Grateful for any new internet connection ideas...

davidc · Apr 15, 2011, 22:09:52

I lost my internet connection four or five hours ago. I'm using a Billion 7800N modem/router. The wireless network is fine, it's the internet connection that's not working. There's flashing green light on the modem "internet" indicator meaning I'm not syncing (is that the right way to put it?).

I have tried:
- switching the modem on and off - a few times after 15 seconds, and twice after 35-40 minutes
- trying a different filter and connecting direct to the test connector on the wall box
- upgrading my modem's firmware
- a different modem/router - also showed no internet connection

I have two phone lines coming into the house and the ISP service on the other line is, and has been, unaffected so on the face of it I wouldn't suspect an exchange issue (which is South Clapham, London).

Can anyone help, please?

Technical Ben · Apr 16, 2011, 08:07:04

Did you leave the router unplugged For 30 mins too? I thought it might be a stale session. But I'm out of ideas sorry.

davidc · Apr 16, 2011, 12:07:55

Yes. Modem/router left off for 40 minutes. 15 hours later - still no internet and just flashing DSL light.

Glenn · Apr 16, 2011, 12:12:39

Email or call support, telling them you have no service on your IDNet connection.

davidc · Apr 16, 2011, 13:15:47

Thanks. I emailed IDNet as there is no human being available or working in Tech Support on a Friday night or Saturday.

It transpires that the fault is on the BT rented line outside my house. BT say they are going to fix it. We'll see.

None of this is IDNet's fault but I am appalled that there has been no one to speak to in IDNet about this and will probably move to another ISP. The broadband package I have is expensive and the lack of technical support out of office hours is unacceptable to me. If there is a phone number at IDNet that connects me to a person I couldn't see it.

Glenn · Apr 16, 2011, 13:50:55

IDNet only have 'office hours' support http://www.idnet.net/support/faq.jsp#content23 but there is normally someone on call out of these hours to pick up any messages.

davidc · Apr 16, 2011, 13:53:09

He or she must be hiding.

JB · Apr 16, 2011, 14:01:08

Quote from: davidc on Apr 16, 2011, 13:15:47
None of this is IDNet's fault but I am appalled that there has been no one to speak to in IDNet about this and will probably move to another ISP.

That's a shame. IDNet are only a small ISP but my experiences with them have always been good over several years now.

I had my first ADSL outage about four months ago which turned out to be in the local BT exchange, but of course I didn't know that at first. It was on a Saturday and I had no clue what was wrong, except that it wasn't in my home.

I left a message on the IDNet answering system and just over an hour later received a call from IDNet support advising me of where the fault was exactly. Even more amazingly BT fixed it about eight hours later on Saturday evening.

Sorry your experience has not been as good.

davidc · Apr 16, 2011, 17:03:49

Thanks. I have left 2 email messages with IDNET - one last night, one earlier today. I have received a reply or response to neither. IDNet may be small but the cost of their Home Pro package is not, and for £25 a month it is reasonable to expect human contact out of office hours. I suppose I will go back to BT for phone and broadband - elephantine, but always available for technical support (they were very efficient today when they checked my line's status). Pity.

Steve · Apr 16, 2011, 17:19:08

Which email address did you use? I assume support@idnet.com

Simon · Apr 16, 2011, 17:27:40

If you'd left a phone message, detailing that you had no connection, someone would usually have got back to you.

