[velocite]

Until a few days ago, I could reach softbytelabs.com (72.3.245.172) from my VM cable connection without issue.

Now however, traceroute stops prior to the ultimate hop.
I've opened a support call with VM, but their initial response is not promising - suggesting that the problem is with I.E. (rather naive, given that I've already provided tracert diagnostics!)

> tracert softbytelabs.com

Tracing route to softbytelabs.com [72.3.245.172]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms vm-rtr [192.168.1.1]
2 10 ms 13 ms 11 ms osr01newy-v15.network.virginmedia.net [62.30.245.65]
3 10 ms 9 ms 10 ms osr01gate-tenge72.network.virginmedia.net [62.30.245.29]
4 16 ms 17 ms 17 ms gate-t3core-1a-ge-010-0.network.virginmedia.net[80.0.144.69]
5 18 ms 19 ms 18 ms lee-bb-a-so-310-0.network.virginmedia.net [213.105.175.165]
6 30 ms 31 ms 28 ms bre-bb-b-so-200-0.network.virginmedia.net [213.105.175.26]
7 * * * Request timed out.
8 20 ms 17 ms 18 ms ldn-b2-link.telia.net [213.248.100.97]
9 21 ms 17 ms 18 ms ldn-bb2-link.telia.net [80.91.250.229]
10 93 ms 94 ms 93 ms ash-bb1-link.telia.net [213.248.65.210]
11 112 ms 112 ms 110 ms atl-bb1-link.telia.net [80.91.251.86]
12 134 ms 133 ms 144 ms dls-bb1-link.telia.net [80.91.248.213]
13 135 ms 131 ms 134 ms rackspace-ic-127247-dls-bb1.c.telia.net [213.248.88.174]
14 132 ms 132 ms 133 ms vlan901.core1.dfw1.rackspace.com [72.3.128.21]
15 134 ms 134 ms 133 ms aggr2a.dfw1.rackspace.net [72.3.129.7]
16 * * * Request timed out.
17 * * * Request timed out.
18 * * * Request timed out.

I've established from a local ADSL connection that softbytelabs.com is reachable from the UK:
> tracert softbytelabs.com

Tracing route to softbytelabs.com [72.3.245.172]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 120 ms 199 ms 100 ms adsl-rtr [192.168.1.1]
2 67 ms 132 ms 132 ms lo98.sc-acc-bras-6.as9105.net [212.74.102.6]
3 74 ms 158 ms 135 ms 10.72.4.113
4 137 ms 145 ms 145 ms 10.72.4.126
5 76 ms 131 ms 79 ms xe-3-1-0-0.lon10.ip.tiscali.net [213.200.79.9]
6 126 ms 118 ms 119 ms ge-0.linx.londen03.uk.bb.gin.ntt.net [195.66.224.138]
7 254 ms 152 ms 627 ms as-0.r20.nycmny01.us.bb.gin.ntt.net [129.250.3.254]
8 168 ms 166 ms 158 ms ae-0.r21.nycmny01.us.bb.gin.ntt.net [129.250.2.26]
9 154 ms 164 ms 171 ms as-0.r21.asbnva01.us.bb.gin.ntt.net [129.250.2.9]
10 229 ms 251 ms 198 ms as-1.r20.dllstx09.us.bb.gin.ntt.net [129.250.3.42]
11 192 ms 184 ms 185 ms po-1.r02.dllstx09.us.bb.gin.ntt.net [129.250.2.154]
12 196 ms 198 ms 198 ms xe-8-1.r02.dllstx09.us.ce.gin.ntt.net [157.238.225.222]
13 198 ms 212 ms 199 ms vlan901.core1.dfw1.rackspace.com [72.3.128.21]
14 199 ms 211 ms 211 ms aggr2a.dfw1.rackspace.net [72.3.129.7]
15 186 ms 197 ms 198 ms softbytelabs.com [72.3.245.172]

Trace complete.

Please could another VM cable user (preferable in the Newcastle Upon Tyne area) post the result of a 'tracert softbytelabs.com'