Post-RS errors, a "short term stability issue", cable repull, and friends

[iwantraytolive]

Hi,

I'm really desperate.

I first contacted VM around the end of June (possibly first week of July) after noticing an intermittent fault (internet disconnecting/lagging for 1-15 mins a time, speeds dropping to 4mbps). 

I really want to stress this is an intermittent fault as everyone I have spoken to from faults keeps insisting if there is not a continual problem there is no fault. 

This has been ongoing since June. When I first called I was told there was an area fault that virgin were aware of (but were only going to work on now I called in?). I was texted 30th July to say services were restored - they had got worse. I called in and was told there was no fault and that an engineer attending my property would be £25 unless I opened a complaint.

I opened a complaint which was then closed without anyone speaking to me because 'the issue was resolved'. I called back to say the issue was not resolved and this complaint was also closed without contacting me. I called back to re-open the complaint. Every time I called I was told I would definitely get a call back within varying timeframes - not a single promised call back was made. 

I finally spoke to a lass from Retentions who was amazing, did everything she said about callbacks, and who got an engineer out. At this point VM are describing my issue as a 'short term stability issue', a term they have been using for the last 3 weeks about a fault that has been ongoing for months. Nobody has been able to define VM's idea of "short term".

The first engineer acknowledged there's a fault based on my BQM and post-RS error count, replaced the Hub and said he would escalate as I may need "an entirely new line" or it was a cabinet issue. He described the fault as noise on the line. He then marked the job as completed.

The second engineer installed a box over the cabling outside as I confirmed the problem is worse during bad weather. 

The third engineers were sub-contractors sent to do a cable re-pull (after I received a text to say this would be done in October and called to query it) - they spraypainted the pavement about 30m down from my house, said they have no construction permit to dig up the road, laughed and drove off. They also marked the job as completed (?). This was last week.

The fourth engineer came out on Tuesday and installed a new line outside the property (or connected a new line that another engineer had installed - he indicated a connection outside should have been swapped and was left half-done). He did give me his number in case the issue persisted but I must have it down wrong as I texted him and it won't deliver.

I called today as it has now been 48h and things are as bad as ever and spent another hour talking to the faults department who advised me they had 'refreshed my signal' and things should be fine now. They also advised me to use wireless and not ethernet because I was clear that this is not a wifi fault (again).

I was also made aware by my downstairs neighbour that the reason my internet dropped about 3pm was two more VM engineers attending my property, unplugging my line to do some kind of test, pronouncing it fine and driving off. Nobody left a card, or thought to knock on to ask if it was ok to disconnect my line then - it really wasn't, I was disconnected from a Teams meeting.. I'm in my training/probation period and this is a really bad look. I also wasn't expecting anyone to attend today. This has been a repeated problem - there are 3 VM engineers who have attended my property without letting me know (that I have seen/found out about - god knows how many have actually been out - they don't leave notes either, so there's no record of who has visited or what they were here for).

At this point I don't even know what is going on. Last week I was expecting a total cable repull (based on the text about it from 07445576718 and the subcontractors visit) and was told the subcontractor were waiting for VM to get a permit to dig up the road.

This week it's all about a new line install on my property only and the cable repull appears to have been abandoned. I don't know why. I don't know why VM engineers have attended my property and VM havent told me on at least 3 occasions and no card was ever left. I explained I WFH and am disabled/mental health patient/learning difficulties and this is really affecting me - complaints schedule call backs 5 times in a week and miss all of them. Complaints are closed without speaking to me as resolved (and the first one as a WiFi issue!) when I have explained this is consistent across all devices on the network including 2 ethernet cabled PCs. I have had calls from VM asking if they can send an engineer out same/next day and said yes to everything for nobody to show up. I have had a scheduled engineer not show up at all and not been credited. I have been offered bill credits which have not been applied. Advice given by the faults department is.. terrible, today alone I spent another hour on the phone to them 'refreshing my Hub signals' and told this was more effective than replacing the Hub or the wiring on my property. Faults keep describing the issue as a "short term stability issue" but nobody can tell me what VM's definition of short-term is. When I called today the automated message stated there was a local fault that would be resolved at 3pm - strangely the exact time VM engineers were on my property without letting me know.