Technical Ben · Apr 16, 2011, 18:17:29

If it is of any cosideration, as a line/voice fault, and on BT line rental, you can use their 24 hour service to get a fix.
It's clear from purchase that IDNet customer service is not 24 hour. There are differences. I guess it's like going out for dinner. Some places offer 3 course meals, others 1 or 2 courses.
The price can reflect the quality in courses 1 or 2. Even a 3 course meal could cost less, but is it as nice tasting?
I'd go to BT for their 24 hour customer service. But I stick with IDNet for zero throttling, zero congestion, zero hassle. 3 out of 4 is good for me.

wdforte · Apr 17, 2011, 17:25:49

Quote from: Technical Ben on Apr 16, 2011, 18:17:29
If it is of any cosideration, as a line/voice fault, and on BT line rental, you can use their 24 hour service to get a fix.
It's clear from purchase that IDNet customer service is not 24 hour. There are differences. I guess it's like going out for dinner. Some places offer 3 course meals, others 1 or 2 courses.
The price can reflect the quality in courses 1 or 2. Even a 3 course meal could cost less, but is it as nice tasting?
I'd go to BT for their 24 hour customer service. But I stick with IDNet for zero throttling, zero congestion, zero hassle. 3 out of 4 is good for me.

Your points are taken but davidc certainly has a point. I would have thought that having no service he should have had some response from emails and phone messages

I think you do miss the real point in your post, davidc needs help and really should have had some reaction from IDNet, albeit a slimmed down version of the 24 hour BT service.

We all know that IDNet provide an excellent service but we should not be blind to the fact that weaknesses do arise and should be recognized when in fact they happen.

pctech · Apr 17, 2011, 17:43:32

Trouble is though that unless he is on a business package and pays for enhanced care which I believe gets passed straight to BT there is nothing that IDNet can do at the weekend which may explain why they haven't been in touch?

Technical Ben · Apr 17, 2011, 18:07:13

Quote from: wdforte on Apr 17, 2011, 17:25:49
Your points are taken but davidc certainly has a point. I would have thought that having no service he should have had some response from emails and phone messages

I think you do miss the real point in your post, davidc needs help and really should have had some reaction from IDNet, albeit a slimmed down version of the 24 hour BT service.

We all know that IDNet provide an excellent service but we should not be blind to the fact that weaknesses do arise and should be recognized when in fact they happen.

Yes, but as said, it's only a pat on the back and a "there there, it's all gonna get better" from BT anyway out of hours. We can provide that here for people, and even more helpful advice than the usual 24 hour service assistant. However, even BT have removed the tools available for ISPs to check the line.

Don't get me wrong, it's all good to have 24 hour service. But do you expect your local butchers, green grocers or bakers to be open 24/7? But Tesco 24h will be. IDnet seem more like the local corner shop, than the massive supermarket. Plus, I'd prefer living next to the bakers/IDNet any day over 24h Tesco/BT!

wdforte · Apr 17, 2011, 18:30:18

Restaurants, food , BT, Tesco, Asda, butchers, bakers and corner shops has absolutely nothing to do with the problem faced by davidc. He is paying his money to IDnet, not Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, Co-Op or the like and should expect a reasonable response to his request for help.

If he had a similar 'complaint' against Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, Co-Op, etc we would all, without doubt, be on his case and rightly so.

Because we are protective of IDnet and their excellent service we dismiss a very genuine cry for help. We should be simply asking IDnet to come up with a responsible explanation to the request from davidc to restore his internet service to what he is paying for.

It is not rocket science

IDnet, what is your response?

wdforte · Apr 17, 2011, 18:38:06

Quote from: pctech on Apr 17, 2011, 17:43:32
Trouble is though that unless he is on a business package and pays for enhanced care which I believe gets passed straight to BT there is nothing that IDNet can do at the weekend which may explain why they haven't been in touch?

A simple reply to his email would be suffice! That is all it takes to keep a customer happy, doesn't cost a fortune to reply, do we not all just require a simple reply from whoever we are dealing with?

Niall · Apr 17, 2011, 18:44:36

If no one is there to answer it in out of office hours, how exactly do you expect people to do that?

