Fibre 65 is only running at 14Mbps

[Fetlar13]

I have been suffering a very slow service for days. Tried to run the TalkTalk speed test and it is not working and hasn’t been for months. Ran Ookla and only getting 14Mbps Download speed not the normal 35+ that I was getting. Have tried switching off router, leaving for 30+ minutes and rebooting on six occasions now and the service is still very slow. Tried disconnecting WiFi on several devices and still no improvement.  No faults on TalkTalk service are showing? Very, very disappointed as this is not what I’m paying £43 a month for. Suspect service is being deliberately slowed down to force me into an upgrade, which my pension won’t stretch to!

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Fetlar13

Thanks for your reply.

Would you like me to arrange an Openreach engineer visit? Please can you provide your availability AM and PM?

Please can you also confirm potential engineer charges Engineer charges

Debbie

[Fetlar13]

Good morning

Finally made a couple of hours to fit, install and test the replacement router. Switched it on and ran Ookla speed test and the result was 17Mbps download and 8Mbps upload. Tried switching off for 30+ minutes and testing again, the result was the same. All tested with new cables, filter not required as phone socket is a pre-filtered type.

Very frustrated, so I reinstalled my old router, old cables etc. and retested…..amazingly the result was 40Mbps download speed. As I’ve told you before my home set up was installed by an Open Reach Engineer, with speeds of 40Mbps achieved then, this was approx 3 years 8 months ago, during the COVID lockdown, as I was sent home to work and the old set up was nowhere near fast enough, so I paid for an upgrade. The router was replaced approx 2 years ago by an Engineer from TalkTalk as the original router failed.

The Fibre 65 deal has never given me anywhere near the 65Mbps speeds, as it transpired later that the area of 40Mbps is the best the cabling running from the exchange can provide, so 40 is what I expect.

What do we try next? I am happy to return the replacement router as it didn’t provide the solution and my present router is giving me 40Mbps which I accept is the best I can expect. Sticking with the original router also means I don’t have the hassle of logging on all our WiFi enabled equipment.

The slow service seems to come and go, it doesn’t occur with any pattern as to time of day etc. It may even be connect to weather conditions?

Can you let me know what can be done, if anything, this side of Christmas in the way of further external testing and repairs if necessary. I will not be available from December 20th to January 2nd to allow access to my home. 

Shall I return the replacement router now or wait until after the Christmas postal rush is over?

I in turn, shall continue to run daily speed tests, to provide data if necessary. Have there been other reports of slow and poor service from the same exchange that we’re connected to?

Thanks for trying to help, but I believe I cannot do anything more and now it’s over to the experts.

Regards

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Fetlar13

Do you still need help with this?

Thanks

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Fetlar13

Have you received the replacement router?

Thanks

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Fetlar13

Ok, I've sent the replacement router now, please allow 24-48hrs for this to arrive.

Please can you use the new cables and filter too. If the same fault is still present with the speed dropping then we can arrange an Openreach engineer visit.

Let us know how the connection/speed compares with this router.

Thanks

Debbie

[Fetlar13]

Okay, we try a new router, but still suspect it’s an external problem,

as in the past my domestic set up was repaired and modified by telecoms engineers sent here by TalkTalk and a new Super Router was also supplied and installed by TalkTalk engineer.

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Fetlar13

As the router is 3 years old then I think we should replace this first. Would you like me to send a router so we can rule this out first?

Thanks

[Fetlar13]

Michelle

Speeds back up to 35 Mbps Download, which is hovering above the bare minimum I’m guaranteed on my Fibre 65 contract and not the 40Mbps that I had.  Not impressed.

Please find attached photographs going back a couple of months or so and you will see that the service is very inconsistent, the numbers above. 40Mbps I think were tests run via other routers to make comparisons to our service.

This isn’t the service I expect for £43 a month, am I entitled to some kind of refund? Luckily my TalkTalk contract is approaching the end so this gives me the option to seek a better provider.

Regards

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Morning,

Ok, please let us know how you get on.

Thanks

Michelle

[Fetlar13]

Sorry for the delay in getting back

The router appears to be working fine, and was replaced by an engineer about 21\2 or 3 years ago.

I genuinely think that the problem is external, as it’s intermittent.

Will try switching off the router for 30+ minutes again to see if it will get anywhere near the 40Mbps you say is available (Fibre 65 really means Fibre 40 or less) 

Will contact you again, but I am becoming increasingly frustrated by TalkTalk and their inability to sort out this slow service.

Regards

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Fetlar13

I'm really sorry to hear this.

The line tests are clear and the line is in sync at just under 40mb. When did we last send you a replacement router?

[Fetlar13]

Here we go again, speeds up and down for a few days, Down to 2.6 Mbps download earlier this evening, so did the usual switch off the router for 30+ minutes and then reboot the system. Came back up to 18+ Mbps download, still not very impressive for a Fibre 65 service that I’m paying for!

Have reported it, line test performed, then you get taken down the usual check your set-up routine rabbit hole. It’s not my set up at fault, nothing here has changed, since the last time I reported the same issues.

I’m sick and tired of having to report this intermittent fault, TalkTalk obviously don’t take this issue seriously and I keep getting fobbed off.

[Chris-TalkTalk]

That's great, thanks for letting me know

Chris

[Fetlar13]

Chris

Thank you, speed is now over 39Mbps, which is back where it was. Personal thanks are due as after nearly two weeks of messages backwards and forwards, someone has actually listened and sorted the problem

Regards

[Chris-TalkTalk]

OK thanks, could you switch your router off and leave it off for at least 30 minutes then switch back on and retest, please let us know how you get on

Chris

[Fetlar13]

Absolutely none, still approx 31Mbps….

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Hi Fetlar13,

Your current sync speed is 43.4Mbps, have you noticed an improvement?

Chris

[Fetlar13]

Hello Debbie

Yes, yes and yes again….everything in the house is okay and the set up has not changed but the service is still only 30-31 Mbps download speeds at best, not the 39~40 I was getting after the Fibre 65 was set up by telecoms engineers on behalf of TalkTalk. The problem must be external, but I keep getting pushed down this test socket test loop and it’s not helping my frustration levels with TalkTalk. I signed up, and pay for 65Mbps and getting less than half those speeds. Time to look to move on from TalkTalk maybe….

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Fetlar13

Apologies for this.

The line test is now detecting a potential fault. Is the router currently connected at the test socket?

[Fetlar13]

Download Speeds now averaging 21~22Mbps, simply not the promised 65Mbps promised when I took out the contract….