Cablemodem broadband in the Poole area - Page 2

Tristan · 16-06-2004, 20:47

My STB broadband service has only just started working after two days outage. I'm in BH18. To be fair to NTL, it's the only significant loss of service I've had in nearly two years of broadband, but I'm still less than chuffed.

What's been wrong with it? Why were the technical support people unable to give me even an estimate of when it would be fixed? I was told once that Nynex networks (of which the Wessex franchise is one) are the highest quality of the ex-CWC regions -- is this not the case?

And most importantly, can I expect many more outages in the near future?

steve_smith · 17-06-2004, 08:57

Hi,

My recent problems have also been the first occasion in over a year to question the quality of the broadband service too.

We now have a BT phone line (changed that over from NTL in desperation, and to give us the option to move to ADSL). But, when the BT engineer came out to install it, he told me that we are right at the very end of the reach from the exchange (so only 512k, and with no guarantees on quality). I also need to buy an ethernet router, micro filters, install an extension to plug it in to, pay an activation charge... so I really want to stay with NTL to save all this.

However, although the connection quality has improved over the last couple of weeks, I am still concerned that it is not fixed completely (and I still don't know if it's my cable, or an area problem).

I'm not that bothered about minor amounts of packet loss (running at about 5% this morning) most of the time. However, on occasion it seems to badly affect uploading using FTP.

An engineer did tell me at one stage that he was going to see about moving me to a different UBR (I think that's what he called it), because he thought that might be causing my problems (something to do with over subscription?).

However, no one ever contacted me.

If anyone can help, then it would be much appreciated!

Steve.

BBKing · 17-06-2004, 09:05

Quote:

I'm not that bothered about minor amounts of packet loss (running at about 5% this morning)

Hell's bells, I would be. Shouldn't be seeing any packet loss at the IP layer.

I doubt it would be upstream congestion, which is probably what the engineer was talking about, but I'll check if you send me your modem MAC. You can't actually move between UBRs individually, only as part of a resegmentation.

steve_smith · 17-06-2004, 09:51

OK thanks for the offer. Have sent you a private message.

MattyNeth · 17-06-2004, 09:56

Well NTL never did send out an engineer last week despite a planned visit - my wife even took the afternoon off work to stay in

The BH9 region, touch wood, seems to be ok. The taped message on Broadband Support mentions BH11 now?

I actually built myself a new PC, and since then BB has been running superb

Matt
BH9 region
North Bournemouth

Tristan · 17-06-2004, 19:11

Out again for several hours this afternoon, BH18. Only just come back on.

Could somebody please tell me what the hell is going on?

zenmaster · 26-06-2004, 19:38

I'm in BH14 and can't say that I had noticed a lot of problems - some, but infrequently.

Anyway, an NTL engineer came yesterday to install a new STB (SMT-2100C). He told my wife that 'the main connection to the internet' (whatever that means) is faulty and causing intermittent failures. It is, apparently, due to be replaced on July 6th.

However, I can't get access AT ALL with this new box. I hate it already. It doesn't appear to have an 'internet led' like the old one (or if it does, it's not on). No manual for the STB, of course, so I am clueless.

BBKing · 27-06-2004, 01:10

Hmm - didn't the engineer check it had a connection before leaving? Do you have your PID and password?

If you drop me a PM with the smart card number or STB mac address in I can check it's got broadband enabled.

steve_smith · 05-07-2004, 16:30

I see from the NTL status page that at midnight tonight for 6 hours some scheduled maintenance is going to take place on the network in places including Poole.

The message is slightly cryptic when it comes to Poole (other areas mention UBR upgrades).

Do any of the NTL techies know whether Poole is having UBR maintenance, and if so whether it will affect (and hopefully) fix problems for users in the BH12 area (although Bournemouth postcode, actually in Poole).

Have been having what are thought to be UBR related problems for the past 2 months (download is fine, upload is intermitently poor or very poor) and will be so very happy if it finally gets fixed :-)

Thanks,

Steve.

