Netcode doesn't do anything for packet loss. That's simply not possible. The server can't use information it didn't get from the client and vice versa.
100% PL just means that the hop in the chain is configured not to respond to UCMP ping requests. You can't read any more into it than that.
I've heard that any number after a hop that has actual PL is unreliable.
My gut feel is that internet TV/streaming/video calling/modern games that go big downloads/music etc have pissed all over low-latency gaming. All those things will use up switch machine time and happily re-request any parts that get dropped first time. None of them are particularly time-sensitive.
Even using linux "mtr" in UDP mode, which is better than WinMtr's ICMP doesn't give you particularly useful information. I'm defintely not getting 97% packet loss from hop 3. I'm not getting 53% packet loss from the datacentre gateway.
Keys: Help Display mode Restart statistics Order of fields quit
Packets Pings
Host Loss% Snt Last Avg Best Wrst StDev
1. 192.168.1.1 0.0% 352 0.7 0.7 0.6 5.5 0.6
2. ???
3. 31.55.185.181 97.7% 351 7.7 12.5 7.2 48.0 14.3
4. 31.55.185.188 0.0% 351 8.1 9.8 7.2 54.9 6.6
5. core1-hu0-6-0-7.colindale.ukcore.bt.net 0.0% 351 8.0 9.3 7.1 51.0 5.6
core1-hu0-12-0-5.colindale.ukcore.bt.net
core1-hu0-8-0-5.colindale.ukcore.bt.net
core1-hu0-6-0-9.colindale.ukcore.bt.net
core2-hu0-2-0-5.colindale.ukcore.bt.net
core2-hu0-6-0-6.colindale.ukcore.bt.net
core2-hu0-16-0-8.colindale.ukcore.bt.net
core2-hu0-17-0-1.colindale.ukcore.bt.net
6. peer7-et-0-1-1.telehouse.ukcore.bt.net 0.0% 351 7.9 12.8 7.4 63.3 10.5
peer7-et-4-0-4.telehouse.ukcore.bt.net
peer7-et-0-0-1.telehouse.ukcore.bt.net
peer3-et0-0-4.redbus.ukcore.bt.net
peer7-et-4-1-1.telehouse.ukcore.bt.net
peer3-et3-1-1.redbus.ukcore.bt.net
peer3-et3-0-4.redbus.ukcore.bt.net
peer7-et-0-1-4.telehouse.ukcore.bt.net
7. 109.159.253.63 0.0% 351 8.0 10.6 7.5 48.9 7.4
109.159.253.101
8. ???
9. ???
10. sotn-core-2b-ae2-0.network.virginmedia.net 54.0% 351 19.2 21.3 19.1 61.1 6.0
11. sotn-core-2b-ae2-0.network.virginmedia.net 0.0% 351 19.3 21.5 18.9 58.3 5.2
sotn-metnet-3a-lag-56.network.virginmedia.net
12. drkn-bh1-ia1.network.virginmedia.net 0.0% 351 20.1 22.0 19.9 69.9 6.2
sotn-metnet-3a-lag-56.network.virginmedia.net
13. drkn-bh1-ia1.network.virginmedia.net 53.4% 351 48.1 24.1 21.1 68.0 7.9
14. ???
Unfortunately, even if there was a switch somewhere in the path that we could 100% identify as going wrong....there's no way to report it. You can't get past the script-based first line of the ISP's. They don't have any idea about networking, and have no interest in (and probably no way to) getting you through to someone who has a flipping clue. I say this after spending literally hours in this situation on the phone to "the technical team"s at BT and Virgin.