And update a few years on -Tophat introduces ADSL2+

A bit of an update:

Yep that's right a few months back I whiched over from ADSL1 speeds to ADSL2+ speeds - Never thought that would ever happen!

I knew some was up at the time as I saw a new cabinet housing top of the CMUX/RIM (Green box at the start of the estate) that my Phone lines Distribution Area (DA) is on.  Did think much of it but throught ask on whirlpool.net.au and was promptly directed to a thread on a Telstra project called Tophat.    Here's the Thread.   Basically Telstra started a project earlier this year to install new hardware in a "tophat" Cabinet that upgrades the DSL equipment in the CMUX/RIM adding ADSL2+ compatible ports!  Apparently this equipment renders the old ports in the cabinet below useless and all ADSL subscribers get moved up to the new system.

Now, the catch you have to ask for a change in speed from your ADSL if you know your Tophat as been activated - that's the fun part .  There are two ways to know -1) if you notice the Labels on the green box have change  and 2) you run a check on your phone line at https://www.pacific.net.au/servicequal/ and look in the results for an OPEN2 Pass  with a Y00 number then you can go call your ISP.  WhenI rang my ISP at the time they really didn't know much about Tophat - they told they'd log a job to Telstra Wholesales - long story short the next morning I was on 22mbit connection up from around 8mbit!

It's currently sitting on 16-17Mbit  ...

GOT LINE SYNC!!!!!

Yes, that's right kids. I have finally got ADSL line sync!!! Just waiting on my BP account to be created through activations at BP.. By the end of today apparently!!! YAY!!!!!!!

Thanks to the supportive people at WP , Telstra Melbourne and Greater metro and to the TCW who got the ball actually rolling about a month ago!!!!

does that mean my next blog entry will be a warp up one?!? Maybe, might take it another direction as well...

Today starts the 11 month of this Port Hell Saga

Yep, time marches on... I'm suppose to get some more information by the end of this week if I don't then I will be contacting a certain person on a certain number to get the information directly...

Btw, with Big Bother back on TV having ADSL back will give me something to do - want to mess around with linux in a VMware environment; etc... Ubuntu 8.04LTS was released yesterday ...*sigh* missing out on all the fun!

..and we are still waiting

Well ANZAC long weekend approaches and I still haven't got any new information or updates :( Looks like I'll be getting my update AFTER the 29th of April which is the date this saga hits 11 months!

*sigh*

I've email a contact to let them know I'll be looking for that information showing up by the end of next week...

I tell you the waiting is painful...

awaiting further instructions..

Well, I'm still waiting for some confirmation on something -might take a few weeks apparently ... The waiting is painful but I've waited 10 months already :P~~

If I don't hear back about this before ANZAC weekend (25th of April Australian public holiday) I'll fire off an email and even ring someone to see what's happened - if anything...

So the sitting back and waiting continues - Does feel odd not having to ring to get a order canceled/ withdrawn to raise another due to one been dumped into the "HELD - contact us" status..

Maybe 100th application will be the successful one....maybe

so we wait.

Got a call back from Telstra... waiting on confirmation of the information I've been given... might be good news after all this time. Just gotta sit back and wait...

UP to no.99 Application!

yep that's right dear readers I have my 99th ADSL order in the system right this min. *sigh*

I had a call yesterday from Telstra and am now waiting on a call back to see if they can remedy the issue. I'm hoping they can because frankly I'm getting sick of this waiting for something to go ahead...


*sigh* I don't want to be going over 100 applications but I have a funny feeling I am going to be submitting 100 by the end of today!

No.95 awaiting confirmation

...And it will be dead in the water by 9am this morning I bet...

Should only take 5 more working days to get to 100 applications.

Sad but true....

Apparently for the area I live I'm in the stats as the highest number of orders for an individual ... Also I have the highest number of reorders in the state ...*sigh* I don't know if I should be laughing or crying over that :P

I sent an Email to some Telstra Countrywide and other Telstra reps at the start of this week have only heard from one contact about the letter who was a Bcc to the email.

I've had a few people now suggesting to take my story to TT and ACA - Might be a last restort thing to do but I'd like to give them a change to fix this no port hell issue before having to go to one of these tabloid current affairs shows..