I know what you're saying. In a perfect world it wouldn't cost IDnet more to have someone working a night shift, but it would do in reality and they'd have to pass the increase in costs on to the customer. As far as I see it, I knew when joining that this was the case. Would it be a problem for me at the weekend if I lost my connection? A problem yes, not a world ending issue. There are plenty of other things I can do without the internet. After all I was born before the internet was used on a daily basis, so I remember what it's like outside

Seriously though, not having 24 hour support is something I'd like to see rectified, but it depends on what sort of price rise we'd see as a result.

wdforte · Apr 17, 2011, 18:59:37

If the facility to reply to someone 'out of hours' would cost davidc a few pence more then I am sure he would be more than happy to pay those few pence.

davidc had opted for an 'upgraded' service but, was not receiving such service. He was not asking for a 5* service just one that gave him a reasonable response to a cry for help.

So far it appears that IDnet did not provide that expected, although limited, service. A very simple email may well have deflated the situation and maybe kept a customer rather than possibly lose one???

pctech · Apr 17, 2011, 19:42:21

We'll just have to see what happens when Simon and Tim are back in the office.

pctech · Apr 17, 2011, 19:44:45

One very important point here is being missed, the OP is not without a connection, if he were then I'm sure IDNet would have replied.

Niall · Apr 17, 2011, 20:42:22

Quote from: wdforte on Apr 17, 2011, 18:59:37
If the facility to reply to someone 'out of hours' would cost davidc a few pence more then I am sure he would be more than happy to pay those few pence.

davidc had opted for an 'upgraded' service but, was not receiving such service. He was not asking for a 5* service just one that gave him a reasonable response to a cry for help.

So far it appears that IDnet did not provide that expected, although limited, service. A very simple email may well have deflated the situation and maybe kept a customer rather than possibly lose one???

I think I've missed something here. Has he paid for a service where he gets or is supposed to get out of hours support from IDnet, that normal users don't? If so I could understand the unhappiness, but if not, I'm confused.

Simon · Apr 17, 2011, 21:04:16

DavidC has already stated that he believes the fault lies on the BT line outside his house. Therefore, as per the answerphone message, IDNet would not be able to report the fault to BT until the next working day. IDNet are a small company, and I fail to see that employing someone, presumably on an enhanced rate of pay (as it would be out of normal office hours), simply to answer an email with the same information that is on the answerphone, would be economic for the business.

wdforte · Apr 17, 2011, 21:18:54

The out of hours problem is not just experienced by davidc, there are many posts on other forums complaining of the same lack of coverage.

OK we are happy with the situation, but many are not, to ignore the 'problem' is head in the sand mentality and should be confronted as a matter for consideration. Maybe if the problem were rectified IDNet could well gain extra business for minimum outlay.

Technical Ben · Apr 17, 2011, 21:32:48

Quote from: wdforte on Apr 17, 2011, 18:30:18
Restaurants, food , BT, Tesco, Asda, butchers, bakers and corner shops has absolutely nothing to do with the problem faced by davidc. He is paying his money to IDnet, not Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, Co-Op or the like and should expect a reasonable response to his request for help.

If he had a similar 'complaint' against Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, Co-Op, etc we would all, without doubt, be on his case and rightly so.

Because we are protective of IDnet and their excellent service we dismiss a very genuine cry for help. We should be simply asking IDnet to come up with a responsible explanation to the request from davidc to restore his internet service to what he is paying for.

It is not rocket science IDnet, what is your response?

Why? Because all those places offer 24 hour service? I agree, IDNet should be there to help. I was just saying that you have to ask yourself. Is it reasonable to expect 24h customer service all the time? I did not see anyone dismissing the cry for help. Just showing the options available, and those that unfortunately are not available.

[edit]
My example of a shop is, we all like to have everything, but cannot always. I'd love to see improvements in loads of places with IDNet. Opening hours, speed, bandwidth, free toasters (yes, some ISPs offer these!). But I'm not going to complain that IDNet don't have them. I'll accept what is real, and change what I can. We and all of IDNet are happy to help. Will bend over backwards. If the email is not replied to, then it will be. Basically, we might need a "please bear with us, we are doing everything possible to rectify" sign.