| Archive for NEEPS North East Eco-friendly People's Site |
| tiger6 |
Why am I stuck with BT broadband ?I need a broadband connection as I work from home and currently have a BT Broadband package. This is more expensive than most and also has restrictions that packages from other providers don't have. I REALLY don't like BT and REALLY want to change to another provider but that seems to be where I'm stuck. Every other provider I've contacted say they can't provide broadband to my area. A few have even pretty much stated that broadband in general isn't available in my area. Now obviously this isn't true ! .. I already have a broadband connection supplied by BT.. albeit just a 512bk one. (That annoys me too .. I'm paying the same for a 512kb line as others do for an 8Mb one ! )Does anyone else have this problem .. or even better has anyone else had it and solved it ? |
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| Werain |
No probs for me all i can say is have you tried pipex yet??
hope you get it sorted |
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| Ina |
I think we have the same problem around here - I know from my neighbour he only has BT, and the slow connection. So if the other providers say they can't do it for you, they may be right. 
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| tiger6 |
Hi Werain,
yes I have tried Pipex .. like most others when they check my number the say my exchange doesn't support broadband .. which it patently does ! I've asked BT why this is but they just said I'd have to ask the other providers .. and they say "your exchange doesn't support broadband! .. Very frustrating ! I suspect there's a big database somewhere that the other providers access to show which exchanges are broadband enabled .. and BT haven't updated it ! |
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| baldowrie |
I assume you have tried all the other big providers?
BT allocate a certain number to the the providers and once that space is used they must apply for more but often don't get them |
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| essex_boy |
Actually it is to do with the number of cards owned by a particular BB supplier. It is only the big BB suppliers like AOL that buy racks in BT exchanges for there customers. The others lease space from BT. So if the exchange is full BT will not add extra cards unless there is a massive demand.
The other problem is called a contention ratio ie how many people are plugged into the same card. Usually this is 25:1 but as capacity is shrinking and BB speed is increasing you are bound to get bottle necks at certain exchanges. BT have not upgraded every exchange for BB their are some here on Lewis that do not have it enabled. BT are the only ones to have a database that contains all the directory numbers. All providers use a BT provided access point to the database that is controlled by BT wholesale. They will not talk directly to an individual. Ask BT or any of the other providers to find out why it cannot be provided. They can all give you the correct answer. |
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| labrat |
For a start you should use this website - thinkbroadband - for the full range of broadband providers and their customer ratings.
To get around your problems you should phone up some of the ISPs and explain to them that you have broadband and hopefully they will be more accommodating. FYI I use Newnet and they are very good. And if asked I would advise anyone to stay away from pipex/tiscali and subsidiaries. cheers |
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| wildgarlic |
I've got exactly the same situation as you Tiger6 - 512kb for the same price as someone with 8mb - and we've had problem after problem with BT.
My neighbours use AOL and seem happy with them but they don't do as much online - I'd rather stick with BT than move to AOHell tho. We did once consider satellite broadband but that was before the line here was broadband enabled. Good link Labrat - thanks. |
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| essex_boy |
Thats a bit harsh on AOL... Bearing in mind that if you are with Talk Talk, Onetel or AOL in the UK they are now one of the same provider 
I have been with AOL for 8 years in total and due to the way they distribute their service its very good. If it gets dragged down by the likes of Onetel then I may change my opinion. AOL works as it should with all the browesrs and mail programs that support an IMAP folder rather than a pop3 mailbox. This has its advantages in that if you work away from home you can still easily get at your emails etc. Paul |
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| IainC |
I think it would be worth phoning or emailing one of the other providers (I use Eclipse) and explain the situation to them to see if they are able to do any other checks on your line/number. The fact you already have ADSL means any other provider should be able to provide it for you as well. | ||
| essex_boy |
If BB is already been provided then all you need is to obtain your MAC code from your current provider and pass that to your new provider. You may have a couple of hours downtime as the switch is made by BT.
If on the otherhand all you are doing is applying with another provider it is no surprise to me that they say they cannot provide it. When they put the request through to BT it will come back with already provisioned or marker on the line. Hence why they say cannot provide. |
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| baldowrie |
Bit like utiliy bills when you change provider, they can refuse to allow it | ||
| essex_boy |
Spot on.
