G.Fast speeds way below minimum

[ultim8um]

Haven't really spotted it until now but our download speed has plummeted. Over the last few weeks I thought the speed I was downloading files at seemed a bit rubbish but as everything worked I didn't think too much of it. We came back off holiday last week and it was awful (rebooted everythingg as it was so bad, no change). I suspect there is a connection issue on the copper line outside my home as nothing has changed here and the speed has clearly been degrading over weeks or months (maybe water ingress to a junction box?). 

A couple of automatic faults have been logged (REP-13270618 is the current one) but as I am unsure if this will resolve anything, I am logging it here too. Minimum guaranteed speed on our line is 102MB and today a line test came back at 12Mb 😞 Happy to do some tests if needed but as I said previously, I strongly suspect Openreaches copper (especially as the installation engineer told me the cables in the ducts are in a right state!).

[Chris-TalkTalk]

That's great news ultim8um, thanks for letting me know 🙂

[ultim8um]

@Chris-TalkTalk @Debbie-TalkTalk Resolved! Dan our local friendly Openreach engineer patiently listened to the saga from my end as I fed him the history. He then looked at the exchange and street cab end of the equation and realised he couldn't reset our line either (same as the previous engineer), so he escalated to the diagnostics team and they also had no luck!

He then re-terminated our line on to new equipment at the street cab (presuming he repatched to a different fibre connection or whatever) and confirmed it was syncing at 120mb / 14.4mb. After leaving everything off for 40 minutes as I couldn't see any change initially in speed or after a reboot, I am seeing 113Mb+ at my router so happy days!

Wil monitor it on and off for the next few weeks but hopefully as they have fixed the cover on the duct as well in the last few days, all will remain well until we can get FTTP 🙂

Many thanks to you all,

Chris

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Thanks 🙂

[ultim8um]

@Chris-TalkTalk will do 👍

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Hi ultim8um,

I've booked the engineer for tomorrow morning - September 13 AM (8am-1pm) - please let us know how you get on

Chris

[Chris-TalkTalk]

OK thanks, I'll book the engineer now and get back to you with the details

Chris

[ultim8um]

@Chris-TalkTalk already put it in the pm's 🙂 Wednesday - Friday all day is fine (wfh). Cheers! 

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Hi ultim8um,

Thanks for answering the security questions. Could you let us know when you can be available for the visit and we'll book it for you

Chris

[Gliwmaeden2]

Re-escalating this for you, @ultim8um, so it should be picked up by staff again during the day. 

[ultim8um]

@Debbie-TalkTalk @Chris-TalkTalk Not heard anything off you guys, as far as I am aware we have provided all the info you requested via PM?

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi ultim8um

Thanks for your reply.

I'm just sending you a Private Message to confirm some details so I can arrange the engineer visit for you.

Debbie

[ultim8um]

@Debbie-TalkTalk Yes please, the previous engineer implied that if the line didn't sort itself via DLM (he couldn't reset it on the day as the system was down), that another visit would probably be needed. 

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi ultim8um

I can see that the line is currently in sync at 55.7mb. Would you like me to arrange another engineer visit?

Thanks

Debbie

[ultim8um]

@Chris-TalkTalk so speed is rock solid, unfortunately we are still stuck at mid 50mbps as the line hasn't reset and DLM hasn't done anything (yet). 

[Chris-TalkTalk]

That's great news Chris, thanks for letting me know 🙂

Chris

[ultim8um]

@Chris-TalkTalk So Openreach engineer has been and checked the line from the premises, interestingly the line wasn't obviously bad and everything apart from the speed looked fine. He has put the original faceplate filter back on as it is specifically a G.Fast one versus the one the TalkTalk contractor left on (apparently it is a VDSL one which I hadn't noticed). He went to check both ends of the copper circuit locally and ended up spending half an hour sorting the end nearest us! The phone line goes over the road to a pole and next to it is the Openreach duct cover and apparently the cover / internal cover inside the duct is damaged (or the internal plastic cover wasn't on properly?) and some moisture had got in and caused the termination of our line to get corroded (furred up / white by the description he gave). He cleaned it up and retested but apparently the reset system isn't working so we are waiting on the DLM to do it's bit and resync the line to it's correct speed. His meter said the (presuming signal to noise?) margin was 15.5Db versus the usual 3Db so he expects it will sync back to 110mbps-ish. Currently we are now getting 56mbps / 15mbps which is another improvement over what we were getting and happy to live with that for a few days while it sorts itself out (hopefully). I will let you know in a few days if it hasn't resolved itself so that Openreach can revisit it but the Openreach engineer said next steps beyond what he has done would be running new copper (but as the existing line was surprisingly good for G.Fast that this would be new for old for the sake of it).

Hopefully even though Donnington isn't on Openreach's rollout map for FTTP the engineer did tell me that they are currently implementing fibre throughout Muxton (next door to us and also not on the rollout map for any kind of FTTP and hinted that Donnington will be getting done next) and will be doing the whole of Telford so with a bit of luck we may be able to go down that route at contract renewal time in a year 🙂   

Many Thanks,

Chris 

[Chris-TalkTalk]

No problem 🙂  (we can usually get an Openreach appointment next working day or the working day after)

Chris

[ultim8um]

Oh Wow!!! @Chris-TalkTalk I was expecting to have to wait a week or two 🤣

Brilliant, hopefully they will either be able to fix it tomorrow or at least make a start on it.

[Chris-TalkTalk]

I've booked the earliest appointment available - August 31 2023, AM  - please let us know how you get on

Chris

[Chris-TalkTalk]

OK, I'll book the engineer now and get back to you with the details

Chris