Virgin Media Community

[nleaney]

Hi there,

Both my neighbour and I (as well as others in the same postcode areas according to Twitter) have been experiencing frequent short broadband outages - usually with service returning in around 10 minutes. The problem has become much more noticeable in the last few weeks.  There have been 4 such outages today alone.

I've attached logs below.  Hopefully, someone might be able to look into this for me?  Since there are several of us experiencing the same issue, it would imply a common fault...

Downstream bonded channels
Channel	Frequency (Hz)	Power (dBmV)	SNR (dB)	Modulation	Channel ID
1	323000000	8.1	36	256 qam	24
2	251000000	6.9	37	256 qam	15
3	259000000	6.6	37	256 qam	16
4	267000000	6.5	36	256 qam	17
5	275000000	6.6	36	256 qam	18
6	283000000	7	37	256 qam	19
7	291000000	7.1	37	256 qam	20
8	299000000	7.5	36	256 qam	21
9	307000000	7.6	37	256 qam	22
10	315000000	7.9	37	256 qam	23
11	331000000	8.3	37	256 qam	25
12	371000000	8.5	36	256 qam	26
13	379000000	8.5	36	256 qam	27
14	387000000	8.8	35	256 qam	28
15	395000000	8.6	35	256 qam	29
16	403000000	8.5	35	256 qam	30
17	411000000	8.3	35	256 qam	31
18	419000000	8.5	36	256 qam	32
19	427000000	8.5	37	256 qam	33
20	435000000	8	37	256 qam	34
21	443000000	8.5	37	256 qam	35
22	451000000	8.8	37	256 qam	36
23	459000000	8.6	37	256 qam	37
24	467000000	8.8	37	256 qam	38
Downstream bonded channels
Channel	Locked Status	RxMER (dB)	Pre RS Errors	Post RS Errors
1	Locked	36.6	425314	0
2	Locked	37.3	264550	0
3	Locked	37.3	271590	0
4	Locked	36.6	284139	0
5	Locked	36.6	286104	0
6	Locked	37.3	289843	0
7	Locked	37.3	287165	0
8	Locked	36.3	297648	0
9	Locked	37.3	310671	0
10	Locked	37.6	350157	0
11	Locked	37.3	452341	0
12	Locked	36.6	1432427	0
13	Locked	36.3	1697387	0
14	Locked	35.7	2162629	0
15	Locked	35.7	2721465	0
16	Locked	35.7	3228614	0
17	Locked	35.5	3503706	0
18	Locked	36.3	3551794	0
19	Locked	37.3	3591338	0
20	Locked	37.3	4306885	0
21	Locked	37.3	4490855	0
22	Locked	37.6	4499002	0
23	Locked	37.6	4620983	0
24	Locked	37.6	4879250	0

Upstream bonded channels
Channel	Frequency (Hz)	Power (dBmV)	Symbol Rate (ksps)	Modulation	Channel ID
1	53700039	49	5120	64 qam	2
2	39400000	46.8	5120	64 qam	4
3	46199946	47.5	5120	64 qam	3
4	60300000	49.8	5120	64 qam	1
Upstream bonded channels
Channel	Channel Type	T1 Timeouts	T2 Timeouts	T3 Timeouts	T4 Timeouts
1	ATDMA	0	0	0	0
2	ATDMA	0	0	0	0
3	ATDMA	0	0	0	0
4	ATDMA	0	0	0	0

Time	Priority	Description
05/02/2021 18:08	critical	Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance opportunities received - T4 time out;CM-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CMTS-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2021 12:45	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CMTS-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2021 12:45	critical	Unicast Maintenance Ranging attempted - No response - Retries exhausted;CM-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CMTS-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2021 12:45	critical	Ranging Request Retries exhausted;CM-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CMTS-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2021 09:44	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CMTS-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2021 09:43	critical	Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance opportunities received - T4 time out;CM-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CMTS-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2021 09:38	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CMTS-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2021 09:38	critical	Unicast Maintenance Ranging attempted - No response - Retries exhausted;CM-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CMTS-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2021 09:38	critical	Ranging Request Retries exhausted;CM-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CMTS-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2021 09:38	critical	Unicast Maintenance Ranging attempted - No response - Retries exhausted;CM-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CMTS-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2021 09:38	critical	Ranging Request Retries exhausted;CM-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CMTS-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2021 09:25	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CMTS-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2021 09:25	Warning!	B-INIT-RNG Failure - Retries exceeded;CM-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CMTS-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2021 09:21	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CMTS-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2021 09:21	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CMTS-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2021 09:20	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CMTS-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2021 09:14	critical	Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance opportunities received - T4 time out;CM-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CMTS-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2021 09:12	Warning!	Lost MDD Timeout;CM-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CMTS-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2021 09:12	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CMTS-MAC=*:*:*:*:*:*;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

