3 weeks of broke. broadband

[flathunt]

December 21st it all started, buffering then dropouts, then the flashing white light of doom on the router. Faffed for a while, checked the service checker which was, as usual, saying everything was fine, but a few pokes later got it to agree that there was a problem. Somehow I spoke to a human and had an engineer booked for the 24th, but a day later got a text to say this was cancelled as it would be fixed before then.

That has not happened, for nearly 3 weeks we've had practically no service. I have a thinkbroadband monitor running against our connection which shows a constant 30 to 40% of packets are dropped, which is near enough no connection at all when you consider tcp packets arrive out of order, if only 5% are dropped that's bad but recoverable but when more than a quarter are gone it is simply not able to function. However, my concern is that this doesn't register as a 'total loss of service' sufficient to trigger the automatic compensation.

From that day to this it's been the same, the service checker says either nothing is wrong or that it can't run tests, try again later.

The option to 'chat online' is a button on the page that, if you inspect the source, is laughably disabled and diagnostics from the router suggest that there is a problem even though Virgin won't.

After managing to speak to someone today I was told that it's a really complicated problem  and won't be fixed til the 16th and that we can expect an engineer on the 12th. That was a surprise, no one has mentioned it and I've had no sms to say so. There are no teams of concerned looking virgin engineers clustered around any of the cabinets nearby, so I'm skeptical anyone is actually doing anything. In any event, that'll be a month with no confirmation until I wrung it out of them that there's a problem (the site still says there isn't), a phantom appointment with an engineer that I can't see and a fix date for some period after he's gone.

Not good enough, Virgin. 

[goslow]

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@flathunt wrote:

December 21st it all started, buffering then dropouts, then the flashing white light of doom on the router. Faffed for a while, checked the service checker which was, as usual, saying everything was fine, but a few pokes later got it to agree that there was a problem. Somehow I spoke to a human and had an engineer booked for the 24th, but a day later got a text to say this was cancelled as it would be fixed before then.

<snip>

Not good enough, Virgin. 

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The compensation scheme covers a total loss of service as defined at para 23 below

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/216962/Industry-Code-of-Practice-for-Automatic-...

VM gets 2 full working days to fix TLS faults before any compensation applies. This means it is hard to apply it to intermittent faults.

If you are getting a poor service, due to a known fault, you should try and extract the fault number from VM for record/reference purposes. Keep good records of all the outages and any other info that proves the issue such as speed test results, BQM etc.

Once the fault is resolved, you will need to submit a formal complaint to VM and request an acceptable amount of compensation for all of the problems over the relevant period.

Your VM complaint is likely to be fobbed off, or closed down without an acceptable resolution to you so if that happens you would need to reject the 'resolution' VM proposes and request a deadlock letter to go to Ombudsman Services for arbitration.

https://www.ombudsman-services.org/

[jbrennand]

See this and then post up the Hub data as below.
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Check first for any “known network faults - Try in 2 places

1) Try the “check service,”Area status webpage" (link at top right of this forum)

2) Then also try the “free & automated” Service Status number - 0800 561 0061 - which usually gives the most up to date info. and tells you of more local issues down to street cab/ postcode level.The "compensation "timer" can also be started on this number if appropriate.

If nothing shows on those - there is no known problem - and you need a Tech visit to investigate

Faults may not be listed on the Area Status web page. Areas are not Geographic” they are "legacy billing" areas) and as such that usually only covers faults affecting 1000’s of customers across the country. So 0800 may give you more info, on local issues - but even that wont cover problems affecting just a few customers - or just you.

Or, a VM person should pick this thread up and be able to help but it can take a few days. See below for compensation info.

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/costs-and-billing/automat...

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/automatic-compensation

https://store.virginmedia.com/the-legal-stuff/terms-and-conditions-for-fibre-optic-services/automati...
__________________________________

Then, Post up your Hub/network connection details and someone will check to see if there is a problem there.  In your browser’s URL box type in http://192.168.0.1 (or http://192.168.100.1 - if in modem mode) (DONT click these links) - and hit return.
If you have a Hub4 or 5 then login on the first page up. If you have an SH2 or Hub3 - dont log in just click on the “router status” icon/text at bottom-middle (Hub3) or top/right (SH’s) of the Login page.
Then Navigate to these “data pages” and just copy/paste the normal “Formatted Text” (not images) 3 FULL sets of data onto here – 2 tables from the Downstream, 2 from the Upstream, & the Network Logs page. Don't worry too much about the formatting it can be easily read & DON’T include personal data or MAC addresses - blank them out - if you copy/paste the data, the board software will do this for you (you may need to click the "submit" button again). If character limits are “exceeded” - just do two posts
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Also, If you haven’t already, set up a free, secure and “offlsite” - “Broadband Quality Monitor” to continually monitor the state of your connection and record any true network dropouts , latency issues, packet drops, etc - it will thus allow you to differentiate between those and simple wifi dropouts. It does it 24/7/365 and it keeps a visual record of any/all of your network disconnections, useful data to have to match to the Network logs (in your Hub settings) and also in discussions with VM - note it will take a few hours to start seeing a sensible picture - post up the “link” to the “share live graph”. Click the lower link (Share Live Graph) then, click generate. Copy the text in the Direct Link box, beware, there may be more text than you can see. On here click the Link icon (2 links chain to the left of the camera icon) In the URL box paste the link you copied and then click OK

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality

[flathunt]

Very helpful, both, thank you - I will go through the extra troubleshooting hops tonight.

Many thanks.

Live graph 

[newapollo]

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@flathunt wrote:

After managing to speak to someone today I was told that it's a really complicated problem  and won't be fixed til the 16th and that we can expect an engineer on the 12th. ............. a phantom appointment with an engineer that I can't see and a fix date for some period after he's gone.

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I wouldn't count on a tech visit on the 12th - normally when there's a known issue/complicated problem the VM systems automatically override and cancel any booked appointments.