26-10-2020 17:55 - edited 26-10-2020 17:58
I raised a formal complaint in July because my Hub was regularly cycling round and round as if it was just constantly rebooting.
Had an engineer round in September who confirmed there was no issue with the Hub, or any equipment in my apartment. He removed the 10dB Forward Path Attenuator and 6dB Wideband Attenuator that were previously connected between the incoming cable and the Hub. Told me there was an SNR issue on the network somewhere and asked for a network monitor for 3 days. Not heard anything since this visit.
The problem did not go away, and still hasn't.
Today the connection has been totally unstable and unusable since at least 9am and ongoing currently. Am experiencing between 5% and 100% packet loss, and total loss of internet for a few seconds at a time, as well as wildly varying download speeds from the full 200mbps to 40-65mbps. Upload speed varying between the full 20mbps ish and zero.
Spent hours chatting to somebody on the Live Chat facility, to be told that my 'upstream power levels are bad' and that he could see my Hub regularly losing connection. Unfortunately he was unable to do anything at all apparently, and that I had to call somebody to explain this to them all over again right from the start.
Suffice to say I didn't stay on hold waiting for longer than 15mins, don't really see why I should keep contacting you despite having 1) an open complaint that is over 3 months old and 2) you having confirmed there is an issue with your network.
There is zero chance that I'm going to wait on hold for 1hr+ so thought I'd post here as a last resort.
I wasn't going to bother referring my complaint to the ombudsman, but I probably will now given the debacle today which has seriously disrupted both my and my partner's ability to work from home. No doubt tomorrow will be the same given that nobody seems to be bothering to look into this.
EDITED to add that at least two of my neighbours in the same building confirmed to have the same issues at the same times that I do.
on 26-10-2020 18:11
Can you set up a Broadband Quality Monitor (BQM) at thinkbroadband.com - this will give you an insight into what is happening with the signal at the other side of the Hub, it will take a few hours to get any kind of trend showing although you should post the link straight away.
Post a link to your BQM on here.
Instructions for posting BQM Link
Under your BQM graph are two links in red.
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 in the ‘text to display’ box write My BQM then click OK - you can post the link straight away.
Then
Can you please
Type 192.168.0.1 (192.168.100.1 in Modem mode) into your browser URL bar and press enter.
Hub 2 & 3 When the page appears DO NOT LOG IN but click ‘Check Router Status’.
Hub 4 When the page appears LOG IN then click ‘Check Router Status’.
Copy and paste the contents of the Downstream, Upstream and Network Log tabs onto here, if you get a yellow warning click the Post button again. Use one post for each tab if you wish. Please do not use screen grabs.
A Guru will be along soon to decipher the info.
on 26-10-2020 18:25
https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/19217b4eebfedf1fb47059fdb313a9c424...
Downstream
Channel Frequency (Hz) Power (dBmV) SNR (dB) Modulation Channel ID
1 | 402750000 | 3.7 | 40 | 256 qam | 30 |
2 | 202750000 | 1.7 | 38 | 256 qam | 9 |
3 | 210750000 | 1.5 | 38 | 256 qam | 10 |
4 | 218750000 | 1.7 | 38 | 256 qam | 11 |
5 | 226750000 | 1.9 | 38 | 256 qam | 12 |
6 | 234750000 | 1.7 | 38 | 256 qam | 13 |
7 | 242750000 | 1.7 | 38 | 256 qam | 14 |
8 | 250750000 | 1.7 | 38 | 256 qam | 15 |
9 | 258750000 | 1.5 | 38 | 256 qam | 16 |
10 | 266750000 | 1.7 | 38 | 256 qam | 17 |
11 | 274750000 | 1.9 | 38 | 256 qam | 18 |
12 | 282750000 | 2.2 | 38 | 256 qam | 19 |
13 | 290750000 | 2.4 | 38 | 256 qam | 20 |
14 | 298750000 | 2.5 | 38 | 256 qam | 21 |
15 | 306750000 | 2.5 | 40 | 256 qam | 22 |
16 | 314750000 | 2.5 | 38 | 256 qam | 23 |
17 | 322750000 | 2.7 | 38 | 256 qam | 24 |
18 | 330750000 | 2.7 | 38 | 256 qam | 25 |
19 | 370750000 | 3.5 | 40 | 256 qam | 26 |
20 | 378750000 | 3.5 | 38 | 256 qam | 27 |
21 | 386750000 | 3.5 | 40 | 256 qam | 28 |
22 | 394750000 | 3.5 | 40 | 256 qam | 29 |
23 | 410750000 | 3.5 | 40 | 256 qam | 31 |
24 | 418750000 | 3.5 | 40 | 256 qam | 32 |
Downstream bonded channels
Channel Locked Status RxMER (dB) Pre RS Errors Post RS Errors
1 | Locked | 40.3 | 7 | 0 |
2 | Locked | 38.9 | 6 | 0 |
3 | Locked | 38.6 | 9 | 0 |
4 | Locked | 38.9 | 6 | 0 |
5 | Locked | 38.6 | 5 | 0 |
6 | Locked | 38.9 | 5 | 0 |
7 | Locked | 38.6 | 6 | 0 |
8 | Locked | 38.6 | 5 | 0 |
9 | Locked | 38.9 | 6 | 0 |
10 | Locked | 38.6 | 5 | 0 |
11 | Locked | 38.9 | 2 | 0 |
12 | Locked | 38.9 | 5 | 0 |
13 | Locked | 38.9 | 5 | 0 |
14 | Locked | 38.9 | 5 | 0 |
15 | Locked | 40.3 | 5 | 0 |
16 | Locked | 38.9 | 5 | 0 |
17 | Locked | 38.9 | 6 | 0 |
18 | Locked | 38.9 | 3 | 0 |
19 | Locked | 40.9 | 6 | 0 |
20 | Locked | 38.9 | 6 | 0 |
21 | Locked | 40.3 | 15 | 0 |
22 | Locked | 40.9 | 7 | 0 |
23 | Locked | 40.3 | 5 | 0 |
24 | Locked | 40.3 | 8 | 0 |
on 26-10-2020 18:26
Upstream
Upstream bonded channels
Channel | Frequency (Hz) | Power (dBmV) | Symbol Rate (ksps) | Modulation | Channel ID |
