FTTP Random Sync Drops - Flashing PON

[Will168]

Hello All,

Sorry for the long message, but I've got an interesting one here...

I had FTTP installed with the Fibre 900 package back in November 2020. It worked fine for about 2-3 weeks, speeds were good (900/110) and connection was solid.

Since the beginning of December, I've been having random drops, where the ONT will lose sync. The green PON light flashes and the LOS stays off. (I have the small, white, Nokia ONT and SH2).

It will randomly reconnect after some time; anywhere from 30 mins up to hours or even days. Since this started happening, the longest uptime I've had without interruption was about 14 days. But it's very random when it wants to go off and for how long. As I type this, I'm currently 50 hours into a drop out and it still has not reconnected.

When it is working, I have full speeds (900/110).

I've had many calls with the Fibre team in Exeter and had Openreach sent round probably a dozen times since this all started.

Openreach have checked light levels, re-spliced, changed ONTs and apparently even found issues at the exchange (Downend, Bristol) and fixed those too, but it's still not working as it should.

Every time I was told it was fixed, I could force a check to see if it was, by power cycling the ONT and sure enough, it would sit there with a flashing PON for hours before successfully syncing. Therefore showing that the issue had not been fully fixed.

As Openreach could not find any further issues with their part of the network, one of the engineers took my ONT to the exchange and plugged it in there and apparently still observed the same issues.

One other household has FTTP on my street (installed December) and apparently have had no issues.

Openreach concluded that it was an issue beyond the Openreach part of the network (after the head end at the exchange) and said it points to an issue at the ISP (BT in my case). To that end, my service was ceased and re-provided a couple of weeks ago, which apparently should have solved any virtual ‘tray’ or profile issues. That also did not fixed the issue.

BT keep sending Openreach engineers round and when they arrive, they unsurprisingly cannot find any issues. We keep going round and round in circles. The only other potential option I’ve been given is to try a different ISP on the basis that if it is indeed not an Openreach network issue, that would solve it. Unfortunately, as FTTP has only been available here for a few months, the only ISPs I can find that will offer a package that is not FTTC are BT, EE and Zen. I have my concerns about EE in case they use the same service, equipment etc. as BT. So my only real alternative is Zen, who are about 25% more expensive.

I don’t know if anyone can suggest anything on here as this issue seems to be quite rare but I’ve tried everything else!

Many thanks in advance, Will

[pippincp]

I  think you need to check Zen's prices.

[Will168]

How do you mean?

When I checked yesterday and the same package (900/100) at Zen is £62.99 vs. £49.99 at BT and £54 at EE.

[busterboy1]

@Will168 

When I checked yesterday and the same package (900/100) at Zen is £62.99 vs. £49.99 at BT and £54 at EE.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mate you have done well getting the premium package at £49.99 that's a fact, usual price is £59.99.

I got mine in the Black Friday deals with free installation (usually £9.99) and the first three month free making a good saving but not as good as £10 a month cheaper over 24 month.😮

[Will168]

@busterboy1 

Apparently it is a regional offer. But it's been that price for a while here. It says £9.99 P&P, but I did mine as part of a house move and they never asked for the £9.99 or any installation costs. They sent me a SH2 at the same time for no additional cost.

[busterboy1]

Regional offer. WOW you lucky person, I just checked again now and still £59.99 here..

Thanks for clarifying Will. 🙂

[Will168]

@busterboy1 
No probs. Although I have to admit, I haven’t had to pay a full month cost yet (since September) due to all of the issues I’ve been having. 7 week install delay due to ducting issues and then since it was installed, I have been having no end of issues as described in my original post above.

[busterboy1]

I wouldn't be looking elsewhere if that's the case mate, I could handle a few problems at that price. 😉 

[Will168]

@busterboy1 
I hear you, but it’s so unreliable, it’s becoming unbearable. I’d rather not have to pay 25% more per month, but after probably 50+ hours on the phone with BT and 100+ hours with Openreach with the impact it has on working from home, I’m almost out of patience and can’t take it any more!

Coupled with the installation issues, I’ve only had 3 weeks of decent connection since mid-September and I just don’t want to keep spending time chasing this around.

This community was my last throw of the dice, but if it doesn’t get sorted soon, I’ll try Zen and if it fixes the issue, I’ll just have to accept paying more. If it has the same issues, then Cable will be the fall back option.

[Will168 · Accepted solution]

Openreach have been round a number of times since I first posted this and following escalation acceptance and some more waiting, they have finally managed to resolve the issue today.

Apparently it's a rare issue but something to do with some software update issues between the exchange and Nokia ONTs. I'm told it has happened to other customers with Nokia ONTs but that it is very rare and it will get reported to Nokia to address. They had to reboot something in the exchange to get it to sort itself out...apparently not something they try often because it temporarily knocks out service for everyone connected to it.

I'm closing this this thread now as the issue is resolved. But to anyone having similar issues in the future and if you have a Nokia ONT and they seemingly cannot find any issues with your line and run of out ideas, then this is one to try (reboot the computer in the exchange, figuratively speaking).