[ILUG] [OT]: I need someone to dig a trench.

[Niall O Broin]

On 29 Jun 2005, at 18:00, Braun Brelin wrote:

> The background:
>
> I'm attempting to get a DSL line into my house.

No, no you're not. Unless Eircom has changed its ways, which I rather 
doubt, you're attempting to get a PHONE line into your house. Presuming 
that you sort out the minor access issue, and get a phone line into 
your house, you can then, at some future date (best I've heard was a 
week, mine took nearly a month - I've heard of a variety of excuses 
given such as "We have to wait for the line to settle" or "All the 
computer systems have to synchronise") ask Eircom to test the line for 
DSL compatibility.

It may or may not pass, depending on the length of the wire run from 
the exchange to your house (note that this distance may be multiples of 
the distance from the exchange to your house) and the quality of all 
the intervening copper.

If it passes, you may then order DSL service from a number of 
providers. (Note - it's a good idea to take a note when you're told it 
has passed, if you're not planning to use Eircom as your provider. Or 
better, get your chosen provider to do the online check, and take a 
screen print of the results, if positive. When I ordered my DSL, Eircom 
told me the line passed, and asked me when they should come to install 
it. I told them they needn't bother, and ordered it from Netsource. The 
Netsource person ran the test, and did a screen print as I mentioned. 
When she rang Eircom to order DSL on my line, they told her it didn't 
pass. When she said she had a printout from the positive line test, 
they said "Oh, alright then" or words to that effect, and carried on as 
if nothing had happened. That's how brazen a monopoly can be).

If the line, sadly, doesn't pass, you're then left with a POTS line 
which presumably you don't particularly want (as you don't have one 
already). I guess you like enriching the mobile network providers, or 
maybe you're a phoneaphobe ?


Niall