non servicable address?!

[bluu goose]

Hi I wonder if anyone can help me as I'm banging my head against the wall with ntl, having been an ntl customer a few years ago I can't say I'm too shocked at this!

I live in a block of flats in Nottingham and I have been trying to get connected to ntl for about 18 months, I have an ntl point in my living room and an ntl phone socket (which was fully working for about a year after I moved in!) I know numerous other people in the flats with the full ntl services.

The cable point is what I receive channels 1-5 through and a few weeks ago a ntl engineer tested the line with a hand held pda gadget and said that I had sufficient signal to receive all of ntl's services, and there is no technical reason why I shouldn't. However whenever I attempt to order ntl (I have tried 5/6 times) they just say sorry your address is not serviceable, ntl have even told me that the previous tenants had digital tv etc. so why can't I?!

Up until recently I had a sky dish attached to the side of my flat which was fantastic, but the council have told me to take it down as it breaches planning permission, so now I'm left with the standard five channels.

A few people have recommended getting a chipped box, but I just don't want to take the risk and besides I'm more than willing to pay for my tv broadband etc, in fact for me ntl would be cheaper than paying for sky and my bulldog broadband separately, ntl just donââ‚Âà ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢t seem to want my money!!!

I can't get freeview in my flat, Iâ₠¬ÃƒÆ’¢â€žÂ¢m not allowed to have a sky dish and ntl just won't budge and won't even give me a credible reason for this. I hate to sound like a tellly addict but 5 channels just isn't enough when you want to veg on the sofa after a hard days work.

Can anybody out there give any advice as to what I can do? as I'm at my wits end!



Cheers

[Jules]

Hi and welcome to the forum I am sure one of the admins will be along soon with some advice

[MovedGoalPosts]

to Cable Forum

Looks like an issue where the database hasn't been updated properly. Maybe the engineer who checked your cable didn't get the records changed after he checked things.

There can however be issues in blocks of flats with serviceablilty, even if the cables are present. Even if the cables are adequate, it may be that somewhere in the system there isn't enough capacity for the additional boradband / digital (are others in your block actually on digital TV or is it analogue?). If additional cables are needed that's where ntl can run into problems with easements and the like.

We can ask the Cable Forum's ntl contacts to have a check on this for you. Please PM me your full address including postcode, daytime phone number and an email contact.

[bluu goose]

Hi thanks for warm welcome and the help

They are all on digital ntl has the contract to supply a tv signal to each flat and its part of my service charge cleaning security etc so they should really pull there finger out. You obviously can't get a freeview signal from their cable and I'm not allowed to stick my own aerial or dish out of the window to get my own signal.

I don't think I'm I'm the only one who has been having problems with them, as the housing office had a load of calls asking if they could put up a dish as well, I don't think they realised how long it took to align the dish!!

One thing I did consider is what if I were to get a ntl digibox from my mums house with the viewing card etc. would that work? I don't know whether each line is activated or whether you just need a box with a valid card?!

I'll PM you with my details in a sec

[MovedGoalPosts]

I've forwarded your details. Let's see if the forum's contacts can prod around a bit.

One thing, don't try and use a STB, or card from somewhere else. The cards are paired to the STB, and the STB assigned to a property.

If you and others are having problems, and ntl is contracted to provide a supply to the block, then I'd get together with other residents to get your housing office to put pressure on ntl.

[bluu goose]

Hi thanks for your help guysm, the ntl contact was really helpful unfortunatley it doesn't look I'm going to be able to get ntl services at my address, but at least I've had someone explain it properly.

I have a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel as I should be able to get IPTV when it comes out...does anyone know when this is likely to be? I phoned sky today and they didn't have a release date but they said it was happening. I know homechoice offer IPTV but they don't do it my area.

cheers