Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[james]

Had a call today and reading between the lines I believe the situation is that an undisclosed division of TalkTalk know a fault exists something about the loop but they can't action Openreach to investigate without fear of charges unless I can provide confirmation that the fault exists when only a telephone is plugged into the test socket. I am to call back tomorrow to report my findings and it is expected that I will not encounter the noise fault with only the phone line connected.

However after the call the noise had suddenly disappeared just like last time I spoke to these bods.

I tested as instructed anyway many times by making calls and receiving calls using only a telephone plugged into the test socket and of course no noise occurred.

I reconnected the SSFP MK2 and plugged in the telephone and the broadband and again I tested many times by making calls and receiving calls and again no noise occurred.

The CRC and FEC errors are still occurring resulting in the TalkTalk internet TV channels breaking up however I may have found a means of reducing these errors where hopefully the DLM won't kick in any more.

[Mark1]

Because you don't have noise on the phone at the test socket, TalkTalk should be treating your fault as a broadband fault and not as an ordinary phone fault. Basically, you have intermodulation between the broadband and voice frequencies resulting in increased error rates and SNR margin drops, all due to an HR fault no doubt, which as an interoperability fault can only be fixed by a broadband engineer. Either TalkTalk doesn't understand this or they are using "no noise on the line at the test socket" as an excuse not to do anything.

As for this business of testing at the test socket with engineer installed FTTC, I was never asked to do this by BT Retail during my own fault solving as I believe they consider the filter to be part of the NTE5 and Openreach property. Of course, I did it anyway.

It sounds like the fault can be mitigated somewhat by a lengthy phone call (increased current heating faulty joint?), therefore try this: turn off the modem and make several long phone calls; turn the modem back on. Your connection may now work a bit better (but for how long?).

[james]

The noise is often intermittent and it has been cleared a couple of times but it has always returned.

Before I contacted TalkTalk about the noise, b*cat suggested I test with only a corded telephone plugged into the test socket. I did so and I heard the crackling noise. I reported it to TalkTalk as an ordinary phone line fault. TalkTalk support escalated the fault to the TalkTalk network bods and one of them called me up and he heard the noise on the line and booked an Openreach engineer visit for the next day however shortly after the call ended I noticed the noise fault had been cleared.

The Openreach engineer arrived and I told him the noise was gone but he did his tests anyway and they passed so the ticket was closed.

When the noise returned I called TalkTalk support and this time I made sure to delay the BrightSpark engineer visit by two weeks to allow for the fault to build up in case it was cleared again. The BrightSpark engineer arrived and he heard the noise on the line so he reported it as an ordinary phone fault and it was escalated to TalkTalk's network bods again.

I informed the network bods that when they become involved the noise fault clears and it takes a few days before it builds up again but they don't believe it. They told me it is a rectified loop fault and treat me with disdain seemingly because they "know" the fault is caused by internal wiring or equipment regardless the noise occurred when I tested with a corded phone plugged into the test socket.

I had no choice but to agree to test again using only the corded phone plugged into the test socket. I told them the noise fault had once again cleared after they became involved. So of course there was no noise even with the broadband connected so my testing was futile and I only had 24 hours which isn't enough time for the fault to build up again.

It's been a couple of days and the fault has built up enough where ringing the land line causes the SNRM to drop where it causes a small V in the graph and the CRC and FEC errors have become more severe. If I leave it a few more days I'll be able to cause the SNRM to drop by 2 to 3 dB simply by listening to the dial tone.

[The black Mamba]

Hi James.
My advise for you is to check the line from the incoming socket and listen to the line say at 0800 hours if Ok log it as clear.
Recheck at 1200 hours if clear ok log it.
Recheck at. 1800 hours if clear ok log it.

What you are doing with this testing it checking for vibrations from eg traffic wind plus weather conditions humidity.
Once you have the noise on log the time then call back on the line and see if it clears.
If it clears repeat as above and log untill the fault returns.
If the fault either clears or stays on after ringing back on the the line report it to your ISP getting the fault number stating your test results.
Keep testing and logging  untill the engineer makes a visit.

Regards.    James.     Phil.

[Mark1]

As I understand it then, TalkTalk have identified the fault as a rectified loop and are unwilling to have it fixed until you can prove the fault exists outside your house for fear of Openreach charges. I would remind TalkTalk that you have engineer installed FTTC and therefore it is unlikely that the fault has anything to do with you unless the installation was botched or the Openreach equipment is faulty which in either case isn't your responsibility.

[The black Mamba]

Hi Mark
Please remember it is the contractual respondability for the ISP to get the Fault cleared.
You pay the ISP for a fault free service.
As you have stated on your fault that it is a rectified loop this is proved by disconnecting the line at the incoming Master Socket with ISP Talk Talk testing Enginner.
If the fault is in your home the tested line from the Exchange FTTC will test dis and clear.
Regards.   Phil.

[Mark1]

Phil, it is james who actually has the fault.

My point is that if the rectified fault is in the home (as you would expect), the burden of repair is TalkTalk's because of the recent FTTC installation. Presumably James had isolated any extensions during testing.

[james]

Thanks for the advice, I wish I had known more in the beginning especially as now I have little energy for it.

I am at the stage where I have little motivation to get it resolved. I'm tired of repeating myself over and over to the TalkTalk's support people.

The Network Support Centre bods offered to escalate it to complaints who have escalated it to the CEO's office so I am waiting to find out what they can do.

I could ask TalkTalk to redirect the incoming calls to the upstairs land line (I tried it myself already but the redirect code doesn't work) or failing that I could ask TalkTalk to change the telephone number or even stop incoming calls.