I take it you have to be on cable to go with Virgin [think there's a double entendre there :]] - Andy ----- Original Message ----- From: <deonv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Saturday, June 30, 2007 12:31 PM Subject: [access-uk] Re: BT or not to BT | We are with Virgin (used to be | Telewest/Blueyonder) and don't have the least | hesitation, yet, recommending them. | | On the few occasions I had a problem the person | on the technical desk was familiar with the | concept of screen readers, knowledgable, patient and resolved the problem. | | What's more there is no broadband limit, prices | are good, down-time is minimal and their talk | anywhere telephone packages are pretty good buys | if you call internationally and to mobiles a lot. | | Deon | | At 11:37 30/06/2007, you wrote: | >I would get my partner to comment on this one, but as her weekend will | >be hectic, I shall respond myself, by saying that from what she's told | >me Virgin Media are very good. This might impress you actually. She told | >me this morning over MSN that the signal quality of her wireless was | >excellent and that the speed was 54 MBPS, but boy was her internet | >connection fast as lightning! Her AVG updated in seconds, links on web | >pages loaded in no more than a second ... I think you'll be impressed | >with Virgin Media. Good luck and let us know how you get on with them. | >On Sat, 30 Jun 2007 08:49:35 +0100, "Dj Paddy" <mygroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> | >said: | > > Hi all, | > > | > > Looks like we're going to be leaving BT for Virgin Media. | > > | > > They can't get this broadband sorted. | > > | > > We've had 5, yes 5 engineers out at the house. Out of all but one new | > > what | > > she, was up to. They constantly wanted to measure signal, even though | > > yesterday morning a job was specifically booked to measure throughput. | > > The | > > engineer who was booked for the job told me, | > > " I wouldn't know anything about that" | > > | > > When I explained that wholesale and retail couldn't even ping me he said, | > > "I'll get my collegue to call round as my wee XP laptop wouldn't be | > > powerful | > > enough for that". | > > | > > What sortive clowns are these guys employing? | > > | > > There's been one gentleman in BT though that I have to take my hat off | > > to. | > > He's a young fella like myself and we've screamed at engineers together. | > > | > > We've had the phone line isolated and the modem/router directly wired to | > > it. | > > | > > We've had battery cleared off the line, then two weeks later a lady | > > engineer | > > came and actually did clear the battery her male collegue was meant to | > > have | > > cleardd. | > > | > > We've had a new card, supposably fitted in the D Slam, (Exchange). | > > | > > 4pm hits and we drop to 40k for all downloads inside the UK servers, 19K | > > or | > > below for outside. | > > | > > I've been running speed tests and I'm coming back with 1700k out of a | > > possible 8128k. We're in a good area, close to the exchange, (around | > > 1500metres), and we recieve the full 8128 signal. | > > | > > The place over there is a shambles. I'm frankly pissed off by the lack | > > of | > > knowledge their engineers have, this is compounded by them attempting to | > > hide behind jargon. | > > | > > My XP laptop isnt' powerful enough to try and see if I can ping you.... | > > | > > He didn't have a clue what ping was! | > > | > > Fair enough, alot of people I'm mailing this to might not. This guy's a | > > field engineer for a broadband internet service provider! | > > | > > He also tryed to give me BS about signal to noise ratio, and like with | > > the | > > other gentleman I explained about Shannon's theary that's used to | > > formulate | > > this. | > > | > > Do these clowns talk this way to all home end users? | > > | > > Anyways, we're paying these jokers £52 a month for really crappy 8MB | > > service | > > plus all inclusive telephone calls to LAN lines in the UK. | > > | > > I'm going to subscribe to £39 a month 20MB cable broadband, plus the | > > phone | > > calls from Virgin Media. | > > | > > I've been told by a technician in BT, (naming no names), that he's on it | > > at | > > home and he really gets the speeds that are promised. | > > | > > This guy's good and I trust his judgement. Come on, anything has to be | > > better than this rubbish from BT! | > > | > > I'm tired of arguing, researching and learning about DSL service and how | > > it | > > works so I could force the engineers who did do work when they came out | > > to | > > do what they where and are being payed to do! | > > | > > We could go for another DSL provider but, yes there's a 50-50 chance | > > it'll | > > be fine, even if it's using BT lines as they're testing fine. | > > | > > I really think some routing table at least had went wrong somewhere on | > > the | > > local network. | > > | > > I dont' want to be writing another email though like this in a months | > > time | > > because another one wont' listen. Let's isolate it completely and not | > > use | > > phone lines or broadband over them. | > > | > > On that, anyone got any decent Linksys cable router recommendations? | > > | > > I sold my WRT54G thinking this was going to be great with BT and am back | > > in | > > the market for a wireless router that works with cable modems. N | > > technology | > > is a must. I'm sure netgear and D Link are quite nice these days along | > > with | > > Belcon but I've always used Linksys and I like they're web utility. | > > | > > I'll have a look at Linksys site but anything to look for would be handy. | > > | > > Thanks for listening to my tails of woe. | > > | > > My last piece of advice, educate yourselves or find someone who is more | > > technically minded to take charge because what I've experienced is that | > > they | > > will hide behind anything they can including outsourced help desks. They | > > will blame everythign on you, I've had three routers and three computers | > > tested here. | > > | > > I've just decided 8MB isnt' worth this hassle when i can go to Virgin and | > > woe be tide the first manager in BT who trys to tell me that they dont' | > > promise 8MB again! | > > | > > I know they don't! But 40k and below is not an acceptible level of | > > service | > > on the low end of the scale! | > > | > > My suspection is that it's too costly to send field engineer's out and | > > delay | > > tactics may be being applyed in the gise of support. | > > | > > | > > ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- | > > ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] | > > ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: | > > ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx | > > ** and in the Subject line type | > > ** unsubscribe | > > ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the | > > ** immediately-following link:- | > > ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] | > > ** or send a message, to | > > ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq | > > | >Christopher Hallsworth | >E-mail: chrishallsworth@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx | >Skype name chrishallsworth7266 | >MSN: ch9675@xxxxxxxxxxx | > | >** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- | >** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] | >** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: | >** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx | >** and in the Subject line type | >** unsubscribe | >** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the | >** immediately-following link:- | >** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] | >** or send a message, to | >** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq | | | ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- | ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] | ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: | ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx | ** and in the Subject line type | ** unsubscribe | ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the | ** immediately-following link:- | ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] | ** or send a message, to | ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq | | | -- | This email has been verified as Virus free | Virus Protection and more available at http://www.plus.net ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq