Internet connection drops every hour

[directmail]

I have signed up for Virgin Media 4Mb cable broadband a week ago and since then my internet connection always goes down every hour for a few seconds. I get the following error message on the modem log:

Fri Jul 27 12:10:27 2007 Fri Jul 27 12:10:27 2007 1 Critical(3) 68000300 DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response.
Fri Jul 27 12:10:19 2007 Fri Jul 27 12:10:19 2007 2 Critical(3) 82000200 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out
Fri Jul 27 12:10:14 2007 Fri Jul 27 12:10:14 2007 1 Critical(3) 82000400 Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Un...
Fri Jul 27 12:09:41 2007 Fri Jul 27 12:09:41 2007 16 Critical(3) 82000500 Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - ...

Cable Modem Downstream
Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Channel Id : 1
Downstream Frequency : 586750000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM64
Downstream Symbol Rate : 6952 Ksym/sec
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps12Increment17
Downstream Receive Power Level : -11.6 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 31.8 dB

Cable Modem Upstream
Upstream Lock : Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 1
Upstream Frequency : 33584000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QPSK
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 37.3 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2

I have already phoned Virgin Media several times but they keep saying they can only sent out an engineer when they can see a fault on their computer and I should phone them again when the Internet is down again. However, the internet is only down for a few seconds and by the time I have come through to the broadband support and explained my problem the internet is working again and I still have to pay for the expensive phone call which sometimes lasts up to 10 minutes.

A netgear router is connecting my computer to the modem but even when I connect the modem directly via an ethernet cable to my laptop I still get the same problem. I don't know what else to do anymore and was wondering whether anyone can give me some advice or help as Virgin Media cannot help me at all. Thanks a lot! Simon

[Mick Fisher]

Both your upstream and downstream power levels seem wrong. That may or may not be contributing to your problem but should be looked at.
To both customers and engineers the offshored "help" is usually more of a hindrance than an aid as you have found. :(
Phone them again, if only to get the cost of the calls refunded, and politely insist you need an engineer as your BB is not working properly. Make sure you are connected to your modem direct as they look more for an excuse to end the call as they do to help you. If you still get no satisfaction you need to get on to the retentions Dept (Cancellations) and tell them that unless steps are taken to sort out your faulty BB immediately you will cancell. This usually seems to galvanise them into some sort of action.
Make sure you take this action within 30 days of your sign up otherwise it will be much more difficult to cancell.

Good Luck. :)

[vmtech]

soz mick his power levels are fine but his downstream freq is out it should be 331000000

[what?]

i have to disagree quite strongly with mick

we do not look for an excuse to end the call
if they are using a router there is nothin we can do as we're not licensed to do so
and that is against icstic regs for us to support and unlicensed device ona premium rate line

and more often than not, if lights r fine on the modem that is okay

it could b either freq/ ds power thats cozing the issue
ds power is in range their but cud easily b jumping out and in so id keep an eye on that
and refresh the page to see if that ever goes below -12

frequency is def off range, not usure how to change it as it looks as th ur in an ntl area
and not sure how to access their page to change frequencies

but if u tell them those levels on the phone they shouldn't be able to argue

and also, not alot retention can do for a bbi fault like that
all they can do is call us, and we would give them the same answers we'd give a cus

[Mick Fisher]

soz mick his power levels are fine but his downstream freq is out it should be 331000000
Whatever I am not an engineer.

I heard that downstream ideal is zero +/- 10%. If that is so then the downstream is a little high.
As for upstream, well mine is 48 so I thought that 37 seemed a tad low.

In any case if he is on the wrong downstream frequency then he is yet another customer in need, being fobbed off by TS.
Please don't be offended but you should direct your remarks to directmail and offer him suggestions to resolve his issue rather than to correct my assumptions.

[vmtech]

well sorry was only informing uz thats after why people come here to find out stuff!!
downstream power levels and be between -12 and 12, its not an exact science so it can be high or lower
and how is he being fobbed off by tech support if he calls and tells them his freq they will try to change it if it doesnt change he gets his modem swapped

[what?]

indeedio vmtech, for once u r correct :P

[vmtech]

lol shut up what? or your pc will break a bit more

[Mick Fisher]

and also, not alot retention can do for a bbi fault like that
all they can do is call us, and we would give them the same answers we'd give a cus
Erm.. So when a customer tells you his BB keeps losing its connection you choose not to believe him, tell him that nothing's wrong and refuse to help him by sending an engineer to investigate the problem? :td:

I'll tell you what Retentions can do, they can accept his cancellation and maybe he can find some other provider where the help desk actually helps instead of just being a cash cow for VM. :mad:

[what?]