There's a lot more, because *every single time* VM have told me what will happen (this is when the fault will be fixed, this is when youll get a call back, this is how we handle complaints, etc) hasn't been stuck to. The one exception to this is a lass in Retentions called Emma who has been amazing and stuck to every call back she's offered, is the reason I got an engineer out in the first place when being told there was no fault in August, and is generally smashing - unfortunately when trying to call her back to let her know the fault is ongoing I get routed through to Faults who won't do anything with the call.

I have had varying numbers of pre-post RS errors to support my case (anything from 200-5000 post-RS errors in a day), a BQM running since the start of July, etc. 

After the initial hub replacement and before this week's visit, the pre-RS errors were 3500000+ a channel and the post-RS errors were proportionally much smaller (although still in the tens of thousands at least). Since the line installation this week, the post-RS errors are proportionally much greater (up to twice the pre-RS) and there are far less pre-RS errors. The downstream values have changed from 0.5 - 4.5 to hover around 0 - from what I understand they were fine before and perfect now. The upstream power levels are all fine but the modulation drops to 32 frequently and sometimes 16qam.

Finally, my downstairs neighbour (same building), the house next door, and the house opposite have all reported massive issues with VM to the point they closed their accounts. I have asked for a deadlock letter as I fear I will have to as well.

Downstream bonded channels
Channel Frequency (Hz) Power (dBmV) SNR (dB) Modulation Channel ID
1 331000000 1 36 256 qam 25
2 203000000 0.2 35 256 qam 9
3 211000000 -0.2 35 256 qam 10
4 219000000 0 35 256 qam 11
5 227000000 0 35 256 qam 12
6 235000000 0 35 256 qam 13
7 243000000 -0.2 35 256 qam 14
8 251000000 -0.4 35 256 qam 15
9 259000000 -0.7 35 256 qam 16
10 267000000 0 35 256 qam 17
11 275000000 -0.4 35 256 qam 18
12 283000000 -0.2 35 256 qam 19
13 291000000 -0.2 35 256 qam 20
14 299000000 -0.2 35 256 qam 21
15 307000000 0.2 35 256 qam 22
16 315000000 0.9 36 256 qam 23
17 323000000 0.7 36 256 qam 24
18 339000000 1.2 36 256 qam 26
19 347000000 1 36 256 qam 27
20 355000000 1.2 36 256 qam 28
21 363000000 1 36 256 qam 29
22 371000000 0.9 36 256 qam 30
23 379000000 1.5 36 256 qam 31
24 387000000 0.9 36 256 qam 32

Downstream bonded channels
Channel Locked Status RxMER (dB) Pre RS Errors Post RS Errors
1 Locked 36.3 3010 1864
2 Locked 35.5 1024 20147
3 Locked 35.5 962 12707
4 Locked 35.5 1953 10613
5 Locked 35.7 2412 8897
6 Locked 35.7 1089 12184
7 Locked 35.7 3884 9208
8 Locked 35.5 3625 17791
9 Locked 35.7 6359 7150
10 Locked 35.7 4614 7370
11 Locked 35.7 2116 1650
12 Locked 35.5 2864 1705
13 Locked 35.5 3896 7712
14 Locked 35.7 8106 5983
15 Locked 35.7 4264 1815
16 Locked 36.3 2036 1740
17 Locked 36.3 3126 2500
18 Locked 36.3 2638 1561
19 Locked 36.3 3422 2051
20 Locked 36.6 4256 2092
21 Locked 36.3 4801 2389
22 Locked 36.3 3571 2066
23 Locked 36.3 2723 2182
24 Locked 36.6 3749 2557

Upstream bonded channels
Channel Frequency (Hz) Power (dBmV) Symbol Rate (ksps) Modulation Channel ID
1 60300000 45.8 5120 64 qam 1
2 46199922 45.3 5120 64 qam 3
3 39399995 45.3 5120 64 qam 4
4 53699975 45.5 5120 64 qam 2

Upstream bonded channels
Channel Channel Type T1 Timeouts T2 Timeouts T3 Timeouts T4 Timeouts
1 ATDMA 0 0 0 0
2 ATDMA 0 0 1 0
3 ATDMA 0 0 0 0
4 ATDMA 0 0 0 0

