CM500V used to work with voice, does not after moving

[clgyori]

Hello all, I have a CM500V  which worked just fine for both internet and phone (voice) until we moved.   The previous service provider was Xfinity / Comcast.   The new service provider is also Xfinity /  Comcast.   When I made the move (from Michigan to Florida), Xfinity assigned me a new account number.   After installation of my equipment and checking the phone lines in the FL home by a certified phone company (B&B Telephone of Port Charlotte), and of Xfinity connecting my service, the voice feature will not work.    No dial tone.   

After two service calls and a phone call from a higher up Xfinity supervisor, it was recommended I contact Netgear to "verify" the MTA address, so that Xfinity can (in their words) tunnel into it and change the user, thus activating the service.   I should add that Xfinity is saying the MTA MAC address on my modem is assigned to another user.   That other user would be me, in my former account up in Michigan.   Xfinity does not have visibility into the user to tell me for a fact it is me, but there is no other option, since I bought the unit brand new a couple years ago.   

Anyone provide any insight on how I can unravel this?  When I go to the modem advanced page that tech support directed me to, the prompts I receive for voice are that line 1 and line 1 telephony are both disabled.   I'm guessing those need to be enabled?     Thanks in advance for pointing me in the direction to get this thing re-activated for voice.   (Note, I did go through the factory reset of the modem, and that did not do anything.   Modem firmware is the latest for Xfinity / Comcast per the list provided here on Netgear.)

[FURRYe38 · Accepted solution]

So sounds like for people experiening this, users should reach out to NG support first and get help.

Glad they got it working. Please mark your thread and solved so others will know. 

Enjoy. 

[FURRYe38]

The ISP needs to check there configuration and settings. There would be nothing NG can do if the modem had already previously worked on there network then you move to a different location with same ISP service. The ISP needs to check there configuration with the modem. 

Check the phone lines to be sure they are in good condition. 

Have the ISP check the signal and line quality UP to the modem. 
Be sure there are no coax cable line splitters in the between the modem and ISP service box. 
Be sure your using good quality RG6 coax cable up to the modem.

[clgyori]

Thanks @FURRYe38 

The cable input to the modem is RG6 coax (the internal house wiring).   As this was a new-to-Xfinity account when we moved in to the house last month, a new cable had to be run from the box on the street to our house.  That cable from their box to the side of our house is the orange RG11.   So our supply (input) is good.  

There are no splitters between the ISP (Xfinity) service box and the modem

Signal quaility and line checks have been verified by the ISP.

Had a bona fide telephone company (which coincidentally, is the same company the ISP uses for its commercial account telephone needs / issues in this area) check out the lines in the house.  Everything toned out correctly and is wired correctly.

I have the same ISP (Xfinity) at our new house in Florida as I had in Michigan.  BUT... a new and different account number had to be set up.  Xinity had to do this as we are in a different region / zone.  That is the key difference.  The modem is not operating under the old account number we had in Michigan.

Xfinity tech support (including the internal level 3 tech support the field technician uses) can access the modem, and they can see the settings.  We had the level 3 tech on speakerphone so I could listen in (I am a former tech in industrial automation myself so I understood the conversation).  As tech support explained, they can see the MTA MAC address number, however their system shows that the MTA MAC address number is assigned to a "different" user.   They cannot "see" who that user is to identify a name, just that the MTA MAC is already assigned.  Further, Xfinity cannot just delete that user, and re-assign the MAC address to my modem / phone service, even though that MTA MAC address is plainly visible on my modem.  

As I stated in the original post, I do believe the "other" user is me.  The ISP had one account number for me in Michigan, where the voice feature worked.  On moving to FL, because it is a different regional area, The same ISP (Xfinity) had to assign a new account number.  

The two accounts have been unlinked.  However the modem still shows being assigned to another user.  The ISP says that only NetGear can free up the MTA MAC address, that there is nothing further they can do.  In the level 3 tech's words which I wrote down as he was speaking, and I quote "Contact Netgear and have them verify the MTA address, so that Xfinity can tunnel into it and change the user in order to activate the service."

