Slow upload speeds & possible service issues

[ooger]

As above.

Installation went well but the longer I think about it the more I'm concerned there is a problem.

Streaming services (download) absolutely fine, issues however with (upload):

Sending iMessages with media
Sending WhatsApp with media
Dropbox
Ring recordings
Sending email with attachments

In short, uploads take ages. They never fail, just way slower than I'd expect.

So I started to investigate. This is what I have on a Hub 3.0 with

M500 Fibre Broadband

Which, according to the ads is:

Perfect for a super-connected home, this gives you download and upload speeds averaging 516Mbps and 35Mbps

I have FTTP if that adds context. Heres the details:

Hub 3.0 device information

The information below shows current status of this Hub 3.0.

Standard specification compliant	: DOCSIS 3.0
Hardware version	: 11
Software version	: 9.1.2208.100
Cable MAC address	: AC:F8:xx:xx:xx:xx
Cable modem serial number	: ABAPxxxxxxxx
System up time	: 20 days 12h:38m:46s
Network access	: Allowed

Item	Status	Comments
Acquired Downstream Channel (Hz)	243000000	Locked
Ranged Upstream Channel (Hz)	46200000	Locked
Provisioning State	Online

Downstream bonded channels

Channel	Frequency (Hz)	Power (dBmV)	SNR (dB)	Modulation	Channel ID
1	243000000	3.7	32	256 qam	14
2	203000000	3	32	256 qam	9
3	211000000	3.2	32	256 qam	10
4	219000000	3.2	32	256 qam	11
5	227000000	3.4	32	256 qam	12
6	235000000	3.7	32	256 qam	13
7	251000000	4	32	256 qam	15
8	259000000	3.5	32	256 qam	16
9	267000000	3.5	32	256 qam	17
10	275000000	3.2	32	256 qam	18
11	283000000	3.5	32	256 qam	19
12	291000000	3.5	33	256 qam	20
13	299000000	4.1	32	256 qam	21
14	307000000	3.7	32	256 qam	22
15	315000000	3.2	32	256 qam	23
16	323000000	3	33	256 qam	24
17	331000000	3	33	256 qam	25
18	339000000	3	32	256 qam	26
19	347000000	3.4	33	256 qam	27
20	355000000	3.5	32	256 qam	28
21	363000000	3.5	33	256 qam	29
22	371000000	3.7	32	256 qam	30
23	379000000	3.5	32	256 qam	31
24	387000000	3.5	33	256 qam	32

Downstream bonded channels

Channel	Locked Status	RxMER (dB)	Pre RS Errors	Post RS Errors
1	Locked	32.9	90516159	0
2	Locked	32.6	44823896	0
3	Locked	32.6	60444282	0
4	Locked	32.5	49878137	0
5	Locked	32.6	51066088	0
6	Locked	32.9	32507452	0
7	Locked	32.9	29875735	0
8	Locked	32.9	32905649	0
9	Locked	32.9	31445121	0
10	Locked	32.9	36199839	0
11	Locked	32.9	47062831	0
12	Locked	33	66881113	0
13	Locked	32.9	76729860	0
14	Locked	32.9	86142357	0
15	Locked	32.9	101981527	0
16	Locked	33	109801582	0
17	Locked	33	104625237	0
18	Locked	32.9	105300051	0
19	Locked	33	93629829	0
20	Locked	32.9	85860062	0
21	Locked	33	70957861	0
22	Locked	32.9	61756528	0
23	Locked	32.9	48098543	0
24	Locked	33	39363199	0

But here i think lies the issue:

Upstream bonded channels

Channel	Frequency (Hz)	Power (dBmV)	Symbol Rate (ksps)	Modulation	Channel ID
1	46200000	51.5	5120	16 qam	7
2	39400000	51.5	5120	16 qam	8
3	53700000	51.2	5120	16 qam	6
4	60300000	49.8	5120	32 qam	5

Upstream bonded channels

Channel	Channel Type	T1 Timeouts	T2 Timeouts	T3 Timeouts	T4 Timeouts
1	ATDMA	0	0	63	0
2	ATDMA	0	0	45	0
3	ATDMA	0	0	54	0
4	ATDMA	0	0	50	0

I've had poor upload speeds since this was installed (about 4 months ago)

Download 255.7 Mbps
Upload 2.4 Mbps

Stats from Speedtest.net, cabled into a switch directly off the router which is in modem mode.

Apart from upload speed, all good.

Is the problem the signal fault on the upload channels? The numbers mean nothing, but I've read other posts indicating they're out of range.

First post for a long time. Thanks for reading.

PS - I've tried to log a fault, but it says:

Checking your account
Checking your area <postcode>
Checking your home

then

Looks like there’s still an issue with your connection

We’re looking into it. Check back here after 21 hours and if there’s still an issue we’ll help you book a technician.

Whos problem is this now? Are they aware and getting back to me, or am I setting a timer?

[jpeg1 · Accepted solution]

The data shows your upstream connection is absolute rubbish. You'll need a technician visit to fix it.

Also the downstream is not wonderful. There's a great deal of noise. The Hub is managing to correct the resulting errors, but it shouldn't be like this. 

[ooger]

This is very helpful thankyou.

I'll attempt to get that visit booked, but it looks like I've been tarred with a large brush saying there are issues and I need to wait for 21 hours. So be it.

Your description of the service I've got may also go some way to giving me confidence that the last time I powered the hub off and back on it repeatedly failed (for about 2 hrs) to actually get a connection(flashing arrow lights etc). Is this likely a fault at the hub, the internal box on the wall with the AC adapter, or the outdoor box, or the street cabinet - or is it going to be impossible to tell? I'd hope, given its "newness" its nothing on my side......I'll be honest, it was kind of "thrown in" with the advice that "the connection will stabilise".

