france telecom broadband

[powerdesal]

[quote user="pachapapa"]@ Jay   Save €148 a year? Not worth the hassle!

Sorry to learn of your problems with Alice and appreciate that the Teleconnect niche marketing strategy for expatriates with limited fluency in french will permit you to solve any problems more simply. The fault you had was probably related to the Modem-Router and possibly self inflicted. Many Brits have problems setting up their boxes and the configuring of Wi-Fi connections seems to be for many an almost impossible problem to resolve. The reason for this appears to be that in the UK people provide their own Modems and Routers; whereas in France the ISPs normally provide their own box with both Modem and Router on board. As a result even a simple operation to configure a WEP or WPA security key becomes a major and often unsuccessful exercise. I frequently see posts on Expat Anglo Forums that suggest the only way to get the jolly old livebox to work is to connect an ADDITIONAL NetGear Router to the box which of course is an extraordinarily asinine thing to do; just marginally less stupid than connecting half a dozen independent routers to a LAN hub. Indeed from a quick perusal of the Teleconnect site which you mentioned the impression is that the connection hardware to the internet is fairly basic and more suitable for an expatriate used to UK customs of modem-router set up. It is a fact of life that a Brit with limited fluency in french will have difficulty in configuring a french box and even more difficulty in coping with an online telephone technical support hot line.[/quote]

Arrogance, patronising......nah....just a load of old cobblers.

[Pickles]

[quote user="pachapapa"][quote user="Pickles"]There is a company based in Montpellier called Budget Telecom who can provide ADSL including your line rental for 19.80€ per month - dependent on area.[/quote]

A bit of a double mirror trick as Budget Telecom is in fact the service provider for Teleconnect. If you check their operational and company reports, you will see they provide, under a similar business plan, services in Spain ,France,Belgium and Italy

A more general idea of their hexagon based services is available on the following link; note at bottom left connecting links to the 3 countries mentioned above.

http://www.budget-telecom.com/Corp/default.asp.[/quote]

Sorry, I may well be being slow tonight but what is the "double mirror trick"? Budget trades under several names for different markets, and IS Montpellier-based, although it appears to have bought the French end of Talk Talk amongst other things. Are you saying that Budget is good, bad or indifferent? If you are saying that there is a problem with them, then I for one would certainly like to know because it could well affect my decision-making if (when?) Numericable lets me down seriously.

Regards

Pickles

[Pickles]

[quote user="BJSLIV"]The 19.80 offer from Budget Telecom is mainly applicable to the major built up areas. If you live in the countryside you will have to pay more, and it doesn't include the line rental. [/quote]

I presume that you are referring to the "zone dégroupée/non-dégroupée" business (although, thinking on, I suppose that you have to be both dégroupéed AND in a

place where Budget has installed their equipment in the telephone

exchange, which might reduce the eligible areas even more). I haven't a clue how far FT has got with the unbundling of telephone lines and would therefore defer to your superior knowledge if you are saying in effect that the "zone dégroupée where Budget has equipment" is currently limited to major conurbations. (And I'm not being sarcastic).

Regards

Pickles

[sid]

[quote user="pachapapa"]......   for expatriates with limited fluency in french will permit you to solve any problems more simply..... !!!!

The fault you had was probably related to the Modem-Router and possibly self inflicted......  How???

[/quote]

How condescending!

Before making an even bigger ass of yourself it would be wise to ask whether Jay has any technical experience in these matters; you may be surprised!

Sid

 

[pachapapa]

[quote user="sid"]

[quote user="pachapapa"]......   for expatriates with limited fluency in french will permit you to solve any problems more simply..... !!!!

The fault you had was probably related to the Modem-Router and possibly self inflicted......  How???

[/quote]

How condescending!

Before making an even bigger ass of yourself it would be wise to ask whether Jay has any technical experience in these matters; you may be surprised!

