Hub 4 Disappointment - suggestions please

[EdwardB1]

I upgraded to the Hub4 and Gig service for an extra (£15 a month x 18 month contract) £270 but the service is at best no faster than the Hub3, with speeds at half the advertised rate.

Had a great service from Virgin Media with their 350 and 500 services and it's the same set up.

Despite factory resets, reboots, unplugging for half an hour, playing with the settings, gesticulating at the box and murmuring profanities, speeds are the same as before but now I'm paying £270 more.

I've contacted the company and they said the service looks ok at their end, I've run SamKnows which varies wildly between 500-900, but standard speed tests which confirmed the Hub3 was working brilliantly, show the Hub4 only providing a 500Mbps service marginally worse than the Hub3.

I've read about others with similar problems with no obvious resolution, as I'm still in the legal cooling off period anyone any bright ideas on how to get Gig speeds before I return the equipment?

Many thanks, Edward.    

[EdwardB1]

Modem Status:

Cable Modem StatusItem Status CommentsChannel Overview Downstream Upstream

Cable Modem Status	Online	DOCSIS 3.1
Primary downstream channel	Locked	SC-QAM
DOCSIS 3.0 channels	31	4
DOCSIS 3.1 channels	1	0

[EdwardB1]

3.0 Downstream channels

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

25	330750000	4.699997	35.083549	QAM256	25
1	138750000	7.199997	36.609653	QAM256	1
2	146750000	6.699997	36.609653	QAM256	2
3	154750000	6.800003	36.609653	QAM256	3
4	162750000	6.099998	36.386890	QAM256	4
5	170750000	5.699997	36.609653	QAM256	5
6	178750000	5.599998	36.386890	QAM256	6
7	186750000	5.199997	36.609653	QAM256	7
8	194750000	5.000000	36.386890	QAM256	8
9	202750000	4.699997	36.609653	QAM256	9
10	210750000	4.300003	36.386890	QAM256	10
11	218750000	4.500000	36.386890	QAM256	11
12	226750000	4.400002	35.779911	QAM256	12
13	234750000	4.400002	36.386890	QAM256	13
14	242750000	4.800003	35.779911	QAM256	14
15	250750000	4.300003	35.779911	QAM256	15
16	258750000	4.599998	35.779911	QAM256	16
17	266750000	4.800003	35.779911	QAM256	17
18	274750000	4.500000	35.595078	QAM256	18
19	282750000	4.400002	35.595078	QAM256	19
20	290750000	4.099998	35.779911	QAM256	20
21	298750000	3.400002	35.779911	QAM256	21
22	306750000	4.099998	35.595078	QAM256	22
23	314750000	4.099998	35.083549	QAM256	23
24	322750000	3.900002	35.595078	QAM256	24
26	338750000	4.500000	35.779911	QAM256	26
27	346750000	3.700001	35.083549	QAM256	27
28	354750000	4.000000	36.386890	QAM256	28
29	362750000	3.599998	35.083549	QAM256	29
30	370750000	3.200001	35.779911	QAM256	30
31	378750000	3.599998	35.083549	QAM256	31

3.0 Downstream channels

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

25	Locked	35.083549	62747	0
1	Locked	36.609653	3972	0
2	Locked	36.609653	4370	0
3	Locked	36.609653	4947	0
4	Locked	36.386890	6139	0
5	Locked	36.609653	6591	0
6	Locked	36.386890	8559	0
7	Locked	36.609653	9321	0
8	Locked	36.386890	10386	0
9	Locked	36.609653	10833	0
10	Locked	36.386890	12702	0
11	Locked	36.386890	13769	0
12	Locked	35.779911	19872	0
13	Locked	36.386890	18808	0
14	Locked	35.779911	22303	0
15	Locked	35.779911	24925	0
16	Locked	35.779911	27527	0
17	Locked	35.779911	28434	0
18	Locked	35.595078	35593	0
19	Locked	35.595078	31336	0
20	Locked	35.779911	40504	0
21	Locked	35.779911	45495	0
22	Locked	35.595078	48283	0
23	Locked	35.083549	55772	0
24	Locked	35.595078	53012	0
26	Locked	35.779911	50904	0
27	Locked	35.083549	73910	0
28	Locked	36.386890	58796	0
29	Locked	35.083549	77680	0
30	Locked	35.779911	64943	0
31	Locked	35.083549	81275	0

3.1 Downstream channelsChannel Channel Width (MHz) FFT Type Number of Active Subcarriers Modulation (Active Profile) First Active Subcarrier (Hz)

33

94

4K

1840

QAM4096

424

3.1 Downstream channelsChannel ID Lock Status RxMER Data (dB) PLC Power (dBmV) Correcteds (Active Profile) Uncorrectables (Active Profile)

33

Locked

37

2.7

71545

8

[EdwardB1]

3.0 Upstream channels

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

1	32600000	43.770599	5120 KSym/sec	64QAM	3
2	25800000	43.770599	5120 KSym/sec	64QAM	4
3	39400000	44.020599	5120 KSym/sec	64QAM	2
4	46200000	44.020599	5120 KSym/sec	64QAM	1

3.0 Upstream channels

Channel Channel Type T1 Timeouts T2 Timeouts T3 Timeouts T4 Timeouts

1	US_TYPE_STDMA	0	0	1	0
2	US_TYPE_STDMA	0	0	0	0
3	US_TYPE_STDMA	0	0	0	0
4	US_TYPE_STDMA	0	0	0	0

[EdwardB1]

General Configuration

Network access	true
Maximum Number of CPEs	1
Baseline Privacy	true
DOCSIS Mode	3.1
Config file	cmreg-vmdg640-bbt076+voc-b.cm

