:49 GMT

Thank you Debbie. Will advise in due course.

Stephen.

Re: Lower download speed since contract renewal......why??

Debbie-TalkTalk — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 13:53:22 GMT

Hi Stephen

Thank you 🙂

Debbie

Re: Lower download speed since contract renewal......why??

Debbie-TalkTalk — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 08:36:02 GMT

Hi Stephen

Has the replacement router arrived?

Re: Lower download speed since contract renewal......why??

5guitars — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 13:33:40 GMT

Hello Debbie,

Yes thank you, it arrived late yesterday. I'll have time to get it set up tomorrow and will get back to you with regard to any improvement in download speed.

Regards,

Stephen.

Re: Lower download speed since contract renewal......why??

Debbie-TalkTalk — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 13:38:01 GMT

Hi Stephen

Ok, thank you 🙂

I will check in again with you next week.

Debbie