Virgin Media Community

[palmyra08]

Hello in despair...

After many years of luckily spotless service, and many months since VM replaced my old hub with Hub 3: just a couple of weeks ago I started getting SYNC failures that keep making my connection drop sometimes every other minute on bad days, on better days several times per hour.

It varies, goes from good periods to extremely bad, as per attached BQM graphs, and it can "switch" even overnight - so not peak times. Whilst nothing whatsoever was changed at my end in any way (hub, cables, etc.) it makes me think this is some connection out there (cabinet or cabling). 

Calling 150 is absolutely pointless, the "support" is just vastly below any civilised word I can think of for it. Their diagnostic / test keeps saying service is fine, area check keeps saying no problems - which is ludicrous. 

Please see attached network logs, upstream and downstream stats (in this and following post), plus the BQM examples. This is a non-usable connection I am paying for. 

Is there any chance of somehow via forum VM support or anything to reach actual support for a clear technical failure of the service somewhere between my house and whatever cabinet (or beyond)?

Many thanks in advance.

Network Log

Time Priority Description

05/02/2023 12:43:4	notice	LAN login Success;CM- MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2023 12:31:54	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2023 12:31:52	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2023 12:31:52	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2023 12:31:52	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2023 12:31:52	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2023 12:08:44	Warning!	Lost MDD Timeout;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2023 12:08:44	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2023 12:08:40	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2023 12:08:40	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2023 12:08:40	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2023 12:08:40	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2023 12:04:28	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2023 12:04:16	Warning!	LAN login FAILED : Incorrect Username / Password / ConnectionType;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2023 11:56:22	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2023 11:56:22	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2023 11:56:21	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2023 11:56:21	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2023 11:44:5	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2023 11:44:5	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

Upstream bonded channels

Channel Frequency (Hz) Power (dBmV) Symbol Rate (ksps) Modulation Channel ID

1	49600000	35.3	5120	64 qam	1
2	23600000	34	5120	64 qam	5
3	43100000	35	5120	64 qam	2
4	30100000	34.3	5120	64 qam	4
5	36600000	34.8	5120	64 qam	3

Upstream bonded channels

Channel Channel Type T1 Timeouts T2 Timeouts T3 Timeouts T4 Timeouts

1	ATDMA	0	0	3	0
2	ATDMA	0	0	7	0
3	ATDMA	0	0	3	0
4	ATDMA	0	0	4	0
5	ATDMA	0	0	2	0

[palmyra08]

2nd part: 

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	203000000	3.9	36	256 qam	9
2	211000000	3.7	36	256 qam	10
3	219000000	2.9	36	256 qam	11
4	227000000	2.9	36	256 qam	12
5	235000000	2.7	36	256 qam	13
6	243000000	1.5	35	256 qam	14
7	251000000	1	35	256 qam	15
8	259000000	1.7	36	256 qam	16
9	267000000	2.5	36	256 qam	17
10	275000000	2.7	36	256 qam	18
11	283000000	2.7	36	256 qam	19
12	291000000	2.9	36	256 qam	20
13	299000000	3	36	256 qam	21
14	307000000	3.2	37	256 qam	22
15	315000000	2.7	37	256 qam	23
16	323000000	3	37	256 qam	24
17	331000000	3.2	37	256 qam	25
18	339000000	3	37	256 qam	26
19	347000000	3	37	256 qam	27
20	355000000	3.2	37	256 qam	28
21	363000000	2.9	37	256 qam	29
22	371000000	2	37	256 qam	30
23	379000000	1.2	36	256 qam	31
24	387000000	1	36	256 qam	32

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	Locked	36.3	6394	73154
2	Locked	36.3	8187	57461
3	Locked	36.6	8222	58579
4	Locked	36.3	7163	60221
5	Locked	36.6	7495	60200
6	Locked	36.3	8104	59231
7	Locked	36.3	9514	57176
8	Locked	36.3	10727	54412
9	Locked	36.6	9794	67385
10	Locked	36.6	8723	83444
11	Locked	36.6	9503	72810
12	Locked	36.3	5892	71265
13	Locked	36.6	5919	57475
14	Locked	37.3	7200	65339
15	Locked	37.6	6781	64324
16	Locked	37.3	7340	64726
17	Locked	37.3	7374	64120
18	Locked	37.3	6636	60616
19	Locked	37.3	8134	66752
20	Locked	37.6	13321	123477
21	Locked	37.3	14360	133863
22	Locked	37.3	14003	73644
23	Locked	36.6	11777	57203
24	Locked	37.3	9809	144827

[palmyra08]

BQM graph now shows again a quieter period without the earlier attached atrocious packet losses, with some "bursts" of hell - this has been going on for weeks, and some days are better, some are just unusable. From such "normal" periods it is impossible to assume somebody fixed something, as the very next day it can be completely unusable again.

I could not correlate it with e.g. wet weather either...

[palmyra08]

Hello,

an update is that whilst the service status phone line now states "issues" specific to my postcode (but "fails" to send me a link to track status), the re-checking option from same submenu states "no issues" (if anyone can figure out VM support lines, please let me know...).

