Are there maps of phone lines? (Local if possible)

Fogmatic

I'd like to solve a puzzle about where Eircom thinks my telephone exchange is, as it might help with an ongoing formal complaint about this wretched phone line.

To explain; I'm in Co. Donegal, on the N56 between Killybegs and Ardara, both of which have broadband-enabled exchanges. The number Eircom gave me in 1992, when they installed the phone line, is 074 97, as is Killybegs 7 km away, but the physical line is from Ardara, 5km away in the 074 95 area.

Eircom's computer has always thought my exchange is in Letterkenny, 60km away through Ardara & over the mountains (Letterkenny code is 074 91). BT's exchange checker thinks so too (though maybe they just got it from Eircom).
I don't understand how this can be (I asked Eircom years ago; they said they'd ring back but never did).
It just might explain why, when a fault I logged recently was still there, Eircom had told my ISP (UTV) that they'd "fixed it at the exchange". And why Eircom were certain for years that I could get ADSL. (And why my phone no. barred me from voting for a broadband trigger scheme Eircom had for Ardara once!).

I've tried some phone numbers I know in the BT exchange checker. As I'd expect, it told me those between here and Ardara are from the Ardara exchange, & those towards Killybegs have the Killybegs exchange. Mine though, and the neighbour's across the road, are supposed to have the Letterkenny exchange. I was alone at the end of the line to start with, then it branched across the road (then to 2 or 3 others, but I haven't got their numbers yet).

I don't want this confusion to muddle the formal complaint that UTV will receive any day now. If possible, I'd like to be able to demonstrate to UTV that my exchange is Ardara, and showing them the lines would help (they probably don't have as much local knowledge as Eircom).

If there is such a thing online as a map/diagram of the lines, the fewer links to click through the better (see 1st paragraph!)

cgarvey

Fogmatic wrote: »

If there is such a thing online as a map/diagram of the lines, the fewer links to click through the better (see 1st paragraph!)

Nope, 'fraid not. I doubt even eircom have a complete map!

Sponge Bob

Nope. The 'Letterkenny' thing is a number block that BT know are assigned to 074 but not specifically where it is assigned in the 074 area . It could even be assigned to a new exchange but only if you are very lucky .

You are therefore on either Killybegs or Ardara but on a NEW block of 1000 numbers assigned in recent years and not on an old long assigned block

The BT information is in this spreadsheet ( warning 4mbytes) which is fairly useless for line testing

http://www.eircomwholesale.ie/dynamic/pdf/Call%20origination%20and%20termination%20Jan_2009A.xls

0749537000 + 999
0749541000 + 999

are Ardara

074 9731000 +999
074 9732000 +999
074 9741000 +999

are Killybegs

Bet you are on another block

Fogmatic

Thanks for confirming my suspicion, cgarvey!

Looks as if mine (975****) is in a new block then, Sponge Bob - many thanks for the info.
(No new exchanges round here).
Well, I did alert UTV in the complaint letter about the 97 number/physical exchange in 95 (& mentioned the possibly associated frustrations), so hopefully it won't be a problem for complaint purposes.
Why I wasn't allowed to vote for the trigger scheme at the only exchange I could possibly get broadband from (even with a good line), will perhaps have to remain a mystery!

watty

Those trigger schemes were a scam.

I couldn't vote because my number was with Chorus.
The number of phones needed exceeded the phone lines in use in the village with eircom.

Sponge Bob

eircom did not bother their holes with loading new blocks into the trigger scam as they were activated , thats why .

seems like a new Killybegs block to me , 9751 is it not , eg Donegal Oil on 9751003

Fogmatic

Well, I did wonder at the time, watty, whether Eircom was just making the right noises. They were my ISP & phone provider then; it was just my number that was "wrong" (as far as I know anyway, with not being able to get any further!).

Yes Sponge Bob, my no. is a 9751. I was given it on installation in 1992, and was at the end of the line (the only connection for quite a long way towards the exchange). Quite a few people then got connected off this line, which rather suggests a swathe of people here couldn't vote for the trigger scheme either. (Maybe repeated elsewhere too?).
You really seem to have your finger on the pulse - do you have local knowledge, or deep knowledge of the system nationally (or both?)

