FTTC checker auto notification

I've encountered the increasingly common situation of moving to a postcode with a full cabinet. I found this old thread about setting up a page track that will email if the BT DSL check changes its status, but I can't get it working:

http://forums.thinkbroadband.com/fibre/4313768-how-t...

Is there a better method now, or am I doing something silly that causes it to return a 404 error?

I think the checker has been fixed to detect robotic accesses and kill them. You aren't the first to report this.

If you read te T & Cs below the rest of the bumpf:-

3. Use of the Site

This Site is a user interface; it is not designed for managing automated process such as macros and robots that input volume transactions over short periods of time. If you have a requirement to transact with BT Wholesale in this way, please contact your Account Manager.

If BT becomes aware that you are using the Site in this way, BT may suspend or block access to the Site or any area of the Site without notice.

They've made it more difficult to automate the process in order to screen scrape the data. There have also been some reports of them blocking IP address that they believe to be an unauthorised system constantly accessing the data.

In reply to a post by cymru123:

They've made it more difficult to automate the process in order to screen scrape the data. There have also been some reports of them blocking IP address that they believe to be an unauthorised system constantly accessing the data.

You can still do automated checks, and while hey do block IP's, this is normally when you do too many checks close together.

I have been able to do the odd check every hour or two (using random timing) fine.

And yes its more difficult than it was before, and you have to do multiple page requests before you do the actual check, a bit how the browser does it now, if you don't and you directly just do the actual check it says invalid page or something like that.

Paul

Good to know, though do you have any noob friendly tips for setting up an auto check? Do you still use followthatsite?

On a related note, I contacted the local council to see if they had any further info regarding planned cabinet upgrades, but they pointed me straight back toward OpenReach who have so far ignored my queires. Almost seems kafkaesque...

I'm not aware of any available free web application out there that can successfully do this, however as PaulKirby has stated is is possible to create your own with some development, however as stated previously this is against the T&Cs.

Thanks Paul, yep I'm aware that you can still do this in the way you have described. I was just stating that they have made it harder for web applications such as followthatsite to screen scrape that data without the necessary steps to be taken first.

There are people who visit this site who may have access to inside info.

In reply to a post by Onix:

Good to know, though do you have any noob friendly tips for setting up an auto check? Do you still use followthatsite?

I have never used followthatsite feature due to I am not really happy supplying personal information to 3rd parties.

As stated by cymru123, I have written my own app(s) for both BT Wholesale, Where and when Checkers and also Roadworks, along with other custom apps, both checker sites have tried to make it harder for people to automate checks, but like I have already said it still can be done, but with additional steps, which is probably why followthatsite doesn't work now.

In reply to a post by Onix:

On a related note, I contacted the local council to see if they had any further info regarding planned cabinet upgrades, but they pointed me straight back toward OpenReach who have so far ignored my queires. Almost seems kafkaesque...

Try this if you haven't already done so.

Enquiries about when superfast broadband will be available or delays to providing superfast broadband should be submitted here.

And for section 8 choose option "Why is there a delay in providing my fibre broadband?" this has in the past given me more information.

Hope that helps.

Paul

In reply to a post by cymru123:

Thanks Paul, yep I'm aware that you can still do this in the way you have described. I was just stating that they have made it harder for web applications such as followthatsite to screen scrape that data without the necessary steps to be taken first.

Agreed, TBH I have never used followthatsite, but my guesses are that it either injects the required information in the URL Bar as a GET Query, or it allows the user to supply the required information and it does a POST request.

If so I cannot see that working any more since their changes which you probably already know.

Example of how it has to work:
[Phone Number Check]
1: Request main BTW page.
2: Entering phone number and send request.
3: If valid number extract information from response data.
Done

[Address Check]
1: Request main BTW page.
2: Request address checker option.
3: Request Proceed.
4: Entering Post Code.
5: Select required address from the response data.
6: Request with extracted information.
7: Extract response data.
Done

You also have to use Cookies along with the Referer along with other info for both ways or else it will fail.

TBH, I haven't tried the BTW checker for a while now due to receiving an email telling me to stop, which I did, I was back then doing several thousands of checks for people back then.
So they might of changed stuff, I know they now have a new valid Cert which is good.

Paul