Fibre Optics...

The area I used to live in had fibre optic broadband.  My new area doesn't and the internet/phone connection is rubbish.

Is there anyway to find out if your area is scheduled to have fibre optic lines put in, or where you can go to try and petition for it?

It's silly, but I rely on the internet so much for staying in touch in the US, and it cuts out so frequently out here.  Plus, our phone has constant static happening.  We thought it was the receiver itself but when we changed it, the same thing happens.

Is there anything I can do in the meantime?  I've had line issues before in Glasgow (we went through multiple providers but had the same issue so it was definitely the lines) but of course no one ever wants to admit that there might actually be a problem with the connection and not the user. 

Is there anyway to find out if your area is scheduled to have fibre optic lines put in, or where you can go to try and petition for it?

http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProducts/displayTopic.do?topicId=29017

There's a map on this link that tells you when your area is supposed to get it, but it says Watford has it now (that's the big city we're closest to) and we don't have it, so take the map with a grain of salt.

Is there anything I can do in the meantime?  I've had line issues before in Glasgow (we went through multiple providers but had the same issue so it was definitely the lines) but of course no one ever wants to admit that there might actually be a problem with the connection and not the user. 

http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProducts/displayTopic.do?topicId=25795

You can check the speed you're getting against what you're supposed to get.  If there's a big discrepancy you can probably convince them to come figure out why.  If your speed is what it should be, though, then you're pretty much out of luck as far as I know.  I sympathize; our broadband is only about 1.8 Mb/s, which feels excruciatingly slow.

Thanks for this!  Looks like its not coming here anytime soon. 

The thing is, our internet connection goes back and forth between being pretty good and absolutely appalling.  It will be good for a week and then it will be crap for 2 weeks.  Sometimes moving the modem to a different phone jack helps, when it's just not working at all, but otherwise I don't know what to do.  Initially we thought it was the modem/router because the wireless is terrible, but we tried a few things and it didn't really improve. It might still be the case, or at least a contributing factor, but I've done everything suggested to no avail, and they seem to only have those suggestions. 

I just have to have my laptop hooked up with an ethernet cable if I want to get anything done, but even then it will be crap.

Right now, when it's pretty terrible, the download speed is 128kb/s and the upload speed is 356kb/s.  We're supposed to be able to get, I think 5.5mb/s.  Certainly nowhere near it!

I'll have to try and call them again.  I miss cable so much!

NOT - we will chat. When we got Sky unlimited broadband up to 20MB - I tested it EVERYDAY. For the first month it was brilliant like 18!!
Second month it dropped to 4 - I raised H$ll and said this is not right and I fought it.
They said they set it for an average and I kept on it.
Right now I have 17MB and it doesn't move - I ranted enough for 2 months.
The upload is always crap maybe 2 but its the dl I care about.

We cant get fiber optic here yet either!

As for static on your home phone - check the box on the wall.  We actually installed a new box to ensure no static on the Internet connection.

Just a thought.
Just stay on them and complain if you signed up for 5.5 then by goodness GET IT!
;-)

Thanks CW!  We have Virgin, and we were totally happy with them at our old place, but ever since we moved it's been a nightmare.  Connection issues aside, they told us when we were moving that there would be no charge for it, and then took £75 out of BF's account for a move fee without even sending any bill or notifying us.  They said they sent an e-mail to the e-mail address they set up for BF which they never gave him access to, despite the fact that all previous correspondence went to his personal e-mail anyway and they had it on record.     Needless to say, we got that back. 

I think I'll have BF call them and see where we get.  Ideally, I'd like to have someone come out here and just go through everything, the connection points, the modem, etc, but I know that's pretty much impossible here.  In the US I had Cablevision, and whenever there was a problem they wouldn't hesitate to send someone out to have a look.  I miss that! 

I'll look into getting a new box set up for the phone.  Or maybe I'll move it to one of the other phone jacks to see if that could be a temporary fix.  Thanks for the suggestions!

You can buy microfilters for DSL connections
Maplin is probably the best place to go:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/cables/telephone-cables-and-accessories/adsl-accessories

After we had the house alarm installed we noticed a drop off with internet speeds. Discovered after some tweeking about the phone connection so we would be notified that the house had been entered was causing it



Might be worth putting the filters on all phone connections..

Are you talking about the D Link thing in the photo?  If so, we already have them. 

It is a good idea to check the wiring of the house before you call the company out. If they find that it is a problem on 'your end', they charge you for the call out.

The best way I have found to check is to find where the line enters the dwelling and jack in right there with appropriate filter. Test the speeds over different periods. Compare that to what you get elsewhere in the house.

If you find that the speeds drop say in the bedroom as compared to the entry point, then it is a problem with the wiring in the house and is not the company's problem. But if it is crappy at the entry point as well then you know it is the line coming into the house and they will have to do something (in theory) if speeds are not measuring up to those advertised. 

I currently have a long phone cord running out my window to the entry point as the wires in my wall are the problem - a Mississippi jumper.

I bought a 12 foot Ethernet cord and ran it to the entry point 
Then I fought for my speed

Are you talking about the D Link thing in the photo?  If so, we already have them. 

Yeah filters.
If those arent working, fight with Virgin to get them to sort things out from their end. Be persistent.

Sorry I couldnt have been of more help

I bought a 12 foot Ethernet cord and ran it to the entry point 
Then I fought for my speed

One other idea...my connection from the street is a little box outside in the elements (not water-proof). I opened it and it was quite damp in there. So every now and then I fog it all down with WD40 to drive the moisture off the connectors.

Virgin respond to their Twitter MUCH better than anywhere else. If you do need to complain do it via twitter+ email

If you've got noise on the phone line and the connection speed is erratic, keep calling them to complain.  We had the same thing at our current house.  Our provider is PlusNet, so whenever there's a problem they just send a BT OpenReach person.

First they put in a new wall jack (probably should've been charged, but I was really nice to the guy and offered a cup of tea, and he didn't mention any charges, so I didn't ask).  Then they checked the box down the street, and eventually a box up on a pole where they found & replaced some corroded wires.  Ever since the connection has been solid.

It took a few weeks of them coming out and checking something, then monitoring the speed before the problem would happen again, and calling again to go through the entire history so we could go to the next troubleshooting step, but we eventually got there.

If you've got noise on the phone line and the connection speed is erratic, keep calling them to complain.  We had the same thing at our current house.  Our provider is PlusNet, so whenever there's a problem they just send a BT OpenReach person.

First they put in a new wall jack (probably should've been charged, but I was really nice to the guy and offered a cup of tea, and he didn't mention any charges, so I didn't ask).  Then they checked the box down the street, and eventually a box up on a pole where they found & replaced some corroded wires.  Ever since the connection has been solid.

It took a few weeks of them coming out and checking something, then monitoring the speed before the problem would happen again, and calling again to go through the entire history so we could go to the next troubleshooting step, but we eventually got there.

If still not fixed shoot me a PM. Partner works in systems there and he might be able to get you prioritised, if not look at it himself.