Techie question. Broadband and bad weather.

silvermusic · Jul 17, 2009

Does bad weather like thunderstorms affect broadband connections and/or speed?

Had all sorts of problems tonight and as most of my connection to the exchange goes via overhead lines, and living out in the sticks it's not that fast anyway. I just wondered if it was purely weather or was the problem further up the chain with BT's network. Seems to be more or less OK now but earlier this evening it was so slow I gave up, if it hadn't of improved in the mornjng I was going to give theri business helpline a call.

JDX_John · Jul 17, 2009

I don't know if storms can directly affect your service in terms of atmospheric conditions, but if the weather damages any equipment (lightning strikes, wires blow down) then obviously you could see negative effects... it only needs one link to be damaged somewhere.

silvermusic · Jul 17, 2009

It was more the atmospheric conditions I was wondering about, must admit I'd not really thought about it before.

crossdaz · Jul 17, 2009

silvermusic said:
Had all sorts of problems tonight and as most of my connection to the exchange goes via overhead lines, and living out in the sticks it's not that fast anyway. I just wondered if it was purely weather or was the problem further up the chain with BT's network. Seems to be more or less OK now but earlier this evening it was so slow I gave up, if it hadn't of improved in the mornjng I was going to give theri business helpline a call.

Yes it does - very hot weather can be equally disruptive. I'd be surprised if they admitted it though?

iboxsecurity · Jul 17, 2009

Telco's would rarely admit to it, but yes indeed, weather can affect greatly broadband or any telephone connection really.

There have been instances where I lived previously that it was so hot the telephone cables decided to fuse together, other times winds so heavy that the internet just would not work because cables were getting blown all over and yes atmospheric conditions will cause interferance or issues.

ubuntu1 · Jul 17, 2009

Yes it does, rain in particular can cause problems.

KM-Tiger · Jul 17, 2009

silvermusic said:
I just wondered if it was purely weather

Other forms of electrical interference can affect speed. Street lights, for instance.

It doesn't affect all, but some do notice a drop in speed when they come on in the evening.

biomed86 · Jul 17, 2009

I also had lots of problems yesterday evening during the thunderstorm, a few intermittent powercuts caused problems with my internet in terms of getting cut off, but speed was still the same once it was back on again.

J-Wholesale · Jul 17, 2009

Depends on the type of broadband connection. We use a wireless connection from Digiweb that relies on a line of sight to a mast on a hill 5 miles away. We used to lose the connection whenever it rained. Turned out a tree was in the line of sight, and any time it rained the branches grew heavier, dropped a little, and cut off the connection.

Judicious use of a chainsaw sorted the problem.

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Techie question. Broadband and bad weather.

silvermusic

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KM-Tiger

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