Hi all,

I'm moving house a week on Sunday, and obviously want to get myself back
online as soon as possible after that. There's a BT line and phone in
the flat, although it's currently disconnected as no-one lives there.

I just tried BT's online broadband checker using the phone number for
the flat and got the following message back:

"Your exchange has broadband.

However, despite an engineer's visit to your premises it has been proved
not possible for your telephone line to support broadband service.
Please accept our apologies. We are continuing to look for alternative
technology solutions and this site will be updated with developments as
they happen."

Obviously I panicked. Broadband at home, for me, is an essential.
However... is this message only being displayed because the phone line
is not currently in use, or do you think there could actually be an
underlying problem with the line? Using the postcode, things look OK:

"Our initial test on your postcode indicates that you should be able to
have BT Total Broadband with a likely maximum speed of up to 6.5
(Megabits per second)."

So if the postcode is OK, surely the line will be too?

If not... what could my other options be? I tried Virgin's website with
the postcode and it only threw back three house numbers, which I think
may be the ground floor ones (I'm on the top / second floor).

Any advice would be appreciated! If I can't get broadband, then I'm
going to have to find somewhere else sharpish!

Cheers

Steve

FOLLOW UP:

Further to this, I rang BT today and they were pretty useless.... I told
them what the website said, and they were unable to tell me whether the
line could support broadband or not until they actually went to connect
it. So basically, I have to move in and then try, with a risk that the
line can't support broadband and I'm stuck without internet for a year!

Does anyone (please please!) have any experience of this? If the
exchange can support broadband, and the postcode claims to be able to
receive up to 6.5 Mps, is there any reason at all why the line wouldn't
be able to, once it was switched on again? The property is in a low-rise
block of about 20 flats... that wouldn't normally lead to broadband
being unavailable would it?

"Steve M" <303091@stevo.force9.net> wrote in message
news:5kfknlF3f5j3U1@mid.individual.net...

I'd guess that there's a DACS box installed which effectively multiplexes
two lines into one. And that you've got one of the lines, and someone in one
of the other flats has the other. We had a similar situation, but we had
both lines in our house. Get them to get rid of it if there is one - you'll
only manage 28.8k down the phoneline with a modem with one installed. Which
is truly horrible.

I wonder if you could ask for a new line to be installed and then get the
first removed?

on 08/09/2007, Steve M supposed :
I have seen this response more than once when the telephone number of a
stopped line is entered in the checker.


The former.

Not always but usually.

If VM supply services to the building, there's no reason they cannot
connect you up. You need to persuade whoever you speak to to complete a
"DAF" (Database Amendment Form) to add "Flat Two", for example
Without a working BT line & already active broadband, you are never
going to be able to get a "guarantee of broadband", unless you pick a
VM enabled property.

Can you ask the former occupants if they had broadband.

Doki presented the following explanation :
DACS doesn't show up on the line test.

The OP's results are seen when a stopped number is tested.

Have you asked any of the other tennents if they have ADSL?

--
Graham.
%Profound_observation%

303091@stevo.force9.net declared for all the world to hear...
Go to the flat, speak to the neighbours.
--
Regards
Jon

mrdoki@gmail.com declared for all the world to hear...
When a broadband order is put in BT will remove the DACS line. It will
take a few weeks for them to do this work maybe but the ISP should sort
this out for the customer.
--
Regards
Jon

Jon wrote:

That OUGHT to clear the problem and the £100 or so it costs doesn't sound too
shocking compared with being denied a broadband conenction.

OTOH it really shouldn't be necessary.


I'd like to emphasise just how valuable a top-notch ( i.e.not mainstream large
consumer - aka 'don't care' ) ISP is likely to be when dealing with issues like
this that may be a little 'complicated'. Think Zen, Idnet, AAISP and the like.

Graham

Jono wrote:
<snipped>

All,

Thanks for the replies... I feel much more confident now that broadband
SHOULD be OK, and it's probably only the fact the line is stopped which
is preventing the online checker giving an accurate result. It would be
useful, however, if the checker could report back something like "we
cannot determine the status of this line" rather than "you definitely
can't get broadband here"... obviously the response is one of only a few
that can be returned as a catch all.

I did manage to speak to an extremely helpful person at BT in the end
who said she believed the same, and also said that her records showed
there had been broadband on that line in the past, although not with BT.
So it looks like things should be OK.