Sid

 

[/quote]

Hi Jay! have you any technical expertise in these matters?[8-)]

[pachapapa]

[quote user="Jay"]Sorry to learn of your problems with Alice and appreciate that the Teleconnect niche marketing strategy for expatriates with limited fluency in french will permit you to solve any problems more simply. The fault you had was probably related to the Modem-Router and possibly self inflicted.

What an arrogant response - you assume too much!
[/quote]

As Teleconnect belongs to the Budget Telecom stable I assume TC follows same marketing philosophy; i.e. serving limited expatriate clients. Most problems are related to Modem-routers followed by the "boucle locale". The more people try to resolve their connection problems, frequently the problem becomes more intractable. No arrogance intended, just an opinion on the basis of hearsay and some experience. 

[pachapapa]

[quote user="Will"]

[quote user="pachapapa"]..The reason for this appears to be that in the UK people provide their own Modems and Routers; whereas in France the ISPs normally provide their own box with both Modem and Router on board. As a result even a simple operation to configure a WEP or WPA security key becomes a major and often unsuccessful exercise.[/quote]

Never heard of a BT Home Hub then? Or even a British version of an Orange Livebox?

[quote user="pachapapa"] ...It is a fact of life that a Brit with limited fluency in french will have difficulty in configuring a french box and even more difficulty in coping with an online telephone technical support hot line.[/quote]

Rather odd then that I have managed to configure more than one French Orange Livebox (including the free international calls option), and I don't feel any less able to cope with a French helpline than a Mumbai-based BT one.

[:)]

 

[/quote]

The BT Home Hub, now since july in it's V 2.0 is the exception rather than the rule in the UK but definitely a move in the right direction.The Orange LiveBox is basically the same as the french version so it should not be more of a problem than in france.

I am happy that you are "au fait" with Orange Live Boxes and the french equivalent of the Mumbai technical support line. So I would be grateful for your help in configuring the Samsung SHD85 , supplied by Orange, to switch two LNBs in order to pick up Free to Air satellite channels from Astra 1 and Eutelsat Hotbird. The dish is directed at Hotbird.

[pachapapa]

[quote user="Pickles"][quote user="pachapapa"][quote user="Pickles"]There is a company based in Montpellier called Budget Telecom who can provide ADSL including your line rental for 19.80€ per month - dependent on area.[/quote]

A bit of a double mirror trick as Budget Telecom is in fact the service provider for Teleconnect. If you check their operational and company reports, you will see they provide, under a similar business plan, services in Spain ,France,Belgium and Italy

A more general idea of their hexagon based services is available on the following link; note at bottom left connecting links to the 3 countries mentioned above.

http://www.budget-telecom.com/Corp/default.asp.[/quote]

Sorry, I may well be being slow tonight but what is the "double mirror trick"? Budget trades under several names for different markets, and IS Montpellier-based, although it appears to have bought the French end of Talk Talk amongst other things. Are you saying that Budget is good, bad or indifferent? If you are saying that there is a problem with them, then I for one would certainly like to know because it could well affect my decision-making if (when?) Numericable lets me down seriously.

Regards

Pickles

[/quote]

If you check Budget Telecom and TeleConnect you will find that they are closely associated and in france for a Triple Play option offer similar paramaters of service. I have only direct experience of one FAI  having started 10 years ago with LibertySurf-Tiscali-Alice. I am satisfied with the service I have received over the years. Numericable will I am sure never ever reach my doorstep.

[Jay]

pachapapa wrote:

Hi Jay! have you any technical expertise in these matters?

A little. Over twenty years teaching computer studies, and a similar period building and installing computer systems, servicing and repairs of same, installing network systems and installation and repair of home computers. I also have a computing related BSc Honours degree and a Cert Ed. Those are mine, what’s yours?

pachapapa wrote:

As Teleconnect belongs to the Budget Telecom stable I assume TC follows same marketing philosophy; i.e. serving limited expatriate clients.

