This topic

Broadband Availability Checker / Contract Speeds / Ofcom Codes of Practice

SobsPhone — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 13:31:17 GMT

(Sorry do not know why no spaces were included in my original post)

Hello, Currently EE customer but EE say their systems are controlled by BT.

Have had FTTC VDSL FibrePlus Broadband for six years. Current speed 48.99mbps. Contract speeds 46 - 67mg. min 39mg. Recently went to regrade but was told by EE agent that the option for Fibre Plus is greyed out. They explained probably have a fault.

Engineer checked line stated everything ok and within normal speed limit. Then got a text message saying your line is working within estimated speed. Fault closed.

Now EE are saying it must be because EE have signed up to Ofcom Code of Pratice. I requested details of my line and details of how my line does not meet the Ofcom code of Practice. EE refused to engage of provide any details. Instead they just keep saying your 'we can not offer you Fibre Plus because of the Ofcom code of practice' but still no details.

I looked at the BT Broadband Availability Checker and it reports my line as 48.99mbps. It also has Downstream Handback Threshold Range A 49mg, Range B 44mg. The EE broadband guaranteed speed for Fibre Plus is 39mg. Any help welcome.

Sick of banging my head against a wall trying to get EE to provide specifics or proof of anything. Frustrated that EE will not acknowledge the Openreach engineer report or their own text stating my line speed is with in their speeds limit.

One questtion is who sets the Downstream Handback Threshold, what exactly does it mean and how does it relate to the the EE contractual broadband guaranteed speed for Fibre Plus.

It would be usual also if I could get historic readings of the BT Broadband Availability Checker. Do they exist? Very grateful for any help.

Re: Broadband Availability Checker / Contract Speeds / Ofcom Codes of Practice

SobsPhone — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 13:32:08 GMT

Many thanks.

Re: Broadband Availability Checker / Contract Speeds / Ofcom Codes of Practice

-Richie- — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 13:38:15 GMT

@SobsPhonewrote:
Hello, Currently EE customer but EE say their systems are controlled by BT.

Try asking on the EE community forum https://community.ee.co.uk/

EE are owned by the BT Group but EE broadband is still separate (for now) to BT, the BT community moderator team can help BT customers, as you're with EE you'll need to ask them.

I hope you find the answers you're looking for 🙂

Re: Broadband Availability Checker / Contract Speeds / Ofcom Codes of Practice

SobsPhone — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 13:43:33 GMT

Its a BT checker!!

Geez! What an insane world we live in. Thanks for nothing. I'll just keep banging my head against a wall!

Re: Broadband Availability Checker / Contract Speeds / Ofcom Codes of Practice

jac_95 — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 13:58:34 GMT

It's actually a BT Wholesale who owns the checker and not just for BT Consumer the service provider who just use BT wholesale to deliver their broadband services.

This forum is for BT Consumer customers who need help with their services provided to them by BT Consumer brand.

BT Wholesale is the wholesaler of broadband services that is used by EE, PlusNet and BT Consumer.

https://www.btwholesale.com/products-and-services/data/broadband.html

The BT Group plc covers a lot of subsidiaries so it can be confusing if you just say BT as underneath the group there's different ownership, brands and responsibilities.

Re: Broadband Availability Checker / Contract Speeds / Ofcom Codes of Practice

DanielS — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 13:58:27 GMT

Hi @SobsPhone,

Just so you are aware, we are BT Retail. The speed checker that you are talking about is for a different company called BT Wholesale. Please follow the advice that @-Richie- replied to you with as EE should be doing everything they can to help you.

Thanks
DanielS

Re: Broadband Availability Checker / Contract Speeds / Ofcom Codes of Practice

SobsPhone — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 14:02:44 GMT

Oh well, based on yourt response, it would be awful if, after banging my head against a wall for three months and not getting any useful information, someone here had some useful information to move my issue forward.

(noting also that EE staff now use BT systems)

Thanks again for you help.

(you obviously do know the answer. you should get a job at EE)

Re: Broadband Availability Checker / Contract Speeds / Ofcom Codes of Practice

iniltous — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 14:27:12 GMT

The ‘wholesale’ checker gives the predicted speed , as an EE customer, you will probably need to use your address,

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL

Post the entire return for your ‘line’

If the predicted speeds are such that EE equivalent of BT Fibre 2 , which is upto 80Mb , is not achievable by your ‘line’ , then it follows that they may not offer it , if the speed is predicted to be comfortably in excess of 55Mb the limit of the BT Fibre 1 product, then it does seem odd that EE don’t appear to offer the higher speed band , but ultimately it’s down to them.

If you want to upgrade to the higher speed profile because according to the DSL checker it should be available , because the predicted line speed is in the appropriate range , obviously you could change provider to one that will offer it , if you can find a provider that will offer the higher speed.

As an EE customer, should any ‘official’ support , available to BT Customers on this forum , obviously your issue couldn’t be investigated by them , hence the suggestion to try the EE community forum

Re: Broadband Availability Checker / Contract Speeds / Ofcom Codes of Practice

Anonymous — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 14:53:15 GMT

Looks like an issue with the EE system. I'm on Fibre 2 with a download of 60Mb & EE don't offer me Fibre Plus either. Why that is only EE can tell you - or not.

But if they don't want you as a customer, as they seem to have demonstrated to date, why don't you simply move to another ISP? Factor in cashback from one of the main sites & you'll almost certainly be better off.

