Lautrec

When I first joined Tiscali on subscription, I was advised wrongly to use the number 085 001 5555. Believing I had unlimited access, I soon ran up an account with FT of over 95 Euros, on top of the monthly charge.  After much tooing and frooing, I was advised that the number I should be dialling was086 009 5557. A very expensive mistake.! Lautrec

Thanks Christine, you are right! This Ruffect is in the Charente. I forgot to mention that they also have a wide selection of English cheeses and the new Branston baked beans! Scrumptious!

I have a prelevement (standing order) with Wanadoo and it is no problem. But beware og using your bank or credit card when subscribing to an ISP. If you want to quit, the bank cannot cancel the monthly payments, whereas with a prelevement, it can be!

We buy all our tablets etc on line from Healthspan in Gurnsey. Free postage and cheap prices!

Could anyone with experience of Wanadoo broadband assist me. I have recently aquired 512K ADSL and I am very pleased with the speed of it. However, for no apparent reason, after 30 minutes approx, it suddenly loses the dial up connection and stops working on line! The only way to bring it back I have found, is to reboot the PC. Any suggestions? Lautrec.

Without wishing to advertise, there is an English shop in Ruffec that specialises inVegetarian food called The Cockleshell. It has a wide range of Linda McCarthy soya products! It is well worth a visit!

I have had a four-week nightmare. struggling to achieve Broadband status on Wanadoo. Today, with more luck than skill, I achieved my ultimate goal! But at what cost? A bill from Wanadoo for 90odd euros for a dial up charge when I though I was already on Haut Debit and covered by my monthly prelevement charge. I stayed on line much too long thinking that it was unlimited, but I was being charged at 2 cents a minute! (Quelle Fromage!) Now I am advised that my monthly charge is 38 euros, when it plainly states on the charge sheet that 512k is only 19.50 per month, rising to 24.95 after three months! So once again I will have to launch into another lengthy correspondance battle to try and sort it all out. However it is a so nice to get so much faster speed when you are downloading from the Internet. I suppose it is worth it in the end! Lautrec

I have been trying for many weeks to e mail a friend in the UK who is on NTL and could not understand why I could not get through. I also tried him on his Yahoo address with the same negative result. But I CAN get him on his Hotmail address[:O]! So that should answer the query raised on these postings!

Many thanks Carol and Babnik. There is more in this intallation business than meets the eye! In my ignorance I thought that the only time you would have to wait, was the time when you first put the CD ROM into the drawer and clicked and pressed different buttons and you were up and away. It seems that you still have to rely on someone out there in some big exchange to acknowledge your efforts and then turn you on! I thought that the red lights on the Livebox were going to flash all the time and not just be a warning that were not connected yet! So I will bide my time but still I cannot get over the fact that the 'cle de cryptage' that I have carefully typed in  is still not being acknowledged as correct So I will be patient for the customary ten days and then try again. I will also take up your invitation to contact you Carol to see if you can help me. By the way, congratulations on your very well designed web site; it certainly looks stunning! Lautrec.

Thank you Ian. I have Windows XP so I should be OK with any USB cable. Is that right? Steve. I am using the Wanadoo dial up system to access the Internet, with a separate USB cable from the telephone line into my tower. Would this affect the installation of the Livebox? Thank you in anticipation! Lautrec.[*-)]

Thank you Ian. I have Windows XP so I should be OK with any USB cable. Is that right? Steve. I am using the Wanadoo dial up system to access the Internet, with a separate USB cable from the telephone line into my tower. Would this affect the installation of the Livebox? Thank you in anticipation! Lautrec.[*-)]

Am i the onnly won who wonders ware the spelchek has gorn too? I an cwite well educcated and doont reely need it, but it wood be nice to hav it bak! Lautrec.

I have been folowing this theme with great interest as I have just taken out a subscription with Wanadoo.. In our area of 16, we can only get 516k at present, but hopefully we might get an upgrade when they improve the exchange! I am able to get on line and acess the Internet and have received the Livebox though the post a few days ago. But I seem unable to get on to the Broadband service. My French is just about good enough to follow the instructions in the Installation Guide, but I dont seem able to get over the final hurdle. The reason given is that I have a bad connection to the Livebox. I have checked and checked and everything seems to be in order. I feel that there might be some subtle hint in the guide that I have overlooked, through my lack of the complete knowledge of the language, that is preventing me completing the installation properly! I was hoping that someone reading this wail of despair might possible have an English version of the guide, that they may have obtained in the UK, which might give me a better insight into the installing  process, which I could purchase or borrow! I am more than willing to cover any expense!. I would be pleased to hear from anyone who can help me as if I dont get it fixed soon, my wife says she will leave me and  go back to her mother, or worse still, bring her over here!  

