Cable Forum - View Single Post

steve_smith · 29-05-2004, 17:05

Hi all,

I've been having a nightmare time with my 600k cablemodem connection over the last month (based in Poole, Dorset).

Basically, it's been working intermittently. One day, it will be completely dead, another day it will OK. Although even when working OK, I see 5% to 40% packet loss if I ping an internet IP address (which is not how things should be).

NTL have sent three engineers out during the month. One changed the cable modem, which made things worse (the connection was so poor, we couldn't get through the registration process). The second engineer talked about digging up our front garden to replace the cable, but said that I would have to wait for two weeks. The third engineer adjusted something in the cabinet and put some kind of filter on the cable where it enters the house.

However, I read here that some other people in the Poole/Bournemouth area have also been having trouble, and that it could be down to the "degraded or loss of connection" problem in the Southampton area mentioned on the NTL status page.

However, nobody at NTL seems to be aware that this problem might be affecting my area. And the engineers who came out seem to know nothing about it either.

The level of customer service I received from them has been terrible. I've phoned numerous times. The diagnosis I've received have included "low signal level", "the signal level is too high", "it's an area fault", "it's definitely not an area fault"... the list goes on. I also had a few tickets open that NTL just closed themselves (because someone presumably told them it had been fixed) without bothering to contact me to check everything was OK. So I kept being promised an engineer would phone in 48 hours. After hearing nothing, I phone again only to be told the ticket had been closed and I would have to wait another 48 hours for another engineer to phone... grrr!

Just wondered if anyone else in the Poole/Bournemouth area are still having problems? Does anyone know how to get NTL to fix problems like this? I'm getting very frustrated, and thinking of trying to get ADSL instead. However, to get ADSL I have to get a BT phone line installed too (loads more delays and hassle I've no doubt).

Cheers,

Steve.

29-05-2004, 17:05	#1
steve_smith Inactive Join Date: May 2004 Location: Poole, Dorset Posts: 70	Cablemodem broadband in the Poole area Hi all, I've been having a nightmare time with my 600k cablemodem connection over the last month (based in Poole, Dorset). Basically, it's been working intermittently. One day, it will be completely dead, another day it will OK. Although even when working OK, I see 5% to 40% packet loss if I ping an internet IP address (which is not how things should be). NTL have sent three engineers out during the month. One changed the cable modem, which made things worse (the connection was so poor, we couldn't get through the registration process). The second engineer talked about digging up our front garden to replace the cable, but said that I would have to wait for two weeks. The third engineer adjusted something in the cabinet and put some kind of filter on the cable where it enters the house. However, I read here that some other people in the Poole/Bournemouth area have also been having trouble, and that it could be down to the "degraded or loss of connection" problem in the Southampton area mentioned on the NTL status page. However, nobody at NTL seems to be aware that this problem might be affecting my area. And the engineers who came out seem to know nothing about it either. The level of customer service I received from them has been terrible. I've phoned numerous times. The diagnosis I've received have included "low signal level", "the signal level is too high", "it's an area fault", "it's definitely not an area fault"... the list goes on. I also had a few tickets open that NTL just closed themselves (because someone presumably told them it had been fixed) without bothering to contact me to check everything was OK. So I kept being promised an engineer would phone in 48 hours. After hearing nothing, I phone again only to be told the ticket had been closed and I would have to wait another 48 hours for another engineer to phone... grrr! Just wondered if anyone else in the Poole/Bournemouth area are still having problems? Does anyone know how to get NTL to fix problems like this? I'm getting very frustrated, and thinking of trying to get ADSL instead. However, to get ADSL I have to get a BT phone line installed too (loads more delays and hassle I've no doubt). Cheers, Steve.