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Pentris
Mentor

Reducing broadband speed

My broadband download speed using FTTC over the last 3 years has been very consistent at 37-39Mbps. Since April is has declined by up to 50% and is now only around 20-22Mbps. NOW say that the line test shows exactly 40 every time they test it. That is impossible to get the same result each time. I think they are merely quoting the synch speed as set up in the equipment. They have replaced the router with absolutely no change for either WiFi or Ethernet tests. I have tried responding to them as directed and emails are being rejected as their emailbox is full!

This reduction is also coincidental with a new 1 year contract and also the rollout of FTTP when three neighbours have upgraded, next door to Sky. I suspect a copper line fault or they are throttling normal users bandwidth to cater for the new full fibre customers.

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION
Jayach
Elite 3

@Pentris wrote:

 I have ordered an USB-C to Ethernet adapter so that I can try again with my laptop connected with a short ethernet cable to the router. Previous tests have used a longer cable to my desktop which is in another room to my router.

As long as the Ethernet cable is at least Cat5e, and is less than 50mtrs, the length shouldn't matter

The FTTC service shouldn't be affected by the FTTP rollout, however who knows what may be happening in the background.

View solution in original post

15 REPLIES 15
gavs82008
Legend 5
Legend 5

@Pentris 

Sounds likely to be a fault when the FTTP rollout was being carried out. Call the team and ask for full investigation of the line back to the cabinet. 

https://help.nowtv.com/article/how-to-submit-a-broadband-complaint1

FYI that I do not work for NOW, just a NOW customer trying to help
Jayach
Elite 3


@Pentris wrote:

My broadband download speed using FTTC over the last 3 years has been very consistent at 37-39Mbps. Since April is has declined by up to 50% and is now only around 20-22Mbps. NOW say that the line test shows exactly 40 every time they test it. That is impossible to get the same result each time. I think they are merely quoting the synch speed as set up in the equipment.


That is what Now and most (if not all) ISPs mean by download speed.

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Hi,

I have the same issue. My neighbour whose contract is with SKY also has the same drop in performance. SKY has accepted his test results using Speediest.net as have the three engineers who have visited his house. The speed "measured' by the router is as explained to my neighbour the raw or sync speed and makes no allowance for any overhead. Tomorrow there is a meeting of various engineers at the exchange to try and resolve the problem.. SKY are also aware of this problem in other areas. Also it coincides with the roll out of FTTP for our estate.

Jayach
Elite 3

@Anonymous User wrote:

The speed "measured' by the router is as explained to my neighbour the raw or sync speed and makes no allowance for any overhead.


That is correct, but the overheads should be no more than 5-10%, when measured over ethernet.

RoyB
Legend

@Jayach 

So where do Now measure the sync speed?

And if it can be affected by problems in the cabinet, why would Now not be aware of this?

It seems to me that the proper measure of download speed is what the customer can see on a single Ethernet connection from their router with WiFi turned off.

Set a Payment PIN on your account so that no-one but you can buy memberships on it. Check your bank accounts monthly for any other unexpected payments to Now. That way you can at least nip them in the bud, while you and Now figure out whose fault they are.
Jayach
Elite 3

They can obviously see the sync speed with their tools, whether they get it from the cabinet or the router, I don't know, but probably the cabinet. (it makes no difference, it will be the same both ends)

If the sync speed is affected by anything, they will be aware of this (when they look), but they won't know what is causing it.

I agree about what the measure of download speed should be. That is why I always say sync if I mean sync and download when I mean download. (well sometimes I may trip up)

The trouble is all the large ISPs use "download" when they should really say "sync".  I think they think it will confuse people if they say "sync". (and it obviously does) 

In the problem in this thread, the sync speed is fine, but download speed is being limited. That means there must be some form of congestion, the hard thing is finding out where and why.

RoyB
Legend

@Jayach 

So what sort of thing would ‘congestion’ be? In @Pentris case, a line that has been fine for years, with the download speed very much in line with the sync speed, has suddenly halved its download speed. Which Now apparently can’t see?

So what is the point of Now telling him his sync speed is fine?

I can see where it matters to Now, as I imagine the remedial action required will be rather different if the lower download speed is caused by a lowered sync speed, rather than by congestion.

But beyond that, it seems to get neither party any further forward, and certainly doesn’t allow Now to wash their hands of the matter just because the sync speed is as expected.

(Sorry I keep banging on at you, @Jayach , but you seem to know what you are talking about, a situation I would like to attain, with your help, as far as possible 😛)

Set a Payment PIN on your account so that no-one but you can buy memberships on it. Check your bank accounts monthly for any other unexpected payments to Now. That way you can at least nip them in the bud, while you and Now figure out whose fault they are.
Jayach
Elite 3

To be precise, sync speed is the speed your router and the cabinet agree to use, based on line conditions at the time they check. This means it will stay the same throughout a session. If the line conditions change (more noise for instance), the SNR (signal to noise ratio) will drop. If it reaches 0 (noise and signal the same level) you will lose sync and the line will need to re-sync, probably with a lower speed to compensate for the increased noise.

Anonymous User
Not applicable

This is the latest I received from neighbour:-

I've spoken to someone in Sky who sounded quite different from all the others so-far, he's read all the notes and sees there is nothing more that can be done, then unprompted he's exempt me from any contract obligations and initiated the Sky Broadband guarantee which means the package cost is reduced by 2/3 (20/30 MB/s).

He also notes that SKY have withdrawn from Ofcom Voluntary Code of practice which makes the minimum guaranteed speed meaningless. I leave you all to draw your own conclusions. If you have friends who are using SKY as their broadband provider you may wish to advise them of the change. Especially as they did not advise my neighbour.