Thank you Deimos, Benjamin and Margaret for your input. It all becomes clear to me now, especially as today I received my  Livebox from the postman! I realize that I am not yet up to full speed at the moment, but I should have an improvement once I have installed this box. I managed to subscibe to Wanadoo over the telephone, as a kind friend gave me the proper number to ring. I have received the prelevement form, which I have deposited at my bank to cover the monthly charges and installed the programme with the CD Rom and the three passwords that were given to me in the post. So now I will have to sit down in front of my PC; dictionary in my hand and try to get the proper installation. It seems pretty straightforward, but time will tell. So fingers; legs and eyes crossed I will start the process. Lautrec.

Could someone advise me when chestnuts start falling and can be gathered? Thanks. Lautrec.

Dont worry Kimberley, they will soon search you out. Everyone has to pay unless you are over 75!  Roll  on the years! Age has its compensations! Lautrec.

[8-)]With difficulty, I have managed to cancel my Tiscali sunscription and moved to Wanadoo. The main reason for the change was to be able to get Broadband, and Wanadoo are the only servers providing it in our area of Ruffec. However, I can only get the basic service of 512K, which does not seem all much faster than my old non-broadband service at Tiscali.! I was always under the  impression that on Broadband, you were able to use the telephone whilst on line, but that does not seem to be happening. But I am being offered a 'Livebox' for an additional 3 Euros. What exactly is a live box? What does it do? Would it mean that it would enable one to use the telephone at the same time? Would be pleased to be enlightened! I say!, I do like the new format Forum. Nice to be able to change the text and colours and size!

Come along!, come along!; everybody is going crackers! I want to know the kind of food that one should set on the buffet for our beighbours to enjoy. Things like salami, a cheeseboard, cold meats etc? Somebody must have done it!I dont think that crackers are all that important! So some suggestions please! Lautrec.

With Usafruit, If the death of the female should precede the male, he will inherit all her 70% share; none going to the children! But as it has been pointed out; if there is breakup in the partnership, problems will arise!

We are planning to invite our immediate French neighbours into our home around Xmas time for an aperitif and light refreshment social evening, as they have been very kind to us over the past year! We first thought of putting on English type food, but have realized that it would be easier and more acceptable to their tastes if all the food came from the local supermarkets! So could someone tell me what exactly the type of tidbits and snacks they might enjoy the most? Does one also give them a present when they leave or am I going over the top? Would be pleased to hear what others have done in similar circumstances! Lautrec.

The only safe way to avoid your partner being left out in the cold is to put a large percentage of the property in her name, say 30% for you and 70% for her! Otherwise, should you be deceased, the three children would inherit the bulk of the property plus and any monies in the bank! This is a legal process called Usafruit. It should be done on the purchase of the property! When you see your Notaire it is imperative that you investigate this situation thoroughly!

Hi Diemos, Read your reply to bigjimbishop and it has prompted me to raise some questions with you! What exactly is a 'router' as opposed to a live box? I am about to transfer to Wanadoo from Tiscali as they are the only server that provides ADSL in our village. I have the choice of various options, for example 512k 1 mega, 8 mega or 18 mega, with of course ascending rates of payment! I realize the more you pay, the faster the line. I think I will opt for either the 1 mega or the 8 mega. Would the 1 mega be much faster than the speed that I have been experiencing with my present server Tiscali? When you take out a contract with Wanadoo, where and when do you get the livebox? Is it delivered to your door? Would be pleased if you could help me! Lautrec.

Hi Lizzie, You are just like my wife. She always repeats herself three or four times! But all kidding aside, if what you say is correct, I am getting myself all worked up for nothing! The only way really to resolve this, is to pop into the EDF office in Ruffec and get everything explained to us and then explore all our options! So thank you again! Now I will be able to put the heating on tonight as we are not affected by the red letter day! Lautrec.

They say no news is good news!, how true that is after reading the comments of BJSLIV and Quillan! We have been living here now for two years, but were unaware of these sliding scales of electricity charges. Where ignorance is bliss etc! It is frightening to learn that the charges per unit on a red day are four times more than a white day! To think of the money we have paid out for our washing machine, dryers and the four electric radiators on red days without realizing the extra cost! The mind and our bank account boggles! We are using a log fire at nights and we have also a calor gas heater. So I think another similar heater or a petrole one is called for; to use on those red letter days and then go easy on the electric switches! I am sure that I am not the only avid reader of this Forum and there are bound to be others like ourselves, who did not know these facts two years down the line. If so, please comment, as I hate to think that we were the only ones! Lautrec.

Thanks again Aqenais regarding the percentage reduction after 10pm. I have just stirred myself from my computer and turned on a couple of radiators! Again I display my ignorance and ask you; what are red, white & blue days. It sounds like they boost up the charges on public religious holidays, when more people are home using extra electricity! Is that the case? It would appear that we are in for one of the coldest Winters for a decade, so any tips on how to lower the electricity bills are very welcome indeed. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Lautrec