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A look at how you should price a bet – politicalbetting.com

SystemSystem Posts: 12,750
edited January 2022 in General
imageA look at how you should price a bet – politicalbetting.com

Part One – The bet

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Comments

  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 88,472
    First to say the pubs and clubs will be shut in England in January....
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    "We have assumed a perfectly spherical horse."
  • FishingFishing Posts: 5,907
    NB The ? in the thread should be a sigma, but this doesn't seem to come out in the font used on the site. I'll change it in subsequent threads.
  • TazTaz Posts: 21,685
    FrancisUrquhart said:

    First to say the pubs and clubs will be shut in England in January....

    Custom falls off a cliff in January, aside from the odd Saturday night and when the soccer is in town.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    FrancisUrquhart said:

    First to say the pubs and clubs will be shut in England in January....

    January is such a shit month that Burns Night is a thing, even in England
  • darkagedarkage Posts: 5,398
    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?
  • solarflaresolarflare Posts: 4,231
    IshmaelZ said:

    "We have assumed a perfectly spherical horse."

    In a vacuum, presumably.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 124,456
    darkage said:

    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?

    BT have been great for me.

    Avoid Virgin like the plague.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 21,092
    @darkage is the problem with your actual internet connection, or with your WiFi router?
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 23,051
    Can we have 4 threads in an hour

    What is the probability?
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 53,130
    Every year, the OGH bets on there being a Labour lead? I doubt it.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 68,540
    "Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband."

    @darkage

    Yes, I'm with BT. Been absolutely fine for years.*


    * so sod's law dictates it will crash tomorrow.
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 23,051
    TheScreamingEagles said:

    darkage said:

    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?

    BT have been great for me.

    Avoid Virgin like the plague.
    Too much blood?
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 68,540
    TheScreamingEagles said:

    darkage said:

    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?

    BT have been great for me.

    Avoid Virgin like the plague.
    I have never met someone with a good word to say about Virgin fibre/broadband.
  • solarflaresolarflare Posts: 4,231
    I've started to think Omicron is a bit like that moment in the Walking Dead where they realise even without being bitten they still turn into a zombie when they die because it's so ubiquitous they just already have the virus anyway.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 124,456
    bigjohnowls said:

    Can we have 4 threads in an hour

    What is the probability?

    On general election night that is guaranteed 1/10,000 shot.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 21,092
    solarflare said:

    I've started to think Omicron is a bit like that moment in the Walking Dead where they realise even without being bitten they still turn into a zombie when they die because it's so ubiquitous they just already have the virus anyway.

    spoilers
  • theProletheProle Posts: 1,524
    darkage said:

    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?

    Unreliable WiFi from routers seems to plague most ISPs - I'm with Plusnet, and have various mysterious problems which mostly appear to be related to the router being particularly cheap and nasty - it seems to need rebooting irritatingly regularly.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 130,990
    edited December 2021
    FrancisUrquhart said:

    First to say the pubs and clubs will be shut in England in January....

    In which case Boris would lose a VONC within a week. We might even end up with Steve Baker as PM.

    New ConservativeHome Tory members poll finds a plurality want no restrictions at all and just 4% want any new restrictions on the vaccinated. That is even lower than the percentage who wanted to delay Brexit before May was forced to resign

    https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2021/12/a-plurality-of-our-panellists-say-no-more-lockdowns-but-a-quarter-back-vaccine-passports-instead.html
  • darkagedarkage Posts: 5,398
    Gallowgate said:

    @darkage is the problem with your actual internet connection, or with your WiFi router?

    I don't know. The engineer tested the plug in the wall and had no concerns. A new router was installed. This seemed to solve the cutting out problem but then it returned. The usual explanation is that it is my computer but it happens on all our devices. It sounds like I will just need to go and tell them its not sorted out and see what they say.
  • FishingFishing Posts: 5,907
    IanB2 said:

    Every year, the OGH bets on there being a Labour lead? I doubt it.

    Should read "earlier this year". Thanks for pointing it out.
  • EndillionEndillion Posts: 4,976
    @rcs1000
    Info on % Covid incidental admissions in the UK from 8:06 in this video:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM2VgBm9pTI
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 68,540
    FrancisUrquhart said:

    First to say the pubs and clubs will be shut in England in January....

