EE vs Plusnet

[Rob879]

I am a Plusnet Broadband and Landline subscriber living in a rural area with part fibre service. As my exchange is being migrated to Digital Voice service, EE contacted me to say, that being a landline customer, I had to migrate to EE. The email quoted an estimated Broadband download speed of 6.0 Mbps with a minimum Guaranteed download speed of 5.5 Mbps. Naturally, I was concerned about these paltry speeds, so I contacted EE, who said this was the best they could offer  - and blamed Openreach. I subsequently contacted Plusnet, who offered me a new contract, without my landline, at an expected download speed of 64-72 Mbps, with a minimum Guaranteed Speed of 58.3 Mbps.

Can anyone explain why EE offered such a pathetic service level compared with Plusnet? They both use the same OpenReach infrastructure and both are subsidiaries of BT. I feel I’ve been stitched up by losing my landline. Despite several discussions with EE, they could offer no rational explanation.

[XRaySpeX]

What does BT Wholesale Broadband Availability Checker estimate for your phone number? Post just the whole table and the line above it, blanking out your phone number. If it doesn't recognise your phone number or you don't have one, use the Address Checker, not the Postcode Checker.

[Robert879]

Cabinet 4

Featured Products Downstream Line Rate(Mbps) Upstream Line Rate (Mbps) Downstream HandbackThreshold(Mbps) WBC FTTC Availability WBC SOGEA AvailabilityHigh Low High Low      VDSL Range A (Clean) 
VDSL Range B (Impacted) 

80	66.4	20	17.1	58.7	Available	Available
80	60	20	15.2	50	Available	Available

Featured Products Downstream Line Rate(Mbps) Upstream Line Rate (Mbps) Downstream Range (Mbps) Availability Date FTTP Install ProcessFTTP on Demand

330

50

--

Available

--

ADSL Products Downstream Line Rate (Mbps) Upstream Line Rate (Mbps) Downstream Range(Mbps) ADSL AvailabilityWBC ADSL 2+WBC ADSL2+ Annex MADSL MaxFixed Rate

Up to 17	--	10 to 19.5	Available
Up to 17	Up to 1.5	10 to 19.5	Available
Up to 7.5	--	6.5 to 8	Available
2	--	--	Available

SOADSL Products Downstream Line Rate (Mbps) Upstream Line Rate (Mbps) Downstream Range(Mbps) WBC SOADSL AvailabilityWBC SOADSL 2+SOADSL MaxSOADSL Fixed Rate

Up to 17.0	--	10.0 to 19.5	Available
Up to 7.5	--	6.5 to 8.0	Available
--	--	--	Available

Other Offerings Availability DateVDSL MulticastADSL/SOADSL Multicast

Available

Available

Exchange Product Restrictions StatusFTTP Priority ExchangeWLR WithdrawalSOADSL Restriction

N

N

N

FTTP is not available.

[XRaySpeX]

Can't see why EE is giving you such ridiculously low speed estimates. You should get 60 - 80 Meg Down. Both EE & PN access the same source to provide their estimates.

Once when I had FTTC from EE my online a/c said "Guaranteed Speed 2 Meg" when I was getting 76 - 80 Meg. So just ignore their estimates; your actuals will be far faster.

[Robert879]

Thanks - 60 to 80 Mbps sounds right. However, isn't the EE quoted 5.5 Mbps Guaranteed download speed contractly signfiicant? According to the EE contract & Ofcom guidelines, EE would only investigate any potential fault, if the download speed at the hub repeatedly fell below 5,5 Mbps? If it was, say 6 Mbps, they wouldn't have to lift a finger? Also, I couldn't leave the EE Contract if they couldn’t fix any fault after 30 days?.

I wish I knew about the BT Wholesale Broadband Availability Checker before I spoke to EE! I also cannot understand why EE customer complaints did not run this check on my property prior to speaking to me? EE simply blaming Openreach was very lazy - and left a bitter taste with me.

[XRaySpeX]

Did you not use your landline no. to get those BTw Checker results? If you had it would've also showed your last Observed actual speeds.

[Robert879]

I lost my landline 2 days ago with my new Plusnet contract! I did try - but the broadband checker wouldn't accept my landline number, and I had to use address checker instead.

[XRaySpeX]

OK, thanks, that explains it.