Sponge Bob

Both

The laws of physics tell us that nothing short of a new exchange around Meenavalley will ensure that DSL works half way between Killybegs and Ardara. However if you look up on the hill above Meenavalley you will see a mast on that wind farm and there lies the solution in the form of wireless BB .

rogue-entity

Eircom told me once before, that our phone line was connected to the 'Waterford Central Exchange' when I was enquiring before those recent speed increases and that I could avail of the 10 and 12Mbit products. Digiweb told me that I would not be upgraded beyond 3Mbit at the time, and Eircom's CS said the maximum speed my line was capable of, is 5Mbit.

However, simple physics ruled all of that out. With the attenuation on my line being only 18db.. and according to eircom connected to an exchange thats nearly 6km away, the line I have must be made of some stuff

Sponge Bob

You are most likely connected to one of the new DSL cabs that basically follow the ring road around Waterford , eg maybe Kilcohan or similar ???

To make matters _more_ complex they may even subtend the DSL out of these but merely carrier line the voice in parallel .

This means your voice is Waterford Central off a pairgain at the Cabinet while your DSL is off the local cabinet .

This is not a bad way to do things at _ALL_ but some transparency and consistent regulation would be nice and we will never get that from Ryan or Comreg

Not every cabinet will offer a full mini exchange , nor should it in my opinion where existing plant can be reused .

Fogmatic

Well, I don't know which hill you mean Sponge Bob, but I had one brief taste of broadband 2 months ago, before the mast had to be moved (a nice signal it was too, often over the advertised 2mbps down, according to speedtest.net). That one was up on Mulmasog mountain, NE of here towards Ardara.
Since our first hope (just over a year ago) of getting wireless BB, things have been too convoluted to relate here. (I'll just say the storyline involves 2 providers, at least 2 hills/associated masts, different offerings, temporary shutdowns, landowners changing their minds, health problems & information getting muddled). I've ordered from both providers, & have one hardware installation (just add radio waves). I don't know if I'll end up with a choice of providers/tariffs, or just 1 possibility, or no possibility. (But at least no money's changed hands yet, so there won't be the struggle to get refunds that's so familiar in these forums!).

The wind turbines near Ardara are out of sight here (as are all but 1 masts in that direction), but we can see a turbine on the hill (Balbane I think) to the west of the road (it's our weather-vane). We haven't noticed any mast there (though some only show up in particular light/weather conditions). There's a youngish forestry plantation that'll hide that view soon, but it might be that Coillte would do a bit of judicious pruning if asked (they seem very keen these days on keeping the locals happy).

I've just revisited Magnet's website; they were the only ADSL provider saying last year that their offerings were available in my area. From my phone number, it still says (very slowly at 12kbps) that they are, very high-speed ones included. Looks like those blocks of new numbers are throwing everyone!

Sponge Bob

Hmm, if Balbane is the hill between Glengesh and the N59 with 3-5 turbines on it then that is the one I am talking about . Mulmusóg is where that infamous MMDS mast is from what I remember .

If ye have any any TV interference since the windfarms went in then that could 'cause' a mast to be installed to fix the issue

Fogmatic

The hill I mean is in the Glengesh direction, but we can't see from here how many turbines (just 1 fully visible, plus the skyward ends of another set of blades).
Yes, those local MMDS protests were at Mulmasog.

Re TV interference; you wouldn't of course be suggesting some devious plan (on these highly upright forums)? Anyway, our TV signals (both Irish & spillover BBC, analogue only so far) come from the opposite direction, so I don't think it would be too convincing.

We've just seen a new mast, fully visible between 2 hilltops to the SE. I'm wondering if it's the one Fastcom said it was going to put up (have to wait till Monday to ring them). If so, I'd better hurry up the other crowd (who have an offering I'd prefer) to get round to the installation on the mast they moved in November, so we know if I can get their signal again!

Sponge Bob

I would remind you that a cowboy BBC deflector is totally irrelevant and that a turbine blade spinning and interfering with RTE is the only 'strand' worth pursuing .

Fastcom have licences in your area and hopefully the ghost of Tom Gildea does not come around to haunt them with its technological primitiveness ....and I know it is still alive

Fogmatic

Cowboy deflectors? The very idea! No need for those - we just happen to get BBC TV straight from their Enniskillen transmitter.
Which reminds me, must get round to trying the Freeview thing again. We were lent a box to try once, which didn't work by itself, but apparently a booster on the ariel would probably do the trick.