i didnt say that, i meant if we advised him everything was ok (and everything was okay from our end) retention couldnt do anythin
or if we said, there is an outage, tehn there is nothin retentions can do to speed up the resolve of that
but if those levels r on the modem then there is a fault at our end and it is upto us to resolve it!!!
dont go jumpin down my throat for nothin!!!!!:mad:
and sending an engineer would do no good, unless he was lucky enough that the enginerr turned up as it dropped off, coz the tech cant sit around for hours waiting on the conn to drop

[Mick Fisher]

and sending an engineer would do no good, unless he was lucky enough that the enginerr turned up as it dropped off, coz the tech cant sit around for hours waiting on the conn to drop
Don't VM techs have the attributes of Experience and Initiative.
There are Finite reasons why any issue should be occurring.
If a responsible engineer was called out for a fault and knew he wouldn't get paid until it was fixed, he would methodically work through all the possibilities, starting with the percentage shot, until he cracked it.
Of course as with VM and the rest of those service agreements when you have paid up front all you get is a shrug of the shoulders and out the door in ten minutes, all hastening yet another lost customer through pitiful customer services.
I know that there are lots of responsible engineers out there but there are also a lot of engineers and agents who share the same attitude as you have.

What on earth happened to the Customer is always right even when he's wrong. We are a fickle lot and if we are not humoured we go elsewhere and you are out of a job.

End of.

Have a nice day!!

[hairy_mick]

neg 11 is to low its out of spec what are you on ex ntl c&w or telewest

[vmtech]

listen mick fisher calm down, what? is on here to help people with problem so watch who your talking to

[what?]

u no, i cant help but feel mick that u want tech to spend an entire day at a customers house resolving an issue, but if u called up and had to wait a week for a tech ud b complaining

and if a cus wants a tech out to look at their modem then they can have 1

but if a tech goes out and finds the fault is with another peice of equipment not regarding vm's service he wil charge the customer. and that IS fair.

---------- Post added at 21:42 ---------- Previous post was at 21:42 ----------

and thank you vm tech

[vmtech]

any time what?

[Mick Fisher]

listen mick fisher calm down, what? is on here to help people with problem so watch who your talking to
Excited? Me? No way... :)
I'm just offering advice.
Oh and BTW please don't threaten me. I'm sure it must be against the forum rules. :erm:

[vmtech]

wasnt a threat all a said was watch who your talking to just incase you say it to the wrong person:)

[what?]

btw, isnt btw txt speak?

---------- Post added at 21:48 ---------- Previous post was at 21:47 ----------

anyway directmail, hope some of the advice helped, sorry for getting side tracked a little by sum1

[vmtech]

why yes it is what? its ok for them to use it but not us didnt you know that??

[what?]

my my, what a horrible mistake i seem to have made here... oops

[vmtech]

time for people to realise soon txt spk will become acceptable
just like the way shakespeare wrote is used any more because times change

[what?]

HEY, DONT DIS MY GOOD MAN SHAKESPEARE!!! :)

u no i live him... well his plays

[vmtech]

am not jst sayin no1 speaks or writes like him any more

[Mick Fisher]

u no, i cant help but feel mick that u want tech to spend an entire day at a customers house resolving an issue,
When did I say the issue must be resolved in one visit?

but if u called up and had to wait a week for a tech ud b complaining
I usually do have to wait a week and yes I do complain.

and if a cus wants a tech out to look at their modem then they can have 1
So why was the originator of this thread denied any help in the form of an engineers visit?

but if a tech goes out and finds the fault is with another piece of equipment not regarding vm's service he wil charge the customer. and that IS fair.
Yes that is fair. Such a pity the telephone system doesn't employ the same method.
---------- Post added at 21:42 ---------- Previous post was at 21:42 ---------and thank you vm tech
Seeking safety in numbers? :LOL:

[vmtech]

funny how you ignored the txt speak comments!!!
and if a cust directly ask for a tech we have to send them out, reason we dont is because most of us dont want cust paying for it, if its an issue like an intermittent issue and the tech goes out see the connections fine when hes there then they get charged or if they call us when its down we can send techs out and even if its fine they dont get charged because we have seen theres an issue, were as most cust jst expect us to believe them that there are telling the truth and that they have had the pc checked hes an example

this thread is for genuine stupid truck rolls

i went to a sub on wednesday this week the ticket said slow speed, i rang the sub on my way to the job to ask for more symptoms they were on the 4 meg deal and only getting 30-40k download, however on arrving at the job the sub had a big grin and admmitted she was lying her son had just had a new laptop and they couldnt get it to connect, the exsisting system was fine!!! when i asked why they hadnt sought help from the laptop shop,she said well i rang them and they wanted £20 . I made my excuses and left after informing her we charge more for wasted calls. some customers just take the mick!!!

[slowcoach]

Seeking safety in numbers? :LOL:
It's a VM double act, but they haven't quite got it together yet.