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Long term issues with Broadband speed - how do I speak to someone??

shelby2909 — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 11:51:29 GMT

We've had issues with Boradband speed dropping below the minimum guaranteed level since early December. Managed to get someone sent out vis the text helpline who said we needed a new router. We've set up the new router and the issue is still there. BT have closed our original complaint and I can't for the life of me work out how to get to speak to someone who have the issue re opened. I get stuck in the doom loop on the text line of them testing the line, telling me the connection is fine and sending me a link to an online guide which says nothing. Getting sick of paying for a service I'm not receiving. How on earth do I escalate this?

Re: Long term issues with Broadband speed - how do I speak to someone??

Kimberlin — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 11:55:10 GMT

@shelby2909

Make a formal complaint:

https://www.bt.com/bt-plc/assets/documents/about-bt/policy-and-regulation/our-governance-and-strategy/codes-of-practice/customer-complaints-code/complaints-code.pdf

Re: Long term issues with Broadband speed - how do I speak to someone??

imjolly — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 12:16:44 GMT

what broadband do you have - FTTC or FTTP or neither but ADSL?

you guaranteed speeds are the speeds to your router not to a device. are you using ethernet or wifi connection when you get the problem?

can you post your hub stats please

Re: Long term issues with Broadband speed - how do I speak to someone??

gg30340 — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 12:46:10 GMT

What are your speeds meant to be and what is the guaranteed speed?

How often does your speed drop below the guaranteed speed and for how long does it stay below that?

How are you testing the speeds. Is it with an Ethernet connection or with wifi?

Re: Long term issues with Broadband speed - how do I speak to someone??

shelby2909 — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 13:23:25 GMT

Thank you for replying!

ADSL - we're rural-ish, not scheduled for anything that even wafts of fibre until late 20026/early 2027.

We've tried both the ethernet (modern house, point in every room) and wifi, makes no difference, the download speeds are up and down like a yoyo between 0 and 30 mbps with periodic total drop out, we're guaranteed 36 mbps with expectation of 52mbps (and used to run at a fairly constant 44-46).

We've had max 0.1mbps upload since beginning of December, if anything at all.

BT Hub showing 467 pages of "technical events", is that what you wanted to see?

Re: Long term issues with Broadband speed - how do I speak to someone??

gg30340 — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 13:30:04 GMT

Do you have a landline telephone, not digital voice? If you do is there any noise , crackling or anything else on the line? It should be silent.

Have you added any electrical equipment to your property just prior to the problem starting?

Do the slow speeds coincide with any electrical equipment such as a fridge or boiler turning on?

Re: Long term issues with Broadband speed - how do I speak to someone??

shelby2909 — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 13:35:22 GMT

We have digital landline and yes, there is crackling on the line during and after rain/snow/wind. No new electrical equipment for well over a year (problem started November-ish). The only one we see a slight dip with is our microwave, but only for a second or two when it first runs.

Re: Long term issues with Broadband speed - how do I speak to someone??

gg30340 — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 13:43:12 GMT

If you have noise on your phone line you need to report that as a fault, not a broadband fault.

If you mention broadband they will just go down that route.

Once the telephone noise is fixed your broadband speeds should start to improve.

Re: Long term issues with Broadband speed - how do I speak to someone??

imjolly — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 13:46:15 GMT

from the speed you quote you are on FTTC not adsl - so fibre to the street cabinet and copper to your home. can you post the hub stats showing connection speeds and noise margin.

so hub at central point with ethernet connection to various rooms?

Re: Long term issues with Broadband speed - how do I speak to someone??

iniltous — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 13:55:07 GMT

As stated , post your router connection statistics, your speed tests on WiFi are of no real use as far as proof of the speed that’s attainable , and if you have multiple extension sockets , you really need to isolate them from the ‘line’ in case it’s your own internal wiring or sockets that are creating the issue …you should locate the master socket , remove the lower section (this ought to disconnect all your extensions if they were wired correctly ) and connect your router to the test socket (that’s exposed when removing the lower section of the master socket )
When the router is connected to the master socket test socket run a wired speed test , and also post the connection statistics from the test port useful to see if any difference between the test socket and where your router is usually connected along with the other extension sockets.
Openreach and your ISP are only responsible for the external network, before any real diagnosis can take place any potential issues that they are not responsible for (things within the home ) need to be excluded

Re: Long term issues with Broadband speed - how do I speak to someone??

shelby2909 — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 14:38:28 GMT

BT engineer tested the master socket when he came to the house (30th December), do we need to do it again??

Re: Long term issues with Broadband speed - how do I speak to someone??

shelby2909 — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 14:49:47 GMT

Apologies, yes fibre to cabinet, copper to home (fibre to home coming in 12 months). Yes, hub at central point with ethernet connection to various rooms. BT engineer tested central point when he came out and said results were same regardless. Working on finding the hub stats...Thanks!

Re: Long term issues with Broadband speed - how do I speak to someone??

shelby2909 — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 08:22:32 GMT

Update - finally got through to a human by going via the billing route. Agreed the line is all over the place, has been for a while and is performing below minimum speeds, an openreach engineer is coming out to look at the box and line into the house on Weds. Thanks all for your replies.