The name Tom Gildea rings a bell, but I can't remember why.

Fogmatic

Just an update (after being busy, away, & busy again);

The fixed-wireless broadband has now reappeared :)from Antenna Electronics (aka John), who had installed the receiver in November, but was in dispute with a landowner and had to move his Mulmasog mast too far away for me. He put another small mast up this side of Mulmasog, which did the trick (for others also). I don't know what the new big mast to the SE of Meenavalley is, but probably not Fastcom's as they haven't been back in touch about my order.
It was between Fastcom's 2mb up & down at about €40pm and Antenna's 2 up, .5 down at about €25pm. I didn't think the extra €15 for the 2 up was worth it for me, so it was convenient that Antenna got there first.

It's wonderful to be able to use the internet properly, but it doesn't affect my wish to get something done about the landline, one iota. UTV seem to be taking it seriously, have looked at my modem logs etc, and are currently trying to negotiate with Eircom, though they warned that there's no legal right to internet access (my line sometimes gets below voice quality though, which may be a possible card up the sleeve?). UTV recommended additionally that we (the bunch of people at this neglected end of the phone line) contact our local councillor, TD etc about it (I'll get that together as soon as there's time).

Sponge Bob

raise a formal complaint about the intermittent voice faults and "functional internet access" not working ( ie stable 28.8k dialup)

you have digital tv on truskmore now but a uk freeview box will not work in the south where one of ours will work up north if that is any help

SkepticOne

Fogmatic wrote: »

It's wonderful to be able to use the internet properly, but it doesn't affect my wish to get something done about the landline, one iota.

Why don't you run VoIP over your wireless connection, cancel the land line then Eircom can sing for their line rental.

PogMoThoin

TBH

Fogmatic

Thanks Sponge Bob; I have a formal complaint ongoing, details at http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055307170&page=6.

I was told a Freeview box will work in some spots in my area, but it's impossible to predict where, so I was lent a box once to try. It didn't work, but apparently it should work with an ariel booster, which I haven't got round to trying yet.

Thanks for the suggestions, Pog and Skeptic, but one of the reasons we want to keep our landline is to keep in touch with those relatives in the UK who don't use computers or mobiles. And our UTV phone/dialup bundle makes financial sense to us, as most of our call charges would be to the UK, if we couldn't now call there free offpeak. It would make sense even without the dialup internet connection.

oscarBravo

For €15 a month - a tenner less than your Eircom line rental - Blueface will give you unlimited calls to UK and Irish landlines, and you can port your existing landline number.

Fogmatic

Thanks oscar; I wasn't aware of Blueface. It's all those years of trying to avoid reading about the wonders that need broadband (it still hasn't quite sunk in that it's no longer frustrating to read IT news freely!).

I've looked into Blueface a bit and it looks ideal, subject to a few details I haven't checked out yet about meshing in with other stuff.

We're considering getting Sky satellite TV for instance, so I'd better ask Sky if Blueface would serve as the 'fixed line' they need.
If I can get them to answer the right question that is (it was quite a saga a few months ago, getting them to actually read what my questions were before answering!)

Does anyone here know if Blueface + Sky is possible? I don't think low quality periods would matter, as I managed to ascertain (eventually) that my noisy, 12kbps-at-best phone line would suffice for Sky's data. If Sky was ok with Blueface it would be easier than with our landline too (we'd have to tell Sky when that's been dead, or unplugged during thunderstorms).

watty

No Sky won't accept Blueface (IF ASKED) and it may not work on Blueface either. Though it might work often enough. If you port the existing number why would you tell them?

You can just about get Sky modem to work on UPC or Digiweb Metro (built in VOIP with QOS, no physical phone line on either). QOS isn't possible on Blueface.

PogMoThoin

You only need phoneline for multi room, Sky+ is available without it now.........for a one off fee of course

Fogmatic

Thanks for the info folks.
What's QOS?
I don't think we'd need multiroom, so it's interesting that S

Fogmatic

Sorry, wrong button!
....interesting that Sky wouldn't need a phone in that case (must be a new development since I was in touch with them last).

PogMoThoin

Fogmatic wrote: »

Sorry, wrong button!
....interesting that Sky wouldn't need a phone in that case (must be a new development since I was in touch with them last).

You'll have to pay a one off fee