Sorry folks. I can only offer the excuse that I was pretty depressed having lost one third of my download speed progressively over a fortnight, with no discoverable reason for it, and with no end to the decline in sight, it seemed. It's now stabilised for the last week at a touch shy of 27Mbps, so I can live with that. Uploads are truly excellent and always have been, but they are left to settle naturally and don't seem to be affected by BT's systems. I really hope I haven't been blacklisted. It's the third time in six years that I've contacted them, and the first two were just a single e-mail - when I joined and to get an IPv6 address when they system failed to give me one, both sorted in a few minutes, oh and I think maybe once for a line check, again sorted in a couple of minutes.
I realise that with VDSL, BT's systems are automated so there's really nothing that can be done once their systems take it upon themselves to cap you. It can get stuck. It's not an uncommon experience, almost a normal one reading around the subject. I'm just unlucky. I've decided to reduce my package to Lite, and sadly treat IDNet as a life raft and wait for rescue by a bigger ship. Just maybe, I understand, a change of supplier might induce a reset. Nothing else will, it seems, without the bill for an abortive visit if there's no line fault found (which there isn't - the line itself is in excellent condition for its age), and the systems can't be reset remotely. It's the game. Not IDNet's fault, they're not to blame in any way shape or form. They've done everything they can. Sorry to everybody, again. My fault for being unlucky, and not having the balls to take it.
I realise of course that IDNet's USP is their uncontended own network and it's a judgement, I suspect it doesn't necessarily mean that everyone else is horribly contended. I suspect if the worst comes to it though I have the option to go away, do something else and wait for any contention to clear. I'm lucky in that regard, others on time critical things aren't.
My electricity supplier, First Utility (Southern Electric?) seem pretty keen for my business by the amount of offers I'm receiving. Just missed one, unfortunately, but hopefully another will be along before too long! With my line I doubt I'm ever going to get any benefit from IDNet's solid backhaul so I don't think there's any rational alternative to choose on download limits and price, which frankly is the same as the vast majority of the country. It's the way the market is fixed. Apart from the speed issues everything else is perfect, so it's sad to have to leave as IDNet's service is as near perfect as you can get (after the troubles a few years back) as far as I can tell; but I doubt I'm the first. Ah, for the days of ADSL when ISP's actually had some influence and the choice of ISP mattered. I just can't justify paying just for the name any more.