Bt Broadband

[jennyjoan]

well I too was trying to contact BT but I have to email them but got no joy - can't phone cos of hearing

I am realising that my Broadband is far too slow and causing me many headaches. I do need a quicker broadband.

I am using a BTHub and have it a long time now so it is probably done.

They did send me a quote like another £15 a month making it about £75 (I think) - no way I am paying that a month. This is basic landline and broadband. I don't want anything else - whatever the young ones do.

Also I would need BT engineers to come and wire it up for me.

It is so long since I had this old broadband - I can't think of anything - can anybody advise me. Thanks

[tonyav]

BT is expensive, jj. There are quite a few cheaper options out there. I pay £40 a month for my landline and unlimited broadband.

[Buenchico]

Some problems with what appears to be a slow broadband connection can actually have nothing at all to do with what comes through the phone (or cable). It's quite often a problem with either the computer or the browser that's being used.

So, before proceeding any further, check the actual speed that you're getting. (If you're already getting a decent speed then there will be nothing that BT, or any other provider, can do. The problem will be 'at your end').

Here's the official speed checker from BT Wholesale (which applies to any service sent through their cables, even when it's from a different ISP):
http://speedtest.btwholesale.com/
This speed checker is also popular
http://www.speedtest.net/

See what speeds those sites are indicating and then tell us the results.

[margarettom]

You are paying far too much. I pay £45.99 per month for landline, unlimited Broadband ( not super fast), free Anytime calls and BT Sport. My broadband is pretty fast anyway. You probably need a new hub, which would be free if BT agreed it.
Can you not get a hearing friend or relative to help with the phoning, as they can test your broadband speed and, if it is too slow, then they will try and sort it out for you.

[gingejbee]

^^^My £30 per month covers landline rental, unlimited broadband and all calls (24/7) to landlines and mobiles...with John Lewis Phone and Broadband....and there are cheaper options out there (but not as reliable, I'll bet).

[jennyjoan]

ran the test - this is what I got

download speed mbps - 0.00
upload speed mbps 0.30
pintlatency - ms - 66.38

after running the test Bt

We were unable to identify any performance problem with your service at this time.
It is possible that any problem you are currently, or had previously experienced may have been caused by traffic congestion on the Internet or by the server you were accessing responding slowly.
If you continue to encounter a problem with a specific server, please contact the administrator of that server in the first instance.

All double-dutch to me however.

[Buenchico]

A download speed of zero suggests that you shouldn't even be able to read this page!

An upload speed of 0.3 Mbps is slow.

A ping of 66 ms is very slow.

For comparison, I'm still using an ADSL 2+ connection, which most people would probably consider old-fashioned (and hence slow). I'm currently getting a download speed of 9.32 Mbps, with an upload speed of 1.02 Mbps and a ping of 16 ms. For most purposes it's the download speed which is the important figure. Here's a rough guide to what the numbers actually mean:

1 Mbps: That's the sort of speed that a small number of people in the UK (almost all in remote rural areas) have to put up with. It's probably good enough for using email and some rather slow basic web browsing but it's no good for streaming videos (e.g. you can't view Youtube videos reliably at that speed).

2 Mbps: The lowest speed for watching Youtube videos (although 3 Mbps might be more reliable).

5 Mbps: About the top speed which people with 'ADSL' connections (using traditional copper cables )can expect to get.

10 Mbps: About the top speed that people, like me, with 'ADSL 2+' connections can get. ('ADSL 2+' effectively joins two 'ADSL' connections together, thus doubling the available speed).

20 Mbps: Roughly the lowest speed that people using 'FTTC' (= 'fibre to the cabinet') connections get.

30 Mbps to 50 Mbps: More typical speeds for FTTC connections.

80 Mbps: Around the highest speed available via an FTTC connection.

500 Mbps to 1000 Mbps: Speeds only available via 'FTTP' (= 'fibre to the premises') customers.

It looks like you used the BT Wholesale test site. Try the Speedtest one and see what download speed you see there. From what you've told us so far though, it looks like there's a serious fault with your internet connection. (So you DON'T need to spend money on changing the account type. You DO need to get an engineer to check the connection).

[jennyjoan]

chris - know you don't come on until later but I was able to chat with BT just there now and a guy is looking at it and said connection was bad - they are also sending me out a new hub - he was anxious to get the repair done but we had discussed earlier a better package but the chat abruptly ended - it will take 4 hours for the technical glitch to be repaired.

thanks Chris - once again for putting me on the right road.

[-SharonA-]

Glad you're nearly sorted. I am with BT and have no problems with them.

[jennyjoan]

thanks Sharon - it was good to chat as I knew what he was talking about - a bit LOL - I will try and chat again re maybe a cheaper package.

when I viewed the packages again on BT - the £50 etc was including broadband and landline. I am paying over £60. The aerial on the hub has broken off due to many falls but was still attached by the wires. Anyway will be glad to get quicker broadband as it was wrecking my patience LOL

[HansUrbancka]

G'afternoon Jenny J........I have just now 'tuned into' your thread and, have I have done sooner, it is a certainty that I would Not have given you any better advice than that from Chris.

You have done well to get BT to accept that it is at fault and is sending you a new home hub. Your Router must be well out of date if it has a stand up aerial.

Please keep us all updated and let us know if BT attempts to charge you anything. If it does, I fee sure I might be able to assist you from my past experience with the ISP.

Meanwhile you might be interested to know that I still use BT and at present have No cause for complaint.

Hans.

[Baldric]

Just as a comparison, with BT, I getting

Ping. 9
Download. 59.81
Upload. 17.18
Tested on http://www.speedtest.net/

[dannyk13]

Just done a check.
ping 37
download 153.99
upload 10.32

[HansUrbancka]

@Baldric & dannyk13..........I Do Not know who are your ISPs but super high download speeds mean nothing if the sites you visit are unable to provide speeds to match those of which you are capable of receiving.

I am quite happy with the downloads I get which very very go below 12Mbps and I doubt that any of us are capable of noticing a difference between speeds over and above such a figure.

Hans.

I would be interested to hear Buenchico's comments on the matter.

Hans.

[jennyjoan]

well thanks Hans - I did contact them again re packages but the second lad I think was very young and was advising broadband for streaming, data and all that craic.

I did "chat" with him at a bad time as mr Maxie had to get his vaccination today. God bless us - he shook like a jelly baby my heart went to him. The second vaccination is in two weeks time.

When I get the new hub will see how I go and then "chat" to them again. The lad did say you know if you phone them (BT) you can get a better deal on the phone but of course I can't phone.

[jennyjoan]

BT emailed me there and said the hub is on its way. So that was quick.

[margarettom]

Surely you have got a friend or relative that could do the phoning with you? You should not be paying as much as you are.

[jennyjoan]

thanks Margaret - do have friends and my sista but they are older than me and definitely not tech savvie so they wouldn't be confident talking on the phone.

I have only nephews left and sure they don't have a bloody minute - they race about like a headless chicken

[margarettom]

I'm so sorry. That makes it very difficult for you I agree.

[-SharonA-]

Jenny, why don't you contact Action on Hearing Loss. I am sure they can find you a communicator, a person who will make calls for you.
https://www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk/search-results/?q=communicator

Every thing is on their website.

[Baldric]

Hi Hans @16:01
I did put BT in my post re comparison :o)