Ignition · 05-07-2004, 20:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tristan

Out again for several hours this afternoon, BH18. Only just come back on.

Could somebody please tell me what the hell is going on?

Will try.

There have been issues in that area with 'noise' on the network, where taps leading to people's houses degrade, people plugging things they shouldn't into the cable, STBs misbehaving and broadcasting nonsense, whatever it increases the noise floor (unwanted garbage on the HFC network on the same frequencies as upstream transmissions) and as that gets closer to the usable signal it lowers signal to noise ratio.

As far as what's going on with it not exactly sure but believe that network cleanup is being done, as was done in Southampton with some considerable success, and going by the outage expected will probably be replacement of some kit on the return (upstream) paths from the the affected areas tonight.

That's a guess on what's happening, I honestly don't know, but that makes sense and that's what the issue is. These things can be a complete PITA to fix, especially if the fix requires a loss of service to customers in the area.

the jackel · 05-07-2004, 21:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by steve_smith

I see from the NTL status page that at midnight tonight for 6 hours some scheduled maintenance is going to take place on the network in places including Poole.

The message is slightly cryptic when it comes to Poole (other areas mention UBR upgrades).

Do any of the NTL techies know whether Poole is having UBR maintenance, and if so whether it will affect (and hopefully) fix problems for users in the BH12 area (although Bournemouth postcode, actually in Poole).

Have been having what are thought to be UBR related problems for the past 2 months (download is fine, upload is intermitently poor or very poor) and will be so very happy if it finally gets fixed :-)

Thanks,

Steve.

Quite a bit of work going on in Poole tommorow morning (finally! - relief for us as well as customers!). Don't know exactly regarding postcode areas who will be affected but one or two UBR's (in Poole) being resegmented and a new one put in as well. This should eliviate some of the congestion which is the problem at the moment.

HTH

the jackel · 05-07-2004, 21:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tristan

My STB broadband service has only just started working after two days outage. I'm in BH18. To be fair to NTL, it's the only significant loss of service I've had in nearly two years of broadband, but I'm still less than chuffed.

What's been wrong with it? Why were the technical support people unable to give me even an estimate of when it would be fixed? I was told once that Nynex networks (of which the Wessex franchise is one) are the highest quality of the ex-CWC regions -- is this not the case?

And most importantly, can I expect many more outages in the near future?

There have been quite a few electricity probs down in Wessex recently, also headend problems as well hasn't helped.

Ignition · 05-07-2004, 22:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by the jackel

Quite a bit of work going on in Poole tommorow morning (finally! - relief for us as well as customers!). Don't know exactly regarding postcode areas who will be affected but one or two UBR's (in Poole) being resegmented and a new one put in as well. This should eliviate some of the congestion which is the problem at the moment.

HTH

*Wonders what congestion this is?

There's no real congestion issues but yes you are getting a sexy new uBR.

the jackel · 05-07-2004, 22:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustAnotherN00b

*Wonders what congestion this is?

There's no real congestion issues but yes you are getting a sexy new uBR.

Not upstream congestion (utilisation), just far too many modems in a particular area causing low SNR

steve_smith · 05-07-2004, 22:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustAnotherN00b

There's no real congestion issues but yes you are getting a sexy new uBR.

Is this a completely new UBR, or an existing one being replaced? I'm on UBR03, so I don't suppose it helps me, unless the resegmentation work helps my UBR cope a bit better with demand (I should imagine demand is high in this particular area, because we are right on the edge of not being able to receive ADSL).

Since the beginning of May, I've been seeing at best 4%-5% packet loss when pinging known good hosts. Sometimes it's been so bad that I haven't been able to connect to anything (more than 50% packet loss).

Just hope they can sort it out soon! (I appreciate it's hard work, but it would be so nice to know when or if to expect a light at the end of the tunnel).

Steve.