Why does my router keep disconnecting from the Internet?

I joined TalkTalk 3 months ago for phone broadband and Internet router. It's been perfect up until a few days ago when it keeps disconnecting from the Internet for a period of time and then coming back on. The Internet icon will flash sometimes and then go completely off. It can last a few hours or a few minutes its completely random. I only really use Wi-Fi on my iPhone or Xbox 360, majority of the time it disconnects when I'm online on Xbox which is frustrating when you've got far on a game and it cancels!

Is there anything that could be causing this distruption? My phone line is working (dial tone when I pick up the receiver)

Help or advice would be appreciated.

Added (1). The cable is pretty short so it doesn't reach very far, I have my router located next to the house phone and the TV as there's nowhere else I can locate it.

Added (2). I rarely use the home phone and the Internet has always worked fine while on the phone. The Internet effects wired connection aswell as wireless.

You might have to move your router around the house in different spots to see if the connection stays. My router does the same thing so I moved it to a end table by a window and it works fine.

It is the engineers line testing,
when they connect another user.

it interferes with your connection.
while they check for live or dead lines.
i know because i do it.

Do the disconnections occur when someone is talking on the phone line? Or when the phone rings? If so, you need to install or replace your ADSL filter(s). There must be a filter between every piece of equipment in the house and the phone line. (Don't forget your Sky box as well as every phone.)

When the disconnections occur, is this just for wireless or for wired connections, too? If it's just for wireless, you'll need to resite the router to get a better signal for your iPhone and Xbox. It's possible something else is using the same Wi-Fi channel as you are, so if you can check that and if necessary change it that might help

I would contact Talk Talk. It sounds as though there may be something wrong with either the equipment controlling your internet, or something in the "Head End". If it is either of these two things, only Talk Talk can repair this issue. The head end, is a point of contact between you and the main office of Talk Talk.

There are a series of routers on the internet that actually provide you your connection to the internet, If any of them are having issues, and they are not aware, because nobody reports it, then they won;t know to fix it. I would call them and tell them of your issues and I would speak with what is referred to as a "Tech 2", this is the second level of technician and they have more advanced knowledge than the people that initially answer the phone.

Talk Talk have a help site that may be worth a look, looks like a synchronisation problem to me;
http://help2.talktalk.co.uk/broadband-wireless/my-router-adsl-light-offflashing-0
This is an answer from 4 years ago which seems to have worked;

If you can't sort it out from that then contact Talk Talk via the first link to report the fault.
Regards, Bob.