NTL Ireland suspends phone service

Not good news for ntl customers living in Ireland....

NTL Ireland has suspended its domestic phone service in Dublin due to safety issues. All 2000 customers have been notified not to use the equipment except in an emergency and ntl have actually advised customers to take up alternative service from other phone operators... NTL don't seem to have yet clarified what the safety issue is.

http://www.businessworld.ie/livenews...ollingnews.htm

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/article/106/

[homer]

Hi All

sorry for this post but its the way i feel.

Ntl are going down the pan again and i cant wait but i do feel sorry for the engineers who are left to find another jobs..........

Homer

[andygrif]

This is very interesting....how exactly can there be a 'safety issue' for domestic customers but not business customers?

[Graham M]

Ug. Safety Issues? Have they lost a monster in the phone network or something that could come out of your earpiece!?

[Escapee]

Possibly something to do with the system being overhead?

I wonder if mains power has got onto the network or something like that, I will see what I can find out!

[jtwn]

Just read about this over at ds...the vague description of the problem yet drastic action taken sounds like this problem is interesting...anybody got any info?

[Escapee]

Originally Posted by jtwn

Just read about this over at ds...the vague description of the problem yet drastic action taken sounds like this problem is interesting...anybody got any info?

None from the people I have spoken to, whatever it is they are keeping it quiet. One guy who should be in the know said 'sorry cant tell you about it yet"

He did have a laugh because a couple of guys, one a senior manager from formerly of ntl wales were involved heavily in the upgrades in Southern Ireland and one is still there, they were responsible for many bodges and cost cutting in wales so perhaps that was a clue for me!

The senior manager left under a cloud of suspicion (as they always do) with many rumours about contractors building him a house in Southern Ireland for free

[Ave]

Hi, I've been subscribed to the phone/cable/TV package for 2 years.

Ironically, they issued the statement(and presumably the safety warning) on the 9th, but today we received a call from NTL letting us know the phone service was being discontinued.

What I can gather - the safety dangers arent the real reason.

If anyone can get the real reason, it would be much appreciated.

[slug]

Just found this.
http://www.rte.ie/aertel/p109.htm

[Escapee]

Originally Posted by slug

Just found this.
http://www.rte.ie/aertel/p109.htm

Anyone got any idea who manufactures the equipment?

Presumably it's Telephony over RF equipment, using the old overhead system.

Whatever is going on it's giving out a very worrying message about ntl!

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by slug

Just found this.
http://www.rte.ie/aertel/p109.htm

Originally Posted by Comreg

has instructed NTL to set up a freefone line and to place ads in the national newspapers alerting customers to the suspension of its direct telephone service.

NTL has said it was withdrawing the service from 2,000 customers in Dublin.

ComReg said it understood NTL is concerned that the equipment in customers' homes may, in certain circumstances, constitute a potential safety hazard through overheating.

ComReg said more publicity should be given to the issue to ensure customers act on NTL's advice to unplug equipment

What equipment in the home? All I've ever had from a telco provider is a RJ45? socket.

[Escapee]

Originally Posted by SMHarman

What equipment in the home? All I've ever had from a telco provider is a RJ45? socket.

As I said above, I think they are using RF telephony down the CATV network.

These systems usually have a power supply and battery backup in the customers house, we trialed this type of system back in the mid 90's when I was working for a cable company before ntl/cabletel came on the scene.

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by Escapee

As I said above, I think they are using RF telephony down the CATV network.

These systems usually have a power supply and battery backup in the customers house, we trialed this type of system back in the mid 90's when I was working for a cable company before ntl/cabletel came on the scene.

So someone has smelt melting electronics in their house (or had a house fire) and NTL have realised this is end of life equipment?

[Ave]

Originally Posted by Escapee

As I said above, I think they are using RF telephony down the CATV network.

These systems usually have a power supply and battery backup in the customers house, we trialed this type of system back in the mid 90's when I was working for a cable company before ntl/cabletel came on the scene.

What would it look like and where would it likely to be?

I can check

[Escapee]

Originally Posted by Ave

What would it look like and where would it likely to be?

I can check

To be honest, I'm not really sure.

The system we were trialing was an early system and it was a very bulky item as it was the first phase equipment from a now defunct company called first Pacific networks, they were taken over by General Instrument/Jerrold who in turn became part of motorola ie: Motorola Broadband.

I have no idea who's equipment it is, and it's possible that there is no battery backup these days, It is possible that they somehow feed a low voltage supply down the coax to the house but it would have to by-pass the isolator and in effect break all the rules. I guess the rules are different in Southern Ireland so I dont have much of an idea.

If the telephone has a power supply connected this could be the offending device, I guess the problem could also be something to do with a supply fed down the coax if there is no isolator and mains managed to get connected to it.

I am making guesses here though