    And not reopening in many cases. They have lost the mammoth December cash flow bonanza and now heading into a Jan with lockdown in all but name. Sunak needs to do more.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 124,456
    edited December 2021
    rottenborough said:

    TheScreamingEagles said:

    darkage said:

    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?

    BT have been great for me.

    Avoid Virgin like the plague.
    I have never met someone with a good word to say about Virgin fibre/broadband.
    Virgin when it is great is utterly brilliant but far too often it is terrible and their customer services are even worse.

    One of the reasons I'm migrating from O2 is I know they'll infect O2's brilliant customer services.
  • Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,822
    darkage said:

    Gallowgate said:

    @darkage is the problem with your actual internet connection, or with your WiFi router?

    I don't know. The engineer tested the plug in the wall and had no concerns. A new router was installed. This seemed to solve the cutting out problem but then it returned. The usual explanation is that it is my computer but it happens on all our devices. It sounds like I will just need to go and tell them its not sorted out and see what they say.
    Most routers keep a log which should show when it disconnected and reconnected.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 21,092
    darkage said:

    Gallowgate said:

    @darkage is the problem with your actual internet connection, or with your WiFi router?

    I don't know. The engineer tested the plug in the wall and had no concerns. A new router was installed. This seemed to solve the cutting out problem but then it returned. The usual explanation is that it is my computer but it happens on all our devices. It sounds like I will just need to go and tell them its not sorted out and see what they say.
    Does it happen in a particular room or area of your house? Does bringing your portable device closer to the router solve the problem?
  • Alphabet_SoupAlphabet_Soup Posts: 3,726
    darkage said:

    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?

    The only problem we have with BT is that an incoming call on the landline seems to knock out broadband for 1-2 minutes. Can't be bothered to work out why as we've trained everyone we know to call our cell phones, thereby conceding the landline to spammers who can safely be ignored.
  • Beibheirli_CBeibheirli_C Posts: 8,192
    edited December 2021
    darkage said:

    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?

    @darkage

    We have used Zen Internet for years, both privately and commercially. Their support is excellent (based in Rochdale) and their support people are properly trained technical people. The reliability of their network is simply unparalleled IMO

    http://zen.co.uk


  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    darkage said:

    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?

    I get on fine with BT. I stick with them cos I get a good deal on mobiles, and so that if I have landline problems it isn't a 3 way fight me/line provider/ISP. Also, they keep sending me new routers which I don't want or need so I usually have a virgin new router sitting in a cupboard. Worth asking local people if they have got one lying about?
  • solarflaresolarflare Posts: 4,231
    Gallowgate said:

    solarflare said:

    I've started to think Omicron is a bit like that moment in the Walking Dead where they realise even without being bitten they still turn into a zombie when they die because it's so ubiquitous they just already have the virus anyway.

    spoilers
    It's many seasons and many years ago. The Titanic also sinks. Soz.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 62,072
    MISTY said:

    rcs1000 said:

    MISTY said:

    rcs1000 said:

    MISTY said:

    Richard_Nabavi said:

    Covid hospital-admission stats are looking pretty grim, in fact appreciably worse (or at least showing up slightly earlier) than the much-derided LSHTM model of mid-December.

    https://twitter.com/COVID19actuary/status/1476603552193724417/photo/3

    Still, this isn't really a surprise. We knew that Omicron spreads super-fast, and the government took a deliberate decision not to impose tougher restrictions. I still think that was probably the right call, not least because by the time they got round to making a decision it was already too late for restrictions to have much effect.

    Fortunately the triple-boosting looks as though it is working extremely well in avoiding too many of the most serious cases, and of course deaths, but the hit on the NHS is (as I expected) going to be dire over the next couple of weeks, and a lot of people are going to have a nasty bout of illness (albeit mainly the voluntarily unvaxxed).

    What is clear is that the naïve takes on both extremes, ignoring the very real uncertainties and selectively picking snippets of data that supported their preconceptions, were equally irrational.

