Broadband and phone line help

[Samdy Gray]

You haven't got a neighbour running a radio transmitter do you? Could be radio interference.

[jonny72]

How about switching to Virgin adsl broadband?

Never heard of any problems with them sending out engineers to fix problems and they will have plenty of their own people in Swindon. They sent out a team of 5 engineers to convert me to digital a while back.

[Barry Scott]

You haven't got a neighbour running a radio transmitter do you? Could be radio interference.

Not that i know of. I've cancelled now. It's been down twice today already and it's driving me insane. Fuck it. It might cost more with BT but at least it will work. [he says not knowing whether or not it will.]

How about switching to Virgin adsl broadband?

Never heard of any problems with them sending out engineers to fix problems and they will have plenty of their own people in Swindon. They sent out a team of 5 engineers to convert me to digital a while back.

I've moved to BT now and with all the problems i've had, i think that with the lines being BT's I'd like to think if problems still persist, once moving, they can sort their shit out.

[Barry Scott]

AARRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SOMEONE. MUST. DIE.

My adventures in cunting broadband almost drew tears today. This is a fucking joke, bigtime.

To cut a story down a bit. TalkTalk fucked up my cancellation so lost my number, so when bt was due live in early marcg nothing happened. They also didn't tell me it was fucked for a week with phoning them everyday. When someone eventually explains that the line was disconnected by TT, i have to pay BT £130 for the privilege of paying them more than any other provider and get a new line.

With the temperature of my blood wwaaaayyyyyyyy past boiling at this point, fuck you was my reaction. I then discover Virgin, phew... £30 for new line and about a third less per month than BT. Game on.

Well Virgin told me an engineer was coming out today. I waited all day, they didn't come. Checked my telephone line and it was live, plugged in my router and showing as <600kbps.

So i left home because that speed is a FUCKING JOKE and phoned Virgin because i presumed there was still work to be done, i don't know, i think i was just living in hope!

Turns out the best i can get with them is 500kbps. (After they sold it to me at 1500kbps, when i used to get 3500kbps.)

The smarmy customer service cunt was offended by my use of the word shit (when used to describe talktalk) and threatened to terminate the call, despite me not even being slightly irate with him. This then got my back right up, but i remained pleasant. He explained it doesn't matter what sales told me, i have 500kbps and that's a fact; the proof is in the pudding.

I now have to put up with 12 months more of total cunt service. 1 of the routers (the one Virgin sent me) even tells me ADSL doesn't exist. One of my other routers says it does exist, but that the speed is way down the scale of crap.

I should of just paid BT the £130 new line and £35 a month or whatever, although i suspect i'd have the same problems albeit with larger bills.

Fucking hell i could not possibly be angrier at the moment. Just thought i'd share how my wonderful experience has evolved.

[Sippo]

If they are not providing a service that they said they would then you can cancel the contract.

Talk Talk offered me a 1.5mbps service, but in truth it was about 200kbps. I told them and although it took an age on the phone numerous times, I eventually got out of it.

Persistance is the key.

[Talk Talk]

I'm getting the following with Virgin Media in West Swindon:

Date 23/03/10 17:11:04
Speed Down 3772.96 Kbps ( 3.7 Mbps )
Speed Up 456.28 Kbps ( 0.4 Mbps )
Port 8095
Server speedtest1.thinkbroadband.com

However that's on cable. Have you got cable access Barry? Might be easier to swap over than keep fucking about with ADSL.

[Barry Scott]

If they are not providing a service that they said they would then you can cancel the contract.

Talk Talk offered me a 1.5mbps service, but in truth it was about 200kbps. I told them and although it took an age on the phone numerous times, I eventually got out of it.

Persistance is the key.

I should really, but this problem has been on-going for over a year. It's kind of at that stage now where i just feel like a beaten man. There's only so many times you can be told, "them's the rules" before you just say fuck it or go apoplectic down the phone at someone.

It's not like i have proof they sold that to me at that speed and it's not like if they did they'd apologise and allow me out of my 1 day old contract. I'll have to go back home and fuck around with the various routers and see what i can achieve. I just think it's going to be like it was, woefully unstable and completely and utterly pointless, as a means of utilising the wonders of Hypertext Transfer Protocol.

@TalkTalk

That's the beauty of this hateful problem. I have shit ADSL or dial-up. No cable, which would be glorious.

[jonny72]

Virgin will be using the BT cables to the local exchange won't they? It's unlikely there is any problem at or after the exchange, so if there is a problem its got to be with the BT cables which would be the same with everyone.

