"Dave Liquorice" wrote:
Hello Dave
Fault was overhead cable damage on wire that was supposed
to be replaced last March, but they only did half of it.
Engineer switched me to the last working copper pair in
the bundle - next time it goes I'm out for ages, ...
DL| Don't forget the compenstation, but be aware that if you
DL| take the free divert offer you effectively remove that.
I thought that this had recently been withdrawn on residential lines
unless it gets something silly? (I could ask my telecomms lawyer, but
she's asleep atm
)
DL| It does seems like a good time to get "Total Care", 24/7
DL| fault repairs, someone working on it inside 4hrs. When I
DL| spoke to the last engineer I saw fixing the ISDN here I
DL| asked if the "someone working on it inside 4hrs" meant that
DL| if the fault was underground that would be reported and
DL| you'd just join the queue, all be it at the top to be fixed
DL| in normal working hours. The answer was no, they would call
DL| some out to work on it any time of the day/night, 365 days a
DL| year.
DL| Cost? Around £11.64/qtr inc VAT.
DL| http://www.serviceview.bt.com/list/c...cs/Maintenance.
DL| boo/0201.h tm
Thanks, this is indeed interesting and looks like it could well be
worthwhile. Getting rather fed up with being fobbed off, thanks again.
... and I have a sneaky suspicion they'll simply refuse me
isdn access rather than replace the cable, since a few
pops and whistles on analogue is neither here nor there.
DL| Assuming you are within range of the exchange for ISDN
DL| (approx 6km as the cable flies) I think they would have a
DL| damn good try at providing it.
I already have it, despite being a nadge over 7km according to a
pingtest. I guess this is why it's proving temperamental - six
failures in three years; the slightest fault that would be unnoticable
on a PSTN line dumps me completely.
Here's a question; Why do mobile phone charges cost more
than landline? Surely landlines require much larger
initial investment, but running costs must be fairly
similar?
DL| Short/medium termisium profit margins and the licence
DL| system. You have to make a profit within the licence period
DL| incase you don't get the licenec next time.
But the major players are pretty much guaranteed a licence. Unless
they do something absurdly silly, Oftel wouldn't appreciate the abuse
they'd receive if several hundred thousand subscribers suddenly had to
search for a new provider.
DL| There are an awful lot of base stations and the don't come
DL| cheap, even compared to digging a trench and putting in a
DL| cable.
Don't know the costs, but I'd be awfully surprised if that was the
case. One transmitter can serve several square miles of subscribers
and can be erected and connected VERY fast (From purchase to signal in
a week or less) - compare that to having to prepwire, concentrators,
wayleaves, numerous visits to every house so they're in when they said
they would be.
--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK
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