1 | 39400000 | 5.1 | 5120 | 32 qam | 2 |
2 | 25800000 | 5.1 | 5120 | 32 qam | 4 |
3 | 32600000 | 5.1 | 5120 | 32 qam | 3 |
4 | 46200000 | 5.1 | 5120 | 32 qam | 1 |
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 |
Network log
Network Log
Time | Priority | Description |
26/10/2020 17:31:39 | critical | No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
26/10/2020 17:31:38 | critical | Unicast Ranging Received Abort Response - initializing MAC;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
26/10/2020 17:27:39 | critical | No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
26/10/2020 17:27:39 | critical | Unicast Ranging Received Abort Response - initializing MAC;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
26/10/2020 17:26:19 | critical | No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
26/10/2020 17:26:19 | critical | Unicast Ranging Received Abort Response - initializing MAC;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
26/10/2020 17:24:59 | critical | No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
26/10/2020 17:24:59 | critical | Unicast Ranging Received Abort Response - initializing MAC;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
26/10/2020 17:22:19 | critical | No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
26/10/2020 17:22:19 | critical | Unicast Ranging Received Abort Response - initializing MAC;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
26/10/2020 17:13:0 | critical | No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
26/10/2020 17:13:0 | critical | Unicast Ranging Received Abort Response - initializing MAC;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
26/10/2020 17:07:41 | critical | No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
26/10/2020 17:07:41 | critical | Unicast Ranging Received Abort Response - initializing MAC;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
26/10/2020 17:05:1 | critical | No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
26/10/2020 17:05:1 | critical | Unicast Ranging Received Abort Response - initializing MAC;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
26/10/2020 17:03:41 | critical | No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
26/10/2020 17:03:41 | critical | Unicast Ranging Received Abort Response - initializing MAC;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
26/10/2020 17:02:21 | critical | No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
26/10/2020 17:02:21 | critical | Unicast Ranging Received Abort Response - initializing MAC;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
26-10-2020 18:32 - edited 26-10-2020 18:45
Your >> BQM << needs a few more hours to give any kind of picture.
Your Upstream Power Levels are maxed out and they are running at 32 QAM, they should be 64 QAM.
Upstream bonded channels
Channel | Frequency (Hz) | Power (dBmV) | Symbol Rate (ksps) | Modulation | Channel ID |
1 | 39400000 | 5.1 | 5120 | 32 qam | 2 |
2 | 25800000 | 5.1 | 5120 | 32 qam | 4 |
3 | 32600000 | 5.1 | 5120 | 32 qam | 3 |
4 | 46200000 | 5.1 | 5120 | 32 qam | 1 |
These will require an engineer to put right.
You can either phone in (08:00 is the best time) or wait on here for a few days (6 to 7 days average) until one of the VM Forum Staff comes along.
If you wait on here Do Not bump the thread it will put it further down the VM 'to do list'.
on 26-10-2020 18:44
Do you mean, an engineer to visit my house? That would be disappointing if so, given that an engineer already did that and said everything was good inside my property!
on 26-10-2020 18:47
The engineer would possibly need access.
Things change, if they didn't you wouldn't be here with the problem you are having.
on 26-10-2020 18:56
There has been an issue with stability for 3 months, with a network fault confirmed by the Virgin engineer 5 weeks ago. Hard to believe that this fault was magically fixed and now it's a totally different issue, when in reality the problem has never gone away - just varied by how tolerable it is.
Called in as you suggested, to eventually get a recording telling me that "due to Coronavirus", the call centres are closed.
Don't really see why I should constantly try to hassle VM to address the problem to be honest, they have been aware of it for 3 months but are seemingly doing absolutely nothing about it. There are probably 10 other customers in this building suffering from the same issue.
Posting here was really a last resort and I'm pretty much giving up now.
on 26-10-2020 19:03
Try again in the morning.
on 27-10-2020 09:17
Yet another 1 hour call, via two different people and eventually to somebody in Sheffield ('Kate') who was very rude and made it out as if she was doing me a favour by escalating the fault to the local manager. When I told her I had already escalated a complaint which was now in ombudsman territory, she said I was wrong and didn't understand the process!! Amazing.
Not holding out any hope whatsoever, if they haven't fixed the issue in 3 months, I expect it's unlikely they will fix it any time soon.
Has anybody ever had any success getting money back for ongoing issues like this, or been able to terminate the contract early to move to a different provider?