High latency issues

[Mernard]

Hi. Like many users on here, I have been experiencing high latency spikes on my connection. I recently upgraded to M500 and since then these issues have become more prevalent. This makes it difficult for WFH during the day and gaming in the evening. The connection has been fine for the past years ("fine" meaning general uptime of 95% plus bizarre recurring total dropouts at the same time every week). Eager to get this resolved as just re-signed for another 18 month contract.

Cable Modem StatusItem Status Comments

Acquired Downstream Channel (Hz)	419000000	Locked
Ranged Upstream Channel (Hz)	39400000	Locked
Provisioning State	Online

Refresh data

Downstream bonded channels

Channel Frequency (Hz) Power (dBmV) SNR (dB) Modulation Channel ID

1	419000000	3	40	256 qam	36
2	235000000	3.5	40	256 qam	13
3	243000000	3.4	40	256 qam	14
4	251000000	3.9	40	256 qam	15
5	259000000	3.9	40	256 qam	16
6	267000000	3.9	40	256 qam	17
7	275000000	4	40	256 qam	18
8	283000000	4.1	40	256 qam	19
9	291000000	4.1	40	256 qam	20
10	299000000	4.3	40	256 qam	21
11	307000000	4	40	256 qam	22
12	315000000	4	40	256 qam	23
13	323000000	4.4	40	256 qam	24
14	331000000	4.5	40	256 qam	25
15	339000000	4	40	256 qam	26
16	347000000	3.5	40	256 qam	27
17	355000000	3	40	256 qam	28
18	363000000	3.2	40	256 qam	29
19	371000000	3.5	40	256 qam	30
20	379000000	3.5	40	256 qam	31
21	387000000	3.2	40	256 qam	32
22	395000000	3.7	40	256 qam	33
23	403000000	4	40	256 qam	34
24	411000000	3.5	40	256 qam	35

Downstream bonded channels

Channel Locked Status RxMER (dB) Pre RS Errors Post RS Errors

1	Locked	40.9	1960	120684
2	Locked	40.3	19096	155626
3	Locked	40.9	22145	154006
4	Locked	40.9	20262	153322
5	Locked	40.9	15318	156123
6	Locked	40.9	7626	158459
7	Locked	40.3	1349	159388
8	Locked	40.9	689	152337
9	Locked	40.3	1162	160472
10	Locked	40.3	907	130955
11	Locked	40.3	509	101254
12	Locked	40.9	461	102321
13	Locked	40.9	408	102107
14	Locked	40.3	571	106532
15	Locked	40.3	723	129772
16	Locked	40.9	1518	141453
17	Locked	40.3	2256	138848
18	Locked	40.9	3123	142664
19	Locked	40.9	4729	135309
20	Locked	40.3	16408	124853
21	Locked	40.3	29046	95220
22	Locked	40.9	22005	97613
23	Locked	40.3	23503	97062
24	Locked	40.9	16735	102363

[Mernard]

BQM today - ignore reset at 1pm:



Service Status via Virgin Media states no broadband issues in the area, however when attempting router test via Virgin Media, occasionally met with the following image below. However, reverts to the usual "oh check back here in 24 hours". So it would suggest there is an issue but there has been no detail on what the issue is, what steps are being taken and no suggestion of a resolution. The faults phone line routinely states there isn't a local issue. So which is it?

[Mernard]

Update for those interested, if any: issue still remains. Have been talking privately on here with forum staff, asking weekly for updates from the fabled “Field/Area Manager” to be told each time there has been no response. Which to me seems just a bit insane? Has anyone ever got a response to these types of update requests? When was the last time someone heard from them? Are they okay? Is a wellness check required?

In the intervening weeks I have been checking BQMs, consistently experiencing high latency. From being left in the dark, I’ve had fits of doing testing with the hub, resets, factory resets, going out and buying new Ethernet cables, making regular pilgrimages to the router in some feeble attempt to satiate an unseen and uncaring bitrate God.

It’s at a point now where rarely a conversation goes by with a colleague or acquaintance where they don’t ask in hushed tones “how’s your internet getting on?” and I recount the latest sequence of inaction in a listless fashion, maintaining a humble dignity in the face of the sad reality of the situation. You can see it in their eyes. I used to be interesting, fun, entertaining even. Now? I don’t feel like that anymore. It would be dramatic to say I want my life back, but in lieu of that I’ll settle for having a service I pay for to work properly.

Wired connection tests show speed being absolutely perfect, full download/upload speeds, but latency remains completely unstable. If the speeds are showing fine, Virgin seem satisfied that a service is being provided. However, you could have a top of the range sports car but if it’s not got a steering wheel then what use is it? Not a perfect analogy but then neither is my connection.

I’m not sure what else I can do or demonstrate that this is not an issue with my equipment or what I am doing. As far as I can deduce, it’s an issue with the local cabinet/line. When I had the second engineer visit a month or two ago, he did remark that the inside the street cabinet was in a very poor state.

