The ADSL saga begins........
Aramiska 2Mbps satellite connection running fine but latency an issue on VoIP etc. It works but it could be better and I'm trying to stay alive here, not pay BT my pension. So, get this, had to reinstall a BT phone line (which I have done without for months) to get ADSL so I can run Skype, FWD etc ie not to use for phone calls at all!
Order ADSL from Phone Co-op. No problem, line switched on no fuss in under a week. Gap of a couple of weeks whilst Joel works through his hectic schedule to fit me in on his travels. Arrives yesterday armed with ADSL router, load balancing kit, and armfuls of other bits and bats to sort out minor issues on mesh, with cat5 network etc. Office and house now emptying national grid at alarming rate!
ADSL router plugged in and configured in several seconds. Line comes up with acceptable ADSL speeds 512+ down and 240 ish up) - yeah, OK it's crap and shouldn't be called broadband but I just need that stability on the upload for voice and video to work. Line down, line up, line down, constantly. Phone Phone Co-op who arrange a BT line test. Call this morning from Phone Co-op - BT say your phone line isn't working and your router isn't powered on. Odd that as the call is on the phone line that apparently is non-functional, and the router has multiple green lights on - just not the permanently on PPP light which will indicate the ADSL is working properly.
I await the next call........And start planning the next major UK-wide survey which I proposed as part of the 'Job not done' project some time back. Yep, I am going to prove 1) that just because exchanges are enabled does not mean you can get broadband 2)what percentage of the UK will be ADSL have-nots during summer 2005 when everyone is supposed to be back-slapping about us being the most extensive and competitive nation for broadband 3) that 95% coverage is a load of marketing crap to avoid the real issues and 4) ADSL is not f***ing broadband.
Watch this space.
