So it begins

Niall · Feb 08, 2013, 13:55:07

Just pisses me off with all the problems I'm constantly having. They should be paying me to use them the amount of time and effort I've wasted over the year+ of problems.

pctech · Feb 08, 2013, 16:25:12

Unfortunately Niall until BT have an equal sized competitor in the UK which they'll lobby hard to prevent they can and will do exactly what they want.

Technical Ben · Feb 08, 2013, 16:53:45

Quote from: Niall on Feb 08, 2013, 13:55:07
Just pisses me off with all the problems I'm constantly having. They should be paying me to use them the amount of time and effort I've wasted over the year+ of problems.

Is this on FTTC? Any beta (software or hardware) does seem to be both at the expense of the customer and at a profit to the seller currently. :/
With perhaps the exception of a few BETAs that have no bugs and run smooth as the release.

In house beta testers are paid. But poorly and with even worse work routines from what I hear.

pctech · Feb 08, 2013, 17:08:59

VDSL is not really in beta Ben, its been in use in places like Japan for a while.

mervl · Feb 08, 2013, 21:06:21

Surely as with FTTC everything up to (and including) the VDSL modem is BT's kit, the only bit that you have to check is your router and network (cabling - beware of wi-fi issues) or a clapped out PC - if that's OK what is the risk of a charge standing up? Even some of BT's faceplates can apparently be defective.

OK we all like slagging off BT, but how hard can it be for you? I know the local loop cabling is rubbish but that's how work was done in the 50s, 60s 70s and even 80s, and it takes a battering from the elements, especially in this wicked winter at the joints where, as common throughout all industry, modern materials and practices are not always as robust as they used to be (it's about time and cost - and as consumers most of us are jolly glad about that most of the time, or we wouldn't have the lifestyles we "enjoy"). End of rant.

Steve · Feb 08, 2013, 21:44:57

Interestingly there's a thread on TBB discussing the possibility of certain makes of 'home plugs' interfering with the OpenReach modem.

Niall · Feb 10, 2013, 19:12:30

This is quite disturbing. Rather than it stating what the line is capable of which was 34mb after initially being told 27mb, the BT tester is now showing:

Download speedachieved during the test was - 13.34 Mbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speedsis 16 Mbps-12.68 Mbps <-- ha

Additional Information:
IP Profile for your line is - 12.68 Mbps

Looks like there's definitely something wrong on the line somewhere if I'm getting 3mb more than ADSL...

Oh by the way, BT told Idnet that my line has lost 25% of it's speed, which annoyingly they just repeated to me rather than realising that 25% off 34mb doesn't leave me with 8mb

Also, even at 13mb it's lost more than 25%. Why support just blindly repeated this to me without querying BT I'll never know, but it leaves me feeling like nothing will be done if that's the sort of acceptable answer support are happy with

Steve · Feb 10, 2013, 20:39:23

If the fault threshold is 15 surely there's an obligation to you. The BT Speedtest is taken from your current live data so yes it will be poor.

Niall · Feb 10, 2013, 21:11:49

Yeah, I was more pointing out the fact the range is backwards. 16-12.68? Originally it was 27mb dead, and then I got 34mb and the engineer told me that's what the line would be supporting. I'd be happy getting the 27mb currently, and flaky website loading, syncing Steam with the cloud after playing a game, uploading photos to Flickr; all this is taking MUCH longer than it should. Also I'm getting some timeouts on tracerts when going through the IDnet network, but I'll wait for BT to see what they say as I assume IDnet have THOROUGHLY tested my line and checked their settings

Pretty sure it's BT, but who knows?

With the relay issue I had not getting my emails through all day (but oddly okay when sending hotmail emails) I could only reply to support after 5pm on Friday when I connected to a wifi network in the pub, so chances are they won't even read my reply until Monday. The long and short was I told them I'm not paying for an engineer and as the BT site says it's a fault they want to look at, then they can by all means send an engineer but I'm not off until the 18th.

This also means that the 2 weeks I have booked off work that I've had to wait 7 months for, are already being interfered with

pctech · Feb 10, 2013, 21:21:19

Have you ticked the box 'my SMTP server requires authentication' and put your UserID and password in as that should bypass any issues with authenticating the IP address.

