Hey all, (sorry for not replying sooner)
As per my previous post yesterday I've been in touch with EE extensively, but getting concrete technical information from them is difficult. Remember, their support staff are primarily trained in conflict resolution rather than deep technical troubleshooting.
What's Actually Happened (Confirmed)
What I initially posted as theory is now confirmed fact based on EE's repeated use of the phrase "We're fixing it in batches": EE has either deployed a new configuration or migrated their 1.6Gbps customers to new servers. During this migration, customer authentication profiles failed to transfer correctly, causing CHAP (Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol) authentication failures.
Current Symptoms & What They Mean
◾ Scenario 1: NO Service
Your connection profile didn't migrate to the new server at all. You're essentially unauthorised/unauthenticated. Why turning equipment off/on might seem to "help":
When you power cycle your ONT/hub for 10+ minutes, it forces the hardware to re-request authorization - this temporarily resets rate limiting on repeated authentication attempts. Your service might appear to work briefly, but this isn't a real fix—it would likely have resolved itself within 30 minutes anyway. You're just making your equipment "talk more" to the authentication server.
◾Scenario 2: LIMITED Service (low speed)
You're partially authenticated, but your profile hasn't been updated with the correct "1.6Gbps customer" flag. EE needs to manually update your profile parameters.
IMPORTANT: If you're in scenario 2, DO NOT power cycle your equipment unless EE explicitly instructs you to during a phone call—and even then, confirm they believe this will actually help your specific issue. I say this because you're already authenticated and just need to wait but by messing around trying to constantly reauthorise you run the risk of introducing new issues.
❗ What You Should Do (For Everyone Affected):
1. Open a Formal Complaint
Call EE and tell them (don't ask) to open a complaint.
Explicitly instruct them not to close it without speaking to you first. They will say "I will log that as feedback", say no and that you want it logged as a COMPLAINT as the whole "feedback" thing is a way companies get out of actually registering complaints.
Your complaint should address:
a) Loss of Service / Limited Service - Document the technical cause: CHAP authentication failure due to incomplete profile migration during server infrastructure changes - If you have limited service, note that you're partially authenticated but missing the 1.6Gbps profile flag
b) Request for Accountability State clearly: "I want this complaint kept open until EE provides an official explanation covering:
- What happened (technical root cause)
- Why it happened (change management failure)
- What steps have been taken to prevent recurrence
2. Don't Let Them Close It Prematurely
EE has a pattern of closing complaints once service is restored without documenting the root cause. If we don't push for accountability, this will happen again and again because it flies under Ofcom's radar. Companies have a duty to report periodic information regarding complaints but unless they are registered as a FORMAL COMPLAINT and NOT "FEEDBACK" they won't be accounted for.
We're all here for the same reason and if we don't make sure complaints are actually registered then there's no point in complaining in the first place.
Technical Background (For Context)
CHAP Authentication: Your ONT authenticates with EE's network using username/password credentials. When profiles don't migrate correctly, the authentication server either:
- Rejects your connection entirely (no service)
- Accepts basic authentication but doesn't recognize your service tier (limited service)
"Batch Fixes": EE is manually updating customer profiles on their new infrastructure in groups rather than individually, which explains the staggered restoration of service.
Bottom Line: This is a change management failure on EE's part. Service restoration doesn't mean the issue is resolved—we need documented answers to prevent this from happening again.
Oh and don't buy the 5G unbreakable WiFi, it's literally the same as using your phone as a hotspot (but with antennas wow). They should be offering it as standard when their service - that YOU pay for - isn't available but instead they are charging you for issues THEY created.
Good luck in the queue!
