Saga of Line Test and visit from BT engineer

FUrther to some helpful info given on here I pursued a new line of approach
with BT.
Initial line check came up OK so I placed an order with BT.
Modem arrived.
Letter arrived saying sorry we can't actually provide a service.

Phoned BT to enquire about the possibility of activating the other two lines
that come into my house to see if they were capable of broadband.
BT say no problem and they will send an engineer out to swap the lines over.
Chappy on the phone was actually very helpful and knowledgeable and knew
more than those on the broadband helpline.

Engineer arrives and says, "no wonder it failed there is still a DACS on the
line" which he promptly removed and said "you should have no problem getting
ADSL now as loads of other folk round here have it" He also told me the line
length to the exchange is about 4km.

My questions are

1. Does this mean that BT probably didn't do a physical line test.
2. Will they ever ask for the modem back?
3. Will the BT modem work if I sign up with another ISP?
4. Is it likely that the engineer was absolutely right or just guessing?

Thanks for any thoughts folks, this has been going on for a few months now
but I won't give up.
BTW my dial up speed has now gone up from 28k to 44k as a result of the
engineers work

"Scott" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:ZcuWb.3686$(E-Mail Removed)...

> 1. Does this mean that BT probably didn't do a physical line test.

Logically, probably.

> 2. Will they ever ask for the modem back?

They will probably bill you for it.

> 3. Will the BT modem work if I sign up with another ISP?

Yes, but you may need to fiddle with the config settings.

> 4. Is it likely that the engineer was absolutely right or just guessing?

That others near you have it? May have been right. That you will get it?
Guessing.

Out of curiosity is broadband cable available in your area? I assume that
you wouldn't have been messing around with BT if it was.

Gareth.

"Scott" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:ZcuWb.3686$(E-Mail Removed)...
> 1. Does this mean that BT probably didn't do a physical line test.

If they did, they didn't do it properly if they didnt notice a DACS..

> 2. Will they ever ask for the modem back?

Its possible or they may bill you.

> 3. Will the BT modem work if I sign up with another ISP?

Yes.

> 4. Is it likely that the engineer was absolutely right or just guessing?

You should reapply - ask for a manual order, otherwise you may be rejected
without a new line test...

Regards
Sunil

Scott wrote:
> FUrther to some helpful info given on here I pursued a new line of
> approach with BT.
> Initial line check came up OK so I placed an order with BT.
> Modem arrived.
> Letter arrived saying sorry we can't actually provide a service.
>
> Phoned BT to enquire about the possibility of activating the other
> two lines that come into my house to see if they were capable of
> broadband.
> BT say no problem and they will send an engineer out to swap the
> lines over. Chappy on the phone was actually very helpful and
> knowledgeable and knew more than those on the broadband helpline.
>
> Engineer arrives and says, "no wonder it failed there is still a
> DACS on the line" which he promptly removed and said "you should
> have no problem getting ADSL now as loads of other folk round here
> have it" He also told me the line length to the exchange is about
> 4km.
>
> My questions are
>
> 1. Does this mean that BT probably didn't do a physical line test.

They very seldom do nowadays, it's one of the draw backs of the demise of
the engineer managed install....

> 2. Will they ever ask for the modem back?

Yes in the next few months, remember it is theirs until you actually pay for
it (but lots go missing so don't worry about it)

> 3. Will the BT modem work if I sign up with another ISP?

Probably, but why run a 'reliant' when you could get something which will
fit your purpose for not to much money..

> 4. Is it likely that the engineer was absolutely right or just
> guessing?

It's probably an educated guess, similar to what the desk jockeys do. The
big difference is that the field engineers actually know what is going on
whilst the desk jockeys don't. If the guy was a DSL engineer then the
chances are you can trust what he said...
>
> Thanks for any thoughts folks, this has been going on for a few
> months now but I won't give up.
> BTW my dial up speed has now gone up from 28k to 44k as a result of
> the engineers work

That's because the DACS has been removed...