If you ring the help line for Teleconnect they will ask if you require French or English speaking assistance, obviously not all their clients are English. I chose Teleconnect because I have used Budget Telecom for years without problem, they offer a similar price structure to Alice with two hours free calls to the UK and an option for unlimited calls for a little extra plus a free modem/router which can be upgraded for a small fee. If you do not speak French they also offer to take over your FT line, a little cheaper than FT and with the bonus of an English speaking help line. There is no contractual period either although you do pay a small fee to cancel. Of all the systems I have set up for clients (hundreds) Teleconnect has to be one of the easiest.

pachapapa wrote:

So I would be grateful for your help in configuring the Samsung SHD85 , supplied by Orange, to switch two LNBs in order to pick up Free to Air satellite channels from Astra 1 and Eutelsat Hotbird. The dish is directed at Hotbird.

Perhaps if you post your problem on a technical forum such as THIS you will get an answer, I doubt whether anyone here would want to assist!

[Danny]

[quote user="Jay"]

If you do not speak French they also offer to take over your FT line, a little cheaper than FT and with the bonus of an English speaking help line.

[/quote]

just a little note for clarification - this only applies to areas degroupée by Budget. For everywhere else, one must keep the the FT line going. This also applies to Teleconnect.

For anyone who is interested, ADSL Nu - i.e. no telephone line rental at all in areas non degroupée, all telephonie therefore being VOIP - is offered by Alice, Free, SFR (Neuf ) and Orange and possibly others.Only SFR (Neuf) restrict the voip calls if you want to keep the FT line. I have heard talk of this changing but seen no evidence yet. With Orange you have to pay extra to have international VOIP calls anyway.

Happy surfing everyone

Danny

[sid]

[quote user="Jay"]pachapapa wrote:

Hi Jay! have you any technical expertise in these matters?

A little. Over twenty years teaching computer studies, and a similar period building and installing computer systems, servicing and repairs of same, installing network systems and installation and repair of home computers. I also have a computing related BSc Honours degree and a Cert Ed. Those are mine, what’s yours?

Perhaps if you post your problem on a technical forum such as THIS you will get an answer, I doubt whether anyone here would want to assist!

[/quote]

Ouch! Nice one, Jay! [:D][:D]

Incidentally, pachapapa, I'd be interested to know what you could possibly do to a modem/router's settings so that it would drop the connection overnight? If I had posed this question on this forum I'm sure someone such as yourself would have told me it's impossible! And before you ask me, I've nigh on 40 year's experience in IT!

Sid

[pachapapa]

[quote user="sid"]

[quote user="Jay"]pachapapa wrote:

Hi Jay! have you any technical expertise in these matters?

A little. Over twenty years teaching computer studies, and a similar period building and installing computer systems, servicing and repairs of same, installing network systems and installation and repair of home computers. I also have a computing related BSc Honours degree and a Cert Ed. Those are mine, what’s yours?

Perhaps if you post your problem on a technical forum such as THIS you will get an answer, I doubt whether anyone here would want to assist!

[/quote]

Ouch! Nice one, Jay! [:D][:D]

Incidentally, pachapapa, I'd be interested to know what you could possibly do to a modem/router's settings so that it would drop the connection overnight? If I had posed this question on this forum I'm sure someone such as yourself would have told me it's impossible! And before you ask me, I've nigh on 40 year's experience in IT!

Sid

[/quote]

Les Baux DHCP

[pachapapa]

[quote user="pachapapa"][quote user="sid"]

[quote user="Jay"]pachapapa wrote:

Hi Jay! have you any technical expertise in these matters?

A little. Over twenty years teaching computer studies, and a similar period building and installing computer systems, servicing and repairs of same, installing network systems and installation and repair of home computers. I also have a computing related BSc Honours degree and a Cert Ed. Those are mine, what’s yours?

Perhaps if you post your problem on a technical forum such as THIS you will get an answer, I doubt whether anyone here would want to assist!