[JitteryPinger]

These logs don't suggest any problems at your hub or local network level but obviously is an issue much further along the network, is there a fault registered here: https://my.virginmedia.com/faults/service-status

If not don't worry, team will catch up with this post in a few days or so and should be able to take a look or escalate to correct people for looking into.

[EG1]

Yes,  Count me in. That postcode, that problem. 

As additional irritation it seems almost impossible to find a way to ask Virgin why it’s happening. Keep getting back to endless help articles about how to fix my router or wifi this end, when it’s the supply to it that seems the problem.

[nleaney]

Thanks Matt. 

Most of the time there is no fault registered on the service status page. 

[JitteryPinger]

Hi @EG1, @nleaney

Unfortunately he help pages on Virgin Media website do leave a lot to be desired, unfortunately not all faults get listed, specially if they are on-going or intermittent and not causing complete outages,

As I mentioned above if you guys hang out here for a few days hopefully someone from the team can give you both some information on the issue.

If you don't hear nothing by Tuesday post back here and I'll do what I can to get you some help.

[EG1]

Thanks Matt,

Whether anyone from Virgin picks up and responds to technical issues feels very erratic on the forum overall.

I get frustrated at the endless loop of use help pages, contact us if they don’t help, contact online is slow and awkward and they try to deflect technical issues to help pages or telephone. And the telephone service when called says we are too busy, go online and at times cuts you off, presumably when very long wait times.

So we get nowhere. And have nowhere to go.

At the moment I am trying one of the online message routes. I started at 7 pm last night, ignored all evening. Back on at 9 am this morning and 25 mins later I’m only at the stage of effusive promises they are here to help and ID ing myself. Maybe it will help eventually but confidence is very low on that.

[JitteryPinger]

I woulsn't stress over trying to take to anybody at customer service, the issue that your having will likely be out of there immediate knowledge anyway.

Just hang out here where the issue can be looked at more diligently.

[EG1]

Patience will indeed be a virtue on this!

I’m now almost 2 hrs into the online message and have reached the point of try calling 151 but you probably won’t get through. And recommending I raise a complaint. Sigh...

The service dropped out again 10-20 mins ago. I tried 151, recorded message said they are making improvements in our postcode, so we might lose service for a few hours. Maybe that’s true, maybe it’s just a cover.

if someone had said upfront there was some work about to start, we’ll be help8mg to avoid ongoing issues, but it might be a bit up and down for 2x3 days I could probably live with that.

Let see what happens here.

[JitteryPinger]

Unfortunately its not in the best interests of an ISP to tell customers of problems or downtime as it can cost them a lot, it would be like going door to door and handing people £20 each, that will mount up along with the costs in processing such payments and the man power.

It's better they take that cash and fix the issue and save the backlash causing issues elsewhere.

The likely culprit of such an issue is going to be a piece of kit somewhere and likely is identified but they need to acquire that kit, get it transported, setup and tested which can take anywhere between days and months.

[nleaney]

OK so we're at the end of Tuesday and things haven't really improved.  Since Saturday I've noted the following outages:

Saturday 6th Feb: 10.15-10.25, 18.55-19.05

Monday 8th Feb: 02.35-02-45, 18.00-18.10

Tuesday 9th Feb: 08.55-09.05, 15.25-15.35

For each of these outages (when I was awake!) there was no indication of an issue recorded on the Service Status page.  I was hopeful on Sunday that there might have been a fix applied but I don't think this was the case.