Primary Downstream Service Flow

SFID	946
Max Traffic Rate	1200000450
Max Traffic Burst	42600
Min Traffic Rate	0

Primary Upstream Service Flow

SFID	945
Max Traffic Rate	55000270
Max Traffic Burst	42600
Min Traffic Rate	0
Max Concatenated Burst	42600
Scheduling Type	bestEffort

[EdwardB1]

Network Log

Time Priority Description

Thu Jan 1 00:01:21 1970	3	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
Wed Sep 8 17:46:19 2021	5	MIMO Event MIMO: Stored MIMO=-1 post cfg file MIMO=-1;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
Wed Sep 8 17:49:19 2021	6	SW Download INIT - Via Config file cmreg-vmdg640-bbt076+voc-b.cm
Wed Sep 8 17:49:26 2021	6	CM-STATUS message sent. Event Type Code: 16; Chan ID: 33; DSID: N/A; MAC Addr: N/A; OFDM/OFDMA Profile ID: 3.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
Wed Sep 8 17:50:45 2021	6	SW download Successful - Via Config file
Wed Sep 8 17:53:17 2021	5	MIMO Event MIMO: Stored MIMO=-1 post cfg file MIMO=-1;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
Wed Sep 8 17:53:31 2021	6	CM-STATUS message sent. Event Type Code: 16; Chan ID: 33; DSID: N/A; MAC Addr: N/A; OFDM/OFDMA Profile ID: 3.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
Wed Sep 8 18:19:34 2021	4	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
Wed Sep 8 22:06:07 2021	6	CM-STATUS message sent. Event Type Code: 24; Chan ID: 33; DSID: N/A; MAC Addr: N/A; OFDM/OFDMA Profile ID: 3.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
Thu Sep 9 17:50:19 2021	5	MIMO Event MIMO: Stored MIMO=-1 post cfg file MIMO=-1;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
Thu Sep 9 18:02:10 2021	6	CM-STATUS message sent. Event Type Code: 24; Chan ID: 33; DSID: N/A; MAC Addr: N/A; OFDM/OFDMA Profile ID: 3.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
Thu Sep 9 23:13:17 2021	5	MIMO Event MIMO: Stored MIMO=-1 post cfg file MIMO=-1;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
Thu Jan 1 00:01:20 1970	3	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
Thu Sep 9 23:29:19 2021	5	MIMO Event MIMO: Stored MIMO=-1 post cfg file MIMO=-1;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
Thu Sep 9 23:29:29 2021	5	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
Thu Sep 9 23:30:00 2021	6	CM-STATUS message sent. Event Type Code: 4; Chan ID: 33; DSID: N/A; MAC Addr: N/A; OFDM/OFDMA Profile ID: N/A.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;

[Andrew-G · Accepted solution]

Whilst formally within accepted limits, your downstream SNR looks a bit borderline to me, although whether that's material I can't say - as power levels vary over time they could be worse and therefore out of limits at times.   When they pick up this post the forum staff can take a more thorough look at hub data, and they are friendly, helpful and do their best, unlike the offshore telephone mumblers.  Give that a day or two for a response, see what they say.  They may identify a fault, get a technician booked who'll fix it first visit, and then everybody is happy.

Regarding reverting the upgrade, much depends on the forum staff response - choose wisely.  Do you really need 1 Gbps?  Only you can answer that question, and if the answer is yes then you need to stick with it and force VM to get things working properly, potentially by repeating tests to get at least one instance of speeds below the minimum guarantee on three consecutive days, and invoking the VM minimum speed guarantee.  Sometimes a single tech visit is enough to sort these out, sometimes the problem is elusive and requires repeated visits and considerable persistence on the part of customers.

If the answer to do you need it is "no, I just thought it was a nice idea" then (subject to any reply by staff here) cancel now, and don't be persuaded by any garbage from the agent when you phone to downgrade like "it takes a few days to settle down" or offers to send a technician out that take you outside the 14 days.  You usually won't have to return the Hub 4 in that situation.

[EdwardB1]

Many thanks Andrew, great reply.

Made me smile when you wrote "no, I just thought it was a nice idea" as if you had been part of the decision making process (which was minimal) replying to a sales call, it’s the truth! I’m just a deeply insecure male over compensating for my inadequacies by trying to get a bigger broadband speed, did this message get to you any more quickly?

thanks again and have a great day.

[Andrew-G]

Be assured that no criticism was intended of your decision or any rationale - "because I want it and it's my money" is 100% a very good reason.  If VM customers on higher speeds were able to see a bandwidth utilisation (chart of speed used over time) for their connection I suspect whilst the technically knowledgeable would be unsurprised, rather a lot of customers would be utterly horrified at how infrequently they use the speeds they pay for.  I know I don't stretch my 200 Mbps connection at all, and would probably not even notice a halving to 100 Mbps or even 80 Mbps, but I'm in no hurry to downgrade - not all speed choices are (nor need to be) on the ruthless logic of peak or average bandwidth needs. 

Where I was heading was that if dealing with VM to get things working as promised is onerous, and it was a "nice to have" decision, then possibly the balance of effort to resolve for you versus actual benefit might tip towards reverting.  But as I say, your choice! 

[Natalie_L]

Hi EdwardB1

Thanks for reaching out to us here on the community 🙂 

I am sorry to hear the speeds you are receiving are lower than expected, I would be happy to help with this. 

I have taken a look from our side and can see that the equipment has logged some issues with the downstream levels within the last 7 days. 

With this being the case, I am going to need to book a technician to come and take a look. 

To get this arranged, I will just need to pop you over a private message to grab a few details and we can go from there. This message will be available via the purple envelope on the top right of this page. 

Speak soon