Monitoring & STB Feedback

[ntluser]

Just been reading this forum and wondering how much monitoring of our internet, TV and phone services is done and what do Virgin Media learn from the feedback produced by our STBs,modems and phones.

For example, if my STB ceases to function properly or if my internet modem fails dropping my speed below the level I am paying or if my phone line breaks down do the staff at Virgin Media know this?

If they do I'm just wondering why customers have to ring in to give information that Virgin Media already know?

Maybe someone in the know could clarify this point for me please?

[Sephiroth]

In a safety critical network or one where, say, banking transactions depend on network availability, the user would (or service provider will be paid to) monitor the network. I work in such an environment and the OSS software will know exactly what's gone down and what's affected.

There are some VM people on this forum who might chip in on the facts as applied to VM, but I'm sure that their nodes, hubs and head ends are fully monitored by OSS software and any ports or devices (or lines) that go down are the subject of an alert raised on-screen at VM's NOC.

This means that they don't rely on telephone calls to decise on their outage message on the web.

Now, to what is probably the underlying point of your question. If your modem goes down, have you switched it off, pulled out the cable or has
it gone phut? Same applies to your STB. If VM had to be proactive, they'd have no resources to do anything else.

So for equipment on the customer's premises, it's a phone call. They then ping (or something) your MAC address and perhaps see what it's doing via the MIBs available to them.

So that's your clarification.

[ntluser]

In a safety critical network or one where, say, banking transactions depend on network availability, the user would (or service provider will be paid to) monitor the network. I work in such an environment and the OSS software will know exactly what's gone down and what's affected.

There are some VM people on this forum who might chip in on the facts as applied to VM, but I'm sure that their nodes, hubs and head ends are fully monitored by OSS software and any ports or devics (or lines) that go down are the subject of an alert raised on-screen at VM's NOC.

This means that they don't rely on telephone calls to decise on their outage message on the web.

Now, to what is probably the underlying point of your question. If your modem goes down, have you swithed it off, pulled out the cable or has ot gone phut? Same applies to your STB. If VM had to be proactive, they'd have no resources to do anything else.

So for equipment on the customer's premises, it's a phone call. They then ping (or something) your MAC address and perhaps see what it's doinng via the MIBs available to them.

So that's your clarification.

Thanks for that,Sephiroth. It's much appreciated.

[Ignitionnet]

If a large number of modems fall offline simultaneously it will be noticed, a single modem isn't feasible for reasons mentioned above.

[Sephiroth]

If a large number of modems fall offline simultaneously it will be noticed, a single modem isn't feasible for reasons mentioned above.

Yes, that's right. If that happens, the upstream cause will in any case flag an alert.