Network Technicians?
 

Are there any ntl 'Network Technicians/Engineers' about here these days I can PM a question?

Re: Network Technicians?
 

You forgotten it all already? :)

Re: Network Technicians?
 

It depends what would you like to know?

Re: Network Technicians?
 

It has been 7 years now, and probably about 10 years since I was a network tech.;)

I managed to get my question answered today, I was trying to get hold of one of the engineering guys who I heard was on his 90 days notice AGAIN to tell him about some possible vacancies.

I managed to speak to another engineering guy who is still there but said he was on 90 days notice 3 times last year, apparently there is still ongoing culls in the company and he told me there are some more expected to be announced very soon.

What a motivated team it must be these days, when I left 7 years ago I thought the company was at rock bottom and it couldn't get any worse. Oh how wrong I was on that one, they still seem to be treating employees like s**t.;)

Re: Network Technicians?
 

Aye, I've been out for three years now.
It don't seem seven years tho Kev, I remember hearing about your behaviour on the ATM training course in Watford! Great days!

Re: Network Technicians?
 

I left in 2001, but went to Acterna for a while so I was still popping up around ntl sites. I have been working in defence for the past 5 and a half years, RF work all the same.

Oh dear, you heard about me meeting that woman in the bar, going out drinking with her, having about 17 bottles of Metz, taking her back to my hotel room, her not letting me sleep until about 5am and I arrived on time for the course at 9am.;)

I walked into a R&S seminar in Manchester a few years ago and there was an ntl guy there who reminded me about that one.lol

Despite what anyone may say, I have quietened down a bit these days.

Re: Network Technicians?
 

One of the old timers with a name like a famous pop singer was on the same course as you. I saw him a few months ago, he's still there, not far from retirement now.
I still squeeze video and audio, I've done it in many countries now in various formats.
ntl when they had money was a fun place to work, I got out when I felt there weren't enough people left, and I was getting more calls out of hours.

Re: Network Technicians?
 

Ah, the one with a name like a famous pop singer! That had me thinking today, I could see his face but it took me a long time to think of his name. That was probably about 4 years ago when I bumped into him at that Siminar, if I remember correctly he was with another old timer D.G. who was very much involved with headends. (The Huddersfield mafia)

ntl was OK in the early days and the majority were a nice bunch of friendly people to work with and socialise, but the company treatment of people made them get more withdrawn and the pressure made them less friendly with each other. As you know money was always short for spending on some things even in the early days, certainly in South Wales if they could save a pound on the CATV network and spend it on the Telco network they would.

I am glad to be away from ntl now, I moved as it was turning into a complete farce. The very people who knew nothing about the HFC network and who treated it like something stuck to the bottom of their shoe suddenly woke up and took control. This resulted in the guys with the experience being kicked out at redundancy time because they were not part of the backside kissing crowd.

The skill levels at ntl amongst engineers are now far lower than they were in the early days, the company pushed towards 'Jack of all trades and masters of none'

I reckon you were speaking with Martin to hear about my excapades in Luton;)