I don't think IDNet nor any ISP will request an engineer visit without the customer agreement to accept the charge, as you say though you've checked all your internal kit and wiring so I doubt very much they will levy it.

Technical Ben · Feb 10, 2013, 21:48:06

Quote from: pctech on Feb 08, 2013, 17:08:59
VDSL is not really in beta Ben, its been in use in places like Japan for a while.

Well, it's "beta" when ever a new business take it on. There is no guarantee the knowledge and experience... or even the hardware migrate.

pctech · Feb 10, 2013, 21:53:23

I would hope they get plenty of support from the hardware vendors which I gather are Huawei and ECI telecom.

Niall · Feb 11, 2013, 00:01:57

Quote from: pctech on Feb 10, 2013, 21:21:19
Have you ticked the box 'my SMTP server requires authentication' and put your UserID and password in as that should bypass any issues with authenticating the IP address.

I don't think IDNet nor any ISP will request an engineer visit without the customer agreement to accept the charge, as you say though you've checked all your internal kit and wiring so I doubt very much they will levy it.

Yeah I've been accessing my idnet account only from my phone for the last few years. Occasionally this happens, but I never find out why it happens. As in the other thread about 6.1 on the 4s I'm now wondering if it's something to do with Vodafone and the recent iphone update.

pctech · Feb 11, 2013, 08:23:27

Quote from: Niall on Feb 11, 2013, 00:01:57
Yeah I've been accessing my idnet account only from my phone for the last few years. Occasionally this happens, but I never find out why it happens. As in the other thread about 6.1 on the 4s I'm now wondering if it's something to do with Vodafone and the recent iphone update.

Got to be something to do with Voda's network config otherwise there'd be an absolute outcry unless others have found and fixed the problem before now.

Niall · Feb 11, 2013, 14:34:40

Argh support have replied to me today but I can't send them a bloody reply!

Steve · Feb 11, 2013, 15:06:40

These setting work reliably with 02

Out: smtp.idnet.com
SSL: Off
Authentication: Password
Server Port: 587

Niall · Feb 11, 2013, 15:57:20

It's port 110 for me or it doesn't work at all, I just tried

Ah lots of swear words.

My smtp was mail.idnet.net and that's always worked before. I've changed it now and it still doesn't work. I can receive fine just not send.

Steve · Feb 11, 2013, 16:28:29

These came from Simon but I use the same in the IDNet help thread.

Niall · Feb 11, 2013, 18:07:13

It must be vodafone. When I'm connected to a wifi network (any) I can send email.

Simon · Feb 11, 2013, 19:14:14

Have you tried setting up the email account on your phone again from scratch, using the above settings? Those have always worked for me.

lozcart · Feb 11, 2013, 21:44:01

Niall, 6.1.1 is now out for iPhone 4S, it might help with your problem.

Niall · Feb 11, 2013, 22:30:22

Updating now

* Niall does rain dance

Niall · Feb 12, 2013, 14:12:33

Had an email (that I can't reply to despite updating my phone last night) stating BT can see downstream errors possibly indicating a fault. I'm very tempted to post something born of frustration, stress and exhaustion but won't.

This is what has been happening for ages, but engineers do something to reset the line before the visit, claim they haven't, then find no fault and my line returns to normal. Funny that they don't levy a charge against the ISP if there's nothing wrong on a visit

Anyway, my Monday off will now be spent waiting for an engineer to come. Believe me the poor sod is going to get barraged with questions, and this time I want answers.

Niall · Feb 12, 2013, 20:48:58

Hmm, think I'll delete my idnet email account on my phone and reinstall it. I'm now wondering whether the last iphone update has corrupted something. I've got over 20 emails I've sent on there up to just before that borked update. Now I can't send any no matter what settings I use.

Niall · Feb 13, 2013, 14:12:58

Had an email from Nick again this morning (still can't reply as I forgot to try removing my account and re-inputting it on my phone!) to say BT now don't need to visit as they think there's a fault at the exchange. I knew they checked things before visits and the OR van and engineer at my cabinet this morning followed by this email confirms that for me!