Highlander Posted November 2, 2005 Report Share Posted November 2, 2005 HELP…any of you guys (gals) out there got some ideas about rural area Broadband connections. My problem (the short version) Broadband installed Dec/Jan 2005 BT line (the only available service) Metronet ISP. All well for 9-10 months, good connectivity, fast downloads etc etc. No complaints. Then beginning of October the whole thing goes haywire. Very intermittent connections, off more than on. Report to Metronet (BT won’t deal with me as I’m not their customer, Metronet are) BT engineer comes out and yes they have a fault on the line. We are apparently the last connection on a long line approx 8 km so nothing they can/will do to fix it. My argument is…it was OK when you sold us the package, it’s been OK for 9 odd months why now the problem. Upshot is after the usual round after round of **** they now say…take it or leave it. I’m still paying for this **** service, which is off more than on. My thought is to leave it BUT it’s essential to my businesses. Any bright ideas out there? Only don’t tell me to use dialup ‘cause I’m not that patient! Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted November 2, 2005 Report Share Posted November 2, 2005 If BT admit there is a problem on the line, then surely they are duty bound to fix it. You say there is nothing they, "can/will do". If its there is nothing they "can do", then I find that hard to believe. We had a similar problem with intermittent disconnection of our telephone (obviously affected the PC). They eventually discovered it was due to a loose connection in the transfer box at the end of the lane (about 200 yards from our cottage). It was fixed immediately, although it only affected us. I assume you don't have access to Cable TV (we don't). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenbears10 Posted November 2, 2005 Report Share Posted November 2, 2005 Is it not metronets job to chase BT? All the broadband providers rely on BT to provide the last section of the connection to your house but you have a contract with metronet which is not now being provided so it is their job to sort it surely? Having said that you will have more luck getting blood out of a stone. I used BT, Freeserve, Wanadoo, onetel and all of them are fine when it is working but as soon as it breaks they keep taking the money and give every excuse in the book. Metronet telling you it is BT's fault is no concern of yours they are failing to deliver the service you took out a 12 month contract on. Ntl have probably been the best i've had so far because BT were not involved in the connection but now I'm in the countryside ntl isn't an option. The only silver lining is that the monopolies lot are considering allowing all providers to not have to use bt at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
converse320 Posted November 2, 2005 Report Share Posted November 2, 2005 You definitely need to chase Metronet rather than BT, as Metronet are the company you have a contract with I'm not sure exactly what BT have told you, but I don't believe BT would leave a genuine fault on the line - sounds more like you've got a long line which will limit the speed of connection with which you can be suplied, but if you've been sold the service by Metronet, it should at least be able to support the speed they've sold you. If not, its down to them not BT. Not sure what you've got at your end of the connection, but from personal experience it can make a difference. Hassle Metronet, and if you run out of options and only have a modem, consider swapping over to a router - much more reliable connection. Metronet will explain how to do this - varies from ISP to ISP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted November 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2005 This is getting to be a REAL problem. I start to work on something, like this post, and then the system falls over. If I’m lucky I’m connected for about 4 to 5 minutes every couple of hours. Although we use BT lines (the only ones available in this area) Metronet are our ISP but all they do is blame BT whilst charging me for an almost useless service. BT won’t deal with me because they say I’m a Metronet customer not a BT one. Last e-mail from Metronet basically said…take it as it stands or don’t take it. In other words **** off. Usual ****…everyone blames someone else and the customers can go stick it to themselves. If I change ISP they’ll still run through BT cabling so no better off I guess. The only option I can envisage is satellite but what a hell of an expense. Any better ideas warmly welcome. Modern technology’s great…when it b***** works!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axe Posted November 3, 2005 Report Share Posted November 3, 2005 If I were you i'd join up with BT asa business customer. Its a good service and the helpdesk is free. Costs me £30 a month but its worth it. Unlimited downloads and a good number of email boxes. You even get a url. Anyway, the point is, if its all BT then they have no choice but to sort it out. The only way you are going to avoid BT is either using a satelite connection or cable connection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted November 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2005 Axe it's already a BT line that's at fault and they won't fix it. IMO BT are the biggest shower of **** this side of the mountain. They've sold me a service nearly a year ago that now doesn't work 'cause (in their words) the cables are out of date. A question of pushing modern technology using antiquated equipment BUT when you complain it's all to do with that new fangled 'customer service' you know the one that doesn't exist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
converse320 Posted November 3, 2005 Report Share Posted November 3, 2005 Highlander, what exactly has the BT engineer told you about the line? If you can be as specific as possible I'll try to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted November 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2005 Converse...you're not the engineer are you We are at the end of a long line approx 8km from the exchange. This we were told when they (BT) first installed Broadband. The line was tested and found to be excellent even given the length. For 9-10 months we've had excellent connectivity until now. Engineer says line is approx 4km of copper and 4km of aluminium and problem is (most likely) the degridation at the joint. Sound truthful??? Latest development is my ISP (Metronet) are ceasing service to me. Why? 'cause a) they can't provide the servicxe they used to and/or they are fed up with my complaints Any help welcome as I've been checking out satelitte connection and that's b***** expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
converse320 Posted November 3, 2005 Report Share Posted November 3, 2005 Not exactly an engineer but I did 24 yrs in BT, last 3 in Broadband Marketing and new consumer Broadband product development.....now I'm retired and just about to do my DSC1, so things are definitely looking up!! Long lines and aluminium can cause probs, BUT, as you say, the line tested out OK before installation, BT presumably can't actually find any specific faults on it now - so seems more likely to be other factors at work. I don't know what BT service Metronet use to deliver the service to you, but there's loads of scope for difficulties in other places, depending on how they deliver it. Given what you say about their response to you, I think you're well shot of them. Depends on your budget, but the safest thing to do to guarantee reliability is to go for an ISP who majors on quality and low contention rather than cost. The BT business product suggested is good but fairly pricey. The BT domestic products are much cheaper, but have usage charges if you go above certain level of data transfer. (Well they did 6 months ago) If it were me, I'd be looking at companies like Zen, Bulldog (business products) or BT. Or if I didn't mind the user interface, maybe even AOL. And I'd definitely want a router not a modem. And think you'd really have to be in the back of beyond to need satellite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
converse320 Posted November 3, 2005 Report Share Posted November 3, 2005 Forgot to say, drop me a pm if the other ISPs come saying unable to provide service Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris lewis Posted November 3, 2005 Report Share Posted November 3, 2005 If you go to another user service , surly you would still be using the same line ? I take it the rural area you are in means you dont have cable tv in your area ? I have ntl 2 meg and its ace. now at less now its been de bugged. If you did go all bt , then at least it would be all bt and the would have to sort it . My experence in problems dealing with big bussiness , and minows like us is they dont give a **** . but things get pushed along a lot quicker once you mention there ombusman, watchdog , I would be surprised as more people joined the service a bad connection in the cables has made the resistance unreliable. they just need to find the bad connection. good luck mate ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
converse320 Posted November 4, 2005 Report Share Posted November 4, 2005 Sure, unless cable available its going to be over the same line. Reason for trying another ISP is to eliminate the Metronet variable. If another ISP is able to provide service, then this is the simplest fix. If they can't, it means the line has been flagged by BT wholesale as having a fundamental problem, in which case there are other things to try. But trying another ISP is first step. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted November 4, 2005 Report Share Posted November 4, 2005 dont pay till they have fixed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted November 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2005 Thanks converse I'll try your ideas and report back. At least you've kinda confirmed my suspicions. mossy...great idea BUT you try getting a service where you don't have to pay up front by dd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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