It gets even worse if you rent a house etc. Lets say tennant A leaves the property and doesn't pay for his BB on the line at the house. Tennant B moves in goes I want to transfer my current BB provider to my new address. Because tennant A hasn't paid his BB provider leaves whats called a marker on the line. No matter how hard tennant B tries they will never get his BB connected until the bill of tennant A is paid. Mad I know but I saw this alot when I worked for Onetel 
Paul |
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| tiger6 |
I can't even get to the point of BT refusing to allow me to change .. no other provider says they can provide broadband and the reason they give is that my exchange isn't broadband enabled .. which is patently is ! So the furthest I've ever got is the first step in the chain where the alternative provider checks to see if my exchange supports broadband. They say it doesn't so can't preceed any further.
I could get a FREE broadband service from Orange with better conditions than BT currently provide because of the mobile tarrif I'm on. |
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| labrat |
Even when you phone them up?
The Menmuir (ESMEN) exchange, if its yours, is ADSL enabled up to 512kbps - here. If you don't mind saying, what is your postcode? For example putting DD97RL into Newnet's broadband checker works fine - link cheers |
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| pete_inthehills |
well I hate to be a lone voice for BT Broadband on this thread, but I quite like them. We paid the full wack for the biggest, fastest, most speediest option they had and boy is it fast. I think we're supposed to be 8Mb, but actually I think we're getting 12!
Sometimes I get whiplash from the speed stuff downloads. Its ace and worth the money. And 'cos its unlimited I don't have to worry about my addiction to podcasts. Pete |
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| tiger6 |
Labrat .. thanks for that... VERY Interesting .. everyone else has asked for my telephone number .. not my postcode ! And what do you know ..putting in my postcode in that link says I do have broadband .. though they're unable to establish speed !
Even when I've called other providers they've asked for telephone number and have just come straight back and said I can't have broadband .. despite me insisting that I have it already. I wonder what the difference is ? You are also VERY close with my postcode .. lol .. just out by two !!
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| tiger6 |
Ahhhh ... I see where you got DD9 7RL from - the postcode of the menmuir exchange which I can just about see from my back gate
Do you know what Local loop unbundling presence means ? A lot of the providers I've approached are on that list with Not Available next to their names .. might explain something. |
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| labrat |
LLU is where a company installs their own gear, separate from BT, in the exchange. There are relatively few LLU exchanges and are concentrated near big cities at the moment. - see here (OfCom)
Your only choice is the usual practise of using BT or a company who leases BT's infrastructure. cheers |
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| BikeOnBye |
Menmuir (ESMEN)
General information Exchange name: Menmuir Exchange code: ESMEN Location: Angus, Scotland Postcode: DD97RL Maps: Our map | Multimap | Streetmap Serves (approx): 143 residential premises 7 non-residential premises Broadband availability overview ADSL: Yes SDSL: No LLU services: No Cable: No Wireless: No BT Wholesale information ADSL status: Enabled via Exchange Activate (512Kbps max) ADSL Max status: Not available SDSL status: Not available 21CN PSTN switchover target: Q3 2011 Wireless broadband availability LTT Broadband: Not available Now Wireless: Not available Cable broadband availability Virgin Media: Not available Smallworld Media: Not available If this is your exchange, show your provider this. http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange.php?ecode=ESMEN http://www.samknows.com/ |
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| labrat |
Tut, tut BoB. you haven't been reading my posts with the same info you supplied.
cheers |
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| BikeOnBye |
Not quite true! :? I did notice you had put a link in and supplied the important bit after I posted as I looked at the exchange before I read that far. :? I have to admit to being too lazy to go back and remove it as I got distracted for a moment and by the time I remembered I was just about to shut down for the night and that I'm afraid is where the Sandman got me and I got lazy  :oops:
Besides I thought it would do no harm anyway
But now that you have rumbled me I feel a wee bit :oops: :oops: :oops: 
Just to add to the :oops: I went to do something else and ended up here till 3am :oops: |