"Sorry to disturb you" - Message from VM

[Neo-Tech]

Hi guys,

I got a postcard message posted personally through the letterbox 2 days ago (I say personally because it didn't have a postage stamp), titled "Sorry to disturb you."

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/966598/Photo%20Apr%2007%2C%204%2016%2046%20PM.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/966598/Photo%20Apr%2007%2C%204%2017%2043%20PM.jpg

Now, a lot of the information i'm going to give now might be a bit irrelevant, but no harm is bringing up discussion :p:

So, according to my TBB monitor and the STB log, my connections died at around 2:17pm. It came back around 4:15ish-pm, seems my power levels had dropped by 12dBmV. I've also been moved to a new downstream frequency.

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/ping/share-thumb/c5108668e91a20e741e5b839fd7d969d-06-04-2011.png (http://www.thinkbroadband.com/ping/share/c5108668e91a20e741e5b839fd7d969d-06-04-2011.html)

And from today...

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/ping/share-thumb/0df8343a3799f18be7450a41b92ab9cc-07-04-2011.png (http://www.thinkbroadband.com/ping/share/0df8343a3799f18be7450a41b92ab9cc-07-04-2011.html)

No idea what happened at 2am, must have been the SuperCrud? Because I have another TBB monitor running on the IP next to me and that didn't have it. Also have no idea what happened at 2pm, although it appeared on all my VM monitors, must have been a local outage. I've also been moved to another downstream frequency again.

Modem logs if you so desire:
Time Priority Description
Thu Apr 07 13:22:10 2011 Critical (3) DHCP FAILED - Requested Info not supported.;CM-MAC=::::;CMTS-MAC=:::::;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
Thu Apr 07 13:22:03 2011 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=::::;CMTS-MAC=::::;CM-QOS=1.0;CM-VER=3.0;
Thu Apr 07 13:21:08 2011 Notice (6) CMTS DCC 307000000 MHz
Thu Apr 07 13:20:23 2011 Critical (3) DHCP FAILED - Requested Info not supported.;CM-MAC=;CMTS-MAC=CM-QOS=1.0;CM-VER=3.0;
Thu Apr 07 13:20:19 2011 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=;CMTS-MAC=;CM-QOS=1.0;CM-VER=3.0;
Thu Apr 07 13:20:08 2011 Critical (3) SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire QAM/QPSK symbol timing;;CM-MAC=;CMTS-MAC=00:00:00:00:00:00;CM-QOS=1.0;CM-VER=3.0;
Thu Apr 07 13:20:05 2011 Critical (3) SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire FEC framing;CM-MAC=;CMTS-MAC=00:00:00:00:00:00;CM-QOS=1.0;CM-VER=3.0;
Thu Apr 07 13:20:01 2011 Critical (3) Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance opportunities received - T4 time out;CM-MAC=;CMTS-MAC=;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
Thu Apr 07 13:20:01 2011 Critical (3) SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire FEC framing;CM-MAC=;CMTS-MAC=;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
Thu Apr 07 13:20:01 2011 Warning (5) Lost MDD Timeout;CM-MAC=;CMTS-MAC=;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
Thu Apr 07 13:20:01 2011 Warning (5) MDD message timeout;CM-MAC=;CMTS-MAC=;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
Wed Apr 06 14:55:56 2011 Warning (5) B-INIT-RNG Failure - Retries exceeded;CM-MAC=;CMTS-MAC=;CM-QOS=1.0;CM-VER=3.0;
Wed Apr 06 14:54:19 2011 Notice (6) CMTS DCC 315000000 MHz
Wed Apr 06 13:17:02 2011 Critical (3) SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to receive MAC SYNC frame within time-out period;CM-MAC=;CMTS-MAC=;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
Wed Mar 30 17:31:19 2011 Critical (3) Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=;CMTS-MAC=;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
Time Not Established Critical (3) DHCP FAILED - Requested Info not supported.;CM-MAC=CMTS-MAC=;CM-QOS=1.0;CM-VER=3.0;



Now the real question is, what improvements have they done? The block of yellow has dropped marginally.


Sorry for the long post, but wanted to document my findings. :P

[Digital Fanatic]

We are upgrading the network cabs around the country, one-by-one. Adding capacity and upgrading old equipment.

[smallethic]

Well, my upload speeds suddenly doubled this afternoon without warning or obvious interruption. And no, I didn't get a 'Sorry to disturb you' card!

[Neo-Tech]

Hmm, should I see more of an improvement over the next few days on the UBR I'm connected to? I'm connected to cpc9-heck6-2-0-custXXX.4-1.cable.virginmedia.com if you could find out what happened :D I'm rather curious!

@smallethic, I was in the area of trialling new upload speeds in September last year, and got it around December.

[Digital Fanatic]

Well, my upload speeds suddenly doubled this afternoon without warning or obvious interruption. And no, I didn't get a 'Sorry to disturb you' card!

What general area are you in?

