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I was so much Older Then....
May. 4th, 2007 08:05 pmAnd, yes, we are back online. And where was the fault? You know, that fault that was part of "your line has been tested and is working okay" fault?
Yes, you've guessed it. It was at the Exchange.
The BT guy arrived (hooray!) and was, of course, pleasant enough. He checked my line and said that the "oscillator" was pinging out about 1.2km, well within the range of my Exchange. So, off he tootled to Lee High Road, and fixed the problem. Then he came back, reconnected everything, and broadband works fine.
He tried to explain to me how broadband lines can cause BT's automatic testing equipment to give a faulty diagnosis, but, whatever the cause, it sounds like a crap testing system, particularly since broadband penetration is now reaching a very high level.
He also mentioned to me a case of a woman who had got the BT Hub system and, from the way the guy described it (the line was fine, her computer was fine, but she couldn't get online) it was clear that the hardware was faulty. so he couldn't do anything for the poor woman. Moral, steer clear of "Home Hub", at least in the short term.
Oh, and you pricks at the Indian end of the BT call centre. "I WAS RIGHT. YOU WERE WRONG."
Oh yes, here's that snippet of conversation that occurred as I neared the end of my tether, at the end of many minutes of frustration as I tried to get them to accept that my line was faulty:
"Look, I've had a broadband connection for eight years. I understand how broadband and routers and computers work. How long have you been working for BT?"
"Twenty years."
"There, you're lying AGAIN! There's no way you have worked for BT for 20 years, and how do I know that? Because BT hasn't EXISTED for 20 years" (OK, I know I'm kind of stretching the truth here, but you know and I know that BT hasn't had a call centre in India for 20 years).
"I did not say 20 years. I said one year. I have been working for BT for one year."
"You did say 20 years. I heard you. Now I've caught you out in a lie and you are denying what you said".
"I could not have said that I have been working with BT for 20 years, because I am only 27."
"How do I know how old you are? You could be 57 as far as I know."
"No, I am 27, so I could not have said that I have been working for BT for 20 years."
"But you might be lying about how old you are as well."
"No, I am 27. So I could not have said that I have been working for BT as long as 20 years."
Well, you can't compete with logic like that, can you?
+++++
One thing that I forgot to mention about Cathay Pacific is that their headphone sockets are "large size" (as opposed to Virgin and all the other airlines I recall flying on, where the sockets are small-size, i.e., the right size for most headphones). So, if you are flying Cathay Pacific and plan to use your own headphones, take an adaptor.
+++++
Some time in the next 24 hours I'll get round to uploading some more pictures and editing the ones that are up via BTYahoo into ones via Photobucket.
+++++
Despite some sturdy cleaning and tidying in the office, I keep finding new dirty bits. I hadn't realized, for example, how dirty the skirting boards (US = "baseboards") were. More work for the all-purpose cleaner. Oh, and the curtain rail, and the windows. And, now I look at it, the curtains could do with a trip to the dry-cleaners, and the shelving is definitely getting dusty.... Sigh.
On the plus side, progress is being made with Tom Waits piano piece. Albeit v. slowly.
Now, I calculate that, at the current rate at which house prices are increasing, that if I want to make an uneconomic move and buy downstairs, I really ought to do something useful with my poker time and win $500K or thereabouts in the next six months. Shouldn't be a problem....
And still no response from the Sofitel Plaza. I wonder if I can claim on my travel insurance for a shoe left in a hotel room?
Yes, you've guessed it. It was at the Exchange.
The BT guy arrived (hooray!) and was, of course, pleasant enough. He checked my line and said that the "oscillator" was pinging out about 1.2km, well within the range of my Exchange. So, off he tootled to Lee High Road, and fixed the problem. Then he came back, reconnected everything, and broadband works fine.
He tried to explain to me how broadband lines can cause BT's automatic testing equipment to give a faulty diagnosis, but, whatever the cause, it sounds like a crap testing system, particularly since broadband penetration is now reaching a very high level.
He also mentioned to me a case of a woman who had got the BT Hub system and, from the way the guy described it (the line was fine, her computer was fine, but she couldn't get online) it was clear that the hardware was faulty. so he couldn't do anything for the poor woman. Moral, steer clear of "Home Hub", at least in the short term.
Oh, and you pricks at the Indian end of the BT call centre. "I WAS RIGHT. YOU WERE WRONG."
Oh yes, here's that snippet of conversation that occurred as I neared the end of my tether, at the end of many minutes of frustration as I tried to get them to accept that my line was faulty:
"Look, I've had a broadband connection for eight years. I understand how broadband and routers and computers work. How long have you been working for BT?"
"Twenty years."
"There, you're lying AGAIN! There's no way you have worked for BT for 20 years, and how do I know that? Because BT hasn't EXISTED for 20 years" (OK, I know I'm kind of stretching the truth here, but you know and I know that BT hasn't had a call centre in India for 20 years).
"I did not say 20 years. I said one year. I have been working for BT for one year."
"You did say 20 years. I heard you. Now I've caught you out in a lie and you are denying what you said".
"I could not have said that I have been working with BT for 20 years, because I am only 27."
"How do I know how old you are? You could be 57 as far as I know."
"No, I am 27, so I could not have said that I have been working for BT for 20 years."
"But you might be lying about how old you are as well."
"No, I am 27. So I could not have said that I have been working for BT as long as 20 years."
Well, you can't compete with logic like that, can you?
+++++
One thing that I forgot to mention about Cathay Pacific is that their headphone sockets are "large size" (as opposed to Virgin and all the other airlines I recall flying on, where the sockets are small-size, i.e., the right size for most headphones). So, if you are flying Cathay Pacific and plan to use your own headphones, take an adaptor.
+++++
Some time in the next 24 hours I'll get round to uploading some more pictures and editing the ones that are up via BTYahoo into ones via Photobucket.
+++++
Despite some sturdy cleaning and tidying in the office, I keep finding new dirty bits. I hadn't realized, for example, how dirty the skirting boards (US = "baseboards") were. More work for the all-purpose cleaner. Oh, and the curtain rail, and the windows. And, now I look at it, the curtains could do with a trip to the dry-cleaners, and the shelving is definitely getting dusty.... Sigh.
On the plus side, progress is being made with Tom Waits piano piece. Albeit v. slowly.
Now, I calculate that, at the current rate at which house prices are increasing, that if I want to make an uneconomic move and buy downstairs, I really ought to do something useful with my poker time and win $500K or thereabouts in the next six months. Shouldn't be a problem....
And still no response from the Sofitel Plaza. I wonder if I can claim on my travel insurance for a shoe left in a hotel room?