    In which country are the restrictions having an effect? France? Germany?
    It's pretty hard to argue that restrictions didn't have an effect in Germany:



    As an aside, are you going to withdraw your lie about Gibraltar?
    It really isn't, seeing as that's exactly what the German authorities themselves do seem to be claiming

    https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-actual-covid-rate-2-or-3-times-higher-than-official-christmas-records/a-60287604

    S
    Are you going to withdraw your lie about Gibraltar?
    Absolutely 100% not

    https://www.gbc.gi/news/exemptions-masks-can-now-only-be-issued-director-public-health

    Gibraltar has restrictions. Life there is far from free in a pre March 2020 sense.

    I can understand why someone such as yourself doesn't want people to know that wall to wall vaccination does not result in freedom.

    But sorry, its the truth.
    "Has restrictions" != Christmas cancelled.

    You lied repeatedly. On multiple occasions you claimed that Christmas was cancelled.

    How about reading the speech from the Chief Minister last week - https://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/press-releases/chief-ministers-script-live-statement-from-no-6-convent-place-9552021-7552

    Let me quote a few bits of it for you:

    "I know many of you will be watching UK and international news channels and you will be seeing nations around the world IMPOSING conditions and rules and cancelling events and celebrations.

    You may ask yourselves why your Government is not doing that here."

    Hmmm... interesting.

    "As a result of the vaccination programme, I fully expect we will now be able to enjoy Christmas with our loved ones without the need for any further restrictions."

    Ahhh...

    What restrictions do they have?

    "mask wearing in shops and on public transport."

    Do you really expect us to believe that means "Christmas is cancelled"?

    Do you take us for idiots?

    Do you think you can spew lies without us being able to Google?

    How about you withdraw your claims.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 68,540
    Someone was asking about covid hospitalisations with/from covid stats:


    Allison Pearson
    @AllisonPearson
    ·
    6h
    Of 9,470 patients with confirmed Covid currently in English hospitals, 6,106 are being treated primarily for Covid.
    3,364 are in hospital for other ailments but tested positive.
    Around 1 in 5 will have contracted Covid in hospital.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 46,085
    Beibheirli_C said:

    darkage said:

    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?

    @darkage

    We have used Zen Internet for years, both privately and commercially. Their support is excellent (based in Rochdale) and their support people are properly trained technical people. The reliability of their network is simply unparalleled IMO

    http://zen.co.uk


    Us too. [FPT] Been using Zen Internet - consistently top or high in the Which member rankings for some years. But what I don't understand is if they also rely on the BT infrastructure. If the router is the problem, however, then it should be replaced anyway when you change.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 62,072
    theProle said:

    darkage said:

    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?

    Unreliable WiFi from routers seems to plague most ISPs - I'm with Plusnet, and have various mysterious problems which mostly appear to be related to the router being particularly cheap and nasty - it seems to need rebooting irritatingly regularly.
    Get a dedicated Wifi Access Point from Ubiquiti and plug it into your router.
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 67,991
    darkage said:

    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?

    I am with BT and recently changed all my passwords but at the same time I had a problem with my router. I disconnected it and reconnected and the router died. I had no broadband other than on my phone and I managed to get their help desk in Cardiff.

    The first technician was unable to identify the issue and she referred me to another specialist technician. I managed with his help to reboot it but if fell over again. We talked for sometime and he said he was posting an emergency router to me and their technician would call at my home in two days. I immediately received text confirmations and was very impressed

    With the help of my son, who is an IT specialist, we managed to overcome the problem and I cancelled the technicians call

    I returned the router as soon as it was received

    My own experience warrants 10 out of 10 for BT and I hope you receive the same support
  • NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,837
    rottenborough said:

    "Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband."

    @darkage

    Yes, I'm with BT. Been absolutely fine for years.*


    * so sod's law dictates it will crash tomorrow.

    Same here. The availability of public wifi points is an important bonus, but anyway it's fine, and includes my mobile contract for a fiver extra.
  • darkagedarkage Posts: 5,398
    Gallowgate said:

    darkage said:

    Gallowgate said:

    @darkage is the problem with your actual internet connection, or with your WiFi router?

