Intermittent connection issues loading/changing site- secure connection failed/site can't be reached

[EDIflyer]

Is anyone else occasionally getting a 'connection down' error from Chrome (or 'Secure Connection Failed' from Firefox) when changing page - if I hit refresh it works fine. At first I wondered if it was the site I was using but have noticed it on multiple different major websites over the past couple of months and not noticed it from other locations where I don't use Three Broadband so does seem to be related to the router/connection (this is via wired Ethernet too, so not a WiFi problem).  I've tried changing DNS server in case that helps but no difference.

It mainly seems to happen when trying to first load a site or (annoyingly) at checkout when a different site is being loaded as part of the checkout process.  It certainly doesn't happen everytime but does happen with reasonable frequency.  I've also noticed I often get it when trying to pull/push from/to Github too and have to do so a number of times for it to work (browsing the Github website works fine).

I'm using a NR5103E with Firmware Version V1.00(ACBJ.0)b14 - I tried rebooting it but to no effect.

[torz77]

Hi Three! Thanks for the updates, it's great to know that you are really working hammer and tongs to fix this issue. I really value how much you prioritise keeping your paying customers updated. This is hugely appreciated.

Just checking in to let you know that your service is still broken, but don't worry about it. Just in your own time, y'know.

x

[Nameless]

I wonder how well Vodafone is equipped to take on the complaints that Three has been getting? Maybe that side of the merged company will actually do something

No changes to report from my tests

[torz77]

Time passes, everything changes. Everything except Three's ability to fix a longstanding problem, or communicate **anything** to their customers at all.

You really do love treating your customers like the absolute mugs that we clearly are.

I got a promotional email the other day asking me to refer my friends to Three. Made me laugh, but then not altogether surprising, sadly for you, I don't tend to treat my friends the way you treat your customers, so I am actively doing the opposite.

[andym00]

I don't know if there's been a change, but I've been away from home for 10 days, got back and work day today, so switch to 5G while everyone is out for the day, did a few runs of the test script using the script posted here some time back (PPBJ2M4S.bat I have it saved as), and I've had multiple runs this morning with 0 failures! Actually, now 10 runs, each of 100 connections, so 1000 connections with no failures.. I shall keep the VPN off for the day and see what occurs.. Make that 11 runs now..

99 success
100 success
Results after running the command 100 times:
Successes: 100
Failures: 0

Test script was in this post.. 

[Nameless]

Things seemed more stable than usual here with the rarely seen band combination of B20 and B3 with N78

The error did eventually appear after ~1 hour of random website testing

In other news, switching APN details from within the NR5103EV2 router does not seem to work properly unless the router is restarted - I did observe some unusual changes in overall broadband speeds such as increased average download speed from ~600Mbps to ~800Mbps however this is unlikely to persist as temporary speed increases often occur when the router is restarted and it does disconnect for a few seconds

I will need to try the Vodafone APNs properly another day

[andym00]

Oh well, that didn't last long, ~5 hours later and it's now at a 3% failure rate 😞

Same mast, same channels, very odd..

[torz77]

Lucky you! My internet is still very much broken 😞

[torz77]

Hey Three! Guess what? Your service is still broken!

Maybe you can think about kicking this upstairs to your new corporate overlords to actually do something, **anything** about it.

I won't hold my breath.

[Nameless]

The service is definitely still broken - The error still exists

I will need to test if I can actually use Vodafone's network bands at some point however MVNOs may not be able to do so yet...

[AlSeek]

I'm optimistic about the VodafoneThree merger. The way I see it there are three outcomes that may happen.

1. Best case: Three issue is resolved by Vodafone systems replacing a system currently broken in Three.

2. Middle case: Three issue remains for Three users but Vodafone users do not inherit the issue. With roaming of either SIM possible on the combined network it may become possible to get a Vodafone based SIM and use it on Three masts without experiencing the issue.

3. Worst case: The issue remains for Three and spreads to Vodafone.

I think there is a reasonable chance case #2 may come to pass but I won't get my hopes up. VodafoneThree did announce this week that they intend to allow roaming for customers of each network on the other's "within a few months" so I guess we'll find out fairly soon. Although if case #2 does happen it may be temporary as over time they combine into a single network it could still evolve into case #1 or #3.