So, I am looking for a way to have Netgear verify the MTA address, or a way to assign my MTA MAC address internally.  The advanced page on the NG site doesn't give me enough permissions (or I can't find them).

[FURRYe38]

I would try a forum moderator to see if they can help you. This is support is at the ISP or NG support level.

@vkdelta 

[clgyori]

Thank you for your time and attention, @FURRYe38    Greatly appreciated.   I'll stand by for a forum mod to comment.    Have a great rest of the day and week.

[vkdelta]

MTA MAC is already burned into the device and cannot be changed or modified.

I dont think there is any problem with MTA MAC.

the problem here is Comcast still has your old account open. They need to COMPLETELY REMOVE the Modem from your OLD ACCOUNT and then REPROVISION the modem in new account. It looks like ONLY DATA provisioning was removed and VOICE PROVISIONING was not removed from the old account.

[clgyori]

Thank you, @vkdelta    Appreciate the info.   

I had spoken with the supervisor (Jonah) of the Xfinity technician who was at our home last week.  He was the one who suggested I contact Netgear, and then get back to him.  Jonah gave me his direct line to call him back on when I got any feedback.   As an interim update, I have two calls in to Jonah so far (one yesterday, one today).    No response so far.   After I speak with him and relay your information hopefully this thing will be resolved.  I'll share whatever I learn as we move forward, as I'm sure you'll want to know for the future as well.

Thank you again.

[clgyori]

@vkdelta   I wanted to get back to you after FINALLY working through things with Xfinity, regarding the lack of voice service.   I was in text chat and on the phone with nine different representatives and supervisors yesterday, for a total of 4.5 hours.  I think I finally wore them down and wore them out, LOL!

At the end I was in chat with a voice supervisor going by the name of Guarav.   They were the most knowledgeble of the bunch.  In the end, he shared that the docsis 3.0 standard is the issue.  My CM500V modem continued to work as long as it was connected to Xfinity at my former residence in Michigan.  Once I unplugged it and transfrerred it to our new home in FL, and re-initiated Xfinity service, their system could no longer "see" my modem, more specifically the MTA MAC.  The CMAC portion works just fine, of course.  

Guarav's recommendation was for me to get a new modem, docsis 3.1 with Emta.   He said there is nothing further they can do with connecting to the modem I currently have, which I purchased in early 2018.   So, off to purchase a new modem.   Wasn't expecting that, but here we are.   I'll remain plugged into this thread, and follow up again once I have a new modem up and running, to let you know whether it worked or not.

Once again, appreciate the earlier response.

Les

[vkdelta]

@clgyori 

what level of service do you have?

this looks like serious level of mis-information from Xfinity reps UNLESS you have higher service tiers which are no longer compatible with your device.

Also, it does not make sense the CM works and MTA does not. That does not sound correct.

what service tier do you have?

[clgyori]

@vkdelta 

My service plan is the triple play package, with 300mbps, 200+ channels and voice.  What's referred to as Triple Play (or used to).

However, while searching for this information in the Xfinity website, I noticed soemthing which may or may not be relevant.   For the modem, they have listed the serial number incorrectly.   What is displayed is actually the CMAC address.  It is NOT the serial number of the device itself.  I wonder if that may be part of the problem.  I'm going to try to see if that gets resolved and fixes this issue.  In the meantime, I have purchased (but not yet opened) a CM1150V modem,  I'll hold off until the serial number issue gets straightened out.   

[clgyori]

@vkdelta 

Well, another 2 hours in chat with different Xfinity agents, and no resolution.   The second person in chat was supposedly a supervisor, who finally said that he changed the device serial number listed on my Devices page.  If he did, it has not refreshed yet on my Xfinity account page, even after resetting the modem.   The supervisor also said that the MTA MAC is not listed in my account, that it is assigned to another user.   I beleive that other user would be me, under my old and now deleted XFinity account.

Can you confirm that if Xfinity has the CMAC address listed as the serial number that the device will not recognize voice service?  That is what I believe is happening.

Any clue from your end on why the MTA MAC would not be  showing up in my profile and supposedly still tied to another user?  Doesn't make sense since the CMAC and MTA MAC are only one digit different.

