Shocking service for months L18

[Digital Fanatic]

Originally Posted by Nanor

Thanks, again much appreciated.

I've been having issues since October. First reported it to support mid October, issues were intermittent at that time ranging from usable with a few issues with page loading to short periods of next to no download/upload. At this time XBox Live became extremely problematic. Reported a degradation in service in November, the frequency of problematic download/uploads increased dramatically and then in December reported again as the service was simply shocking and bordering on the unusable, at this time I was given the fault reference, been in touch with support frequently since then.

I also noticed that in October my upload speed dropped dramatically, I used to max out at 750Kbps but since October I've barely managed to hit 500Kbps with it more commonly hovering around the 100Kbps (peaking around 250Kbps and bottoming out around 20Kbps). It's marginally better tonight with packet loss around 12% but it's generally been around 33% for the last couple of weeks.

If there are issues in the area that's fine if it just means lower speeds until it's sorted but all I've had is a shocking connection. It's simply not acceptable to have to wait 30s for a page to load (if it doesn't time out) on a 20Mb connection. Not expecting the tech to solve everything but if he can at least find the problem or stabilise the connection I'll be happy.

Yeah, from what you are saying you possibly have issues at the property also... the utilisation issue isn't helping that is it! Hopefully the tech will sort out the other issues and it will just be a slightly slower speed until this network issue is resolved.

HTH

[Nanor]

Tech is due out in a few hours and wouldn't you know it, the connection is running great this morning. No packet loss, averaging around 17Mb download and upload, still not maxing out, but back up to around 500Kbps.

I was trying to backup my website files last night, this normally takes about 4 minutes, left it running for three hours and it still wasn't even half way done. Tried it this morning and everything downloaded from the webservers in less than five minutes! Hoping the connection goes crap again so the tech can at least see the issues we've been having every day!

[Digital Fanatic]

Originally Posted by Nanor

Tech is due out in a few hours and wouldn't you know it, the connection is running great this morning. No packet loss, averaging around 17Mb download and upload, still not maxing out, but back up to around 500Kbps.

I was trying to backup my website files last night, this normally takes about 4 minutes, left it running for three hours and it still wasn't even half way done. Tried it this morning and everything downloaded from the webservers in less than five minutes! Hoping the connection goes crap again so the tech can at least see the issues we've been having every day!

Don't worry, just explain whats been happening.. he can check a few things...let us know what happens.

[Nanor]

Well that was a complete waste of time! Tech came out did a few download tests, (had to make a call to do this as he wasn't sure what he was doing), and said all looked fine.

I explained that was all well and good but download speed was not the issue and also that it dropped EVERY evening anyway, he shrugged his shoulders and hadn't a clue what to say. I then showed him the bbc homepage taking 15 seconds to load, this despite download being OK.

While he was here I did a ping test and showed him 22% packet loss, he didn't know what packet loss was and had never seen a dos prompt before. He then suggested my router might be the issue, for the second time I explained that I've been through all of this with newsgroup support and tested while connected directly to the modem with the same results. When I mentioned my issues with upload his face went blank.

I explained again that I'd been through all of this with newsgroup support and the reason a tech was sent out was to investigate the reasons behind the packet loss which was most likely causing the issues but as he's never heard of packet loss he couldn't do anything. I can't blame the lad, he's obviously just sent out to check power levels and replace the modem if necessary, what I need is someone who knows how to investigate the issue I reported! He could have shown a little more concern for the issues, he just wanted to get back in his van to listen to the match.

What now? Wasted most of my afternoon waiting in and now feel the rage rising as I knew more than the tech, going to take the boy out for a walk to calm down!

[Nanor]

Normal service has resumed....

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Ping statistics for 212.58.224.138:
Packets: Sent = 79, Received = 55, Lost = 24 (30% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 16ms, Maximum = 271ms, Average = 56ms

[Digital Fanatic]

Hi,

Sorry the tech wasn't more helpful ... We are on the case with the uBR fault though, so I'll keep an eye on it for you and get my colleagues to get updates for you.

[Nanor]

Originally Posted by Digital Fanatic

Hi,

Sorry the tech wasn't more helpful ... We are on the case with the uBR fault though, so I'll keep an eye on it for you and get my colleagues to get updates for you.

Cheers for that. Must say I'm starting to lose faith this will be fixed. The more I thought about that engineer that came out yesterday the angrier I got, he just shouldn't have been let out on his own, came across as a trainee more than anything else and really didn't seem interested in trying to investigate for me.

Found several people on newsgroup support all with unusable connections in my area but not getting any updates or news on progress. Information is the key, if we can at least have an estimation on a fix then we'll wait for that but getting nothing at the moment. You seem to be the only person making any sort of effort, so thatnks again for that!

[Digital Fanatic]

Originally Posted by Nanor

Cheers for that. Must say I'm starting to lose faith this will be fixed. The more I thought about that engineer that came out yesterday the angrier I got, he just shouldn't have been let out on his own, came across as a trainee more than anything else and really didn't seem interested in trying to investigate for me.

Found several people on newsgroup support all with unusable connections in my area but not getting any updates or news on progress. Information is the key, if we can at least have an estimation on a fix then we'll wait for that but getting nothing at the moment. You seem to be the only person making any sort of effort, so thatnks again for that!

It will be fixed.. it's affecting too many people in L18 to be ignored. I will keep an eye on it for you... if you want updates in the mean time then just post in this thread and I'll check.

[Nanor]

Originally Posted by Digital Fanatic

It will be fixed.. it's affecting too many people in L18 to be ignored. I will keep an eye on it for you... if you want updates in the mean time then just post in this thread and I'll check.

Thanks, much appreciated .