---------- Post added at 16:50 ---------- Previous post was at 16:49 ----------

Hmm, should I see more of an improvement over the next few days on the UBR I'm connected to? I'm connected to cpc9-heck6-2-0-custXXX.4-1.cable.virginmedia.com if you could find out what happened :D I'm rather curious!

Not really, this is at cab level, so more about bandwith and noisebusting. Should make your connection more reliable though.

[smallethic]

I'm in Norwich which according to the Virgin website isn't due to be upgraded until June!

[BenMcr]

Might have been a cabinet clean up?

[Digital Fanatic]

I'm in Norwich which according to the Virgin website isn't due to be upgraded until June!

We aren't publishing this cab upgrade project... maybe you are thinking of the 100mb upgrade programme?

they are totally different things :)

Oh and we are not in your area yet for the cab upgrade project either.

[Neo-Tech]

What general area are you in?

---------- Post added at 16:50 ---------- Previous post was at 16:49 ----------



Not really, this is at cab level, so more about bandwith and noisebusting. Should make your connection more reliable though.
Ah right, so that yellow should go down? :P


Oh and we are not in your area yet for the cab upgrade project either.
Was that to smallethics or me?

[Digital Fanatic]

Ah right, so that yellow should go down? :P


Was that to smallethics or me?

smallethics :)

What area are you in?

[Neo-Tech]

Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, connected to the heck6-2-0 UBR which is the most utilised from the heck area :(

[Digital Fanatic]

Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, connected to the heck6-2-0 UBR which is the most utilised from the heck area :(

yeah we are in Yorkshire and Leeds at the moment upgrading cabs.

[Neo-Tech]

Ah right, here's hoping I can get better on my TBB graphs! :D
Also, is it just DOCSIS 3 cabs? Because it seems DOCSIS 1 customers weren't affected.

[Digital Fanatic]

Ah right, here's hoping I can get better on my TBB graphs! :D
Also, is it just DOCSIS 3 cabs? Because it seems DOCSIS 1 customers weren't affected.

Yeah all cabs

[smallethic]

So it's not an upgraded cab, nor has the 100MB upgrade started in my area yet ... but my upload speed which was typically about 450 kbps and never exceeded 500 is now routinely clocking in at 1,000 kbps. So how can that be?

[Peter_]

So it's not an upgraded cab, nor has the 100MB upgrade started in my area yet ... but my upload speed which was typically about 450 kbps and never exceeded 500 is now routinely clocking in at 1,000 kbps. So how can that be?
I expect you are on 10Mb and the upload has been upgraded in your area.

[Ignitionnet]

Looking forward to when this programme gets to the big swathe of South West London, Mortlake, New Malden, Croydon, to allow for upstream uplift and 100Mb.

Am hearing rumbles it isn't too far away - confirm/deny/discuss DF? Is it already in progress perhaps?

[pip08456]

So it's not an upgraded cab, nor has the 100MB upgrade started in my area yet ... but my upload speed which was typically about 450 kbps and never exceeded 500 is now routinely clocking in at 1,000 kbps. So how can that be?

There upstream uplift is being done separately to the others you mention.

[Chrysalis]

are all the worst areas still "been planned"?

[Digital Fanatic]

Looking forward to when this programme gets to the big swathe of South West London, Mortlake, New Malden, Croydon, to allow for upstream uplift and 100Mb.

Am hearing rumbles it isn't too far away - confirm/deny/discuss DF? Is it already in progress perhaps?

Not far away, no. ;)

[data0002]

What about down south when are they going to update the cabs as my one is over loaded as each tap has a 6 way spilter on it

[Digital Fanatic]

What about down south when are they going to update the cabs as my one is over loaded as each tap has a 6 way spilter on it

It's going to take 3 years to complete, but cabs like that are certainly the type to really benefit from this.

It's every single cab on the VM network.... that's a lot of cabs ;)

[data0002]

Oh well only anouther 1091 days to wait then:)

[weesteev]

It's going to take 3 years to complete, but cabs like that are certainly the type to really benefit from this.

It's every single cab on the VM network.... that's a lot of cabs ;)

600k to be precise

;)

[Ignitionnet]

Not far away, no. ;)

Goes along well with the 'weeks rather than months' mentioned to me for the work to start.

Obviously a tad more involved for areas like this one as amps need replacing.

Either way good stuff, may actually have a reliable DOCSIS 3 HSI service in the area once that's done.

[ccarmock]

So does this mean, for instance, work has started on the New Malden part of the network (I am in SM4 and fed from New Malden on NMAL9-0-0) as I understood this Ex-Telewest area required a lot of old kit to be replaced before any of the upgrades could take place? Have they started to replace the equipment here yet?

[pip08456]

So does this mean, for instance, work has started on the New Malden part of the network (I am in SM4 and fed from New Malden on NMAL9-0-0) as I understood this Ex-Telewest area required a lot of old kit to be replaced before any of the upgrades could take place? Have they started to replace the equipment here yet?

Read posts 17 & 20.

[chambohambo]

Are they upgrading the cabs in Preston, Lancashire aswell does anyone know?