So in the end 100 applications is getting more likely each day...

Up to 89th and will be onto 90th on Monday: 10 months later

So today marks 10 month of this saga! ! 10 months and 90 applications later...crazy stuff...

I'll be working on a letter to send out this week to TCW, Telstra metro and others ...

At the rate I'm going I'll be at my 100th application by Friday... *shakes head*

I notice a few people out here in Melton have been obtain ports but they are all over the other side of town - nothings changed as yet this end - Actually I really don't think the CMUX/RIM cabinet has been opened in ages - looks worse for wear - I drive past it nearly every day...

*sigh* As I've said else where I really didn't think this would be continuing for this long nor would I get even close to the 100 application mark ...10 to go!

I wonder if this is a record ... I don't care if it is I just want to get the problem fixed....

Gone from 75th to 78th application

Seesh had 2 orders today already bounce within 50 mins periods of entering the orders... Crazy stuff...

upto no. 78 ...getting closer to the triple figures!!!!

75 application dead in the water

MY ORDER STATUS

Whether you're waiting to have ADSL enabled on your telephone line and you already have a Self Install kit, or are waiting for the Professional Install technician to come to your house, you can check the status of your BigPond Broadband ADSL order here.

Status:

Held

Unfortunately further investigations confirm we won't be able to connect a BigPond Broadband ADSL service for you. Please Contact Us and we'll look into some other Broadband options that may be available.

Date Order Submitted:

14 Mar 2008

Order Number:

DN1258xxxxx

::sigh:: Here we go again!!! Can't seem to get a bloody break! Great Easter present that is :P

I'll ring BP after 8am and talk to the CSR and get application 76 in...

so frustrating and stressful ...

No new information on application no.75

Rang Big Pond to see if anything new is available on the status this morning. The CSR said they can't see anything new other than it is still in HELD on both systems but can't see another other information still. They think that if it lasts a week I could be in luck -maybe a port coming up to be released *shrug* no idea.

Tried to call my Telstra Contact twice yesterday and emailed once but had no responses - I think they are already on their Easter leave...

Ah, not long to Easter and 5-6 days with dial up at home to deal with :P

PS: I have been saving to pdf a print off of the status page each day for reference...

No.75 STILL in Big Pond HELD status

Have no idea what going on this time. It's still in the "your BigPond application has been successful but..." status -Might ring a Telstra contact about it later today...

75th application still in HELD

Well the Big Pond application is still in that held status! I spoke to a CSR this morning in the "held orders" department they said there "*might* be a project linked to it" could give me solid details as they aren't any in the access order system (CSR level back end system) other than 10 40 whatever that really means. they said "something is happening" but what that is they just don't know.

So we have to site back and wait and see what happens ...

Application 75 with Big Pond HELD status

MY ORDER STATUS

Whether you're waiting to have ADSL enabled on your telephone line and you already have a Self Install kit, or are waiting for the Professional Install technician to come to your house, you can check the status of your BigPond Broadband ADSL order here.

Status:

Held

Your BigPond Broadband ADSL application has been successful but there may be a delay in the service becoming available. Additional equipment needs to be installed at your local telephone exchange before we're able to connect your service. We apologise for the delay and once we've done this we'll contact you by phone or email and let you know what the next steps are.

Date Order Submitted:

14 Mar 2008

Order Number:

DN125xxxxx

Back to My BigPond

Another mistake status? Wait and see I guess...

71st application: another internode application

Ah, Tuesday! This morning the 70th application dropped -Took long me thinks due to yesterdays Victorian Public Holiday for Labour Day.


Submitted Application 71 with internode and have just seem the status as this:


Overall Status
Provisioning is in progress
Detailed Status:
Confirmed: Carrier has confirmed service as deliverable, provisioning work is now being undertaken
Carrier Advice
ADSL New Request In Progress (ETA: 14-03-2008)
Carrier for ADSL Port
Telstra

This well be in HELD by later tonight or in the morning. Feeds of the status I think are batched through from Telstra at certain times of the day. Did see a Telstra car on the way home tonight not far from the entry to the estate - Have no idea if he's been in here to have a look or do some work but I just can only hope it's a good thing. Have to wait and see.

