Biddies on 1800 503303

BigEejit

I have been looking at posts here for a while and I have noticed a few peeps saying that having a sky digibox and answering machine and another couple of phones and modems attached is almost certainly going to cause your line test to fail ... with that in mind I disconnected everything but a single phone and intended to go about getting the line tested. But, I was talking to my wife on the phone (from work) this morning and it went beep beep beep and died. Sarah at 1901 said its a short on the line and someone will be round soon. I was bored so I decided I'd find out about getting my line tested while they were fixing the fault. ... so starts the fun

I was just talking to Clare (who only asked for my phone number, not my account number, unlike the online test) about finding out if my line can get RADSL. She told me that the line is tested regularly and she has two results in front of her and they both say I failed and that was that. Final. No two ways about it. No way to get it retested. I'm thinking to myself "what a twat". I said that the line is dead at the moment and couldnt the engineer who is coming to fix it have a go at retesting it with just one phone connected in the house and she said "thats up to the engineer" .... Now I dont know what training these people get or is it just innate idiotic ignorance but talking (mostly listening) with that person left me with a bad taste in my mouth...

Anyway, to make a long story a bit longer, can anyone tell me where the Ballincollig exchange is and can anyone let me know how to get the fricking phone line (really) tested for RADSL this week.

shinzon

Thers absolutely nothing you can do to get your line passed for RADSL now.

Im not going to rehash the whole thing now, suffice to say your only route of action now is twofold, one ask the engineer to do it, if he doesnt your ****ed, the only other thing you can do is complain to the government and to comreg

As far as eirocms concerned your line has failed and there no use going back to them. a fails a fails a fail

reed through the rest of the threads on this board especially the rant and rave against eircom thread to see the increasing dissatisfaction and complete imcompetence of eircom in hadling the broadband rollout

SHIN

De Rebel

Originally posted by BigEejit
can anyone tell me where the Ballincollig exchange is

eircom can, phone them on 1901 and don't give up until you get an answer. thats how i found out where the douglas exchange is.

Venom

Not trying to sound like a smartarse but it will be upgraded when its upgraded. €ircom really dont give a fúck about its customers and never will until there about to go out of business.

Even when the exchange is upgraded you may be to far away from it.

BigEejit

Even when the exchange is upgraded you may be to far away from it.

The Ballincollig exchange is DSL enabled, and there is no-one telling me that if you can see the exchange you may still have more than 5km's of wire between you and it, there may be a teeny tiny percentage of customers who have more than 5kms of phone line between them and an exchange they can see, but I firmly believe that in situations like this the quality of the cable is the issue, not the distance.

Venom

Originally posted by BigEejit
The Ballincollig exchange is DSL enabled, and there is no-one telling me that if you can see the exchange you may still have more than 5km's of wire between you and it, there may be a teeny tiny percentage of customers who have more than 5kms of phone line between them and an exchange they can see, but I firmly believe that in situations like this the quality of the cable is the issue, not the distance.

I know what you mean but its not that simple due to the fact that although your house might be in the required distance limit for the exchange, say 5km for example, the way the lines are layed out might mean that the line distance would be 6km from your house to the exchange.

I do know that they are using a new test now as my line failed on the old test and now passed on the new one Then again it could of passed first time and the €ircom scumbags might of just lied to me to keep me on ISDN longer.

PAPILLION

i wanted to get my line tested in newbridge (just moved there) and they told me that i had to have the line 3 weeks before they could test it..... she couldn't explain properly why though. why?

BigEejit

Today I got an email from ESAT/IOL asking me to sign up for their RADSL package ... I thought to myself "fricking idiots*, sure my line has failed that frickin test about 8 times now, I cant get it .."
But then I thought, there must be some reason for them to start soliciting out of the blue, and guess what -- I passed ... (so says the eircon online jobbie) ... I am flabbergasted** to say the least, and I'm tempted to order as soon as I can "while the irons hot" so to speak in case they change their mind ... but I had to calm myself, deep breaths and that sort of thing ... so now I'm taking a close look at netsource ....
/me rubs hands gleefully

*definitely not eejits, they're smart:D
**first time I've written that down, it looks a bit stupid;)

parasite

I have noticed a few peeps saying that having a sky digibox and answering machine and another couple of phones and modems attached is almost certainly going to cause your line test to fail

does having a sky digibox phone point really affect your line quality ?!

