Hi

Regarding Openreach, could someone give me an idea what a Hawk or Mole looks like? As far as I know, the guy who came here only hooked up a laptop.

I don't think he checked any internal wiring either and he definitely didn't check up the pole.

The other thing is, of he was so sure that it was a dodgy filter why didn't he fit one of Openreach's own brand filter and bill me for it rather than put mine back if it was faulty? I'd left 3 microfilters out and don't suppose he tested any of these either.

Seems to be an easy £150+ for around half hours work.

I had a problem a couple of years ago where my line went dead. The voice side was fixed by the next day. The engineer left a message on my answering machine, saying there was a fault at the exchange which had been fixed, but I'd be without the internet for 10 days for some reason.

An email to Pipex (my then ISP) was no use as they weren't aware of any fault, and couldn't (wouldn't !!!) help but I should get back to BT who said it wasn't their problem get back to Pipex who... (ad nauseum). Two weeks later my broadband came back. Looks like it was a cease & re-provide.

I'm left with a similar problem now. BT say there's no line fault as confirmed by their remote testing initiated from India and my ISP say they can't do anything if there's a line fault. And with it being an 'intermittent' problem, I'm concerned about being hit for £150+ every time someone comes out, even though I don't think the problem is at the house.

LLU isn't really an option here either. There is only Orange, Talk Talk, Bulldog and PIpex/Tiscali (who converted me stealthily to a LLU sometime last year and whom I left in April this year to go with my present ISP and had to pay £50 to convert to a non LLU).

Cue lots of banging head against wall!

Phill

yeah after 10 or so visits I also dont know what a mole looks like, its odd that some people will get an engineer he does a good job uses a mole etc. changes dropwire that sort of stuff.

Whilst me and you we get just a laptop online woosh test and job done. At least I have never been charged for a visit tho so thats some conselation I guess.

Openreach couldn't even be bothered to turn up on the day they were supposed to either.

A quote from my ISP regarding the report from the "Tests" is below:

"[06-07-2009 20:16:42] 15 - Engineer notes suggest that he found line
noisy due tocustomers adsl faceplate which was not filtering properly.Line was working Ok and circuit was insync with
engineers filter."

"At the moment BT are suggesting the visit is chargeable due to the failed face plate I'm afraid".

The above doesn't fill me with hope regarding charges. Again, no list of tests actually carried out.

Phill

on one occasion I had a engineer turn up who then told me he was a voice engineer and nothing he can do so promptly left.. This was during my time on aaisp, and aaisp show the BTw logs to the customer so I can see what BTw reported back to aaisp. The BTw report to aaisp was that the engineer turned up and did laptop tests which passed with flying colours. So after experiencing that I will certianly believe what you are saying, anything seems to be possible with BT now days.

Hi,

He had to borrow a torch off me too, even if it was as bright as a Birthday cake candle!

I was thinking about the Hawk/Mole maybe a clue is in the names? Hawk checks above ground cables and the Mole, well, underground cables? Or maybe my powers of deduction aren't too hot!
Wondered at one point whether these items were software based and that's why he used the laptop so much. Though I suppose taking a laptop up the pole would be a bit cumbersome!

All we can do is hope eh? Yeah right!

No doubt they still want their line rental too?!

Phill.

The hawk tests for line length, capacitance and is a multimeter. The mole tests for cable faults.
Oh, and the laptop runs the woosh test as already mentioned.

Edited by deleted (Mon 20-Jul-09 12:28:20)

Hi,

So is either the Hawk or Mole used inside the property? I swear that he said that if it was a HR Dis, then "this would have shown it" by "this" he meant laptop.

I think I'm going to have to ask for a list of tests carried out somehow from my ISP.

You just need to hook them onto the cable at the network termination.

Well,

Looks like Openreach are paying me another visit:

When the engineer goes out to check the fault he will test your line from your main socket back to the exchange. If the fault is found to be with your own equipment or internal wiring you may be charged for this visit.

If the fault is with your own equipment or wiring, the cost of the repair is as follows Call Out fee £115.00 including VAT and a per hour rate of £99.00 including VAT.

To which I replied:

Hi,

Thursday is fine.

If I do get charged and the fault reappears, then I assume that I would be entitled to a refund?

Like I have said, I feel that I have replaced all the things that I can replace. For BT Openreach to blame the filter which was fitted from new 2 days prior to them coming out the first time feels like a bit of a cop out.

Are things like terminations prior to the DP going to be checked for signs of corrosion/wear as a matter of course? Surely with there being noise (crackle) through the handset whilst plugged into the test socket with no ADSL equipment, then this is something to consider.

I am really concerned that if there is a problem which is weather related that this is going to cause a false positive and result in my getting charged. But, if the line is going to be thoroughly checked then this is a chance I have to take.

Bet it'll be the filter again somehow!

I'd run Router Stats again for a few hours this morning. Initially sync was at 2528 kbps with Rx noise of 4 dB which peaked at 10dB.

Gradually over a period of ~ 40 minutes where it dropped to < 0 dB and sync was lost.

When sync was re-established, it was at 160 kbps with a Rx Noise of 16 dB and has peaked at 27 dB.

Phill

-----------------
The hawk tests for line length, capacitance and is a multimeter. The mole tests for cable faults.
Oh, and the laptop runs the woosh test as already mentioned.
------------------

100% wrong.

The mole is history to anyone with a Hawk. When you get a Hawk, you have (supposed) to return your mole, 1083, & mega.

The Hawk replaces them all, & frankly, if used correctly is better. Costs about £1200 or did when it came out.

Openreach engineers no longer have access to whooh or should I say the main ADSL parts (BTW only). The laptop runs it's own tests & can interact (cable or bluetooth) with the Hawk.