65 Mbps Broadband Service Has Slowed to 37Mbps

[SC489]

I have the 65Mbps broadband service via a copper cable into the house which contractually guarantees a minimum speed of 46.7 Mbps.

I was getting well over 55 Mbps until the past week but it has recently dropped to 37 Mbs. Nothing has changed inseide the house. Resetting the router and using a direct Ethernet link gives the same speed.

I spoke to TalkTalk Technical Support who ran various tests and claim there is no service issue up to the property. 

Do these tests asses the quality of the copper cable connection from the cabinet and the overhead wire into my house which is not my responsibility? I might have to request a callout to solve the problem. Please confirm I am not responsible for poor connections up to and including the main phone socket inside the house so I should not be charged for such faults.

[SC489]

The Openreach technician couldn't answer that but I gave feedback to TalkTalk in their low scoring feedback report and as requested in this thread at message 4. The technician also said they had to suffer foreign call centres too for technical support!

[ferguson]

Indeed. It may have been instructive if you had asked them why they didn't do anything proactively?  

[ferguson]

Indeed. It may have been instructive if you had asked them why they didn't do anything proactively?  

[SC489]

Both Openreach and TalkTalk were at fault. Being cynical I assume they are inclined to do nothing to save money unless the customer complains. The Openreach technician showed me their detailed diagnostic tests which went back several weeks. There wre many line errors causing the DLM to throttle the speed back to 37 Mbps.

[ferguson]

Glad it's sorted. But interesting comments from the "technician" there. "Openreach told me their diagnostic system flagged the problem several weeks ago. Since TalkTalk have access to the results why was my line fault not picked up automatically several weeks ago and fixed?" Flagged to whom and picked up likewise? You would like to think that if Openreach identified an issue at their end they would just go ahead and fix it. 

[SC489]

The slow speed problem has now been rectified. An Openreach technician visited my home and found a connection fault with my line at the local cabinet which he fixed by moving my line to another port. He told me the low speed fault had been evident to Openreach for over 4 weeks and that TalkTalk have access to the same diagnostic data. This raises two questions:

1. Why was I told by TalkTalk technical support several times that there was no line fault when there had clearly been an issue for several weeks which wasted my time and your time? It seems your remote diagnostic checks are inadequate or your staff need training in to how to use them properly.
2. Openreach told me their diagnostic system flagged the problem several weeks ago. Since TalkTalk have access to the results why was my line fault not picked up automatically several weeks ago and fixed? 

Please forward my comments to the UK TalkTalk manager responsible for technical support and improve your diagnostic procedures if you wish to attain a higher customer feedback score.

[SC489]

Thanks. I'm mystified why the Shell Migration Team are still involved with my account since I now have a new contract taken out directly with TT since this August. This happened due my monthly charge being messed up in the account transition and it was simpler and cheaper just to take out a new contract with TT.

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Hello,

I've asked for your complaint to be escalated to the Shell Migration Team and have asked that you are contacted ASAP.

Thanks

Michelle

[SC489]

OK but I received a text message saying a line test had been done (again) and asking me to contact the technical bot chat for further checks which were already done on 17 October. This is poor customer management and I should not be receiving such a message. The next step is for TT to contact Openreach and task them to address the points I raised below.

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Morning,

Once a complaint has been raised then you'll be contacted by the team to resolve this for you.

Thanks

Michelle

[SC489]

I have made complaint CMP-769887 regarding this problem. I received a text message about checking the line and running further tests. This has already been done including a factory reset of the router on 17 October as TalkTalk knows. 

My complaint requested TalkTalk to do the following:

1. Confirm with Openreach that the correct connections and configuration for my contracted package (Fibre 65) have been implemented. Note I had a similar low speed problem last year limiting the speed to 37 Mbps which turned out to be a configuration problem by Openreach.
2. Investigate the line connection and socket at my property which is the responsibility of Openreach at the expense of TalkTalk / Openreach.

Please ensure your staff complete the above actions since the issue is highly likely to be due to a problem with the Openreach configuration of my account or their phone line. There is nothing my side of the original BT master socket except TalkTalk's router to explain the poor speed.

TalkTalk remain in beach of contract until the low download speed is improved to at least the minimum contracted sped of 46.7Mbps. 

[Karl-TalkTalk]

Hi

Our complaint teams will pick up the email you have sent, however as you have recently migrated from Shell to TalkTalk , we hereon the Community are not yet allowed to deal with your issue, and to progress towards an engineer for your issue, you will need to deal with our Migrations Team directly.

Thanks  

Karl. 

[SC489]

I am now a direct TalkTalk customer not a migrated Shell Customer. I expect TalkTalk to act on the email just sent.

[Karl-TalkTalk]

Hi

If an engineer is required to resolve this, out Migration Team can arrange this.  You will need to contact the migration Team directly to progress with this issue.  We currently cannot assist with issues affecting migrated shell customers via this community at this point in time, but do hope to be able to assist at some point i the future.

Thanks  

Karl. 

[SC489]

I've now reported the problem as a complaint via email at concerns@talktalk.com which includes photos showing all the wiring possibly at fault belongs to Openreach or is an issue at the exchange.

This is definitely a problem for TalkTalk / Openreach to fix since none of the equipment or wiring involved is my responsibility.

I won't reply to your feedback form until I see how you handle my complaint from now on.

Note I now have a new contract with TalkTalk taken out in August so Shell no longer have any involvement.

[Gliwmaeden2]

@SC489, they will be open from 9am. 

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi @SC489 

The contact number is 0345 1720088.

I've checked and when you type in your account number (on the phone option) it should direct your call to the Shell migration team.

Thanks

Debbie

[SC489]

Is 0345 172 0088 the right number for the Shell Migration Team since that is the usual number for TalkTalk?

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi @SC489 

Our Shell migration team can check this and confirm.

[SC489]

Can you check Openreach have not incorrectly placed a lower speed limit on my connection? This happened once before under my Shell contract and was fixed at the exchange end.

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi @SC489 

Apologies, the line test checks the copper line and also equipment connected to the line (for any potential faults)

We can't provide support on the Community at the moment for customers who have migrated over from Shell as we have a designated team for this.

If you give the team a call then they can take a look at this for you.