Red Alert

Nope not really but if you're hanging a load of stuff, couple of phones, digibox, backup modem and maybe an alarm off the phone line the loop impedance will be too low and they won't pass you.

If you've got one of the old rotary-dial phones then you're in for trouble mate.

phaxx

Originally posted by parasite
does having a sky digibox phone point really affect your line quality ?!

I think the point he was trying to make is that the line quality also depends on how many pieces of equipment are connected to it, not that that particular piece affects it more than others.

Synkronite

Originally posted by shinzon
Thers absolutely nothing you can do to get your line passed for RADSL now.

SHIN

Never give up hope- remember I was with you in the exact same boat until one day, after enough hassling, both EsatBT and Eircom passed my line from DSL and now Im days (if not hours) away from browsing at 512Kbps

Dampsquid

i wanted to get my line tested in newbridge (just moved there) and they told me that i had to have the line 3 weeks before they could test it..... she couldn't explain properly why though. why?

The exchange in Newbridge hasn't been upgraded to DSL yet, so in 3 weeks, they'll tell you, "Sorry its not available in your area... And we don't know when it will be, cos we don't have a f*cking clue what we are doing"

Jorinn

Originally posted by Dampsquid
The exchange in Newbridge hasn't been upgraded to DSL yet, so in 3 weeks, they'll tell you, "Sorry its not available in your area... And we don't know when it will be, cos we don't have a f*cking clue what we are doing"

I believe spetember or never is the answer.

hmmm

Originally posted by BigEejit
Today I got an email from ESAT/IOL asking me to sign up for their RADSL package ... I thought to myself "fricking idiots*, sure my line has failed that frickin test about 8 times now, I cant get it .."

There seems to be a hell of a lot of people who have passed the line test with ESAT and failed with Eircom. My line is flying along on Esat DSL, no problems, even though Eircom failed it. A tad suspicious imo.

zz03

Originally posted by parasite
does having a sky digibox phone point really affect your line quality ?!

Everything you add within your home wiring environment reduces your chance of passing a line quality test. Extension cabling - particularly the stuff running near door hinges! Extra phones. Monitored alarms. And especially devices made for the British market such as Sky satellite receivers because they are made for a different loop standard that "sucks an eircom line dry".

What is urgently needed is a proper test mechanism where a DSL hopeful can "plug everything out" and call up to have a test performed in real-time to get a realistic result.

In the absence of this probably half the "DSL enabled" lines will fail if/when their subscribers attempt to sign up for broadband.

When you pass and get your DSL up and running, you can then selectively plug in your other phone network appliances one by one until you reach the point where the DSL modem will no longer work (unlikely to happen unless you have something defective on non compliant in your bag of tricks).


I have no doubt that eircom know this and probably use it as one of their many weapons to slow down DSL deployment for as long as possible.

If they wanted people to sign up for DSL they would have a proper real-time line test service in place.


zz..

BigEejit

Originally posted by zz03
Everything you add within your home wiring environment reduces your chance of passing a line quality test. Extension cabling - particularly the stuff running near door hinges!

Why particularly near door hinges?, danger of breaking one of those wires in the cables?

Originally posted by zz03
And especially devices made for the British market such as Sky satellite receivers because they are made for a different loop standard that "sucks an eircom line dry".

Good God Almighty ..
/me running around screaming
Vampires in the sitting room :eek:
I have to admit never having heard this before ... could you elaborate a bit ..

Originally posted by zz03
What is urgently needed is a proper test mechanism where a DSL hopeful can "plug everything out" and call up to have a test performed in real-time to get a realistic result.