Time Priority Description
08/09/2021 15:01:3 Warning! RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=x:x:x:x:x:x;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
08/09/2021 15:00:7 Warning! Lost MDD Timeout;CM-MAC=x:x:x:x:x:x;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
08/09/2021 15:00:3 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=x:x:x:x:x:x;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
08/09/2021 15:00:3 Warning! RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=x:x:x:x:x:x;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
08/09/2021 15:00:3 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=x:x:x:x:x:x;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
08/09/2021 15:00:2 Warning! RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=x:x:x:x:x:x;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
08/09/2021 14:12:37 critical No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=x:x:x:x:x:x;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
08/09/2021 09:24:17 Warning! RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=x:x:x:x:x:x;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
08/09/2021 09:24:17 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=x:x:x:x:x:x;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
08/09/2021 05:32:3 Warning! RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=x:x:x:x:x:x;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
08/09/2021 05:29:9 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=x:x:x:x:x:x;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
08/09/2021 05:26:59 Warning! RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=x:x:x:x:x:x;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
08/09/2021 05:26:59 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=x:x:x:x:x:x;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
08/09/2021 05:16:35 Warning! RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=x:x:x:x:x:x;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
08/09/2021 05:16:34 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=x:x:x:x:x:x;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
07/09/2021 11:05:25 Warning! RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=x:x:x:x:x:x;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
07/09/2021 11:04:45 Warning! Lost MDD Timeout;CM-MAC=x:x:x:x:x:x;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
07/09/2021 11:04:41 Warning! RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=x:x:x:x:x:x;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
07/09/2021 11:04:41 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=x:x:x:x:x:x;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
07/09/2021 11:04:40 Warning! RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=x:x:x:x:x:x;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

Thank you for your time reading this far - part of it was to vent, as I don't know what can be done this side if anything over the issues with customer service, or even if you can find out why engineers keep attending my property without me being informed (and no notes logged which honestly freaks me out - VM should surely know who's houses its engineers are attending and what they do there!)... but please, please, please let me get what I want... stable wired internet. 

[Beth_G]

Hi iwantraytolive,

Apologies for any confusion caused by our previous response. I'm also terribly sorry to hear of how much stress this has caused, it truly is disappointing and we want to do everything we can to turn this around for you.

I've had a look through the account and can confirm that your complaint is with our Executive Team and can see that the complaint handler has been in touch with you a few times to discuss the next steps and is working towards a resolution for you.

I can see that another repull has been booked for you as you mentioned that we did not have the permits required to carry out the constructions works that were needed. If you are unsure of the date planned for the repull, please head over to your My Virgin Media account to view the appointment time slot.

If you would ever like an update or have any more concerns or questions, please don't hesitate to ask from here. We can also liaise with your complaint manager if needed to get more information on what's been discussed on the phone.

Kind regards

Beth

[iwantraytolive]

Hi,

Is it possible to get an update on this? The re-pull was due on the 21st, nobody turned up and I have since been informed that since there is another outage in the area no work will be done until this new outage is resolved.

Every time I have called this week I am told the local outage will be resolved by 3pm that day. I have been told it is impossible to rebook a date to get the re-pull done until the local outage is cleared. 

I have lost count of the "local outages" that Virgin claim to have happened in the last couple of months - some weeks I am supposed to believe that 3-4 local outages have spontaneously developed and resolved. Today I get an automated message about a complex network fault and texted a link... which shows no faults in my area.

I was told it was a "local outage" when I first called in June.

Since then there's been a new set of local outages every week. Supposedly.

It has been confirmed that the issue is in the cabinet. I strongly suspect that there is no local outage and VM are using this as an excuse (see also: "short term stability issue", which has been quietly dropped after I started pointing out it has been 3 months). From my own reading on the subject it looks like a fairly simple test to determine that and given the information you had before attending (upstream dropping to 16qam, packet loss, post-rs errors, loss of sync) this should have been picked up at some point in the first 5 appointments. 

VM have been unable to confirm they have even applied for the permit necessary to dig up my road - and yet I am supposed to believe that the new local fault is the reason nobody attended on the 21st. They would have been the 6th set of engineers to attend had they shown up. At this point I have done enough reading on the subject that I have serious questions. The longer this is left, the more reading I do, and the more unbelievable excuses from the telephone support department like "we cant see post RS error counts and theyre not relevant anyway" actually appear.

[iwantraytolive]

Update!

So, according to the guy I just spoke to, because I missed a call on Monday from the Executive Team my complaint was closed down completely, none of the questions (ie why are VM engineers turning up with no appointment and unplugging my line in the middle of the working day, wheres my promised bill credit, etc) have been answered, they knew the technical fault was not resolved, and I won't be getting a deadlock letter because according to VM they have resolved the complaint and if I want to carry on getting any help they need to open a new complaint and begin the whole process from the start. The second complaint I opened regarding one specific call has just been binned off entirely too.

