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Technical Help & Discussion => Broadband, Networking, PC Security, Internet & ISPs => Topic started by: Adept on September 16, 2003, 22:07

Title: Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Adept on September 16, 2003, 22:07
... when I finally get broadband :o ;D

The BT engineer will be arriving between 8.00 and 10.30 am to remove my Home Highway box and finally bring my surfing up to a decent speed.

At least I hope so  :-\

My chosen ISP, Nildram haven't yet contacted me to let me know that the installation will go ahead :o I rang them this afternoon and, at first, they told me that BT hadn't confirmed the order, so it was unlikely to go ahead. So I pointed out to them that BT's Order Tracking website had all the details of the order on it, confirming tomorrows appointment. Eventually they confirmed with BT that the installation would go ahead as planned. I still haven't received any details of the username and password from them, so tomorrow could be an interesting day ::)

Not a very auspicious start for Nildram. I hope their ADSL connections are better than their customer service!
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: DJ on September 16, 2003, 22:12
:welldone: Adept.

All the best for tomorrow - hope things go to plan.

See you on the broadband highway soon!

DJ ;)
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Michelle on September 16, 2003, 22:13
well it all sounds very complicated to me, but good luck anyway adept  :-*
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Simon on September 16, 2003, 23:01
Should have gone with Pipex, mate!   ;)  :chubby:

All the best - hope it all goes smoothly... it would have with Pi... :-X
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Adept on September 16, 2003, 23:03
:lol: :funny: :bald:

I'm only going with Nildram for the good of the forum Simon mate. It wouldn't do for all the staff to be on the same ISP would it ;) :adept:
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Simon on September 16, 2003, 23:16
God forbid!!  If that were the case, and Pipex went down, it would leave Clive in charge!!  :o

:eeek: ;D ;D
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Clive on September 16, 2003, 23:21
That's good news indeed Adept!  I found the removal of my HH box to be quite an emotional event and I was very apprehensive about it.  It seemed a bit "final" to me.   ;D  I still have my ISDN terminal adaptor connected for old times sake of course.  Can't bear to part with it as it would leave such a gap on my desk.
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Clive on September 16, 2003, 23:23

God forbid!!  If that were the case, and Pipex went down, it would leave Clive in charge!!  


Oi!!   :chicken:   :bart:
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Simon on September 16, 2003, 23:25
(https://www.pc-pals.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.apax34.dsl.pipex.com%2Fsmileys%2Fhee-hee.gif&hash=c67e3b8b3e856c9641942fbba17c755937428ab9)  :baad:
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Adept on September 17, 2003, 15:16
Finally! MY BANDS ARE BROAD ;D ;D

Well, BT turned up at 10.45 for the 8.00-10.30 appointment ::)

The two engineers quickly removed my Home Highway box, tested the line using their laptop and left.

At this point Nildram still had not got in touch with me to let me know the username and password. So I rang them again. I spoke to Lavinia again (we're on first name terms by now!) and she said Nildrams ADSL proiosing team would ring me back.

An hour later, I got fed up of looking at the bt_test_user web page and hooked up my modem and dialled my backup ISP. Lo and behold the Nildram Welcome Pack (a PDF file) downloaded and I promptly copied the settings into my router. Did it work? Did it hell. So I checked the Welcome Letter again, this time noticing the activation date: 18-09-2003. TOMORROW >:(

Another call to Nildram got a bloke this time (forgot to get his name), who explained that the Activation Date is BTs installation date - Nildram switch on the ADSL bit up to a day later sometimes. I just wish someone had mentioned this earlier!

Anyway after stomping around for a bit, slamming doors and kicking teh cat :o (not really ;) ) I tried again and IT WORKED!