Nail. Head.

zz03

Originally posted by BigEejit
Why particularly near door hinges?, danger of breaking one of those wires in the cables?

Yep. And various other permutations of the getting mangled and copper exposed theme.


Good God Almighty ..
/me running around screaming
Vampires in the sitting room :eek:
I have to admit never having heard this before ... could you elaborate a bit ..

While Europe has a standard for ISDN (EuroISDN) we have no standard for PSTN (ie analog loops). Every telco uses their own. BT use a very different specification to eircom. They also use capacitors in the linebox. eircom don't (normally). I find Spanish gadgets work well on the eircom network and they come with an RJ11 modular connector. They don't seem to cause electrical imbalances. The more features in a device that you plug into a line, the more likely it is going to cause problems. Even minor things can matter in a test such as using an adapter to connect a foreign connector to RJ11.

zz..

bk

Originally posted by zz03
I find Spanish gadgets work well on the eircom network and they come with an RJ11 modular connector. They don't seem to cause electrical imbalances.

zz..

Hi zz03, where do you get the Spanish Teleco gear from, any websites?

Cheers.

Urban Weigl

Originally posted by bk
Hi zz03, where do you get the Spanish Teleco gear from, any websites?

Cheers.

I have imported DACS phones from Germany (make: Siemens). The documentation says it is only meant for use in Luxenburg and Germany, but it works fine here too (been using those for years now, and the newest one for almost a year).

The only thing I noticed was that some of the functions on the phoens can't be used in Ireland as they are not available on the Eircom network. And the connectors all fit in Ireland, in fact they came with adapter pieces for use in Germany/Luxenburg. Power is 220 volts, you may need an adaptor (probably set you back all of 1 euro!) to plug the european plug into the english ones we have here. I have always been wondering why Ireland chose to use english/UK plugs instead of european ones. As far as I can remember it didn't used to be this way (some of the old ones one of our neighbors used to have was european, and not english).

zz03

Originally posted by bk
Hi zz03, where do you get the Spanish Teleco gear from, any websites?

I just buy them in shops when visiting. eg

http://www.elcorteingles.es/

zz..

zz03

Originally posted by Urban Weigl
Power is 220 volts, you may need an adaptor (probably set you back all of 1 euro!) to plug the european plug into the english ones we have here. I have always been wondering why Ireland chose to use english/UK plugs instead of european ones. As far as I can remember it didn't used to be this way (some of the old ones one of our neighbors used to have was european, and not english).

Absolutely. The British 3pin flat sockets are probably the poorest designed connectors one could find.

1) The pins overheat and burn. They had to cover the back end of the pins with insulation because people were electrocuting themselves touching the pin as it was plugged into the socket. The remaining exposed area of the pin is insufficient to provide a clean connection under heavier power loads - causing the arcing etc.

2) The fuse in the plug has been obsolete since the tripswitch and RCD came into use. A trip switch will go long before the fuse blows. The fuse is of no safety value.

3) Few of them have CE approval and are downright dangerous.

4) The 3 pin plugs on phone chargers, lap top computer power units and other mobile devices are bulky compared with normal 2 pin alternative.

5) They aren't used anywhere else forcing one to carry even bulkier adapters.

6) The 3 pins are sharp and can cause injury to children if they walk on them.

Ireland used to use the standard European 2 pin plug until about 30 years ago. I'm glad my parents had the foresight to keep them in situ when rewiring.

zz..

spongebob

Originally posted by zz03


Ireland used to use the standard European 2 pin plug until about 30 years ago. I'm glad my parents had the foresight to keep them in situ when rewiring.

zz..

In your dreams, they hardwired the phone into a junction box, typically on the skirting board. 30 years ago the waiting list for a phone was 3-4 years where I lived. In the next parish it was 7.

I have seen a round 'jack' connector as well, roughly te size of professional audio connectors, 1/2 inch or so.

