Multiple "DSL Link Down" entries in the HH5 Event Log

[Chris_9]

I have Infinity 2 with a HH5 Type B. For several years it has connected at around 40,000 down / 10,000 up.

For the last few weeks, my sync speed has been much lower than usual. It's now down to this:

Data Rate: 5970 / 18000

Maximum Data Rate: 5972 / 41435

I expect the reason is related to all these entries in the Event Log on my HH5:

13:41:15 06 Jul. DSL Link Down: duration was 130044 seconds
06:27:24 30 Jun. DSL Link Down: duration was 89255 seconds
05:39:25 29 Jun. DSL Link Down: duration was 160224 seconds
09:08:38 27 Jun. DSL Link Down: duration was 27396 seconds
06:22:03 25 Jun. DSL Link Down: duration was 51665 seconds
16:00:36 24 Jun. DSL Link Down: duration was 121072 seconds
06:22:21 23 Jun. DSL Link Down: duration was 54758 seconds
15:09:21 22 Jun. DSL Link Down: duration was 239393 seconds
10:41:00 16 Jun. DSL Link Down: duration was 290692 seconds
01:55:44 13 Jun. DSL Link Down: duration was 126230 seconds
14:51:28 11 Jun. DSL Link Down: duration was 195707 seconds
08:29:18 09 Jun. DSL Link Down: duration was 25502 seconds
16:01:10 08 Jun. DSL Link Down: duration was 121684 seconds
06:12:43 07 Jun. DSL Link Down: duration was 255186 seconds
07:19:12 04 Jun. DSL Link Down: duration was 52796 seconds
16:38:51 03 Jun. DSL Link Down: duration was 122955 seconds
06:29:12 02 Jun. DSL Link Down: duration was 85242 seconds
06:48:06 01 Jun. DSL Link Down: duration was 539230 seconds
11:00:40 25 May. DSL Link Down: duration was 640678 seconds
11:00:39 16 May. DSL Link Down: duration was 88168 seconds

Can anyone shed any light on the nature of the fault, and the best way to get it fixed?

I haven't noticed any problems with voice calls on the line, but then I don't use my landline much so the line may have been going dead for all I know.

I ran the BT diagnostics earlier, which confirmed that I need an engineer appointment. Since then I've spent the evening battling with the online chat system trying to book one but the agent eventually phoned to ask me to disconnect the chat by closing the browser window while he ran some more diagnostics. He hasn't called back as promised, and I now realise it may have been a ruse to get rid of me.

Thanks for reading and all help appreciated.

[Webby]

Can you first dial 17070 and run the quiet line test.

[john46]

Have you tried the quiet line test dial 17070 option 2 you should hear no noise if you can hear noise then it needs reporting to BT faults on 151 with no mention of broadband in the call

[Chris_9]

Quiet line test perfectly ok just now, no noise at all.

[Webby]

Is the router connected to the master socket or an extension?

[Chris_9]

Master socket. It has the proper split faceplate installed by a BT engineer. The installation was done before there was a self-install option.

[Webby]

Do you have any extensions?

If so remove the bottom half and connect to the test socket with a microfilter.

If you don't have any extensions, then you need an engineer visit.

[Chris_9]

I'm not sure what that would achieve, other than testing for a fault with the VDSL faceplate itself? Anyway, I don't think I have any FTTC microfilters.

I can try disconnecting the lower panel from the VDSL faceplate, which would disconnect all my internal wiring. Although it seems the problem is some kind of intermittent fault causing the DSL connection to drop every few days, which has in turn caused the DLM to limit my line to ever lower sync rates. So I guess I'd have to leave the internal wiring disconnected for several days to see if stability improves.

I will try again tomorrow to actually book an engineer visit - which is what I spent most of this evening trying to do!

[john46]

your extension wiring can cause your type of problem and you just need a normal broadband filter there re no special FTTC ones

[Chris_9]

I've been running my line with all extensions disconnected since 12 Jul.

The HH5B has logged a further 7 disconnections in that period and one interrupted my TV viewing on the youview box so I was able to look at the hub which changed to an orange light while it reconnected.

Sync speed has recovered slightly to 5999 / 24997 with max attainable at 6408 / 42233.

I've tried another quiet line test and listened for a long time. The line is very quiet compared with the second line at this property (which has a noticeable constant background buzz but rock solid ADSL2+ connection) but it does have a very faint pulsating electical noise every 2-3 seconds and I heard 1 short burst of crackling.

Any recommendations for getting this fixed. Would I be best reporting a voice fault only, or a voice fault plus broadband disconnections?

How many disconnections would Openreach consider 'normal' for FTTC?

Thanks.