So here I am on broadband. I never thought I'd see the day 8)

I'll let you know what I think of Nildram as a DSL provider when I've had chance to test it properly, but for now all I can say is their customer service sucks big time! >:(
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Adept on September 17, 2003, 15:21
Just did a speed test at ADSLGuide

Your Connection

Direction    Actual Speed True Speed (estimated)

Downstream   449 Kbps (56.1 KB/sec)   484 Kbps (inc. overheads)   
Upstream   242 Kbps (30.3 KB/sec)   261 Kbps (inc. overheads)

Seems OK to me. Just a tad slower than average ::)
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: daveeb on September 17, 2003, 15:26
your experience sounds pretty much par for the course sean.  i had a nightmare (ntl-cable)organising it & getting it up & running, useless tech support, ignored their advice & sorted it meself.  however touch wood apart from a couple of shortish outtages its been fantastic, could never go back to anything slower.    ;D
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Michelle on September 17, 2003, 16:38
<<<So here I am on broadband. I never thought I'd see the day >>>>


Well done sean  :D

Jealous now :lol:

 :'(
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Clive on September 17, 2003, 16:54
Excellent news Adept!  Glad it all went ok for you in the end.  Lady Adept will now start nagging you to hide the marks on the wall where the old HH box was.  I solved it very easily by placing a mirror over it.   ;D
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Sandra on September 17, 2003, 17:00

 I solved it very easily by placing a mirror over it.   ;D


Mrs.Clive actually allows you near mirrors does she Clive  :o
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Simon on September 17, 2003, 17:04
Just as a comparative, Sean, I did a speed test:

Broadband Speed Test Results

Results from broadband speed test recorded on Wednesday, September 17, 2003, 17:00.


Direction          Actual Speed                   True Speed (estimated)
Downstream    464 Kbps (58.0 KB/sec)    501 Kbps (inc. overheads)
Upstream    248 Kbps (31.0 KB/sec)    267 Kbps (inc. overheads)
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Michelle on September 17, 2003, 17:15
Show off  :o :P  ;)  ;D
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Adept on September 17, 2003, 17:17
That's a funny coincidence Michelle. I was thinking of saying something to Simon that ended in "off" too ;) :P

:bald:
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Clive on September 17, 2003, 17:17
:bitch:  Fortunately I can't see it from where I'm sat.   ;D  ;D  ;D
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Michelle on September 17, 2003, 17:25
:pmsl:

I wonder what that could have been Adept  ;D
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Adept on September 17, 2003, 17:49

Just as a comparative, Sean, I did a speed test:


I had a thought while I was cursing you Simon :curse: The speed difference is probably down to the fact that the exchange was only BB-enabled today. The BT Engineers told me they had at least 20 other jobs today.

I expect all of those 20 people are cranking up their umpteenth download of a multi-megabyte file from Kazaa or WinMX as I speak ::)
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Simon on September 17, 2003, 18:07
<mutters> ...should have gone with Pi... :-X :P ;)  :chubby:
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Tony on September 18, 2003, 00:48
If it's speed you want Simon, you should have gone with PlusNet  ;D

Congrats Sean, I'll be joining you on the Broadband Highway mid November hopefully. Not signed up with any one yet, but it looks like it will be PlusNet for me.As after initial set up costs it will be cheaper than Pipex, and it's faster,  and has a backup up dial up and............ :-X

So whats it like to be Smmmmmmmmmmmmmmmooooooooookin
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Adept on September 18, 2003, 07:35

So whats it like to be Smmmmmmmmmmmmmmmooooooooookin


 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Tony on November 25, 2003, 23:48
Out with the old ISDN and in with the new Broadband tomorrow morning. Then I'll be NDO'ed  ;D


I'm getting excited, I hope I don't hit any snags, but if it needs tweaking.........I can do that
(https://www.pc-pals.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tonysugrue.co.uk%2Fcomputer36.gif&hash=c64ce82c2c2fca6ba5abafac65630044fa0ca11b)
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: TR on November 26, 2003, 00:02
B*%$£"#
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: TR on November 26, 2003, 00:08
:'( only another 2 years to go, am I jealous..yep  :P
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Adept on November 26, 2003, 07:50

Out with the old ISDN and in with the new Broadband tomorrow morning. Then I'll be NDO'ed  ;D


I'm getting excited, I hope I don't hit any snags, but if it needs tweaking.........I can do that
(https://www.pc-pals.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tonysugrue.co.uk%2Fcomputer36.gif&hash=c64ce82c2c2fca6ba5abafac65630044fa0ca11b)


Congratulations Tony. I hope it all goes as well as mine did :)

Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Michelle on November 26, 2003, 08:19
:'(  sob ........... hope it goes okay Tony.