Re: Broadband Availability Checker / Contract Speeds / Ofcom Codes of Practice

SobsPhone — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 17:11:30 GMT

Thank you. Thats exactly what I thought. There seems to be a problem with different packages and how the Ofcom Code of Pratice applies. EE have refused to supply any specifics or any information about my line speed. Therefore also no information about my contractual minimum in relation to the Ofcom Code of Pratice. The purpose of asking here was because EE do not have a very good forum. I have an OpenReach office near me. Going to pop in and speak to them about who sets the Handback value which the Ofcom Code of Practice seems to be based on. But yes in longer term am going to come back to BT. They used to be the best but I got good singnal with EE on mobile. Thats why I changed as a packge deal. Thanks for your help. Appreciated.

Re: Broadband Availability Checker / Contract Speeds / Ofcom Codes of Practice

-Richie- — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 19:54:40 GMT

EE do still offer FibrePlus, I just checked and can order as a new customer.

@SobsPhonewrote:
EE have refused to supply any specifics or any information about my line speed. Therefore also no information about my contractual minimum in relation to the Ofcom Code of Pratice.

It's listed on the EE website Regulatory and Codes of Practice and you will have an order confirmation from the last renewal with your personalised speeds, each house is different, each speed estimate is different.

@SobsPhonewrote:
I have an OpenReach office near me. Going to pop in and speak to them about who sets the Handback value which the Ofcom Code of Practice seems to be based on.

The ISP set them, if you're a new customer you get an estimated speed, existing customers will be based off observed speeds, each time a contract is entered into will see you given an estimated speed and a minimum guarantee, in regards to contacting Openreach, they will refer you to your communication provider which is EE, Openreach are not public facing, their customers are the 600+ communication providers they sell to

Re: Broadband Availability Checker / Contract Speeds / Ofcom Codes of Practice

SobsPhone — Sun, 29 Jan 2023 14:24:14 GMT

Hello, thanks to everyone who responded.

I believe I am now closer to getting a better pitcure of what is happening.

I am being told that EE does not accept customers whose internet speeds are at the lower end of given product. For exmple on a product that has an internet speed range of 40mgps - 70mgps EE might not accept anyone whose line speed is below 50mgps. This will allow EE to calculate that their customer 'average speed' is higher than the 'average' would be if customers with slower speeds were included.

It looks as if slower speed customers are forced to use other BT Group providers, such as BT UK.

If true, this would explain why, even though my line speed is still within their FibrePlus speed range and that my line speed is still above the minimum guaranteed line speed, EE are refusing to renew my contract for FibrePlus and have given no specific details as to why.

Worth also noting EE have just been named as 'best internet provider' with customers having an 'average speed' higher than any other provider. BT UK and Plus net, also part of the BT Group who use the same network, were not mentioned at all and did not make it onto the leader board.

If all true probably should be investigated by Ofcom.

Re: Broadband Availability Checker / Contract Speeds / Ofcom Codes of Practice

iniltous — Sun, 29 Jan 2023 15:43:17 GMT

TBH , it’s pointless discussing an EE issue on this BT Consumer forum ,

but if you are already on Fibre Plus , then you cannot regrade to Fibre Plus as you are already on it …if you have mistakenly posted, and you called EE to re-contract rather than regrade , and they refused to re contract you on Fibre Plus and would only re-contract you on their basic ‘Fibre Broadband’ thats different to what you posted, but would beg the question , if your current speed is barely over basic ‘Fibre Broadband’ speed of 40Mb, why would you want to be on Fibre Plus anyway , that’s assuming that EE Fibre Plus is more expensive than their basic ‘EE Fibre Broadband’

There are dozens of providers that use Openreach, there only 3 BT Group ISPs , so it’s nonsensical to suggest anyone is forced to use any BT Group ISP , feel unwanted by EE , simple , move to someone else

If you line once delivered better speed than it does now , and there isn’t a fault ( presumably that’s what the fault report established ) then it’s probably the result of ‘crosstalk’ , but moving provider wouldn’t improve things

Re: Broadband Availability Checker / Contract Speeds / Ofcom Codes of Practice

SobsPhone — Sun, 29 Jan 2023 19:12:45 GMT

I am merely reporting back the information I have managed to obtain on this particular matter.

The information I have found seems to fit with the facts, including EE being and the top of the leader board and BT not being on the leader board at all, but I do claim to have definitive, or specific, evidence on what might be happening. EE have not provided any specific information despite my requesting it.

Maybe this information will help others in some way.

Again, thank you to those who responded.

Re: Broadband Availability Checker / Contract Speeds / Ofcom Codes of Practice

iniltous — Sun, 29 Jan 2023 19:58:07 GMT

The advertising authorities, demanded that the way broadband speeds were advertised had to change from the ‘upto’ **Mb speed’ the equipment can provide (given the appropriate line length) to the ‘average’ speed a customer on a particular product can reasonably expect to receive from a particular ISP, by doing that they incentivise ISP to do exactly what you say , it’s not against the rules , but someone on a line that can barely exceed 40Mb , but on a 80Mb profile with negatively affect the average, so the ISP could refuse to place that customer on a higher profile, it would seem odd though that someone on a line that will only ever achieve 40Mb due to the distance their property is from the fibre cab would want to pay extra for something they could never have.

AFAIR, Sky started doing this type of thing years ago on ADSL ( before FTTC was widespread ) they refused to take on customers who would receive sub 2Mb speed , presumably so their adverts could state ‘ on average we are faster’ , when BT were obligated to accept any customer who asked for service.