Any Suggestions--BT Can't Provide Reliable Line??

Hi.

I live a fair way from my local exchange, but with the recent changes
I was informed by Tiscali (I know, I know) that broadband was
available.

They did all the checks, at least they said they had, and duly
connected me.

The line worked for about 10 mins and then dropped, as it has done
intermittently ever since.

After about 8 weeks of this Tiscali finally come back to me and inform
me that BT are unable to supply a reliable connection and my only
alternative is to go back to 56k modem. Now that's like giving a kid a
sweet and taking it away after they started it!!!!

Now, am I being stupid by thinking, hoping, that there's a way around
this or do I just accept it and wait for the 'new technology' BT tell
me will one day make it possible.

Any thoughts?

Geoff.

On Thu, 25 Nov 2004 08:16:11 +0000, Geoff Giddings
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Hi.
>
>I live a fair way from my local exchange, but with the recent changes
>I was informed by Tiscali (I know, I know) that broadband was
>available.
>
>They did all the checks, at least they said they had, and duly
>connected me.
>
>The line worked for about 10 mins and then dropped, as it has done
>intermittently ever since.
>
>After about 8 weeks of this Tiscali finally come back to me and inform
>me that BT are unable to supply a reliable connection and my only
>alternative is to go back to 56k modem. Now that's like giving a kid a
>sweet and taking it away after they started it!!!!
>
>Now, am I being stupid by thinking, hoping, that there's a way around
>this or do I just accept it and wait for the 'new technology' BT tell
>me will one day make it possible.
>
>Any thoughts?
>

Have BT sent out an engineer, and replaced the faceplate on your
master socket with a filtered one? They would also have checked the
line for any minor faults.

They should have done, if you can't get a consistent connection.

If they've done that, and you still can't get it, then I'm afraid you
are just one of the small number who still can't get it, although it
*might* be worth trying different hardware (modem or router), to see
if you can get one that is more fault tolerant. I don't know which are
best for that.

Alex,

Yes BT did send someone out, I wouldn't call him an engineer though!

He turned up for the appointment 3 hours late, smelt as though he'd
had a drink (not that that's a crime), didn't bring any tools in with
him and had to borrow a screwdriver. All he did was look behind a
couple of telephone extension sockets.

When he left he said he was going to the exchange and would ring me
back, that was nearly 5 weeks ago!

I guess that I'm one of the few, as you say that can't get b/band yet,
if ever, and will just have to wait.

Anyhow, thanks for your reply.

Geoff

On Thu, 25 Nov 2004 08:37:41 +0000, Alex Heney <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>On Thu, 25 Nov 2004 08:16:11 +0000, Geoff Giddings
><(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>Hi.
>>
>>I live a fair way from my local exchange, but with the recent changes
>>I was informed by Tiscali (I know, I know) that broadband was
>>available.
>>
>>They did all the checks, at least they said they had, and duly
>>connected me.
>>
>>The line worked for about 10 mins and then dropped, as it has done
>>intermittently ever since.
>>
>>After about 8 weeks of this Tiscali finally come back to me and inform
>>me that BT are unable to supply a reliable connection and my only
>>alternative is to go back to 56k modem. Now that's like giving a kid a
>>sweet and taking it away after they started it!!!!
>>
>>Now, am I being stupid by thinking, hoping, that there's a way around
>>this or do I just accept it and wait for the 'new technology' BT tell
>>me will one day make it possible.
>>
>>Any thoughts?
>>
>
>Have BT sent out an engineer, and replaced the faceplate on your
>master socket with a filtered one? They would also have checked the
>line for any minor faults.
>
>They should have done, if you can't get a consistent connection.
>
>If they've done that, and you still can't get it, then I'm afraid you
>are just one of the small number who still can't get it, although it
>*might* be worth trying different hardware (modem or router), to see
>if you can get one that is more fault tolerant. I don't know which are
>best for that.

On Thu, 25 Nov 2004 12:51:53 +0000, Geoff Giddings
<(E-Mail Removed)> strung together this:

>When he left he said he was going to the exchange and would ring me
>back, that was nearly 5 weeks ago!
>
Well, there's your problem then. If it's taking the BT engineer over 5
weeks to reach the exchange then the chances are you're too far away
from it. Are you sure it's BT and not AT&T.
--

SJW
A.C.S. Ltd
Please reply to group or use 'usenet' in email subject

Oh, I see, it's not BT it's the bloody engineer!

Now why didn't I think of that? All I need to do is go down the pub
and wait for him ;-D

On Thu, 25 Nov 2004 13:16:42 +0000, Lurch
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>On Thu, 25 Nov 2004 12:51:53 +0000, Geoff Giddings
><(E-Mail Removed)> strung together this:
>
>>When he left he said he was going to the exchange and would ring me
>>back, that was nearly 5 weeks ago!
>>
>Well, there's your problem then. If it's taking the BT engineer over 5
>weeks to reach the exchange then the chances are you're too far away
>from it. Are you sure it's BT and not AT&T.

