Resolving Persistent Internet Dropouts and Packet Loss

Overview

Location: Breakfast Point
Customer: Aussie Broadband Subscriber with Fibre to the Basement (FTTB)

A customer at Breakfast Point was experiencing continuous internet dropouts and packet loss for nearly a year. Despite multiple visits from NBN technicians, the issue remained unresolved, affecting the customer’s internet service reliability and performance.

Problem Description

The customer had ongoing issues with their internet service, including frequent dropouts and significant packet loss. The service utilised Fibre to the Basement (FTTB), a common setup in multi-unit buildings, where fibre is terminated in the building’s MDF (Main Distribution Frame) and distributed to individual apartments via copper cables.

Previous Troubleshooting Efforts

• Technicians Involved: Four NBN technicians and one electrician were contracted to resolve the issue.
• Initial Fault Identified: The customer’s line had four sockets with a bridge tap—a type of wiring fault known to cause interference and connectivity issues.

Despite addressing some wiring problems, the core issues of speed inconsistencies and packet loss persisted.

Diagnostics and Findings

On-Site Assessment

The technician conducted a detailed on-site inspection of the customer’s MDF and internal wiring:

1. MDF Testing: The line was identified (pair number 17), and it was disconnected from the NBN block to test the signal independently.
2. Tone Testing:
   • A clear tone was detected when the line was disconnected from the NBN, suggesting no internal wiring faults.
   • However, the tone altered when reconnected, indicating a potential issue on the NBN side.
3. Direct Connection to Network:
   • The technician connected a socket directly to the network to see if NBN was the issue.
   • Speed and packet loss tests still showed poor results even with this direct connection.

Speed Test Results

• Expected Speeds: 100 Mbps download / 50 Mbps upload.
• Actual Speeds:
  • Download speeds ranged between 50-76 Mbps.
  • Upload speeds were as low as 12 Mbps.

These tests confirmed that the customer’s connection was underperforming significantly compared to the expected speeds, with noticeable packet loss affecting service quality.

Solutions Implemented

Removal of Bridge Taps

• The technician removed all bridge taps from the customer’s line to eliminate any internal wiring interference. The line was reconnected directly to the MDF, ensuring a clean, direct path to the customer’s apartment.

Post-Adjustment Testing

• Final Speed Test: After removing the bridge taps, speeds improved slightly (65 Mbps download and 16 Mbps upload) but remained below the expected performance.
• Conclusion: The primary issue was identified as a problem within the NBN network itself, not just the internal wiring.

Recommendations

Next Steps

1. Escalate to Level 2 Technician: It was recommended that Aussie Broadband escalate the issue to a Level 2 NBN technician who has the expertise and tools to perform advanced diagnostics on the network side.
2. Cost Reimbursement: Given the extent of the troubleshooting already conducted and the failure of previous NBN technicians to fully resolve the issue, the technician suggested that Aussie Broadband should cover the costs of the independent call-out.

Conclusion

This case illustrates the complexities of resolving connectivity issues in multi-unit buildings, particularly when multiple technicians and network layers are involved. A thorough approach, including advanced diagnostics and proper escalation, is crucial in identifying and resolving persistent service quality problems.

Aussie Broadband is encouraged to ensure that escalated issues are handled by skilled technicians to prevent prolonged customer dissatisfaction and service interruptions.

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