Then via my account, it brings up a page saying both TV and broadband affected, with 13 Feb (!!!!) estimated fix date as "it is a complex issue". 

The situation currently is as bad as my earlier worst BQM graph, it is cutting out almost every minute with regular SYNC losses and critical warnings on the Hub3. So over the past couple of weeks this has been getting worse, with random OK and totally crazy periods, whilst VM service check kept saying no issues.

So is their system confused or I can now trust that they detected some issue... ? I wonder. But waiting one week for this... I registered for loss of service (although it is intermittent, but this is making it completely unusable for anything needing continuous connection), but that doesn't solve anything 🙂

[palmyra08]

Hello,

Not sure how to get (increasingly desperate) input - as per earlier attached information, the relentless broadband cutouts continue with same network log (Hub3 sync loss, heaps of post-RS errors). Please see fresh BQM below, in addition to previous ones.

The current service status checking phone line message changed to "we are improving our network" (yesterday was saying "there is an issue"), whilst the service status check page still states problem for my specific post code (GU14 8ER). The guesstimate is still a shocking `13 Feb fix date. 

Could I actually trust any of this, as the messages are not only changing but the same service check via different means actually contradict each other? 

There really is nothing I can do, after years of spotless broadband having last couple of weeks this exponentially increasing and now unusable frequency of disconnects??

Any thoughts appreciated, many thanks. 

[palmyra08]

Interestingly:  fault helpline (human, not the service check) says they see same 13 Feb estimate for a "fix" (which only shows as TV & broadband problem if I look on the service check website, whilst phone line states 9Am tomorrow and "improvement works"... go figure). 

He booked a technician for 10 Feb - quite curious what will result from that. Worryingly, he also asked me to pinhole / factory reset - but as it may trash my unusable connection even more (at least I am getting some intermittent connection now), it would anyway update its firmware overnight so... If FW is causing it, then wonderful...

Another quirk making me have zero faith in what the VM systems are telling me: if I enter a postcode just a few houses down the road, and no account holder surname, it says there are no issues. So if it specific to my postcode of a few houses, then this is not a heck of an area-wide "improvement work" nor widespread fault...

[palmyra08]

Well, this is when some move into con artist territory - this is beyond just lack of professionalism. 

After talking again to the so-called customer service team about the fault that was texted as "fixed" this morning, but still persisted (and 2 different ways of querying service status told 2 OTHER, also mutually contradictory stories with different time estimates and reasons): the "support" person stated the following, all trumped by documented facts:

- systems may take few hours to align with their information (actually, the few hours were more than two days, since website and phone line started to say 2 radically different reasons & time estimates);

- there was no problem on their side, so technician booking is to remain in the system for 10 Feb (actually, shortly after this, the "system" sent me update notifications: technician cancelled, this is a problem on "our side" and they are "working hard" in the area to fix this, with a new estimate of midnight). 

If somebody in the phone "support team" doesn't know something, and the multiple databases are out by days (!) relative to each other on the information held on the same issue, at least should not make up nonsense randomly as they go along - especially when their own websites, notifications and my hub logs document the opposite. 

I documented, recorded every revolting nonsense written and told since 4 Jan - and I am quite excited to see how this farce continues, as my next stop will be Ofcom about this - unless VM starts to show the first semblances of factual, truthful communication & actions. 

All this time the taken for an idiot customer is paying for a service that has been fundamentally failing since last week. 

[Matthew_ML]

Hey palmrya08, thank you for reaching out and I am so sorry to hear about these connection problems.

I have looked into this from our side and unfortunately I can still confirm there is an SNR area outate still.

This is now due to last until the 12th Feb 2023. Thanks  

[palmyra08]

Dear Matt,

you may appreciate that this is quite exasperating: since 4 Feb, not only this fix estimate has been moving every day (latest I got over the phone was 10AM this morning, so this now clearly bumped by another 2 days), but also: website and app service check states everything is fine, runs the test, comes back fine... whilst fault helpline has automated message with no time estimate about area fault still persisting. 

Is there any real end to this, or the estimates will keep moving by further weeks until I leave VM for good? I just entered an 18 months new deal, but I can assure you, after weeks of this, I shall not pay any early termination penalties - over my dead body, I can absolutely promise this will not happen, based on all the facts documented by me since January - including how, at the same time, VM systems are telling me 2-3 mutually contradictory service status reports. 

[palmyra08]

Exact same issue in my area, for almost 2 weeks now - SNR, with the telltale PostRS errors going through the roof, not to mention BQM plots taken every day. The interesting issue: more than a decade of spotless broadband... now suddenly all falls apart, so wondering whether some cable / shielding got damaged by some previous work or whatever...

1. What is exasperating is how status check site could say countless times that everything is fine, whilst automated status check phone line at the same time was saying the opposite (and latter was always the actual reality). Something very badly wrong with VM IT infrastructure, if 2 systems accessing very same information at the same time can yield to completely contradictory statements. 

2. Even more exasperating: every single "fix" estimate has been moving by 1/2 day, 1 day, 5 days (!) into the future - no end in sight. My recent estimate, after today's prediction expired, suddenly moved to 15 Feb. It reduces faith in these estimates to zero by now.