[/quote]

Ouch! Nice one, Jay! [:D][:D]

Incidentally, pachapapa, I'd be interested to know what you could possibly do to a modem/router's settings so that it would drop the connection overnight? If I had posed this question on this forum I'm sure someone such as yourself would have told me it's impossible! And before you ask me, I've nigh on 40 year's experience in IT!

Sid

[/quote] Les Baux DHCP[/quote]

Tout à fait bien, alors les petits attouchements complets sur les baux DHCP, les plages de IP et le serveur DNS; il faut que sauvegarder la nouvelle configuration dans la memoire flash du "box". Voila!  Ensuite il ne reste que changer le nom d'utilisateur et mot de passe pour prevenir le monsieur Sid accèder  à sa boite. Oh,la la quel drôle d'affaire pendant votre quarante-et- unieme année de IT.[:D][:P]

[pachapapa]

Hi there Sid. Trying to get my brain around a translation of the french terms used in internet Modem-Router combined ISP boxes. It is not easy the word "baux" in the singular "bail" turns out as being a "lease" on a property; similarly "plage" translates as a "beach" or a " seaside-resort".  Unfortunately short of making a special trip to the UK, I have no way of knowing what they might be on a BT Home Hub.

[BJSLIV]

Baux as in DHCP leases

Plage as in DHCP range (numbering range in telephony etc)

[pachapapa]

[quote user="BJSLIV"]

Baux as in DHCP leases

Plage as in DHCP range (numbering range in telephony etc)

[/quote]

Many thanks! If I survive the sales to-morrow I'll attempt to explain the basic "modus operandi" of disabling an AliceBox during the night in english for Sid.

[Jay]

[quote user="Jay"]I wish you luck with Alice! I used Tiscali dial up when we first moved here, then Tiscali ADSL and finally Alice ADSL, the same as you have. It worked great for a year then came the problems. Every night the phone and broadband went down, it came back to life in the mornings and it was ok during the day. Repeated phone calls to the Alice helpline did not solve the problem and eventually the line went down altogether - no phone, no internet.

My French neighbour and I phoned Alice more than 20 times trying to get the problem sorted. Their response when I phoned from my neighbours house was "we can't help unless you telephone while you are sitting at your computer". I, of course, asked how I could do that when my phone didn't work. The usual response was "use a mobile!"

OK so we tried that. The only place in the whole house where the mobile works is in the bathroom. My neighbour used the mobile and shouted commands to me. The problem was still not resolved.

After a few weeks of banging heads against a brick wall we gave up and I cancelled my contract and signed up to Teleconnect, but that was by no means the end of the story. FT reconnected my line OK but Tiscali/Alice did not release it for a few more weeks. All in all we were three months with limited or no telephone/internet.

Just to add insult to injury I had a 50 Euro mobile phone bill for the calls to Alice "free" helpline. Alice also had the cheek to ring me and ask why I had cancelled and then sent me a letter demanding return of the Alice Box (or pay 99 Euro) which had been sent back to them weeks earlier.

Thanks Alice - you will never see my money again.

I am pleased to report Teleconnect has been superb.

Save €148 a year? Not worth the hassle!

[/quote]

Just as an update to the above. I have today received a demand from a Huissier De Justice in Paris for the sum of 87.72 Euro I supposedly owe Alice. They quote an invoice I have never seen. It's not a great sum but the hassle/time involved in clearing up this sort of crap is substantial. Good job I kept all the letters and recorded delivery slips! Moral - stay clear of ALICE.

[Danny]

there is no excuse for such crap service, it is just crap -  sorry to read of your troubles.

but...on the other hand I have had a fault free time with Alice for over two years and no problems with their tech help or customer service.

I have also read and heard of similar and worse complaints against all the ISPs.

Danny

[Danny]

[quote user="Jane and Danny"]

 

I have also read and heard of similar and worse complaints against all the ISPs.

[/quote]except Teleconnect, strangely enough.... maybe it is because they do not have the number of subscibers to deal with or maybe they are just very good.

Alice have certainly done their best to lose your custom. Serves them right.

Danny