Halo benefits

[Kernow13]

I was previously on standard broadband and living a mile from the exchange received speeds of 10-12. Then before Christmas was sent an email telling me that I was being moved onto 'Super Fast Fibre 1' at no cost to me and I could expect speeds 'up to three times faster'. 

27th January came and went and I was left with a crackly phone line and broadband speeds of 7-8. The usual BT response of confabulation and obfuscation occurred.  You know the ones - It takes 10-days to stabilise, we can switch you back, its a fault in your house, all the usual classics. 

I later discovered that Super fast mean the exchange to the cabinet (which in my case is just around the corner from the exchange) is fibre the rest of the journey is still copper. No one was able to offer and explanation why the speed was less. Then the bottom line no going back as they are phasing out copper by the end of 2020. they even declined to put me back on it for the rest of the year. So now the Government thinks I'm enjoying the benefits of "Super Fast Fibre broadband" when I'm actually getting a poorer service than before.

Two choices they say 'a Halo' or Super-fast Fibre 2 for more money - Like most of us I think £50 a money is pretty step enough!

So while the Government thinks we have gone Super fast (a few hundred yards) we have actually reduced our speeds? Any body have any ideas what you have to do to get a reasonable service?

[Keith_Beddoe]

@Kernow13 

Has your noise fault now been fixed, as that will affect your broadband?

You had the option to not go ahead with the upgrade, by ringing the phone number on the letter.

[imjolly]

can you enter your phone number and post results  remember delete number  https://www.dslchecker.bt.com/adsl/adslchecker.welcome

can you post hub stats  advanced settings then technical log information

[Kernow13]

This appears a problem for my community - a small village.  My neighbours have similar problems  their speeds have significantly reduced, now our house to exchange copper connection has become a house to cabinet copper / cabinet to exchange fibre connection. Interesting fibre cable is rolled up on telegraph poles in the village immediately outside our houses.

The email I received did not give any indication that I could opt out of this - It had a 'congratulations your getting it for free and on average your speeds will be three times faster' feel.

BT tell me I have no option to switch back as they are phasing our copper by the end of 2020. BT deny there is anything wrong with my line.  

Are there not any statutory definitions of what constitutes a fibre service (ie: how much of it has to be a fibre connection)?

[imjolly]

if you can post the information I requested it will give a better idea of your current connection and the range of connection speed you should expect

[Kernow13]

 

[pippincp]

Have you reported a noisy line, not a broadband fault? Once the noise on the line is remedied your broadband will improve.

You can if you wish upgrade to FTTP which is a pure fibre connection.

[imjolly]

As @pippincp  you have FTTP available to you. Phone 08005874787 and see what package you are offered

[Kernow13]

Thanks - I'll have another go!

We had the OpenZone engineer round last year and rejected the option of FTTP as  what they don't tell you with FTTP is that it requires new cable drilled into your house, difficult if you live in a listed building (Little cottage, not Windsor Castle!), fibre cable around walls (not under carpet because it is too fragile), a New Modem that needs to be plugged in to a socket and constantly on and is potentially more expensive. Since I was happy with my speed I said no.

I don't think you have to be overly cynical or a fan of conspiracy theories when you see OpenZone putting fibre cable from pole to pole from the exchange to the village and strategically placing rolls of fibre cable on poles outside my house and the houses of my neighbours and then switching off my copper service and giving me no choice but to accept FTTC and crashing my speed by 50%. And when I complain - suggesting I could always upgrade to FTTP (as the fibre cable is .... yes you've guest it just outside and ready to go!!

[imjolly]

from looking at dslchecker results your down connection speed on FTTC is similar to your down speed on adsl about 10.5mb and on FTTC your up speed is slightly faster so change has left you in similar position

if your line has noise - dial 17070 option 2 should be silent and best with corded phone. Any noise is a problem whether FTTC or adsl and Ned to be reported as a phone fault to 151

improve your line improve your broadband connection