sid

Hello Clair Your report confirms what we have already discovered, and there has been at least one recent thread on here about it. In our experience complaining will get you nowhere. If you wish to email NTL users (or tesco.net customers) from a Wanadoo account you need to subscribe to a relaying service to get round the problem. A search on these forums will find a couple of recommended relayers. Regards Sid

I'm sure this has been debated before, but the people who receive ICB are, or were, taxpayers too. Whether they live in UK or France they are still incapable of work. The origianl thread was about medicals; if you wish to argue the toss about who should receive what, or just have a sour grapes moan, why not start a new thread?

Carol I've only just seen your question, so I apologise for replying late. The thread seems to have digressed onto blue parking permit complications [:)] My wife was required to attend in Niort for one of these incapacity examinations, it had taken several months to arrange the appointment and we wondered if they had forgotten! The doctor was very polite, but spoke very little English, or at least attempted very little. I suspect that she understood what my wife and I said to each other.  Language wasn't a great problem as the doctor had an enormous English/French medical dictionary!! My wife is deaf, but was required to undress (!), and the examination was quite thorough. The doctor had to fill out a form covering several pages but we did not see what topics it covered. The examination was at the end of November and we've just heard yesterday from DWP that the incapacity payment is to continue and will be reviewed in another 2 year's time. I wouldn't think that it would be necessary to take a translator, I only went along because my wife doesn't hear and it complicates the translation process. Regards Sid  

I purchased a .fr domain through "1 and 1" (www.1and1.fr) The restrictions are due to be relaxed, by the end of 2006 according to 1and1, and until then they retain the ownership, but supply you with a registration certificate showing your claim to the name. The conditions listed on their site are as follows: Informations importantes au sujet des noms de domaine en .fr Depuis le 18 mai 2004, les conditions d'enregistrement ont été simplifiées permettant ainsi aux structures légalement enregistrées en France (entreprises, sociétés, détenteurs de marque, ...) de réserver des noms de domaine en .fr. Afin de permettre aux particuliers de bénéficier d'un nom de domaine en .fr avant la libéralisation du .fr (prévue pour le troisième trimestre 2006), 1&1 Internet a instauré un système de délégation de propriété. Le système est très simple : vous commandez un domaine en .fr à travers le site Web 1&1 le domaine est enregistré au nom de 1&1 Internet vous pouvez déjà utiliser le domaine pour vos emails et votre site Web au moment de la libéralisation, vous faites une demande de transfert pour votre domaine .fr 1&1 permet le transfert de domaines en .fr à condition que le propriétaire reste inchangé. Une société X peut donc transférer son nom de domaine enregistré chez Y vers 1&1 à condition de l'enregistrer en tant que X.

I found this links page on the Harmonie Municipale de Bonneville website; there's a good list of harmonie orchestres and you may find something near you.   http://www.harmonie-bonneville.com/liens-orchestres.html   Regards Sid

Steve That's it! Perhaps "dangle" would be better! The actual "aerial" is too thick for it to plug directly into my USB sockets so I had to use the supplied extension lead, and thus the clutter. I'm now back on my internal wireless card. Sid

The Netgear DG834 (and there are other similar pieces of kit by Lynksys and others) is an ADSL modem/router with a built-in firewall. So it makes the internet connection and you can connect to it either by a LAN cable (up to 4 connections) or wirelessly. In my case my laptop was already wi-fi enabled woth n onboard card, but for the Livebox and Wanadoo software you need to load the provided USB dongle. I hope this makes it a bit clearer. In my opinion it's far superior to the Livebox.

I wouldn't bother with the "helpline". My last (and only) call lasted 50 minutes and cost around 12€ from memory, and at the end of the call I was no wiser then when I started. You could call into a FT shop if you happen to visit your nearest big town? Or post it AR to Wanadoo support? Incidentally did you notice how hot the dongle gets? You don't really need another piece of wire hanging off your laptop, it makes the pc rather cumbersome, n'est-ce pas?

