FTTP Thoughts?

For what it's worth I'm pretty sure that if you have an ONT with four ports on it that you can have multiple providers live at the same time. Good luck finding one that knows how to order that though.

This would let you get a connection that works and get the Zen cancellation done without having a gap in service as I'm not totally clued up on how FTTP migration works.
 
Latest update after MUCH MUCH testing of various aspects of my services comes today....

"I've just been liaising with BT Wholesale and determined the following....

Your exchange Dapple Heath (WMDAP) is a child exchange of Uttoxeter (WMUTT). This means that your FTTP connection jumps on the BT Wholesale back haul at Uttoxeter.

The link between you and Uttoxeter only has one VLAN at present, and as far as I can gather, this VLAN is set to 500Mbps. This means that your connection alone, takes up 2/3 of this capacity.

The guys who I was speaking with at BT have passed this on to their Capacity Management team to see what can be done. They will hopefully be able to either increase the capacity on the VLAN, or, get new links added. If it's the latter (which I think is most likely), it may take a bit of time for this to be implemented, unfortunately."

It disappoints me that it has taken this long to get to establishing this, but I am looking at it as the route cause of my issue. Watch this space for updates, but I guess living remotely has advantages and disadvantages, but one would have hoped that if BT has made the service ready for consumers to buy, then they might have put the appropriate infrastructure in place to support it....but it seems not. I guess they did not expect people to jump in with the request for 300mbps services all at once when myself an my neighbour both went for that service because 'speeds init'
 
To be fair to Zen they have been merciless in working the problem, it has taken a lot longer than I would have hoped but I cannot lay that all at their feet as I have been busy and away from home quite a bit meaning testing had to wait for several days on a coupe of occasions. I suspect a problem like this, residing with BT would have been much more painful due to the sheer size of their business and my 32 years experience of working with BT evidences this is usually where they fall apart. Hopefully we can get it resolved and I can get my service fixed but it means moving to another provider right now is not going to provide a fix.
 
That doesn't explain (in my mind) too well why it was fine on BT's credentials though? Surely it would use the same backhaul regardless so was it fluke when you used BT details the rest of that link was quiet?
 
Steveocee said:
That doesn't explain (in my mind) too well why it was fine on BT's credentials though? Surely it would use the same backhaul regardless so was it fluke when you used BT details the rest of that link was quiet?
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I have seen 300mbps speed tests on zen....

and this....
26979820957_51b75a88af_b.jpg
 
Oh right, apologies. I remember reading the bit when you had an engineer and it pointed back towards a Zen issue but didn't take in/remember Zen speeds being anything more than 100Mb. Fingers crossed for a quick resolution but in the shorter term I'd certainly be knocking on Zen's door asking for a decrease in monthly cost because it has been proven there is a valid reason you can't get your speed even most of the time.
 
Still no further forward with my Zen order. Now at day 22 and no sign of anything happening. It was escalated and then escalated again. Then there was a bit of a wait and today they escalated it and now there's a bit of a wait. I see a pattern emerging. Still no idea what the problem is other than 'something preventing it from progressing' which I sort of guessed.
 
Seems strange that your neighbour is getting 310/31 on BT and the engineer also managed it during testing. It may be BT traffic is prioritised over the VLAN. I would have expected BT to have added additional capacity when rolling out FTTP from the exchange my FTTC rollout was delayed when they were adding additional capacity.
 
So a longer chat with my neighbour this afternoon confirms he is no longer getting super speeds with BT, he is now in the 'Housey Zone' speed wise, as slow as 2mbps on some occasions! So it would seem that all eyes are back to BT (which we sort of knew) and it is for this reason I am REALLY glad I am with Zen as I suspect the support conversations would have been so much more painful. I am now informing my neighbour with his BT service what BT are dong because no one at BT has the slightest ******* idea when he speaks with them it would seem.

Painful but sort of evidences my starting point about support and why you pay more. Time will tell, BT confirmed VLAN upgrades this week....
 
Good to get the update -- I've always had nothing but the best support from Zen, so I'm glad you've discovered it is out of their hands. Soon this will all be a distant memory, as you surf the web at your ridiculous new speeds...
 
If I am objective and put the emotions of "my new toy is broken" from the discussion, I have to complement Zen again. They are working the problem, they are keeping me daily updated and are pushing hard to get it fixed. THAT is what you pay for and at no time have I experienced the level of service they are providing right now from a BT service.
 
That is exactly the experience I’ve always had with them. Twice daily updates (without chasing), and very sane requests for information (no reading from a script “now we need to reboot your router sir”).
 
Is the area FTTC enabled before the FTTP went live? With the drops in speeds you're hitting you'd have hoped BT would have foreseen this coming a while ago if it was. I can nearly understand if an area goes from 2-3Mb ADSL Max to FTTP but you'd have hoped there would have been enough backbone to handle the increased projected amount.
 
Yes we were FTTC before but bare in mind our exchange has:

365 residential premises
62 non-residential premises

It is small and it would not surprise me if many of those premises don't even have an internet. Think retired, farmers, cows in sheds.
 
I kind of feel sorry for Zen in this instance. They are providing you a service under what is promised and they have literally nothing they can do other than to wait for the large cumbersome cogs of BTOR to move round. I bet they don't get even weekly updates never mind daily.
 
Steveocee said:
I kind of feel sorry for Zen in this instance. They are providing you a service under what is promised and they have literally nothing they can do other than to wait for the large cumbersome cogs of BTOR to move round. I bet they don't get even weekly updates never mind daily.
Click to expand...

They have done everything they can and have gone the extra mile to work on the problem with me and dealt with my frustrations and on a couple of occasions anger and for that they will continue to get my business and loyalty. I can't complain at Zen for this one, as it is now clear the issues is NOT them, but their service partner. They do seem to have routes into BT that most don't as well so they speak to them daily and get answers. Impressive as ever and to those who suggest a service is just a service that is not the case, it rarely if ever is the case in my experience.
 
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