Extended reach BB

Hi

As we know BB is set to increase it's reach as of the 6th September. After
reading numerous website and form entries about this I still have some
unanswered questions. Any help with these would be appreciated.

In some articles/posts it mentions that a new faceplate will be fitted to
your master socket by a BT engineer. Does this apply to every extended
reach customer? Will this be fitted by BT FOC? How willl this affect lead
times for line activation etc etc...

I'm currently with Firenet on dial-up and have had no problems for over a
year. Therefore I am looking to stay with them. However, they don't supply
a DSL modem. I don't want to order a modem to find that I am still unable
to recieve BB. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I should play this.

Hope this post is useful to others in my position.

Thanks for any constructive help in advance.

"Dave" <@.> wrote in message
news:41388d3f$0$22718$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi
>
> As we know BB is set to increase it's reach as of the 6th September. After
> reading numerous website and form entries about this I still have some
> unanswered questions. Any help with these would be appreciated.
>
> In some articles/posts it mentions that a new faceplate will be fitted to
> your master socket by a BT engineer. Does this apply to every extended
> reach customer?

No, only when BT judge necessary, possibly when line loss exceeds 70db.

> Will this be fitted by BT FOC?

Yes

> How willl this affect lead
> times for line activation etc etc...

Well it has got to take a little longer!

>
> I'm currently with Firenet on dial-up and have had no problems for over a
> year. Therefore I am looking to stay with them. However, they don't supply
> a DSL modem. I don't want to order a modem to find that I am still unable
> to recieve BB. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I should play this.

Either use an ISP which will take the kit back, or don't order until the ISP
says that the line has been activiated.
(I have used the latter approach in the past!)

A company such as Solwise just might take kit if your line was not enabled. I
would say that they are less likely to take kit back if say your line prooves
unsatisfactory after say a months usage.

> Hope this post is useful to others in my position.
>
> Thanks for any constructive help in advance.
>

AIUI

Michael Chare

"Dave" <@.> wrote in message
news:41388d3f$0$22718$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi
>
> As we know BB is set to increase it's reach as of the 6th September. After
> reading numerous website and form entries about this I still have some
> unanswered questions. Any help with these would be appreciated.
>
> In some articles/posts it mentions that a new faceplate will be fitted to
> your master socket by a BT engineer. Does this apply to every extended
> reach customer? Will this be fitted by BT FOC? How willl this affect lead
> times for line activation etc etc...
>
> I'm currently with Firenet on dial-up and have had no problems for over a
> year. Therefore I am looking to stay with them. However, they don't supply
> a DSL modem. I don't want to order a modem to find that I am still unable
> to recieve BB. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I should play this.
>
> Hope this post is useful to others in my position.
>
> Thanks for any constructive help in advance.

As far as I know, the customer will be given adsl no matter what. If the line
does not work come activation day, then they will arrange for an engineer to
call out free of charge to tweak the line or whatever they do. This they reckon
will fix the majority of lines. There will still be a small percentage who fail
after the engineer visit, these people will not be able to get adsl and their
contract will be ceased with no penalty.

> "Dave" <@.> wrote in message
> news:41388d3f$0$22718$(E-Mail Removed)...

> I don't want to order a modem to find that I am still
> unable to recieve BB. Does anyone have any suggestions
> on how I should play this.

I have the same problem and I've adopted this strategy.

- Buy cheap modem on eBay - done.
- Get friend with BB to test it - done.
- If BB works at my place in the sticks, buy a decent wireless router.
- Either way, sell the cheap modem on eBay.

Jim

<snip>

> No, only when BT judge necessary, possibly when line loss exceeds 70db.
>

Is this for sure ? Who says ?

Thanks

<snip>

"Kev" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:chadjc$l76$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> <snip>
>
> > No, only when BT judge necessary, possibly when line loss exceeds 70db.
> >
>
> Is this for sure ? Who says ?

See www.adslguide.org.uk and www.bb4mk.co.uk


Michael Chare

On Fri, 3 Sep 2004 16:27:55 +0100, "Dave" <@.> wrote:

>Hi
>
>As we know BB is set to increase it's reach as of the 6th September. After
>reading numerous website and form entries about this I still have some
>unanswered questions. Any help with these would be appreciated.
>
>In some articles/posts it mentions that a new faceplate will be fitted to
>your master socket by a BT engineer. Does this apply to every extended
>reach customer?

No.

>Will this be fitted by BT FOC?

Yes, if it is necessary.

AIUI, the line will be activated regardless. IF it then does not work,
they will send out an engineer, FOC, who will attempt to get it
working, including fitting a faceplate if necessary (If you want to
fit one yourself, they only cost about £14)

>How willl this affect lead
>times for line activation etc etc...
>

Strictly, it won't, because the line will be activated initially. But
for practical purposes, of having it usable at your end, it will
obviously be slower if the engineer has to call.


>I'm currently with Firenet on dial-up and have had no problems for over a
>year. Therefore I am looking to stay with them. However, they don't supply
>a DSL modem. I don't want to order a modem to find that I am still unable
>to recieve BB. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I should play this.
>

They reckon that only about 0.2% of people will finally be unable to
get a working BB - that is one in 500 (previously it was 1 in 25).

As somebody else has said, the cheapest option would be to find a
friend with ADSL who is willing to lend you their modem for a few
hours. Otherwise look fro a cheap 2nd hand one.
--
Alex Heney, Global Villager
[If you can't hear me, it's because I'm in parentheses]

To reply by email, my address is aDOTjDOTheneyATbtinternetDOTcom

Thanks very much for the advice Michael.

"Michael Chare" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:cha4ig$5mf$(E-Mail Removed)...
> "Dave" <@.> wrote in message
> news:41388d3f$0$22718$(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Hi
> >
> > As we know BB is set to increase it's reach as of the 6th September.
After
> > reading numerous website and form entries about this I still have some
> > unanswered questions. Any help with these would be appreciated.
> >
> > In some articles/posts it mentions that a new faceplate will be fitted
to
> > your master socket by a BT engineer. Does this apply to every extended
> > reach customer?
>
> No, only when BT judge necessary, possibly when line loss exceeds 70db.
>
> > Will this be fitted by BT FOC?
>
> Yes
>
> > How willl this affect lead
> > times for line activation etc etc...
>
> Well it has got to take a little longer!
>
> >
> > I'm currently with Firenet on dial-up and have had no problems for over
a
> > year. Therefore I am looking to stay with them. However, they don't
supply
> > a DSL modem. I don't want to order a modem to find that I am still
unable
> > to recieve BB. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I should play
this.
>
> Either use an ISP which will take the kit back, or don't order until the
ISP
> says that the line has been activiated.
> (I have used the latter approach in the past!)
>
> A company such as Solwise just might take kit if your line was not
enabled. I
> would say that they are less likely to take kit back if say your line
prooves
> unsatisfactory after say a months usage.
>
> > Hope this post is useful to others in my position.
> >
> > Thanks for any constructive help in advance.
> >
>
> AIUI
>
> Michael Chare
>
>
>
>