OK, just come off the phone to technical support.
Yet another story now (it does tend to change on a daily basis)... just asked if they had an update on the area problem (did try last night, but they couldn't tell me due to a technical problem... good to know it's not only customers who experience technical problems).
Apparently we are now looking at another 4 to 5 weeks before the problem will be fixed
However, when I asked what date this piece of information had attached to it, they said there was no date... so I don't know whether it's 4 to 5 weeks as of today, or 4 to 5 weeks as of a month ago... sigh...
I have been really patient with NTL, but I am now beginning to find this totally ridiculous, and if I could get ADSL here, I would sign up immediately.
Steve