Fibe TV error 1038a

[MRT1]

I’m wondering if anyone has experienced having to reboot their Fibe TV regularly. I have been a Bell customer for almost 18 months and have always had to reboot my TV every couple of days.  Usually the error code is 1038a.
I assume this is not normal.  When I was with Rogers I would occasionally need to reboot the TV maybe 2 or 3 times in a year. With Bell it is well over 100 times in a year.  
I have replaced the Fibe TV box twice and the modem once.  Four different Bell technicians have come to try to rectify the problem but it has not been resolved.  Has anyone else experienced this problem and found a way to resolve it? Thanks.

[BellNick · Accepted solution]

Hi there @MRT1 
Thank you for your post and welcome to the Community.
Error 1038a is a result of a loss of internet connection. 
Are you able to share how your receiver is connected to the internet (Wi-Fi or ethernet connection) and have you attempted both connect types to see if the issue persists?
If on Wi-Fi, are you able to move either your modem or receiver so they are closer together?
If on Wi-Fi, are you able to check and share which SSID your receiver is connected to (your main Wi-Fi network or the Fibe TV Wi-Fi network)? If it shows Fibe TV Wi-Fi Network, do you see and are you able to connect to your main Wi-Fi SSID?
Does this issue occur when you are watching live TV, On Demand, other apps or all?
Looking forward to hearing back.
 

[JayceeEm]

Every day!  Sometimes a couple of times a day.  But Bell keeps telling me that my wifi / tv are testing fine and want to charge me $75 to come out to look at it.  Imagine charging a customer extra to investigate why there is a need to have their service to me repaired when it’s their equipment!  Don’t I already pay for that on my bill?  Isn’t their service to me guaranteed?

[MRT1]

Thanks for responding. My receiver is connected via WIFI, not Ethernet. The modem is about 15 feet away from the tv. It cannot be moved any closer given where Bell installed the modem.  It is connected to our home WIFI network.  The issue occurs when I turn on the tv.  Usually the tv guide in the screen is not populated with any programs. Just blank. As I mentioned I have to reboot every 1-2 days and this has been the case for about 18 months. It seems there is no solution since I have changed the box twice the modem once and had 4 technicians try to fix it.  I’m surprised no one at Bell has a theory of why this continues to occur, especially since it seems to happen to other customers. Please help. This is not good service.

[BellNick]

Hi @MRT1 @JayceeEm 
We'd like to take a closer look into this and I've sent you both a private message.
Please check your Messages within your profile avatar in the top right corner.
Unsure how to check or send a private message? See How to send a private message

[Richard10]

We’ve got similar issues. We’ve received new puck sized cable boxes and an extender over a year ago. We used to have to reboot system or Giga hub daily. Now we experience sound drop or screen freeze or pixilation constantly. My wife has to unplug and plug in the very hot extender every night. If it wasn’t such a hassle switching companies, options and programs I’d be gone long ago.

[BellNick]

Hi there @Richard10 
Thank you for your post and welcome to the Community.
Does the pixilation and sound drop occur right before you receive error 1038a on your screen?
Are you able to share which modem you have?
Is your receiver connected via ethernet or Wi-Fi connection and if able, have you tested both to see if the issue persists?
Looking forward to hearing back.

[ValT]

I’m having the same issues, including periodic pixilation. Very frustrating.  My receiver is on wifi and although my modem is downstairs they are only physically separated by about 15ft.  All tests I run using MyBell health check report normal status.  I’m looking for a solution. 

[WelshTerrier]

Good Day & Welcome.

Thank you for posting your question. Error 1038a is a result of a loss of internet connection.

What is the make and model of your receiver and modem?

1. Are there any obstructions between your receiver and your modem?
2. Does this pixelation occur all of the time, some of the time, on specific channels, etc.?
3. Are you able to reposition your receiver or modem to improve the signal?
4. Would your receiver or modem be enclosed or hidden behind your TV or inside of a cabinet?
5. Can you connect your receiver to the modem using an ethernet cable?
6. Have you checked out the Helpful replies with the green checkmark ✔️ 
7. Have you contacted Bell Fibe TV Tech support and reported this issue?

To reach Bell Fibe TV Tech support, please call: 1 866 797 8686

Let us know if you require further assistance.

Take care.

[MRT1 · Accepted solution]

Hi @ValT 

I had this issue for well over a year after becoming a Bell customer. I replaced the modem and also replaced the Fibe TV box twice. We also had Bell technicians in to look at it 4 times.  Nothing solved the problem until I received a message from @BellNick  on this forum.  He suggested we replace our modem again (Gigahub Fast5698e) with the latest model at that time (Sept 2025).  He arranged to have the new Gigahub 2.0 sent to us and this finally solved the problem.  No issues since.  If you haven’t done so already maybe you could try replacing your modem with the latest model.  Thank you to @BellNick for proposing this solution for us.

[BellNick · Accepted solution]

Hi @ValT 
Thank you for your post and welcome to the Community.
Additional to what @WelshTerrier has inquired, do you have your Wi-Fi bands split and if not, have you tried it?
I had a similar issue where my receiver was experiencing these issue, but when splitting the Wi-Fi bands, I was able to test both the 2.4ghz & 5Ghz. Since doing this, I haven't experienced much issues since connecting strictly to the 2.4ghz SSID. If you're unsure of how to do this, rest assured it's a fairly simple process and you can find the steps on our support thread Splitting SSID for IOT device configuration
Please also note, when it comes to different levels of a house, it's not always the distance in between the devices that can cause problems. Vents, wiring and other hardware that may be in the ceiling / floor could cause interference.
Looking forward to hearing back.

[Nelo29]

We go through the same thing daily. Reboots constantly. Lagging service. Error messages after reboots.Remotes that won't stop scrolling if they work at all.  It baffles me that a company that makes this much money cheap out on these worthless android boxes to use as receivers. Once this contract runs out, all of this is getting dropped of at the nearest Bell store. 

[BellPatricia]

Hey @Nelo29 

Welcome to the Bell community 🙂

What other error messages are you getting after you reboot? 

Heat issues can cause freezes and reboots like you are describing. Is the equipment in an enclosed area, or on top of other equipment/close to a heat source? 

If you continue to have trouble, in addition to trying out the different suggestions in the thread above we also recommend running Virtual repair at the same time you experience any trouble as it can help detect and fix issues with your network. 

Keep us posted on how the troubleshooting is going.

@BellPatricia