"Geoff Giddings" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Alex,
>
> Yes BT did send someone out, I wouldn't call him an engineer though!
>
> He turned up for the appointment 3 hours late, smelt as though he'd
> had a drink (not that that's a crime), didn't bring any tools in with
> him and had to borrow a screwdriver. All he did was look behind a
> couple of telephone extension sockets.


If you have not got a filtered master socket, I suggest that you connect direct
to your master socket with all extension wiring disconnected. If you have one
of the two part master sockets you can do this by removing the faceplate and
connecting to the internal socket.

After that it is a case of getting Tiscali to send someone from BT to see if
something can be done to fix your line or provide a better one. It does not
sound as if the first person from BT made much effort, but maybe there is
nothing that BT are willing to do.

On a poor line a router will automatically try to re-establish a failed
connection.


Michael Chare

Michael,

Unfortunately I've done all that, with the exception of using a router
and the end result was the 'BT can't provide a stable connection'
report from friends Tiscali.

I have since contacted BT for some sort of response, so I'm just
waiting to hear from them. If they say there's nothing they can do,
then that's it I guess.

Geoff.

On Thu, 25 Nov 2004 13:46:51 -0000, "Michael Chare"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>"Geoff Giddings" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news:(E-Mail Removed).. .
>> Alex,
>>
>> Yes BT did send someone out, I wouldn't call him an engineer though!
>>
>> He turned up for the appointment 3 hours late, smelt as though he'd
>> had a drink (not that that's a crime), didn't bring any tools in with
>> him and had to borrow a screwdriver. All he did was look behind a
>> couple of telephone extension sockets.
>
>
>If you have not got a filtered master socket, I suggest that you connect direct
>to your master socket with all extension wiring disconnected. If you have one
>of the two part master sockets you can do this by removing the faceplate and
>connecting to the internal socket.
>
>After that it is a case of getting Tiscali to send someone from BT to see if
>something can be done to fix your line or provide a better one. It does not
>sound as if the first person from BT made much effort, but maybe there is
>nothing that BT are willing to do.
>
>On a poor line a router will automatically try to re-establish a failed
>connection.
>
>
>Michael Chare
>
>

On Thu, 25 Nov 2004 14:02:25 +0000, Geoff Giddings
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Unfortunately I've done all that, with the exception of using a router
>and the end result was the 'BT can't provide a stable connection'
>report from friends Tiscali.

you haven't had your pound of flesh. Personally I would migrate from
Tiscali to a credible ISP then have another go. I posted a Tiscali
escalations email address here recently if you wish to persevere.

The BT eng should try to get an ADSL signal with his laptop and modem
on the incoming wires or at the test socket behind the master socket.
If that doesn't work he's supposed to try at other places to determine
if there is a fault (eg between you and the DP) and also to try other
pairs if available to get a better signal.

Someone who "turns up and looks behind a few sockets" hasn't done
their bit and doesn't sound like an ADSL trained engineer either.
alison dot ritchie at bt dot com if you think you've got to the end of
the road.

You can do the internal part of what the BT guy does yourself - ie use
the test socket behind the master. Forgive me if you've done that
already.

Phil
--
spamcop.net address commissioned 18/06/04
Come on down !

Whats a filtered master socket then ?? I have had broadband for a couple of
years and no-one came round here to fit a new socket. The socket has been
fitted since the mid 1980's and I have no problems.

Jim

"Michael Chare" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> "Geoff Giddings" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Alex,
>>
>> Yes BT did send someone out, I wouldn't call him an engineer though!
>>
>> He turned up for the appointment 3 hours late, smelt as though he'd
>> had a drink (not that that's a crime), didn't bring any tools in with
>> him and had to borrow a screwdriver. All he did was look behind a
>> couple of telephone extension sockets.
>
>
> If you have not got a filtered master socket, I suggest that you connect
> direct
> to your master socket with all extension wiring disconnected. If you have
> one
> of the two part master sockets you can do this by removing the faceplate
> and
> connecting to the internal socket.
>
> After that it is a case of getting Tiscali to send someone from BT to see
> if
> something can be done to fix your line or provide a better one. It does
> not
> sound as if the first person from BT made much effort, but maybe there is
> nothing that BT are willing to do.
>
> On a poor line a router will automatically try to re-establish a failed
> connection.
>
>
> Michael Chare
>
>
>

On Thu, 25 Nov 2004 15:52:10 -0000, "jim tawt"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Whats a filtered master socket then ?? I have had broadband for a couple of
>years and no-one came round here to fit a new socket. The socket has been
>fitted since the mid 1980's and I have no problems.
>

They are a replacement front plate for the master socket, with a
filtered RJ11 output (normal phone) and an unfiltered RJ45 (ethernet)
output. The connections on the back for extensions will also be
filtered.

If your ADSL connection works straight off, then BT will not change
the faceplate (there is no need for them to).

But if you cannot get a consistent connection, one of the things they
are supposed to try is to fit one of those. It can apparently make a
significant difference over plug in filter/splitters.

You can get them yourself, and a better explanation, from
<http://www.clarity.it/telecoms/adsl_faceplate.htm>