    I don't know. The engineer tested the plug in the wall and had no concerns. A new router was installed. This seemed to solve the cutting out problem but then it returned. The usual explanation is that it is my computer but it happens on all our devices. It sounds like I will just need to go and tell them its not sorted out and see what they say.
    Does it happen in a particular room or area of your house? Does bringing your portable device closer to the router solve the problem?
    No - I can sit right by the router and it still keeps cutting out and takes annoyingly long to reconnect. Sometimes up to 10 minutes of continuously retrying.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 62,072
    rottenborough said:

    Someone was asking about covid hospitalisations with/from covid stats:


    Allison Pearson
    @AllisonPearson
    ·
    6h
    Of 9,470 patients with confirmed Covid currently in English hospitals, 6,106 are being treated primarily for Covid.
    3,364 are in hospital for other ailments but tested positive.
    Around 1 in 5 will have contracted Covid in hospital.

    That 6,106 is the number to watch.
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146
    Very surprised to hear on the news that the AstraZeneca vaccine is not available in Sweden, and appears not to have been available for some considerable time.

    Why surprised? Because AstraZeneca is half Swedish.

    I usually switch over as soon as anyone says Covid, but am mildly interested as was boosted three days ago: Pfizer-Pfizer-Pfizer. Only other one around seems to be Moderna, and almost nobody wants that.
  • TazTaz Posts: 21,685
    solarflare said:

    Gallowgate said:

    solarflare said:

    I've started to think Omicron is a bit like that moment in the Walking Dead where they realise even without being bitten they still turn into a zombie when they die because it's so ubiquitous they just already have the virus anyway.

    spoilers
    It's many seasons and many years ago. The Titanic also sinks. Soz.
    Lol. I must admit I laughed at the idiocy of that comment for the same reason. I get spoilers being said for something that has yet to be shown but years after the event....
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 67,991
    Alphabet_Soup said:

    darkage said:

    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?

    The only problem we have with BT is that an incoming call on the landline seems to knock out broadband for 1-2 minutes. Can't be bothered to work out why as we've trained everyone we know to call our cell phones, thereby conceding the landline to spammers who can safely be ignored.
    They have just moved my landline to digital
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 23,051
    HYUFD said:

    FrancisUrquhart said:

    First to say the pubs and clubs will be shut in England in January....

    In which case Boris would lose a VONC within a week. We might even end up with Steve Baker as PM.

    New ConservativeHome Tory members poll finds a plurality want no restrictions at all and just 4% want any new restrictions on the vaccinated. That is even lower than the percentage who wanted to delay Brexit before May was forced to resign

    https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2021/12/a-plurality-of-our-panellists-say-no-more-lockdowns-but-a-quarter-back-vaccine-passports-instead.html
    I dont think Boris would lose a VONC

    Not with Lab ahead in the polls
  • darkagedarkage Posts: 5,398
    Thanks for the replies, sincerely appreciated - seems like my instinct to stick with BT was possibly justified and I just need to keep trying to get them to solve the problem. Interesting idea about there being a log to the router, I will mention that to them. I will look in to Zen if it gets really bad but I think they use the BT infrastructure. At least BT should be able to sort the problem out as they are so big.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,422
    In contrast to France:

    https://www.gbc.gi/news/spain-extends-brexit-bridging-measures-gibraltar-until-28th-february-2022
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,422
    Scoop: Boris Johnson set to be cleared by Lord Geidt over donation for Downing St flat refurbishment

    “Geidt makes clear the situation is a total mess but the fundamental conclusion is that the PM did not deceive and did not break the ministerial code”


    https://twitter.com/SebastianEPayne/status/1476624741876355073?s=20
  • Beibheirli_CBeibheirli_C Posts: 8,192
    Carnyx said:

    Beibheirli_C said:

    darkage said:

    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?

    @darkage

    We have used Zen Internet for years, both privately and commercially. Their support is excellent (based in Rochdale) and their support people are properly trained technical people. The reliability of their network is simply unparalleled IMO

    http://zen.co.uk


    Us too. [FPT] Been using Zen Internet - consistently top or high in the Which member rankings for some years. But what I don't understand is if they also rely on the BT infrastructure. If the router is the problem, however, then it should be replaced anyway when you change.
    Zen are one of those companies with "Access to the cabinet" in BT exchanges so they have their own engineers and kit to hand
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146
    darkage said:

    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?