No unfortunately I live in about the only part of Glasgow that NTL dont have
cabled. Houses were built about 6/7 years ago when ntl were cabling
everywhere but they were blocked from coming into this estate
"Allan Davies" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:c0e1lh$6l2$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Scott" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:ZcuWb.3686$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> > 1. Does this mean that BT probably didn't do a physical line test.
>
> Logically, probably.
>
> > 2. Will they ever ask for the modem back?
>
> They will probably bill you for it.
>
> > 3. Will the BT modem work if I sign up with another ISP?
>
> Yes, but you may need to fiddle with the config settings.
>
> > 4. Is it likely that the engineer was absolutely right or just guessing?
>
> That others near you have it? May have been right. That you will get it?
> Guessing.
>
> Out of curiosity is broadband cable available in your area? I assume that
> you wouldn't have been messing around with BT if it was.
>
> Gareth.
>
>

"Scott" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:3FwWb.3783$(E-Mail Removed)...

> No unfortunately I live in about the only part of Glasgow that NTL dont
have
> cabled. Houses were built about 6/7 years ago when ntl were cabling
> everywhere but they were blocked from coming into this estate

That's a shame.

The more I learn about the problems with ADSL availability the more I
realise that BT's version of DSL is a flawed exercise in cost cutting.

Good luck.

Gareth.

On 11/2/04 9:10 pm, in article c0e5nu$m85$(E-Mail Removed), "Allan
Davies" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> The more I learn about the problems with ADSL availability the more I
> realise that BT's version of DSL is a flawed exercise in cost cutting.
>
Then you have learned very little - you come up with an economic solution to
cover the whole of the UK, at £15 per month wholesale price, with line
lengths of 6km plus and you'll beat everyone else in the industry who tried.

You're coming across as a Saturday afternoon quarterback - a US expression
about people who think they know better but actually know sfa applies IMO

"Graham in Melton" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:BC504DF4.1F38C%(E-Mail Removed)...
> On 11/2/04 9:10 pm, in article c0e5nu$m85$(E-Mail Removed), "Allan
> Davies" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> > The more I learn about the problems with ADSL availability the more I
> > realise that BT's version of DSL is a flawed exercise in cost cutting.
> >
> Then you have learned very little - you come up with an economic solution
to
> cover the whole of the UK, at £15 per month wholesale price, with line
> lengths of 6km plus and you'll beat everyone else in the industry who
tried.
>
> You're coming across as a Saturday afternoon quarterback - a US
expression
> about people who think they know better but actually know sfa applies IMO

Thank you, that's really sweet.

Gareth.

On Wed, 11 Feb 2004 18:08:29 -0000, "Scott"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>FUrther to some helpful info given on here I pursued a new line of approach
>with BT.
>Initial line check came up OK so I placed an order with BT.
>Modem arrived.
>Letter arrived saying sorry we can't actually provide a service.
>
>Phoned BT to enquire about the possibility of activating the other two lines
>that come into my house to see if they were capable of broadband.
>BT say no problem and they will send an engineer out to swap the lines over.
>Chappy on the phone was actually very helpful and knowledgeable and knew
>more than those on the broadband helpline.
>
>Engineer arrives and says, "no wonder it failed there is still a DACS on the
>line" which he promptly removed and said "you should have no problem getting
>ADSL now as loads of other folk round here have it" He also told me the line
>length to the exchange is about 4km.
>
>My questions are
>
>1. Does this mean that BT probably didn't do a physical line test.
>2. Will they ever ask for the modem back?
>3. Will the BT modem work if I sign up with another ISP?
>4. Is it likely that the engineer was absolutely right or just guessing?
>
>Thanks for any thoughts folks, this has been going on for a few months now
>but I won't give up.
>BTW my dial up speed has now gone up from 28k to 44k as a result of the
>engineers work
>
My view would be that BT tested the wrong line as it is impossible to
get a passable result on a dacs line