Broadband Advice

[Tony Baloney]

I got a BT Broadband router for my new house yesterday but the green ASL does not light up on the router. I have an alarm auto-dialler spurred off the master BT socket and I wouldn't be able to micro-filter the alarm - would this be causing the issue? I've pulled out all the other phone lines in the house also but still no light on the router! Any ideas or anyone with similar issues?

[Star Spangler]

Can you temporarily disconnect the alarm and see if that's the problem?

[Gnevin]

I got a BT Broadband router for my new house yesterday but the green ASL does not light up on the router. I have an alarm auto-dialler spurred off the master BT socket and I wouldn't be able to micro-filter the alarm - would this be causing the issue? I've pulled out all the other phone lines in the house also but still no light on the router! Any ideas or anyone with similar issues?

Spent some time working for BT tech support . Their backbone (the lines outside your house)seem to be shit , Unplug everything from the phones . Make sure to get the alarm and Sky. See if that makes a different, If not ring support and say you will on speak to on shore support ,this will save you weeks of messing . The will probably tell you about a BT wholesale visit which won't happen , after this call again and ask to speak to  the Chairman's office. Also make sure to tell them too keep your case open in their system .

[rrhf]

Whats the best value wireless Broadband/ calls in /vision package available in the North these days?  What are the options?  have sky+ TV in but only on s 15.99 per month package, love the hard drive recording feature, have a wireless lap top, very interetsed in these guys that download all TV on the internet, about to get a n95 i smart phone too, but couldnt change a tune on an ipod.  Im hopefully about to become technologically up to date, can anyone help?

[Tony Baloney]

Their backbone (the lines outside your house)seem to be shit

You have a point - when I first rang BT they told me I was too far from the exchange and that any broadband connection I could get wouldn't be worth having. Sky told me it would be grand so got all their gear and it didn't work (like BT no green signal light). BT then said they could after all offer me a limited broadband service up to 2MB based on a line test to my house. Needless to say I'm less than impressed with their boasts of 100% broadband coverage in the wee six!

I have Cat5 throughout the house and it is hard-wired into the alarm so it's not like I can disconnect an RJ-45 at the alarm auto-dialler box and I don't want to have to rip out the connection to the alarm. Mainly because I couldn't put it back together again. But I take the point that unless I get this isolated (I've disconnected all other phones and Sky+ phone connection) I'll not know if it is causing an issue or not. Shite!

I'm the only person I know that doesn't have broadband!

[Star Spangler]

I'm the only person I know that doesn't have broadband!

So do you use "dial up"??  I didn't think that still worked!!

[Rois]

Whats the best value wireless Broadband/ calls in /vision package available in the North these days?  What are the options?  have sky+ TV in but only on s 15.99 per month package, love the hard drive recording feature, have a wireless lap top, very interetsed in these guys that download all TV on the internet, about to get a n95 i smart phone too, but couldnt change a tune on an ipod.  Im hopefully about to become technologically up to date, can anyone help?

I went for the Sky Talk package, it's £22 a month (plus the £10 for BT line rental which I presume you have for Sky+) and you get great wireless broadband connection (well I did anyway).  Free evening and weekend UK calls and Customer Service have been pretty good in my somewhat limited experience. 

[Gnevin]

Their backbone (the lines outside your house)seem to be shit

You have a point - when I first rang BT they told me I was too far from the exchange and that any broadband connection I could get wouldn't be worth having. Sky told me it would be grand so got all their gear and it didn't work (like BT no green signal light). BT then said they could after all offer me a limited broadband service up to 2MB based on a line test to my house. Needless to say I'm less than impressed with their boasts of 100% broadband coverage in the wee six!

I have Cat5 throughout the house and it is hard-wired into the alarm so it's not like I can disconnect an RJ-45 at the alarm auto-dialler box and I don't want to have to rip out the connection to the alarm. Mainly because I couldn't put it back together again. But I take the point that unless I get this isolated (I've disconnected all other phones and Sky+ phone connection) I'll not know if it is causing an issue or not. Shite!

I'm the only person I know that doesn't have broadband!

Are you far out from the local exchange on near you on BT BB?

[hoopsaaa]

There is no broadband available in a lot of areas in NI . I am aware of it not being available in parts of Greencastle, Cookstown and outside Lisburn. BT if they cannot offer you ADSL broadband are obliged to offer you Satellite Broadband. Buts its expensive and suffers from a high level of latency.

[magpie seanie]

Mine is not great. Couldn't get wireless despite house being on an elevated site   so got it through the phone line with Gaelic Telecom. It's always on the blink. To be fair if its off it tends to be back on within 10-30 minutes. Do not know why this happens but it does.

[Tony Baloney]

I'm sure I'm at least 5 miles from the exchange which is why they said they could only offer up to 2MB. My neighbours slightly up the road have been told to forget about it so I must be right on the edge.

[offtheground]

Is anyone here using Tiscali for their broadband?
They're by far the cheapest option for me; £4.49 for 3mths, then £12.99 for a 12mth contract. Upto 8Mb, unlimited downloads & free wireless router. The olnly thing putting me off is the terrible reviews I've read on a few comparison websites.
Has anyone had any dealings with them??

[Minder]

Is anyone here using Tiscali for their broadband?
They're by far the cheapest option for me; £4.49 for 3mths, then £12.99 for a 12mth contract. Upto 8Mb, unlimited downloads & free wireless router. The olnly thing putting me off is the terrible reviews I've read on a few comparison websites.
Has anyone had any dealings with them??

Heard a few stories about their customer services, not great. I have been with BT For almost two years and havent had a bit of bother, i think you are better paying a few quid extra a montha nd getting a better service from an established company.

[Square Ball]

Is anyone here using Tiscali for their broadband?
They're by far the cheapest option for me; £4.49 for 3mths, then £12.99 for a 12mth contract. Upto 8Mb, unlimited downloads & free wireless router. The olnly thing putting me off is the terrible reviews I've read on a few comparison websites.
Has anyone had any dealings with them??

can you test the speed they say you will get?

[offtheground]

They said they ran a test which said that I should be able to get between 6 - 8Mb. I don't anthing installed at the minute so will have to take their word for it. i also called BT who reckoned I should get around 6Mb.
This kinda surprised me as I'm around a mile from the exchange. 
Tiscali have a 10 day 'cooling off period', although according to the reports i've read, once they get your account details you'll have bother cancelling. One other benefit is free international calls at the weekend, although their weekday calls are expensive.