    Mother has BT. Total, total nightmare.

    Do not waste your energy fighting them. Just switch as soon as humanly possible.

    No idea how it looks in your part of the world, but here a lot of people just use mobile broadband for everything. We have 5 mobiles on our account, plus cheap fibre digital-tv/100 Mbits broadband/bbt via our resident’s association. All from same supplier. This means that we get totally unlimited mobile broadband for all 5 iPhones for a reasonable price. And the mobile broadband is more robust than the fibre router. We usually just switch off wifi, even when at home.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 130,990
    bigjohnowls said:

    HYUFD said:

    FrancisUrquhart said:

    First to say the pubs and clubs will be shut in England in January....

    In which case Boris would lose a VONC within a week. We might even end up with Steve Baker as PM.

    New ConservativeHome Tory members poll finds a plurality want no restrictions at all and just 4% want any new restrictions on the vaccinated. That is even lower than the percentage who wanted to delay Brexit before May was forced to resign

    https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2021/12/a-plurality-of-our-panellists-say-no-more-lockdowns-but-a-quarter-back-vaccine-passports-instead.html
    I dont think Boris would lose a VONC

    Not with Lab ahead in the polls
    He would lose a VONC as Tory leader not as PM.

    A new anti restrictions Tory leader would then be elected to replace him and they in turn would become the new PM
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 30,875
    Someone on the previous thread said Carlisle had its attractions.
    Citation needed.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 68,540
    CarlottaVance said:

    Scoop: Boris Johnson set to be cleared by Lord Geidt over donation for Downing St flat refurbishment

    “Geidt makes clear the situation is a total mess but the fundamental conclusion is that the PM did not deceive and did not break the ministerial code”


    https://twitter.com/SebastianEPayne/status/1476624741876355073?s=20

    Chaos is a ladder.
  • Northern_AlNorthern_Al Posts: 9,123
    rottenborough said:

    TheScreamingEagles said:

    darkage said:

    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?

    BT have been great for me.

    Avoid Virgin like the plague.
    I have never met someone with a good word to say about Virgin fibre/broadband.
    You have now. Ten years with Virgin, only one problem in all that time, resolved within the day.
  • Alphabet_SoupAlphabet_Soup Posts: 3,726
    Big_G_NorthWales said:

    Alphabet_Soup said:

    darkage said:

    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?

    The only problem we have with BT is that an incoming call on the landline seems to knock out broadband for 1-2 minutes. Can't be bothered to work out why as we've trained everyone we know to call our cell phones, thereby conceding the landline to spammers who can safely be ignored.
    They have just moved my landline to digital
    I'm waiting to see what the implication of that will be. Perhaps we can ditch the BT landline altogether and just use 5G with Three? It could save a small fortune (and flood the market with second-hand copper).
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 68,540
    Big_G_NorthWales said:

    Alphabet_Soup said:

    darkage said:

    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?

    The only problem we have with BT is that an incoming call on the landline seems to knock out broadband for 1-2 minutes. Can't be bothered to work out why as we've trained everyone we know to call our cell phones, thereby conceding the landline to spammers who can safely be ignored.
    They have just moved my landline to digital
    Everyone will have to do this soon.
  • StockyStocky Posts: 10,446
    bigjohnowls said:

    HYUFD said:

    FrancisUrquhart said:

    First to say the pubs and clubs will be shut in England in January....

    In which case Boris would lose a VONC within a week. We might even end up with Steve Baker as PM.