Finally, any chance you interface with Xfinity and have a contact there I can reach out to directly to get this resolved?   Please pm me if you do.   It's getting old going through the basics with each agent.   The supervisor today told me I need to talk to the avanced tech team to get  the MTA MAC added to my account and gave me a phone number.  GREAT, I thought.  Until I just tried it and its the main number for Comcast   😝  So I get to start over yet again!

[vkdelta]

what device you have on account currently?

can you activate CM500V via web portal or new Xfinity app (they have added an option to activate device in latest app)?

[clgyori]

@vkdelta 

The device on account is correct, its the CM500V.   The issue  I believe, is that the original tech who came to the house improperly input the CMAC address instead of the device serial number as I explained above.

I have not tried to re-activate the same device.  I will try that over the weekend.   I don't do that activity during the weekdays, if only because the modem as it functions now is also used for work, and don't want to compromise that or keep it down for any length of time.

Thank you.  In the meantime, can you give me any thoughts on my previous notes? 

[vkdelta]

DM me following

Comcast account #

Comcast account holders name

Comcast account holders phone

CM MAC

MTA MAC

Package subscribed to.

[clgyori]

Hi @vkdelta   Sent you the info you requested in a PM a few days ago.    Giving you a heads up in the event you hadn't seen that yet.

Thanks!

[vkdelta]

@clgyori 

yes, seen and created a case with Comcast OPS/Engg on same.

will let you know soon.

[clgyori]

Hi @vkdelta  The voice service continues to work since our last PM's.    I did send you the screen shot you requested.  Did you receive that?   PM me your thoughts on it.  Thanks.   

[vkdelta]

screenshots are ok. No specific functionality issues.

[clgyori]

@vkdelta thank you for taking the interest and time to help me with this.  You are a good person.    I greatly appreciate you.    Cheers and best regards,

Les

[FURRYe38]

So what got the modem working with Voice again? 

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@clgyori 

Les

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[clgyori]

@FURRYe38 Thanks for the inquiry.   I sent you a PM.     Thanks for your help as well.

Les

[FURRYe38 · Accepted solution]

So sounds like for people experiening this, users should reach out to NG support first and get help.

Glad they got it working. Please mark your thread and solved so others will know. 

Enjoy. 

[clgyori]

I am glad to report that several weeks after solving the problem with my NetGear CM500V that everything is still working just fine.   While I still don't know what the exact fix was, the main thing is that everything works!     For those that don't want to read back, the readers digest version is that our phone lines did not work with  the CM500V modem after we moved from MI to FL.  Comcast was out twice phsically. I also had a phone company (Comcast certified) out to check out the lines.   Everything was found to be in order, yet we had no voice (phone) service.   I had easily a dozen chat sessions with Comcast / Xfinity tech support.   One session alone ran over four hours where the problem continued to be escalated, yet no one could solve it.  I was finally told I needed a new modem, that the current configuration for Comcast voice was no longer supported by the firmware for the CM500V modem.  

Out of frustration I came to the Netgear forum to see if I was being handed a bill of goods by Comcast.  Again, short version is that I was.   I got a response from @FURRYe38 , who, after some background on the problem, ended up getting me in touch with @vkdelta in Netgear engineering.   @vkdelta collected my account info and reached out to Comcast, presumably in their engineering department.  A few days later @vkdelta asked me to check my phone, and finally, after seven weeks, I finally had a dial tone!    

Thank you Netgear Forum, and THANK YOU to @vkdelta and @FURRYe38 for responding to me, and for helping me with this problem.  If you ever have time, I'd be curious as to what the actual fix was that seven weeks of tech support at Comcast / Xfinity could not resolve!   (As a side note, about the time @vkdelta got involved, my xfinity stream also stopped working.  I was getting cache full errors on my Mac. Happened one day to the next.   Streaming had been working fine here at our new house up until then.    Even clearing out cache did not fix the issue.   However, once the phone line issue was fixed, miraculously {imagine that} the streaming issue was also fixed.   Rest assured you guys have a Netgear customer for life after the support you've given me!!

[FURRYe38]

Glad it got fixed. Ya, would be nice to know what was fixed however glad its up and running now. Thank you for letting us know. 

Enjoy.