Entirely unprompted, neighbours with Virgin Media have recently piped up in the local WhatsApp group that they are suffering from the exact same issues as me. Surely this is indicative of a wider local problem, rather than my own equipment/line?

If that, or some other issue out of my control, can be identified and some sort of timescale advised or action taken, I can make a decision (although I am still not much into my renewed 18 month contract).

In any case, a “senior engineer” is due to visit the property this Saturday AM. Another replacement router perhaps? Something tells me that’s not going to sort anything.

[BGL]

Good luck - this looks much like mine, the VM resolution for me is to leave - unfortunately due to no alternative for speed for at least 2 years I'm stuck with a Hub that resets itself a few times a week and an unstable connection.

[Natalie_L]

Hi Mernard, 

Thanks for getting back in touch. 

I am very sorry for any delays in getting this issue resolved. 

How did the visit go yesterday? Have you reached out to Lee via private message since you last spoke?

Thanks, 

[Mernard]

Hi Nat,

I haven’t gone back to Lee yet.

The engineer arrived yesterday AM as arranged, the same engineer who visited previously. As before, he was very helpful and pleasant. Cable running through the wall was replaced, new hub 4 router (again) and some work carried out at the street cabinet.

However there has been minimal improvement. As per the BQM below, the high ping spikes are occurring regularly, causing packet loss and absolute poison for video calling for work, online gaming in the evening and any other real time communication applications.

Might I suggest some further work/investigation to be carried out at the street cabinet or wider network area? As much as I genuinely enjoyed chatting with the engineer, I think he’d get a bit fed up at the prospect of another visit. I presume we can safely rule out the issue being with my equipment at this stage.

 

[JS24]

This is a similar issue to what I am having. Regular spikes throughout the day. At least you are getting a new router-Virgin Media seem set against getting me to try one despite being in conversation via the community PM's for two weeks.

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/5a9e8e1b5faa88708f11a9657a0ac2bb2f...

[Mernard]

Bonus VM broadband status checker nonsense below. I really am completely fed up with this now. This thread has been dragging on for nearly 2 months and since I renewed my 18 month contract I feel like I've been taken for a ride by paying money for a service that is so poor it's unusable for what I need, and what I need is a consistent connection.

Is that really that out of the ordinary or unachievable for a well-established cable internet provider with their own lines and infrastructure? I honestly don't know what would be more unlikely:

1. VM cancelling my contract without exit fees and refunding all payments since renewal date
2. Fixing this issue

[Ilyas_Y]

Hey there @Mernard, thanks for reaching out to us.

I'm sorry to hear about the broadband problems still being there, I can understand your frustration.
I will send you a private message to further investigate this and also to raise a case for you, watch out for the purple envelope 🙂

Kind regards.

[Mernard]

Update: the engineer arrived and was as genial, pleasant and informative as the rest. No issues there. The engineer advised he replaced and fine tuned whatever the other engineers didn’t. The improvement was not immediate but for the past two weeks my connection has been pretty good.

Unfortunately since Monday the high ping spikes and low latency issues returned (BQM below).

I advised a staff member on here via PM and the response was thus:

”I've had a look on the system and cannot see anything affecting the service down the line.
However, the Wi-Fi side does show some issues.
Because you are on Volt, I have gone ahead and done the next step of sending out a Wi-Fi pod.
This is free of charge and part of your package, the pod will be with you by next Monday the latest.
Once you get the pod, place it between the hub and the affected room within the house. We can get up to 3 sent out should you need them.”

I am utterly intrigued as to how a WiFi pod will solve this issue, when I have absolutely zero signal issues inside (and yes, even outside) the house. WiFi connectivity to the router has never been the issue. The issue has been the connection from the router/external line to the local box. 

I’m fascinated to know what “WiFi issues” I’ve been having unbeknownst to me and how they ascertained this? I’d be curious to know if they also are aware that this is a long-standing issue that also happens when devices are attached directly to the router via Ethernet. Will a WiFi pod fix that? I’m doubtful. They are irrelevant to my problem but I’ve also noticed the reviews of the pods (particularly from a health and safety standpoint) have not been great.

I do not want these pods, cheers. Nor do I want the hassle of having them in the house or returning them unused. I’d much rather have the root problem acknowledged, addressed and fixed.

[risc19]

---

”I've had a look on the system and cannot see anything affecting the service down the line.
However, the Wi-Fi side does show some issues.
Because you are on Volt, I have gone ahead and done the next step of sending out a Wi-Fi pod.
This is free of charge and part of your package, the pod will be with you by next Monday the latest.
Once you get the pod, place it between the hub and the affected room within the house. We can get up to 3 sent out should you need them.”

100 Wi-Fi pods wouldn't help with your issue.