    New ConservativeHome Tory members poll finds a plurality want no restrictions at all and just 4% want any new restrictions on the vaccinated. That is even lower than the percentage who wanted to delay Brexit before May was forced to resign

    https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2021/12/a-plurality-of-our-panellists-say-no-more-lockdowns-but-a-quarter-back-vaccine-passports-instead.html
    I dont think Boris would lose a VONC

    Not with Lab ahead in the polls
    Is the voting secret? I think it is. If so I suspect many MPs would grasp the opportunity to get rid.
  • state_go_awaystate_go_away Posts: 5,857
    edited December 2021
    rcs1000 said:

    rottenborough said:

    Someone was asking about covid hospitalisations with/from covid stats:


    Allison Pearson
    @AllisonPearson
    ·
    6h
    Of 9,470 patients with confirmed Covid currently in English hospitals, 6,106 are being treated primarily for Covid.
    3,364 are in hospital for other ailments but tested positive.
    Around 1 in 5 will have contracted Covid in hospital.

    That 6,106 is the number to watch.
    So about 9 per parliamentary constituency . Hardly overwhelming imo and serious questions needs to be asked of the NHS if that is a figure that needs society restrictions
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 68,540
    rcs1000 said:

    rottenborough said:

    Someone was asking about covid hospitalisations with/from covid stats:


    Allison Pearson
    @AllisonPearson
    ·
    6h
    Of 9,470 patients with confirmed Covid currently in English hospitals, 6,106 are being treated primarily for Covid.
    3,364 are in hospital for other ailments but tested positive.
    Around 1 in 5 will have contracted Covid in hospital.

    That 6,106 is the number to watch.

    Shaun Lintern
    @ShaunLintern
    I'm told Covid patient numbers in hospital in England will jump by another 1,000 when the data is updated later, off the back of a 1,000 rise yday. This will mean roughly 11,300 Covid patients in hospital - numbers last seen at the end of February.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 35,326
    CarlottaVance said:

    Scoop: Boris Johnson set to be cleared by Lord Geidt over donation for Downing St flat refurbishment

    “Geidt makes clear the situation is a total mess but the fundamental conclusion is that the PM did not deceive and did not break the ministerial code”


    https://twitter.com/SebastianEPayne/status/1476624741876355073?s=20

    Well under normal circumstances the PM would be expected to resign had Geidt come to the alternative conclusion. The optics have nonetheless been horrible, and trying to sell this as a victory and confirmation of Johnson's probity will just extend the embarrassment.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 21,092
    Taz said:

    solarflare said:

    Gallowgate said:

    solarflare said:

    I've started to think Omicron is a bit like that moment in the Walking Dead where they realise even without being bitten they still turn into a zombie when they die because it's so ubiquitous they just already have the virus anyway.

    spoilers
    It's many seasons and many years ago. The Titanic also sinks. Soz.
    Lol. I must admit I laughed at the idiocy of that comment for the same reason. I get spoilers being said for something that has yet to be shown but years after the event....
    To reassure you, my comment obviously wasn't serious
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 99,521
    CarlottaVance said:

    Scoop: Boris Johnson set to be cleared by Lord Geidt over donation for Downing St flat refurbishment

    “Geidt makes clear the situation is a total mess but the fundamental conclusion is that the PM did not deceive and did not break the ministerial code”


    https://twitter.com/SebastianEPayne/status/1476624741876355073?s=20

    Seems on the face of it like claiming incompetence as a defence, given it's not hard to not make a mess of things. Only used as a last resort. The full details will be interesting.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 21,092
    Big_G_NorthWales said:

    Alphabet_Soup said:

    darkage said:

    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?

    The only problem we have with BT is that an incoming call on the landline seems to knock out broadband for 1-2 minutes. Can't be bothered to work out why as we've trained everyone we know to call our cell phones, thereby conceding the landline to spammers who can safely be ignored.
    They have just moved my landline to digital
    What's a landline?
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 27,361
    dixiedean said:

    Someone on the previous thread said Carlisle had its attractions.
    Citation needed.

    Kingmoor Depot...

    https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4635/39562006011_06b17a8c53.jpg
  • MattWMattW Posts: 30,388
    FPT:
    rcs1000 said:

    MISTY said:

    Richard_Nabavi said:

    Covid hospital-admission stats are looking pretty grim, in fact appreciably worse (or at least showing up slightly earlier) than the much-derided LSHTM model of mid-December.

    https://twitter.com/COVID19actuary/status/1476603552193724417/photo/3

    Still, this isn't really a surprise. We knew that Omicron spreads super-fast, and the government took a deliberate decision not to impose tougher restrictions. I still think that was probably the right call, not least because by the time they got round to making a decision it was already too late for restrictions to have much effect.