I think I was lied to.

[jpeg1]

VM connections don't stabilise. When you first switch on, that's as good as it gets. Phone first thing tomorrow and insist on a visit.

You could phone for a local fault check on 0800 561 0061, but that chould have been picked up on the test you have already done.

[ooger]

hello and thanks for calling Virgin Media service status line where you'll be able to find out if there are any issues affecting services in your area looks like you called us from a mobile phone just to check just the post code of the account you want to talk about end in seven LE if it does please press 1 if not press 2 thanks to find out if there's an area issue affecting broadband please press 1 to check for TV service issues press 2 all the home phone it's 3 to hear that again press hash thanks

it looks like there aren't any issues affecting services in your area at the moment

just so you know you can also check your service status with the free and easy to use my Virgin Media app just search my Virgin Media from your phones App Store to install it on your device thanks for calling and goodbye

Looks like a daytime job. Thanks for your help jpeg1

[Beth_G]

Hi oofer

Thank you for your post, welcome to the Community Forums.

We're sorry to hear you've been having some trouble with your broadband speeds after having your services installed. 

I'll be happy to take a closer look into this for you and we can see whether an engineer visit is required to put your upstream levels back in spec.

I've dropped you a PM so I can take your details and look into this for you.

Thanks for all your help, jpeg1 😊

[ooger]

Thank you but I await your engineer tomorrow morning

Shortly after doing the above tests I did another line check on the app on my phone and it said there was a fault, which needed an engineer to visit me. It then (sort of) forced me into booking a visit.

Which is where we are now - bank holiday etc, but not to worry. I have service, just not as expected.

I was going to post todays line figures but now I can't because the Hub 3.0 is refusing connections on https://192.168.100.1/

I dare not reboot it because it may not reconnect.

I wonder..... I will update this when tomorrows engineer takes action.

Hopefully a straightforward fix.

[ooger]

UPDATE

OK, engineeer been and gone.

Speed test results:

Download Mbps

130.29

Upload Mbps

53.12

So upload is resolved. My down stream is now less than it was......

Changes:

1) Replacement hub
2) one Fibre connector inthe house appeared to have been installed incorrectly causing issues on the upstream - rotating it 90 degrees appears to have fixed the upstream issue. Now I have:

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	259000000	4	37	256 qam	16
2	139000000	3.2	37	256 qam	1
3	147000000	3	37	256 qam	2
4	155000000	3	37	256 qam	3
5	163000000	2.9	37	256 qam	4
6	171000000	3	37	256 qam	5
7	179000000	3	37	256 qam	6
8	187000000	3.2	37	256 qam	7
9	195000000	3.5	37	256 qam	8
10	203000000	3.7	37	256 qam	9
11	211000000	3.7	37	256 qam	10
12	219000000	3.7	37	256 qam	11
13	227000000	4	37	256 qam	12
14	235000000	4	37	256 qam	13
15	243000000	4	37	256 qam	14
16	251000000	4	37	256 qam	15
17	267000000	3.9	37	256 qam	17
18	275000000	3.7	37	256 qam	18
19	283000000	3.7	37	256 qam	19
20	291000000	3.7	36	256 qam	20
21	299000000	3.9	36	256 qam	21
22	307000000	3.9	37	256 qam	22
23	315000000	3.7	36	256 qam	23
24	323000000	3.7	36	256 qam	24

and

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	Locked	37.3	15267	9618
2	Locked	37.3	1291	18074
3	Locked	37.3	249	19001
4	Locked	37.3	345	18966
5	Locked	37.3	9220	8630
6	Locked	37.3	9154	9055
7	Locked	37.3	7052	5799
8	Locked	37.3	10817	19270
9	Locked	37.6	12598	17458
10	Locked	37.3	7065	13195
11	Locked	37.6	10068	8430
12	Locked	37.3	952	18511
13	Locked	37.3	4858	6657
14	Locked	37.6	1003	8580
15	Locked	37.3	14139	7344
16	Locked	37.3	16969	13406
17	Locked	37.3	8278	8419
18	Locked	37.3	12623	8123
19	Locked	37.3	13233	8415
20	Locked	36.3	11607	7639
21	Locked	36.6	13141	9211
22	Locked	37.3	7028	14929
23	Locked	36.6	2904	16272
24	Locked	36.6	364	18836

and UP:

Upstream bonded channels

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

1	39400229	33.7	5120	64 qam	8
2	46200000	33.5	5120	64 qam	7
3	53700093	33.3	5120	64 qam	6
4	60300268	33.5	5120	64 qam	5

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

From what I've read, the post RS errors on the downstream are now an issue?I should be getting >400mbps from what I'm reading.

Again, told to let it settle and it should resolve itself.....

[jpeg1]

You are right. The upstream is now fine, but the downstream is still bad. There's so much noise on it that the Hub cannot correct the resulting data errors. As a result you are only getting half of your download speed.

This definitely needs another visit to correct it. It will not settle if left.

[Ashleigh_C]

Hi there @ooger 

Thank you so much for your post and welcome back to the forums, it's great to have you here. 

I am so sorry that you have faced this issue with your service and a big thank you to our community team for their advise so far. 

I have taken a look and I do think an engineer will be needed, I will pop you a private message across so we can take a look into this. I will pop you a PM across now, please keep an eye out for the envelope at the top of your screen alerting you to a new message.