🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <cV34KcBKTWsyEAjC@turnpike.com>, Richard Clayton
<richard@turnpike.com> writes
>In article <fsMXNQAYC1ryEw5K@jelibeli.demon.co.uk>, Ian Coombs-Lewis
><ian@jelibeli.demon.co.uk> writes
>
>>I don't know if anyone from Demon will read this, but it may be
>>interesting to find out who is having what problems connecting to demon,
>>using what modem and dialling from where.  This is my contribution...
>>
>>

I use the o845 3535666 ENERGIS line, dialling from a 01923 exchange
(about 10 miles from Demon at Finchley). I almost never get a 33.6
connection, only occaisionally get a 31.2 and usually get a 28.8 hook-
up.

Perhaps it would be useful to put this into perpective. Modem speeds are
evolving faster than the telecom infrastructure that supports it can be
put in place. A lot of newer, high capacity fibre has been installed in
the UK.  However, much of this has gone into main and trunk lines,
especially those with heavy corporate commercial use. As a matter of
educated speculation, I believe that the vast majority of residential
homes are still fitted with low tech, low capacity, copper lines -
running through inefficient local distribution panels - most of which is
more than 30 years old. It doesn't really matter how fast your kit is on
your end, how modern and concientious Demon engineers are on their end,
or even how close you live to your ISP server site (you'd be surprised
at how BT routes "local" calls) - in the end, it only takes one low
capacity link somewhere along the chain to yield a poor connection.

I have spoken to BT about this several times and it's hard not to get
philosphical.  First, if you call Residential Line Services, you're
lucky if you can talk to someone who understands what a dialup modem
connection is supposed to achieve. Second, you are sometimes informed
(rather smugly) that BT only guarantees voice and 2400 bd data over a
residential line. If you want any more that that you should be using an
ISDN line. Third, they usually say "What are you complaining about?
You're lucky to get 14.4. let alone 28.8 ...and 33.6 is just out of the
question!!" 

Perhaps more of us should be directing our frustrations at BT (and
making our unhappiness known to their competitors)?! Obviously, in the
corporate sector, BT is probably an aggressive forward-looking company.
The problem is, they don't understand, nor take seriously, the
revolution that is occurring in home data telecommunications. This won't
be fixed, and we won't get reliable 33.6 (let alone 56k) service, until
there is a corporate change in BT's attitude.

Sorry for the length of the posting - I'll get off my soapbox now and
I'll try not to do this again this year.
-- 
B.MacDonald, Northwood, Middlesex, UK
E-mail burns@nthwd.demon.co.uk