[pip08456]

Are they upgrading the cabs in Preston, Lancashire aswell does anyone know?

See post 22

[Neo-Tech]

Startup Procedure
Procedure Status Comment
Acquire Downstream Channel 307000000 Hz Locked
Connectivity State OK Operational
Boot State OK Operational
Configuration File OK Vacdb3845a0bb1a1c.cm
Security Enabled BPI+
Downstream Channels
Lock Status Modulation Channel ID Max Raw Bit Rate Frequency Power SNR Docsis/EuroDocsis locked
Locked QAM256 98 55616000 Kbits/sec 307000000 Hz 4.2 dBmV 42.9 dB Hybrid
Locked QAM256 97 55616000 Kbits/sec 299000000 Hz 4.7 dBmV 42.7 dB Hybrid
Locked QAM256 99 55616000 Kbits/sec 315000000 Hz 3.8 dBmV 41.9 dB Hybrid
Locked QAM256 100 55616000 Kbits/sec 323000000 Hz 3.2 dBmV 41.7 dB Hybrid
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV 0.0 dB Unknown
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV 0.0 dB Unknown
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV 0.0 dB Unknown
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV 0.0 dB Unknown
Upstream Channels
Lock Status Modulation Channel ID Max Raw Bit Rate Frequency Power
Locked ATDMA 3 20480 Kbits/sec 45800000 Hz 38.2 dBmV
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV
Primary Downstream Service Flow
Downstream(0)
SFID 7025
Max Traffic Rate 33330000 bps
Max Traffic Burst 3044 bytes
Mix Traffic Rate 0 bps
Primary Upstream Service Flow
Upstream(0)
SFID 7024
Max Traffic Rate 3333000 bps
Max Traffic Burst 8160 bytes
Mix Traffic Rate 0 bps
Max Concatenated Burst 8160 bytes
Scheduling Type Real-Time Polling


Okay so a bit of a worry here. My upstream power has dropped quite a bit since the work has been as mentioned in post 1, but I've noticed at night the power level drops to 37dBmV which is out of spec I assume? I haven't had any disconnects or anything, but, I'm just worried I'll have issues in the winter with the cabs not heating up and obviously not increasing the power :P

[Ignitionnet]

Preston is getting 100Mb by September so it'll be more of a 'behind the scenes' thing. Needed to clean up network noise, upgrade the odd area that has obsolete network, allow use of higher order upstream and upstream bonding more reliably.

---------- Post added at 11:29 ---------- Previous post was at 11:27 ----------

Okay so a bit of a worry here. My upstream power has dropped quite a bit since the work has been as mentioned in post 1, but I've noticed at night the power level drops to 37dBmV which is out of spec I assume? I haven't had any disconnects or anything, but, I'm just worried I'll have issues in the winter with the cabs not heating up and obviously not increasing the power :P

Your upstream power is absolutely fine even at 37dBmV and your last sentence makes no sense, it's your modem that increases its transmit power not the kit in the cabinet.

You are well within spec and have nothing to worry about.

[Neo-Tech]

Ah right. Fair do's then. I'm still learning

[ccarmock]

Read posts 17 & 20.

Yes I have read them, what I was wondering is if there was any clarification on the work - there is mention of a three year cab upgrade programme as well as upgrades to deliver 100 Mb/s and greater upstream bandwidth, which according to the VM anouncement isn't a three year programme of work, which implies these are seperate programmes.

What I was wondering is if the old equipment telewest left us with woudl be replaced as part of the 3 year cab upgrade work or the bandwidth upgrade work.

[Ignitionnet]

Just re-read.

In our case, South West London, yes this will be that work. We will be done sooner rather than later and for us it'll be a combined work most likely as we need hardware replacing within our cabinets.

In some areas it'll be a 'tidy up' job. In areas like ours it'll be a shift and lift of optical nodes and amplifiers and replacement with shiny new stuff.

Our part of the cabinet program and our upstream uplift are one and the same.

[ccarmock]

Thanks Igni , that makes perfect sense. Here's hoping it'll happen soon.

Currently Downstream is Channel 7 339000000, 256QAM
and upstream is Channel 4 29200000, QPSK

This is all off New Malden

[Chrysalis]

so this cabinet stuff isnt part of the uplift work normally?

[Digital Fanatic]

so this cabinet stuff isnt part of the uplift work normally?

no

[Chrysalis]

ok how do I know when my cabinet been upgraded?

[Hiddendeath]

its been resprayed with VM are the fastest logo on it :P

[Ignitionnet]

ok how do I know when my cabinet been upgraded?

Given you were overbuilt a year ago you're quite unlikely to actually have this done, the work would have been done during overbuild.

Regardless it won't have a direct impact itself, it will facilitate bonded higher order modulation upstreams though.

[Neo-Tech]

Well, so far, looking at my graphs, nothing's improved in terms of average latency or maximum latency. I guess it was just a clean up more than anything else, considering I was the one of the first to get the new upload speeds AND 100MB at launch.