NTL not working - options for the weekend?

eddiem74

Was just talking with my dad. They have NTL and been having some issues with picture & sound. Called NTL and an engineer came out this afternoon, checked everything out, and said the issue might be with the connection at the aerial which was mounted a few years back on half a telegraph pole.

However the engineer said he would not check that out, and need to request for a lift to come out to raise him up to the aerial as he was not going up the pole via a ladder against it ???

My mother rang NTL, explained, and NTL said they were not that happy with the engineer and said he should have gotten help from others in the area or something to that affect.

Soooooo, now the issue is parents have no TV for the weekend !

Any options ? Could they do anything with this set-up to check for FTA channels?

Help appreciated !

eddiem74

Ok, so I popped up to have a look at the problem. Basically the picture is studdering/juddering, as is the sound. Sometimes the picture freezes, and then jumps ahead, as does the sound. Basically everything seems to be cutting in and out, and even sometimes a blank screen appears.

They have gone through all the usually checks with box on/off, card in/out, and the engineer who called put the feed into some device he has for testing, and said the signal was very strong. He did indicate (according to my dad) that during his monitoring of the signal that he was getting a reading, where typically he never does, and that this might be caused by something interferring?

Now a neighbour has recently put a dish of somekind (not Sky) which I believe they purchased from LIDL, could that be interferring? or perhaps some device they are using in conjuction with it? My mam said she asked, however they also have NTL and said they have no issues.

So I am none the wiser, and my parents look set to have no TV for the weekend .

Is there anything I could check / look to do myself ?

Mossy Monk

Satellite will not interfere with a cable signal. You would be better off asking on the cable board.

eddiem74

Anyone any thought's ?

mikehn

Hi
It looks like your folks will be without pics until next week at best, depending on how quickly NTL makes a cherrypicker available, Hint they can "push" a call so a couple of irate calls on Sun/ Mon/ Tues wont hurt.
It sounds like they are receiving an MMDS signal, a mesh with a down converter attached, the problem is probably with the down converter, failure of these account for about 40% of the calls ,he only solution is replacement.
So no quick fix.
if your folks have problems in the future it is essential that they ask the NTL person to check their record to make sure that the call is booked as a two man/cherrypicker call.
Basically NTL do not give a high priority to service calls I was with Chorus until last year and up to 06 they strove for a next day service for calls recd early.
The engineer was following protocol when he rebooked the call, the Ntl person on the phone was talking rubbish when the said he should have called someone else for assistance.
NB Sky is only 20yoyos a month for basic service, after 12 mths cancel sub and you have free to air as equipment is then yours, depends on what channels the folks want

eddiem74

Thanks, actually something weird today.

My mam asked the neighbour if they could turn off their newly self installed LIDL dish, and equipment, as it seemed to coinside with when the problems started.

They did that today, and when my mam checked initially there was no improvement. However this evening when they checked, everything was back working??? So either the wind today done something or the interference was from the LIDL hardware?

Mossy Monk

If it was the Lidl equipment then you surely would have seen an improvement immediately when it was switched off. All very odd.

eddiem74

Mossy Monk wrote: »

If it was the Lidl equipment then you surely would have seen an improvement immediately when it was switched off. All very odd.

Yeah, unless it wasn't totally off or something ?? Weird for sure !