Out of ideas....

[Inactive]

That was good Simon, even I can understand that..now stop shouting.. 

[Rik]

Do you often hold conversations in fields, Simon?

[Inactive]

Apparently so Rik, but he has this cheapo power washer to remove the evidence.

[Rik]

I remember it well - it's probably that which keeps spiking his noise margin.

[Steve]

So its a bit like talking to someone who's deaf, first you speak loudly and then if that fails you speak slower and louder still. Then we have the "Tiscali effect"  it doesn't matter how loud you shout or how slow you speak I will refuse to listen to you after five o'clock and there is no point in repeating yourself.

[Rik]

 

[Steve]

Thanks, I apparently suffer from selective deafness, presumably when the wife shouts I interpret this as a noise spike and my connection drops,I then reconnect, subsequently she shouts even louder at which point the pain in my ears forces me to respond.

[Sebby]

Thanks, Simon.

[Jimbo]

Hey guys n gals.

Just a small update.  So the Engineer arrived as requested (thanks IDNet + BT!).  Spot on bloke, my parents were telling me he was very good and chatty.  He was around for 2 and a half hours! 

Anyway, it definately looks like a problem somewhere as he wasn't happy with his results.  So he's coming back tomorrow hopefully with an extra Engineer and they are going to try and trace the problem.  He said it's a big job as it could be a small part of the line, or a connection, etc.  Apparently though further down the line it goes underground!  So that will be a nightmare.... but he thinks there is something wrong.

So I'm pleased!  Some positive action in progress.  One thing that shocked me... BT say my line is good for only 1Mb.  He seems to think I should be getting 3Mb!  8)  If I do, I'll be happy as larry!! 

Update to follow. lol

Thanks!

[Simon]

Thanks for the update, Jimbo, and best of luck with the second visit! 

[Sebby]

It's good news that they believe there is a problem. Fingers crossed.

[Rik]

Let's hope they don't pull the 'too expensive to fix' routine. 

[Jimbo]

*Update*

Well, they were back out today after a little hickup... apparently the call was closed (not by IDNet, but by BT).  But anyway... they came back out a little later than expected to do testing.  And, test they did!  They were out and about outside for about 6 hours!!

They found some small problems, but believe the main problem is the line which was knocked down.  Unfortunately, the chap said BT won't just "replace it".  So if it were to break  or if we (as in myself and our neighbour) were to keep logging calls through our ISP's, then BT will eventually replace the line.

At the moment, my line seems to have gone bad again.  Stats below:-

Downstream Rate: 480 kbps
Upstream Rate:   448 kbps
Channel:   Interleaved
Current Noise Margin:   23.0 dB (Downstream) 19.0 dB (Upstream)
Current Attenuation:   61.0 dB (Downstream) 31.5 dB (Upstream)


However, I hope this is just because the line and phone have been off all day, due to the work being carried out.

I'm going to give it a week, see what stats and speed are like.  If they are no better, I'll be back on to IDNet for an Engineer again.

So I guess we'll see.... AGAIN!

[Sebby]

That looks really bad. So are BT saying they won't replace the drop cable?

[hairyman]

Hi

Couldn't the overhead cable "fall down again" or maybe a tree branch fall on it. Sub contract the job to a Squirrel with cable cutters?

Isn't it amazing that we spend our fortunes on supporting near criminal actions from bankers and the gambling on stocks, waste billions a day in Iraq and Afghanistan but cannot support our pensioners or manufacturing industry properly or invest in a proper communications system ? 

As I drive around I am always staggered at the number of overhead cables in both my town and others  all cabling including 240V stuff in the older roads is in the air. I dont think overground gas pipes would be to popular even though gas came before electricity in most towns. I liked the old gas street lights does anyone remember them?

I have a high attenuation on my short ( less than 1km all underground) line at 38db also it is noisy and getting any action from BT seems nearly impossible. It has taken BT over three years to do nothing about it.
I would have assumed that repairing your overhead line properly would be as cheap as chips especially as they spent 6 hours doing **** very little on their last visit to you.

Keep at them both via Idnet and your voice line provider. How about you investigate Idnets beta voice line service which I remember from a short while back. That way you could make yr complaints a "one stop shop".

Good Luck.

Moto- Nil illegitimous carborundum (ie  Dont let the b**t**ds  grind you down)
     

[Lona]

Don't know where you live Jimbo but I had the same problem as you and I kept at BT until they eventually changed the line.

It appeared that when they upgraded the lines in our street mine had been overlooked but nobody would listen to me until one engineer actually agreed with me and the line got changed.

[Rik]

I wonder whether it would be worth reporting a voice fault of intermittent cross talk, Jimbo?

[Sebby]

I wonder whether it would be worth reporting a voice fault of intermittent cross talk, Jimbo?

They probably won't replace the cable, though. Just switch the pair, which may or may not help.

[Rik]

I was just hoping they might regard the cable with some suspicion in the process...

[Sebby]

Wishful hoping, after all, it is BT.

[Rik]

I know, but I'm an eternal optimist - except when I'm being pessimistic.

[Sebby]

[Jimbo]

Thanks for all the support and help! 

My internet tonight is:-

Downstream Rate: 736 kbps
Upstream Rate:   448 kbps
Channel:   Interleaved
Current Noise Margin:   26.0 dB (Downstream) 11.0 dB (Upstream)
Current Attenuation:   61.1 dB (Downstream) 31.5 dB (Upstream)

It's hard to tell if it's getting better. lol.  I'll leave it like I say, for a few days and see what happens.

Thanks again everyone!

[Rik]

It's a bit better, Jimbo, but certainly not stellar.

[Sebby]

A 26dB noise margin suggests there's some significant noise fluctuation going on, which is causing you to sync low. A resync now should yield you a lot more sync, but if the noise then increases again (which no doubt it will) you'll just lose sync.