Other than that, the hints on DACS and installing a new line are useful
backups. And yes, I'll be up there again to sign the contract so will
speak to the neighbours when I'm there.

Cheers

Steve M (will update when I move in!)

Steve M wrote:
<snipped>

All,

Thanks for the replies... I feel much more confident now that broadband
SHOULD be OK, and it's probably only the fact the line is stopped which
is preventing the online checker giving an accurate result. It would be
useful, however, if the checker could report back something like "we
cannot determine the status of this line" rather than "you definitely
can't get broadband here"... obviously the response is one of only a few
that can be returned as a catch all.

I did manage to speak to an extremely helpful person at BT in the end
who said she believed the same, and also said that her records showed
there had been broadband on that line in the past, although not with BT.
So it looks like things should be OK.

Other than that, the hints on DACS and installing a new line are useful
backups. And yes, I'll be up there again to sign the contract so will
speak to the neighbours when I'm there.

Cheers

Steve M (will update when I move in!)

On Sep 9, 11:24 pm, Steve M <303...@stevo.force9.net> wrote:
It may be that there is a shortage of line plant in that area -- as a
result it could be that since the line was ceased (alongwith the DSL
previously on that line) someone else has been unDACSed so they could
get DSL, and the only line you can get is a DACSed one (i.e. voice and
slow modem connection) since there isn't a free line to unDACS you
onto.

BT only have to remove the DACS to enable the DSL if the cost of doing
so falls below a certain cost level, and laying new plant back to the
exchange isn't going fall within that (low) threshold.

On Tue, 11 Sep 2007 14:52:23 -0000, usenetuser@hotmail.co.uk <usenetuser@hotmail.co.uk> wrote:
This does make me wonder, if all available lines already have broadband on
them, how do BT connect him? AIUI they can't just rip someone's ADSL out
from under them. Would they then *have* to run a new wire to the
exchange as part of their universal service obligation?

--
-- Michael "Soruk" McConnell Eridani Star System
MailStripper - http://www.MailStripper.eu/ - SMTP spam filter
Mail Me Anywhere - http://www.MailMeAnywhere.com/ - Mobile email
Second Number - http://secondnumber.matrixnetwork.co.uk/

On Tuesday 11 September 2007 6:14 pm, in MID
<slrnfedj84.sld.soruk@zeskia.int.eridani.co.uk>, Soruk
(soruk@bitbucket.eridani.co.uk) wrote:

I don't think so. AIUI, under the USO they (BT) only have to provide
functional internet access, at speeds of at least 28.8k

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/uso/statement/
(unless that's been superceded)

regards,

--
Ian...

"ian" <news.spam@glitton.org.uk> wrote in message
news:zf6dnS_IOsihRXvbnZ2dnUVZ8v6dnZ2d@bt.com...
Read this and all will be revealed!
http://www.thinkbroadband.com/news/2...s-removal.html

George

usenetuser@hotmail.co.uk wrote:
There have been some changes to this since Openreach was formed. ISTR
that now they will always remove a DACS, regardless of cost, but there
are no time contraints on doing so. Someone will be along with chapter
and verse shortly no doubt and I may be proved wrong to some degree.

ian wrote:
No, broadband/ADSL is not required as part of USO, only 28.8k dialup.

usenetuser@hotmail.co.uk wrote:

That's a worry... although in the event that is the case, do I still
have the option of installing a new line? That would probably cost me
£100 or so but would then guarantee me broadband?

Cheers

Steve M

On 2007-09-11, Steve M <303091@stevo.force9.net> wrote:
There is never a guarantee. For a start, BT are only obliged to provide
you with ONE line. They could refuse to provide a second line due
to cost as well.

--
David Taylor

David Taylor wrote:
Even if I offer to pay for it?

This is a nightmare... I thought broadband coverage was pretty much
everywhere nowadays, assuming you're close enough to the exchange. So if
it doesn't work when I go to connect, and it's not a DACS issue or that
can't be resolved, and I can't get a new line, and Virgin can't / won't
connect up to my flat, I'm stuck? No other options?

Cheers

Steve M

On Tue, 11 Sep 2007 20:54:36 UTC, Steve M <303091@stevo.force9.net>
wrote:

Use a different ISP. Seriously. Try soemone like Zen or AAISP. Cost a
bit more but they will actually help you to chase BT (well, do it for
you).

--
Bob Eager
begin 123 a new life...take up Extreme Ironing!