No automatic compensation for the day the engineers van broke down and he called to say he couldn't make it, because there's no notes? I asked if they could check whether the van broke down that day and whether he called me off his work phone at about 5.30pm which would prove what Im saying but they refused to.

This is not going well for my mental health. Can someone pick this up and reescalate to the executive team because I cannot, CANNOT deal with your phone teams, I will quite literally go insane if I have to start for the THIRD TIME at the beginning of a complaint when the issue that I have been calling about for 3 months and had a formal complaint running for coming up 6 weeks.

The guy from the executive team said he'd be my single point of contact and would make sure that this is going to be resolved, what an absolute joke.

[Zak_M]

Good morning @iwantraytolive, 

I can see that you are currently PMing with another one of our agents. 

He will reply to you Asap.

Kind regards,

Zak_M

[iwantraytolive]

Hi and thank you for your reply - it transpired that the chap I spoke to from Retentions while trying to get through to the Exec Team didn't know his behind from his elbow and was insisting that because I had missed a call from the Exec Team a few days before everything had been shut down.

The chap who's dealing with me from the Exec Team rung later that day and confirmed that the complaint has not been closed so that is a massive relief. Still no repair but hoping for an update soon from the ET.

More subcontractors appeared a few days ago to do the cable repull - but no permit has been applied for yet so they left again without doing any works. That's 3 jobs booked for a repull on my address that have wasted the contractors time. The lads suggested I take out Sky instead... 

[Jodi_S]

Thanks for the update iwantraytolive,

We do apologise that our retention agent, had misadvised you about your complaint being closed down. We are happy that a member of the executive team has been in touch to explain this is not the case and we are still investigating this issue for you.

We appreciate that another team have had to walk away due to no permit being granted, this is not the service we are aiming to provide and hopefully now our executive team is on this matter, we should have it resolved shortly for you.

Please keep us posted with how things are progressing.

Kind regards Jodi. 

[iwantraytolive]

Update: there is no update except the fault is now going to be resolved.... "tomorrow by 3pm"!. Of course. 

In the meantime, this is a complete disaster - I work in telesales, I am new to the business, I have raging mental health issues, slightly less raging physical health issues, and my internet went down yesterday mid-pitch. I put in a subject access request over the phone but have heard nothing about this and assume it has been ignored.

Tomorrow in the absence of a deadlock letter or further contact I'm escalating this to Ofcom, might as well throw in a complaint to the ICO for good measure.

[iwantraytolive]

Update: "tomorrow at 3pm" has now turned into "by the 13th November".

Of course. Why would it not?

Even better, the area fault is high USSNR, which I believe means high upstream SNR, which is what I have been calling about since Day 1 in June saying my upstream channels are regressing to 16qam and there's a lot of post-RS errors which is caused by noise on the line.

No works have been done to fix it and the spraypainted marks are now fading off the road, so VM need to send the original guy with the spectrum analyser out again, which I believe is quite expensive and there are no plans to do this. Unfortunately the issue won't be resolved until those works are done.

The permit has still not been applied for. 

Someone really needs to look at the area manager who's supposedly been in charge of this all year - they don't seem to give a single solitary hoot about their jobs, or the fact that half the street have already left VM over this issue (its been ongoing since 2020, I found out), or the Executive Team chasing him for an update, etc. Are you sure he's even turning up to work at this point? 

[iwantraytolive]

Oh, and my cable re-pull has been delayed til the 13th DECEMBER, which means it's nearly six months of this interminable endless nonsense, still waiting to hear on those promised bill credits, the engineers not turning up (there was one booked yesterday I didn't know about, who cancelled without my knowing about it, again), being hung up on while explaining the issue, being given incorrect advice, being ignored, being told there was no fault for several weeks, having complaints shut down without any resolution, not being responded to over any of the 3 complaints I have open even though its been months now.

I'm going to keep posting about this until something happens - I notice the forum is indexed highly on google for a lot of searches so hopefully someone will see this and decide never ever ever to use virgin media. 🙂

ETA: if I lose my job over this can I have his job instead? 

[Hayley_S]

Hello @iwantraytolive,

I have checked and the current outage and the estimated fixture time is showing as 13th of October. I am sorry for the inconvenience this is causing.

Many thanks,