Is BT avoiding issues.?

[vivandorron]

I have endeavoured to contact BT Broadband Complaints section via its Internet website e/mail box; but my communication was rejected on the basis that I was not inserting the date correctly(dd/mm/yy): which I know is not true because I tried every possible alternative.

Consequently I telephoned BT and was informed that there must be a fault on extension wiring from the main inlet socket. A position which I find very difficult to believe.

In order to understand fully my problem, I am appending a copy of the communication which I tried to send to BT and would appreciate some advice on the issue concerned:-

Dear Sir/madam......Recently I complained that my Broadband connection had dropped from 6.3 to 1.2

Subsequently, I was contacted by a service Technician who had me disconnect the Hub from my desktop Computer and Plug it directly into the main telephone inlet socket. I was then advised that, as 6.3 was being transmitted to my house,there could be a fault on the extension to my computer. I honestly do not think that there is anything wrong with the extension because, when I re-connected the Hub to my Computer, everything went back to their original speeds. However a few days later the speed dropped to approximately 5.0 and I felt that, as that was the speed which had been estimated for my area, I didn't have any further cause for complaint.

It is the case that the speed is now being clocked again at 1.2 and in this regard I would welcome your comments.

Yours faithfully......Ron ******....( Tel:- ***********)

[NazNomad]

"Consequently I telephoned BT and was informed that there must be a fault on extension wiring from the main inlet socket".

As a former BT engineer, I can categorically state that this is a default response to anyone with more than one socket. BT are responsible for the line to the NTE, anything beyond that is your problem.

That said, they're not necessarily wrong.

I'll tackle this assuming your internet is ok and your wiring isn't ... (I could be wrong, of course, but I'll stick with what I know).

1.Does the extension wire run across any doorways or under any carpets?
2. How many extension sockets do you have, and what's plugged into them?
3. Is it a 'properly fitted' extension or a B&Q (plug into the main skt and run out the wire) type?

[vivandorron]

Hi Naz ...We still haven't had any snow and still none is forecast for our area. Well the Redwings and Fieldfare haven't arrived as yet.

Back to the issue in question. The internal wiring I did myself. However apart from the initial plug into the BT main socket ( which I wouldn't open-up) all wiring is free of any interference....Hidden from view, up the wall from main input in hallway to underfloor on landing where there is a socket for telephone on landing...spur from there goes down to cupboard in kitchen and a splitter takes a lead to telephone in kitchen and a cable into a wall socket in the dining room where my computer is on a side table.

The only cable that can be disturbed in any way is the flexible lead from plug to computer. Consequently as everything was performing o.k., I guess maybe I should try a new flexible lead to Comp.

Ron.

I think all wiring is quite sound and the fact that

[NazNomad]

If you're sure the wiring past the NTE is sound, then I'd suggest unplugging it and running the computer solely from their socket for a day or two. If the problem continues, you can safely INSIST on a visit from an engineer.

They WILL try to palm you off with a plethora of reasons why it's not their fault, but it could well be intermittent and something an engineer on site could find/replicate/eliminate (where the person hundreds of miles away in front of a computer cannot).

[vivandorron]

Thanks Naz for your kind assistance. Since my last posting I have visited a few sites to check speeds in my area and obtain stats for the area in which I live. It does seem that BT speed was low at the start of the year and around about October hit well over 6 (which is what I was getting) but have now gone downhill to well below 5 which could account for what I consider to be a problem. Nevertheless, I will see if I have a spare ethernet lead and do a switch to see if it makes any difference. Your suggestion of running the Comp directly off the main inlet socket is a good idea but with a Tower,20in. Monitor, BT Home Hub and all the cables and transformers involved would be a real pain in the posterior. However, for test purposes,I may try and set things up in the hallway with the Home Hub and my Laptop.

Thanks again.......Ron.

[bentaxle]

Excuse for butting in Viv ,,,,Question for Naz had a BT chap come and replace the main socket and he noticed my B&Q extention and he informed me broadband doesn't like flat cable as the signal is kind of spiral and prefer round cable Never thought to ask what kind of round and where to get it or is it just BT who have it
all the best

[NazNomad]

Most DIY-style flat cable extensions have the wires running parallel to each other inside the cable (making it more susceptible to interference) ... a BT cable or a CAT5 type network cable has twisted pairs of wires inside, which gives some protection against interference. An ethernet cable is prefereable to a cheap flat cable, where possible..

[NazNomad]

http://www.diy.com/di...5945177&isSearch=true

These B&Q products do appear, from the picture, to have round cable (which I would assume to be twisted-pairs)

[bentaxle]

Thanks for he info Naz