回答:
14.04から16.04.1にアップグレードした後(USBテザリングが長年正常に機能していた)、まったく同じ問題を経験しました。
syslogに基づくと、ModemManagerとの競合が原因のようです。
Aug 25 13:12:24 outback NetworkManager[2543]: <info> [1472145144.1334] device (enp0s20u2): Activation: successful, device activated.
[...eliding log entries related to nm-dispatcher services]
Aug 25 13:12:38 outback ModemManager[2503]: <info> Creating modem with plugin 'Generic' and '2' ports
Aug 25 13:12:38 outback ModemManager[2503]: <info> Modem for device at '/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb3/3-2' successfully created
Aug 25 13:12:41 outback ModemManager[2503]: <warn> couldn't load Manufacturer: 'Serial command timed out'
Aug 25 13:12:44 outback ModemManager[2503]: <warn> couldn't load Model: 'Serial command timed out'
Aug 25 13:12:47 outback ModemManager[2503]: <warn> couldn't load Revision: 'Serial command timed out'
Aug 25 13:12:50 outback ModemManager[2503]: <warn> couldn't load Equipment Identifier: 'Serial command timed out'
Aug 25 13:12:50 outback ModemManager[2503]: <warn> couldn't load Operator name: 'SIM failed to handle CRSM request (sw1 106 sw2 130)'
Aug 25 13:12:54 outback ModemManager[2503]: <warn> couldn't load IMEI: 'Serial command timed out'
Aug 25 13:12:54 outback ModemManager[2503]: <info> Modem: state changed (unknown -> disabled)
Aug 25 13:12:54 outback NetworkManager[2543]: <info> [1472145174.3879] device (enp0s20u2): state change: activated -> deactivating (reason 'connection-removed') [100 110 38]
Aug 25 13:12:54 outback NetworkManager[2543]: <info> [1472145174.3881] manager: NetworkManager state is now DISCONNECTING
Aug 25 13:12:54 outback NetworkManager[2543]: <info> [1472145174.4362] dns-mgr: Writing DNS information to /sbin/resolvconf
Aug 25 13:12:54 outback dnsmasq[4348]: setting upstream servers from DBus
Aug 25 13:12:54 outback NetworkManager[2543]: <info> [1472145174.4430] manager: (ttyACM0): new Broadband device (/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/4)
Aug 25 13:12:54 outback NetworkManager[2543]: <info> [1472145174.4441] device (ttyACM0): state change: unmanaged -> unavailable (reason 'managed') [10 20 2]
Aug 25 13:12:54 outback NetworkManager[2543]: <info> [1472145174.4445] device (ttyACM0): modem state 'enabling'
Aug 25 13:12:54 outback NetworkManager[2543]: <info> [1472145174.4457] device (enp0s20u2): state change: deactivating -> disconnected (reason 'connection-removed') [110 30 38]
次のコマンドでModemManagerを無効にしました。
sudo systemctl disable ModemManager.service
そして、再起動しました。その後の私のUSBテザリングセッションはそれ以来安定しています。
私の携帯電話(LG G3)にModemManagerを適切に設定する方法はあると思いますが、シリアルモデムは現在必要ないので、この方法は有効です。