70th Application is going in today!

Ah, another week - It's actually a Public holiday for most people - not me!

Application 70 should be going in this morning. I wonder if anything good will happen before Easter - ah, yeah I'm dreaming!

So it's just another week in Port Lotto!!!

Application 65 has been entered!

Ah, what a week with applications flying in and out of the system! :)

65th is in and has the following status:

Status:
Awaiting Confirmation

Unfortunately there may be a short delay before we can confirm that you'll be able to receive ADSL. We need to perform some additional work on your telephone line before we can confirm your service.
We apologise for the delay and once we've done this we'll contact you by phone or email and let you know what the next steps are.

Date Order Submitted:
05 Mar 2008

Order Number:
DN124xxxxxx

It will die by COB as per usual ...

Had a call from a BP team leader who is going to do some checking over the next few days to see if they can get something done their end - no promises of course.

I also emailed a Telstra Country Wide Area Manager as a CSR at BP yesterday suggested I might try contacting them direct about my long winded saga... Waiting on a reply.

I think we might hit close to the 70 applications mark by Friday...sadly...

Oh well we can only live in hope ...

Now where's that brick wall I've been banging my head on again....

60th application about gone and more

Well it's Monday again, will be in touch with the "held orders" department at BP after 8:30am to kill off application 60 which is in the normal "contact us" status.

so 61st application is far off ..

I got a letter from the CSR from Big Pond with written offer for NextG as she was trying to get me to join up to will abusing me on the phone Thursday. The thing is the written off is totally different to what was offered on the phone:

from notes in my diary of the phone call:

*offer was nextg with cap of 6 gig instead of the normal 3gig with the first 3 months free
*free external antenna (due to crappy NextG coverage that I mentioned my neighbors had)

The letter (written) offer was:

*"...I confirm my courtesy of wavier of three months service access plus $100 toward an external antenna.."

Now there two completely different offers. I did ask for the phone mention offer in writing hence the letter but didn't except the differences to be that bad.

Now what happens after the 3 months? goes back to $110 for 3 gig plus 15-30cent per a gig after?!?!?!

Certainly think they could have done better... oh and they didn't address the complaint I'd actually raised other than "it was a mistake" over the phone. The letter seems to be referring to a complaint that I made ages and ages ago about something completely different (I think).

9 months today and my 60th application

Well I never thought it would take this long and still I'm faced with God knows how long to obtain that one port to give me access to ADSL at my house.

So this morning I'll be entering my 60th Application (16th with Big Pond). The question is will it now take more that 100 applications to get anywhere?

Yesterday a Customer relations manager ripped into me for applying so many times! She actually went and counted out aloud the numbers of orders from 1-15!!!I don't think they understood the whole "no waiting lists" for ports situation nor the fact we have no idea of the status of what is going on in the CMUX/RIM other than "no ports available" Nor did they realize it was actually 59 (as of yesterday) applications. She actually was trying to say "please stop applying" and miss out on a port? your kidding me!

This was part of a response to a TIO complaint I had made about the "your Big Pond Application has been successful..." status ...Actually the offical response: "it was a mistake" ..hmm why? That's the reason I had made the complaint. The CRM was in a fowl mood and very very rude. Never ever had to deal with someone so unfriendly on the phone before. Actually it's even worse than that as when I tried to make a point she would talk over me instead of listening ...for the record I was claim the whole time - actually I was shaken by the outright blasting she gave me ... Not impressed if this is the sort of level of customer service Telstra / Big Pond gives it's clients. Oh and the excuse was they had been in a bad mood all day - for God sake you should NEVER take out a bad day out on a customer.

In the end they where trying to offer a nextg solution as some discount -mind you trying to sign me up there and then - I explained it would be something I'd have to think about considering what they where offering was only 3 months free and a slightly bigger quota (no time periods even). There was no mention of actually pricing. Anyways, I'd rather have an offer made in writing before I make any decision... Word of mouth is not legal binding and they could change it without notice.

Since the call I have spoken to another contact in Telstra who was as surprised as I am with the treatment I received from the CRM.

Seesh!