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InkedPink's avatar
InkedPink
Joining in
22 days ago

No internet for nearly 24 hours

We're having big issues in SE London/Kent for nearly 24 hours. My whole road is affected and probably more beyond that. The service checker just says "intermittent signal in your area", no timeframe given for when an engineer will be getting to it or when it'll be expected to be fixed. No information given on why there's such a big outage. 

I cannot work from home, and my phone data cannot cover all the programs I need. 
Any info at all on whats happening? Or when it will be solved? 

Thanks

5 Replies

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  • jpeg1's avatar
    jpeg1
    Alessandro Volta
    22 days ago

    A break in service due to equipment failure or essential maintenance is to be expected from time to time. A residential broadband contract has no guarantee of continuous service. You will get a compensation payment after the first two full days of loss of connection. 

    If you rely on broadband for work, you will need to find a separate standby service. 

    • InkedPink's avatar
      InkedPink
      Joining in
      22 days ago

      If it's my equipment it always says so on the service checker, and no essential maintenance has been planned we always receive a text as warning. 

      • jpeg1's avatar
        jpeg1
        Alessandro Volta
        22 days ago

        You said it was the whole road out of service, so clearly your own equipment is not at fault. The broadband distribution network is a complex system, and much of the Virginmedia network is quite elderly having been inherited frpm previous cable operators. Until technicians locate the cabinet or cable that has failed they will not know what replacement parts are required. These have to be obtained and fitted.

        Have there been any street works in your area? Sometimes an underground cable duct can be damaged by other utilities digging the road, and this will always cause a long delay for repairs.

        There are many reasons why broadband services can be interrupted, which is why many of us ensure we have a standby service available.

  • nodrogd's avatar
    nodrogd
    Very Insightful Person
    22 days ago

    The traditional HFC cable network relies on a chain of amplifiers to drive the signal down the copper coaxial part of the distribution system. If one of these fails, a new one has to be pre-calibrated & soak tested before being installed. This can take up to 24 hours, but the consequences of not doing so used to result in the weeks of disruption, as many cable "veterans" like me can remember.

    There can also be other causes like overheating equipment, or RF noise ingress.