M

sixtysix

do you think if a woman read these threads she might object to the phrase "biddy" being used to describe female employees of telco companies. its a sure sign that only men reside here-sad.

spongebob

Biddy is a generic term used to describe the hideous useless wagons with 'Civil Servant ' contracts that you get if you ring Eircom on 1901. Very few are male.

It has taken on a wider meaning of 'incompentent conniving shifty stroppy lying customer service person working for a telco' sorta meaning.....which also describes Eircoms customer service ethos as a by product.

EG

'I rang Eircom customer service' is an oxymoron and long

'I rang Biddy' encapulates the experience into the act and is not oxymoronic.

The ESB, for example, has the same female demographic in its customer service department but they are most certainly not Biddies. AIB 24 Hour are not Biddies, they are a professional and pleasant outfit.

M

Ro

Originally posted by BigEejit
I'm thinking to myself "what a twat".

I'm sure she was thinking exactly the same thing.

Everytime I have talked to the Eircom DSL sales dept they have been very helpful, courteous and professional. The same goes for the DSL support dept.

zz03

Originally posted by Muck
In your dreams, they hardwired the phone into a junction box, typically on the skirting board. 30 years ago the waiting list for a phone was 3-4 years where I lived. In the next parish it was 7.

I have seen a round 'jack' connector as well, roughly te size of professional audio connectors, 1/2 inch or so.

Re-read the thread please. We are talking about the mains electricity connection here - not the Dept of P&T!

zz..

spongebob

god I have gone OT havent I.....

the 3 pin plug is a Swedish invention adopted by the British and then ourselves. We also went right hand drive, can we apologise to Europe for that aberration as well?

M

dahamsta

Everytime I have talked to the Eircom DSL sales dept they have been very helpful, courteous and professional.

Nobody said anything about sales. Eircom are ignorant when it comes to many things, sales is not one of them. (Well, in one way. In another, slightly contradictory way, they're the most moronic people in the company.)

The same goes for the DSL support dept.

DSL support is a new department, it'll take a little while for the horror of it all to settle in. Try ringing Repairs from a residential line, see how you feel after the biddy sneers at you like you were a pus-filled boil on the face of humanity.

adam

zz03

Originally posted by Muck
We also went right hand drive, can we apologise to Europe for that aberration as well?

It's surely not an issue of apology? Though when one adds up the number of tourists that are killed or injured ....?

The extra cost per car (about 1,300 €) is not insignificant - about 200 million PA

The Swedes used to drive on the wrong side of the road too. They had the good sense to move over in the 1960s.

zz..

Ro

Originally posted by dahamsta
Everytime I have talked to the Eircom DSL sales dept they have been very helpful, courteous and professional.

Nobody said anything about sales.

1800503303 is the dsl sales dept.

dahamsta

My mistake.

BigEejit

Originally posted by Muck
Biddy is a generic term used to describe the hideous useless wagons with 'Civil Servant ' contracts that you get if you ring Eircom on 1901. Very few are male.
It has taken on a wider meaning of 'incompentent conniving shifty stroppy lying customer service person working for a telco' sorta meaning.....which also describes Eircoms customer service ethos as a by product.
EG
'I rang Eircom customer service' is an oxymoron and long
'I rang Biddy' encapulates the experience into the act and is not oxymoronic.
The ESB, for example, has the same female demographic in its customer service department but they are most certainly not Biddies. AIB 24 Hour are not Biddies, they are a professional and pleasant outfit.
M

I laughed out loud when I read this, absolutely spot on description ....
and in answer to Ro, the biddy in question told me that my line had failed and there was nothing to be done about and it would be a complete waste of time and effort to get it tested again etc etc (narky about it as well)... now my line is passing .. so she told me lies .. and as for her thinking that I'm a twat, I'd imagine that the specimen that was talking to me thought that about every person who rang her up

shinzon

I wonder if there stil failing my line cause i pissed em off somehow


LOL

regards

Shin