Last time I connected was 24 September - no probs. Switched on kit on 29 September - no connection, this despite the WAN LED on the router/modem being on solidly.
This has happened before but always cleared itself within a matter of about half an hour, this time it's been over 2 days.
Phoned Orange customer tech "help" (there's a contradiction) and spend half an hour trying to explain to someone who either hadn't a clue or just wasn't listening about the problem and went through the usual - you know, connect to the master socket, disconnect all other phone devices etc. right through to the final act of desperation of reinstalling the modem. Eventually I gave up and HOPED that it would clear itself as before.
When it didn't I phoned "help" again and this time managed to stop this operator going through exactly what I’d done the day before and we managed to progress onto a line test (the results of which I have yet to phone back for – I’m at work, that’s why I have internet access) and had no not use the phone but leave the computer and modem powered up and connected for 2 hours.
Tried again before I left for work this morning – still no internet access, just a 721 error (when I use the SpeedTouch).
Orange are adamant that the problem is mine, so I have to believe that four PCs and Three different modems are ALL giving exactly the same error? The only common link is the connection. They’ve got till the end of the day to get it sorted then I’m off in search of another ISP.
Any suggestions (either solutions or new ISPs) would be appreciated. I’ve had a year of it with Orange and have this time had enough. No probs with Freeserve, no probs with Wanadoo, Orange…. The future ain’t bright, but it does rhyme with bright.
Phoned back last night as instructed to get the results of the line test. Got the usual muppet who insisted on clearing caches etc. then decided to get me to uninstall and re-install the modem, this despite me telling him I'd done this on 4 pcs with 3 different modems with exactly the same result.
I hung up at this point as he would n't give me the line test results.
Having had enough, I phoned customer services for a MAC and got through to a helpful bloke called Scott who informed me of the actual reason why I was unable to connect there was an MSO (which refreshingly he said he wasn't sure of the meaning but would check and get back to me) which basically meant that the server was down and had been since at least Sunday.
The other muppet I spoke to on Monday night MUST have known this as well but still kept on pushing for the actual problem being my end, and not theirs as I had stated all along despite this information being clearly displayed to him. So much for "technical" support.
Got up this morning, powered up my router/modem and voila - the connection's back!! .......but for how long???
Had to give it 24 hours to see if the server was fixed, also got 6 months free and six months at £10 which I'd to decide if I wanted. To be honest aside from a poor SMTP connection (not a major issue as I use an external SMTP server i.e. NOT Orange) and some odd behaviour with logging into my website (worked in Dec 2006, didn't work Jan-Aug 2007 now works - my software hasn't been changed so problem must be Orange) this is the first time I've ever had to phone the dreaded "help"line. I know, I must be the only one in the country.
I've had an argument before with Tiscali over a friend's account when their tech help was adamant that no piece of networking equipment had or needed a MAC, so the problem isn't exclusive to Orange (they do seem to excel at it mind you).
Phoned back last night to sort out the 6 months free/6 @ 9.99 business and straight away got back through to India where I was told that my call couldn't be transferred, so I hung up. Phoned another 5 times always getting through to the Indian call centre, which given my recent experience, is my least favourite place on the planet. Finally I got through to (I assume) the UK. That's 2 nights in a row that when I've been heard the message "we're very busy right now" I've been answered by someone with a UK accent. Maybe coincidence, maybe not.
Anyway, got the deal sorted out, couldn't get through to Scott from the night before, but got through to Kevin (North American accent) who was very pleasant and helpful and he did business with it.
A totally unexpected development today though - Scott from Orange phoned my house back this morning to check everything was okay! From what I've read on this board that is a rarity indeed!
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