Also at the DRIRE the inspection may turn up something which requires attention. Even if it's something very minor like a lighting failure, it will mean a re-visit. Far easier to get the vehicle document now while you've got the time and avoid unnecessary complications.

Re. the BBC site; I don't believe it's changed. It recognises the IP address of the viewer and shows the appropriate pages. I like to listen to R5Live football commentaries but for Premiership matches I get a message to say that the service is only available to UK listeners. I haven't logged -in or registered so it's obviously aware of where I connect. 

Miki There are probably more NTL users than you think; Tesco.net is hosted by NTL, that's where we first ran into this "bounced" email problem. Good luck Sid

Livebox is Wanadoo's gimmicky (in my view anyway) wireless router. It offers some other facilities too like cable TV. I found it wasn't very reliable. They provide a USB 'dongle' as the wireless connector for your laptop and I found it got in the way. Also the Wanadoo software takes over your machine! In the end I removed the Livebox and uninstalled all the software and connected instead using my Netgear DG834 brought form UK. It works fine... better in fact. For the dropout problem at the start of this thread I agree with the earlier suggestion of trying different channel numbers in the router configuration. Ours works up to about 50 metres into the garden.

I agree with Ron, there's nothing to fill out on the certificate. Sounds like an application for the CC. I'd get on with it now.

I think you'll have a problem registering it if you haven't got proof of payment of VAT. If the seller said that he'd already paid the VAT you need a copy of the receipt. VAT has to be paid somewhere along the line for a new car originating in the EU. One of the documents you will need to present at the prefecture (when you go to register it) is a certificate issued by your local tax office, and they'll only give you this when they've had sight of the purchase receipt showing the VAT paid. Otherwise you'll have to pay the VAT when you import the car. Now is a good time to make sure that you have the vehicle's certificate of conformity too. For a new car you should get this with the vehicle documents, or you can get one from the manufacturer (but there may be a charge for this).  

A "Fanfare" is a type of bugle band with drums. More like the Boys Brigade or Scout bands in UK. The French refer to Brass Bands exactly as that... "Brass Band" and there is increasing interest but I think the French like their woodwind and saxophones too much for there the be any risk of a takeover. In Amboise, in the Loire Valley, the French Open Brass Band Contest is held every year in June. This year it's on June 9th, and it attracts a lot of interest and several UK brass bands make the trip and have a great time. Trumpet players would find a welcome in any of the harmonie orchestres, and as already stated, sometimes the standard is not very high but they are enthusiastic and generally have a good time. Brass Bands do not have trumpets; the equivalent instrument is the cornet which has a mellower sound. You've probably guessed that I'm an old brass band addict!

We have used the one near 3M in Ruffec; excellent!

There are very few brass bands in France, probably around 25, and these are mostly associated with music colleges. I miss the brass band scene. There are many "harmonie orchestres" though, the equivalent of the UK "wind band" and trumpets feature in these. The French also like their swing bands and jazz and of course the trumpets feature in these too. Try your local mairie as already suggested, and your local tourist office. A Google.fr search could turn up some too. Happy banding!

Hi Miki   It has been covered on a recent thread in December I think. The only solution seems to be to subscribe to a relaying service; a couple were mentioned, I use www.authsmtp.com and it works a treat! I opted for the cheapest service at £14 (21€) per annum. NTL scrutinise incoming mail from France and reject anything with an originating IP address belonging to, in particular, Wanadoo. I previously had a Tiscali account and that was OK but it was dial-up rather than ADSL and this is probably explains it... presumably I would have been allocated an IP address from a different range. Anyway, the relaying works well and I've now put my Wanadoo/NTL frustrations behind me.  

I was surprised to find that French insurers require much more evidence of no-claims discount than the UK insurers, up to 13 years in fact! It's worth collecting this evidence now, before you move, as you'll find it difficult later. Vehicle premiums here work on a system of 'bonus' for good claims record, and 'malus' for any claims made, and the previous 13 years is taken into account. Also there is not the same tendancy to jump from one insurer to another each year as we often do in UK. This may be due to the notice period required when cancelling a policy (2 months).