Finding a continual sense of frustration that this is dragging on for so long. Had it just started in December I would have been just a little annoyed but this started in October!

[pigmoth]

Hello,

I also live in the L18 area and have had extremely poor broadband since the end of October. I am experiencing the same problems, very slow ping times, packet loss, unable to connect to XBox Live / SkyPlayer / IPlayer. It actually improved slightly at the end of December which made me think it had been fixed, however for the past two weeks it has been unusable. I've been given the same ticket number. Worryingly, when I've spoken to support they have given different reasons for the problem but most recently I was told it was to do with the upstream.

What bothers me the most about this problem is that every time I ring up they are unable to give me any kind of definite timescale. I keep on being told it was scheduled to be fixed in December. Obviously it hasnt been. I've been on the phone this morning and have been in told it will be the first quarter of this year. Which means it could be the end of March. Great!

I wrote to Virgin last week complaining about all this and have decided if I dont get a suitable response, I'm going to cancel at the end of the week and find a different provider. Like others I dont really want to, as up until Oct. it had been fine, but waiting for 3 months for a problem as major as this to be resolved is ridiculous.

David

[Digital Fanatic]

Originally Posted by pigmoth

Hello,

I also live in the L18 area and have had extremely poor broadband since the end of October. I am experiencing the same problems, very slow ping times, packet loss, unable to connect to XBox Live / SkyPlayer / IPlayer. It actually improved slightly at the end of December which made me think it had been fixed, however for the past two weeks it has been unusable. I've been given the same ticket number. Worryingly, when I've spoken to support they have given different reasons for the problem but most recently I was told it was to do with the upstream.

What bothers me the most about this problem is that every time I ring up they are unable to give me any kind of definite timescale. I keep on being told it was scheduled to be fixed in December. Obviously it hasnt been. I've been on the phone this morning and have been in told it will be the first quarter of this year. Which means it could be the end of March. Great!

I wrote to Virgin last week complaining about all this and have decided if I dont get a suitable response, I'm going to cancel at the end of the week and find a different provider. Like others I dont really want to, as up until Oct. it had been fine, but waiting for 3 months for a problem as major as this to be resolved is ridiculous.

David

Hi & ,

Yeah it is utilisation on the upstream causing the issue and it is with planning to do an upgrade to rectify the problem. As I've already said in this thread, I'm following the ticket and will update.

Thanks

[D3vildog]

Hi,

This problem doesn't seem to be just L18. I'm in L15 and have the exact same problems. (Although looking on other forums http://community.virginmedia.com/t5/...ble/bd-p/Fibre this is a country wide problem).

Service is fine in the morning, once 2pm hits the service degrades to unusable about 5pm - this then runs to at least midnight. (Basically you get a few minutes before going to work) - Although this weekend it wasn't worth using at 11am

Online gaming in impossible and so not only am I wasting money paying for the internet service I don't get, but also paying for games I cannot now use

I've been with Telewest/Virgin since it started and never seen such a mess. I don't really want to switch providers, but may have to.

Cheers
D3vildog

[Digital Fanatic]

Originally Posted by D3vildog

Hi,

This problem doesn't seem to be just L18. I'm in L15 and have the exact same problems. (Although looking on other forums http://community.virginmedia.com/t5/...ble/bd-p/Fibre this is a country wide problem).

Service is fine in the morning, once 2pm hits the service degrades to unusable about 5pm - this then runs to at least midnight. (Basically you get a few minutes before going to work) - Although this weekend it wasn't worth using at 11am

Online gaming in impossible and so not only am I wasting money paying for the internet service I don't get, but also paying for games I cannot now use

I've been with Telewest/Virgin since it started and never seen such a mess. I don't really want to switch providers, but may have to.

Cheers
D3vildog

Hi &

First off, it's not a "countrywide issue".. customer are all on different uBR's. People go to forums when something goes wrong and find others there.

Have you spoken to tech Support or posted on the Newsgroups (not the community forum) and had it confirmed that you are part of this issue? Yes L15 could be part of the issue, but this one is a particular upstream on the uBR and you need this confirming with Support before you go any further. You *may* have other issues causing slow speeds/disconnections. It's always best to get it confirmed.

HTH

[pigmoth]

Originally Posted by Digital Fanatic

Hi & ,

Yeah it is utilisation on the upstream causing the issue and it is with planning to do an upgrade to rectify the problem. As I've already said in this thread, I'm following the ticket and will update.

Thanks

Hi,

Thanks for your quick response. It's re-assuring that the issue is being dealt with, however its slightly alarming its only with "planning". Obviously I have no idea how long the process from planning to implementation takes, but I'm doubtful it will be resolved anytime soon.

Thanks for keeping us updated, though.

David

---------- Post added at 13:57 ---------- Previous post was at 13:06 ----------

Also noted that this problem is not listed on this:

http://status-cable.virginmedia.com/...me=status+home

I presume it's not thought to be important enough. hmnN!

[Digital Fanatic]

Originally Posted by pigmoth

Hi,

Thanks for your quick response. It's re-assuring that the issue is being dealt with, however its slightly alarming its only with "planning". Obviously I have no idea how long the process from planning to implementation takes, but I'm doubtful it will be resolved anytime soon.

Thanks for keeping us updated, though.

David

---------- Post added at 13:57 ---------- Previous post was at 13:06 ----------

Also noted that this problem is not listed on this:

http://status-cable.virginmedia.com/...me=status+home

I presume it's not thought to be important enough. hmnN!

Only P1 and above for loss of service is posted to the Service Status Pages. Plus P2 for platform issues, such as email problems.

This ticket is for degraded service, so doesn't qualify for posting. HTH