[sheepshagger]

I thought most contracts now have a 14 day cancellation period ?

If so I would cut and run from Virgin and go call BT.......

[stfcinbmth]

An unlocked BT2700 ADSL Wireless router with SBC firmware is very good on a long line but very rare now, not even one on ebay at the mo as I was looking for one earlier

Have you tried changing the filters?
Have you tried a different phone?

[Samdy Gray]

I thought most contracts now have a 14 day cancellation period ?

If so I would cut and run from Virgin and go call BT.......

Virgin don't. I tried to cancel when I took mine out (they still hadn't connected me nearly two weeks after my "connection date") but they say they don't have a cooling off period.

Bazza - I found with Virgin that if you try and talk to the CS or technical support monkeys then you won't get anywhere. I spoke to someone within retentions (they don't have a complaints department  ) and the girl there was very helpful.

I still reckon you've got a problem with your line somewhere.

I'm getting the following with Virgin Media in West Swindon:

Date 23/03/10 17:11:04
Speed Down 3772.96 Kbps ( 3.7 Mbps )
Speed Up 456.28 Kbps ( 0.4 Mbps )
Port 8095
Server speedtest1.thinkbroadband.com

However that's on cable. Have you got cable access Barry? Might be easier to swap over than keep fucking about with ADSL.

And just to get the "my internet penis is bigger than your internet penis" game on the go

Also Virgin Media in West Swindon (ADSL).

Date     23/03/10 17:55:41
Speed Down    11939.51 Kbps ( 11.7 Mbps )
Speed Up    735.21 Kbps ( 0.7 Mbps )
Port    8095
Server    speedtest1.thinkbroadband.com

[LucienSanchez]

I have put up with shitty Tiscali (now Talk Talk, who have put my subscription up) for ages... this is what i get, despite being off an exchange 600 yards away, and supposedly getting 8Meg

Date     23/03/10 18:05:52
Speed Down    1323.09 Kbps ( 1.3 Mbps )
Speed Up    376.18 Kbps ( 0.4 Mbps )
Port    8095
Server    speedtest1.thinkbroadband.com

After 5pm i can barely watch a youtube video/iplayer program/submityourflicks video...

[stfcinbmth]

I have put up with shitty Tiscali (now Talk Talk, who have put my subscription up) for ages... this is what i get, despite being off an exchange 600 yards away, and supposedly getting 8Meg

Date     23/03/10 18:05:52
Speed Down    1323.09 Kbps ( 1.3 Mbps )
Speed Up    376.18 Kbps ( 0.4 Mbps )
Port    8095
Server    speedtest1.thinkbroadband.com

After 5pm i can barely watch a youtube video/iplayer program/submityourflicks video...

You're a victim of over contention Lucien ie Pile em high sell it cheap

Just done my test and I'm 1.76km from the exchange

23/03/10 18:37:50
Speed Down   4695.18 Kbps ( 4.6 Mbps )
Speed Up   374.60 Kbps ( 0.4 Mbps )
Port   8095

[[email protected]]

I've finally finished moving over from TalkTalk and with BT for the phone (100% reliable) and went with O2 for the broadband as I got a good deal because I have a mobile with them.  This is now 99.5% reliable (occasional drop for 30 seconds, but this is very occasional).

TalkTalk cocked up my switch-over date internally, so although I got the telephone connnection on the day I was promised they still kept trying to invoice me for the service (and a disconnection charge!).  In the end I wrote a snotty letter to the chairman (and sent it recorded delivery) and ended getting all costs reimbursed.

Had bit of a pain moving the broadband over though.  No providors (BT, O2, and many more) could switch me on until everything had been switched off by TalkTalk.  This left me with a week-long gap after TalkTalk but before O2 where I had no internet - major pain in the arse!

Anyhow, all is now well and one major lesson learnt - IF IT'S WORKING, DON'T CHANGE!

[Talk Talk]

And just to get the "my internet penis is bigger than your internet penis" game on the go

Also Virgin Media in West Swindon (ADSL).

Date     23/03/10 17:55:41
Speed Down    11939.51 Kbps ( 11.7 Mbps )
Speed Up    735.21 Kbps ( 0.7 Mbps )
Port    8095
Server    speedtest1.thinkbroadband.com

My Internet penis is really dinky then    I can't be arsed to trawl the VM web site, but I think we have the minimum package from yonks ago. Presumably you pay for 10Mb Sam.

Not that I'm bothered, I remember the days of 2400 baud dial up...