At my wits end with broadband dropouts

[lukeb]

Hello!

I am at my wits end with my internet service. We have fibre to the home, and we have been with Vodafone for the last 23 months.

Since September 2023, we started to get dropouts and long periods of no internet. The Vodafone page would pop up and I could press reconnect but it was just a waiting game for it to come back up.

After 6 long webchats and a couple of phonecalls to speak to Vodafone, they said it was due to the updates not being sent to our router. They said they would do this, it kept going down, spoke to them again, they said the updates weren't sent on and on... Finally they did something and we started to get stable internet for a short while.

It started to happen again, but without the reconnect page, so again after a very long webchat I asked them to look into it again. They took so long, that I had to say sorry I have to go now as it's been more than an hour and I need to travel.

This was after Christmas as I was going away for new year. I was hoping everything could get sorted during a time I wasn't working, as I work from home. They didn't open a case.

Back on live chat and an hour or so later, they're not taking my situation seriously so I asked for a complaint to be opened. They've said the issue is happening again as the updates aren't being sent.

A few days later, as the internet still keeps going down, I contact them again. They've said that they need to send me a booster to fix the problem and that it would be delivered within 24 to 48 hours.

I didn't receieve any information about the booster delivered, and I recivied a text 4 days later to say that if I don't contact Vodafone within 24 hours my case would be closed.

I called Vodafone to ask them about the booster delivery and they lied saying it was DPD's delay, dispite having a personal DPD delivery the day after they said they would originally ship it from some online shopping.

They did then ship the booster and it arrived the next day.

I spok to Vodafone again and told them I've been unable to pair the booster due to an error in the app that there wasn't a supported router. The adviser gave me the wrong on to how to pair it, after being put through to the Wi-Fi Xperts team we managed to pair it.

I've asked for clairty as to how a booster helps, as the booster is only plugged in to a powersocket and is wirelessly paired to the router, surely if the router drops the signal the booster will too?

I don't know what to do.

I've asked for a complaint to be raised, I'm not sure they really did open one, as they lied about the booster shipping issue. I haven't heard anything from anyone about the complaint.

I've had 5 months of unstable internet, that makes work calls difficult, as well as the downtime effecting my home security cameras. I have 6 weeks left of my contract. I had originally been told that if the internet did not meet my standard due to poor service, I could leave my contract early with no fee. I mentioned this when the problem came back, and they said they needed to try fix it again or I would need to pay the early termination charges. This doesn't seem fair as they have had enough chances.

Does anyone have any advice please?

[Ripshod]

Only 6 weeks? Stick it out and jump ship.

Even if your new provider uses the same fibre connection any fault will be sorted. 

[lukeb]

Thanks for your reply. I think the fault seems to be with the router, not the line. So I think you're right!

[Jayach]

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@lukeb wrote:

Thanks for your reply. I think the fault seems to be with the router, not the line. So I think you're right!

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You can use your own router, but will lose easy access to the phone service. (if that is important to you?)

[hayleyinhd]

Oh my gosh I could have written this! We've had almost EXACTLY the same problems  - constant drop-outs causing our lives hell, and have been told EXACTLY the same things! They said they were doing 'updates' multiple times, had us reset the router multiple times, then 'realised the updates weren't going through', then eventually sent us a booster which we installed, which didn't fix the issue. They're now telling me they won't even put me through to the cancellation team without me agreeing to pay a fee, which I refuse to do when I'm leaving them after just three months of completely unacceptable and useless service. I am tearing my hair out after HOURS of calls with totally useless customer services agents/ technical teams. I hope you also find a resolution or way out!

[grant_leeds]

This is ridiculous. It's exactly the same scenario as we are now experiencing. After being with Vodafone since Jan 2022, which is when we moved here, with no real problems (aside from an occasional drop) we suddenly 4 days ago had a total dropout of the service.

Sure enough, the Vodafone automated voice told me they have done checks in the area and there is nothing wrong with our service. Hmm. I got through to an Indian call centre, that insists on using my first name as my surname to address me, and they had me reset the router. That didn't work, so I was told to reset the Fibre box on the wall. No effect. Then they tried reset the WiFi signal button. No effect, and in any case it's the whole package as whether Ethernet connected or WiFi connected, it doesn't work.

Then I'm told it's because updates haven't been sent and they'll do that - that took another 2 hours. No change. Then I'm told to wait 24 hours for a callback. That scenario repeated for 2 days. Yesterday the same operative called back, again, and suggested my devices were outdated or not up to date. Rubbish. Those devices are on auto update and include 2 brand new Galaxy S24 Ultra mobiles, 2 tablets, 2 tower PCs, all up to date, thank you. 

Then they decided to contact City Fibre to get them to check the line etc. All the while I kept pointing out that we have used the service reasonably successfully on all these devices for 2 years and the chance of our 6 devices all suddenly going wrong is millions to one. We are convinced there is an issue with the router. For less than a minute we occasionally get connected and up to 100mbps, then using Ookla Speed Test app, try test a second time and the app reports latency too weak, cannot complete. Then test again and we'd get 0.98mbps or 14mbps then zero. That's regardless of whether on WiFi or ethernet connected.

This is still ongoing and 5 days later we feel so helpless, as the same person rings every day and starts with "Mr ... your Internet is now working. Is that right?" And every day the reply is no, no difference, to which she argues back that it must be and then we go through the whole rigmarole again. We are convinced it is the router that needs replacing. Even with devices within 1 foot of it, it doesn't work. How on earth do we get this resolved? Isn't there a higher support we can demand to be in touch with, and someone UK based that actually understands and has empathy and will get it fixed?

[grant_leeds]

Day 5 now, and still no Internet. Windows diagnostics of the connections says that, when Ethernet connected, the IP address is invalid. When WiFi connected, and getting a minute's up time, we do an Ookla test and get the feedback that the latency is too weak, please check your router and try again. Windows diagnostics on WiFi says your device is connected but there is no service provided from the router. Kind of makes you think it's the router at fault, right?

However, once again, tonight's Vodafone call from the customer service call centre was to tell me they are still waiting for technical support to report back to them - 48 hours after a ticket was finally raised. So now we have to wait a further 72 hours (weekend included) for the next update and, until then, nothing will be done.

How do we get the case raised to a more senior level, I wonder. I was told I have to go through the "assigned" call centre person and there's no direct line to anywhere, so have to wait!!