I'll just sit here, waiting for pages to open for a while yet.  ::)
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Tony on November 26, 2003, 08:55
Cheers playmates,

Hooky, two years you poor soul ......I feel your hurt  ::)

Shell move in with Rod [I know you want to ] because he's getting it, or leasts ways he will if you turn up :o

No stop it Tony....well here I am on 56Kbps, you poor buggers, I realise what an improvment 64KBPs was via ISDN.

Adept,I have this feeling, it's going to be a breeze 8) ADSL PCI is installed and ready to go.

Anyway Craig, the nice young BT engineer phone me to say he was in Skipton and would be with me in 15 mins.

Catch ya later.
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Serenity on November 26, 2003, 09:09
Fingers crossed for you Tony  :)

I am on NTL cable BB and Ive been having lots of problems these last few days  ::) lets hope yours will be better  :-*
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Simon on November 26, 2003, 09:23
Best of luck, Tony!  See you on the other side...  :D
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Camstop on November 26, 2003, 09:41
You lucky burger Tony..  ;)

Well my exchange has been given a trigger level in the last lot they published and it's only 100 we need  ;D......... BUT we only have 27 at the moment  ???

ISDN is fine for browsing n stuff ;), but not so hot for large downloads...AND it's pretty expensive if you need a reliable isp with a lot of hours (Lona may disagree about that ;)).
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Tony on November 26, 2003, 11:26
Hiya all,

Well that was painless, had to reinstall the ADSL modem and Bingo as of 10.30 am I got Broadband Yippee.

Sorry, sorry, you 56'ers I must remember you in my prayers  ;D

To right Cammy, I'm paying £2 a month less than I paid for two 64K services. Plus my BT rental bill will go from being £75 per quarter for ISDN, down to £40 or whatever it is for one line rental these days.

Sen it's funny you should say that, as the BT guy said he had a mate on cable, but he said he to was having a slow service. I never asked which provider he was with though.

I did a speed test at http://www.adslguide.org.uk/tools/speedchart.asp?id=e901a0c4f917bb76b8e901a0c4 (http://www.adslguide.org.uk/tools/speedchart.asp?id=e901a0c4f917bb76b8e901a0c4)


             
                                 
Direction           Actual Speed                   True S peed(estimated)
Downstream     458 Kbps (57.3 KB/sec)      494 Kbps (inc. overheads)
Upstream        244 Kbps (30.5 KB/sec)       263 Kbps (inc. overheads)

How do they compare to others using ADSL, are they OK?

Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Adept on November 26, 2003, 11:36
Nice one Tony :D

Those speeds are between the two got by Simon and myself the last time we had a "my pipe is fatter than your pipe" competition ;) :lol:
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Serenity on November 26, 2003, 11:43
Way to go Tony  :-*

With your grease lightening connection,  maybe you will now lower yourself to have a crack at my Cool Games once in a while  8)  ;)
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Tony on November 26, 2003, 12:04
Playgames with you any time Sen, I'll try and make a habit of finishing last, if that's OK  ::)
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Michelle on November 26, 2003, 17:53
Congrats Tony  ::)  :P  ;D

I didn't think Rodders was getting it ?   :P

Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Tony on November 26, 2003, 18:43
Well he's hoping to have for Christmas, co's I saw him out shopping for it, nar then, sorry NDO :o

Now don't tell me, you were thinking of something all together different....I might have known........  ;D
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Simon on November 26, 2003, 22:26
Nice one, matey!  Enjoy!  <chuckle>   ;)
Title: Re:Tomorrow is the big day ...
Post by: Michelle on November 27, 2003, 00:29

Well he's hoping to have for Christmas, co's I saw him out shopping for it, nar then, sorry NDO :o

Now don't tell me, you were thinking of something all together different....I might have known........  ;D


not me  :o  :P