    Fortunately the triple-boosting looks as though it is working extremely well in avoiding too many of the most serious cases, and of course deaths, but the hit on the NHS is (as I expected) going to be dire over the next couple of weeks, and a lot of people are going to have a nasty bout of illness (albeit mainly the voluntarily unvaxxed).

    What is clear is that the naïve takes on both extremes, ignoring the very real uncertainties and selectively picking snippets of data that supported their preconceptions, were equally irrational.

    In which country are the restrictions having an effect? France? Germany?
    It's pretty hard to argue that restrictions didn't have an effect in Germany:



    As an aside, are you going to withdraw your lie about Gibraltar?
    That German curve is delta not omicron.

    They are still below 40% of new cases being omicron, so we don't really know the impact of German measures on omicron.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/30/germany-may-follow-england-in-cutting-isolation-time-as-omicron-spreads
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 68,540
    NickPalmer said:

    rottenborough said:

    "Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband."

    @darkage

    Yes, I'm with BT. Been absolutely fine for years.*


    * so sod's law dictates it will crash tomorrow.

    Same here. The availability of public wifi points is an important bonus, but anyway it's fine, and includes my mobile contract for a fiver extra.
    Engineers have been to my house from BT maybe twice in ten or twelve years. Once to upgrade the line somehow or other (it is still good ole copper) and once when the wind damaged the line.

    Both times, the engineers have been excellent.

  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 21,092
    dixiedean said:

    Someone on the previous thread said Carlisle had its attractions.
    Citation needed.

    Carlisle has one nice cocktail bar
  • StockyStocky Posts: 10,446
    edited December 2021
    darkage said:

    Thanks for the replies, sincerely appreciated - seems like my instinct to stick with BT was possibly justified and I just need to keep trying to get them to solve the problem. Interesting idea about there being a log to the router, I will mention that to them. I will look in to Zen if it gets really bad but I think they use the BT infrastructure. At least BT should be able to sort the problem out as they are so big.

    Comes down to speed doesn't it? In our village we had a choice of sticking with BT (at a speed of 4 Mbps if lucky) who refused to fibre optic our village and Gigaclear who came to our rescue with incredible speeds. Our choice to leave BT asap was not a difficult one.
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 23,051
    BBC News is a total basket case

    https://twitter.com/BBCNewsPR/status/1476506386964131840
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 21,092
    Stocky said:

    darkage said:

    Thanks for the replies, sincerely appreciated - seems like my instinct to stick with BT was possibly justified and I just need to keep trying to get them to solve the problem. Interesting idea about there being a log to the router, I will mention that to them. I will look in to Zen if it gets really bad but I think they use the BT infrastructure. At least BT should be able to sort the problem out as they are so big.

    Comes down to speed doesn't it? In our village we had a choice of sticking with BT (at a speed of 4 Mbps if lucky) who refused to fibre optic our village and Gigaclear who came to our rescue with incredible speeds. Our choice to leave BT asap was not a difficult one.
    Don't you mean Openreach?
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 67,991
    Alphabet_Soup said:

    Big_G_NorthWales said:

    Alphabet_Soup said:

    darkage said:

    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?

    The only problem we have with BT is that an incoming call on the landline seems to knock out broadband for 1-2 minutes. Can't be bothered to work out why as we've trained everyone we know to call our cell phones, thereby conceding the landline to spammers who can safely be ignored.
    They have just moved my landline to digital
    I'm waiting to see what the implication of that will be. Perhaps we can ditch the BT landline altogether and just use 5G with Three? It could save a small fortune (and flood the market with second-hand copper).
    It was simple. Just plugged it into the back of the router and works as before (as long as the router does)
  • Northern_AlNorthern_Al Posts: 9,123
    CarlottaVance said:

    Scoop: Boris Johnson set to be cleared by Lord Geidt over donation for Downing St flat refurbishment

    “Geidt makes clear the situation is a total mess but the fundamental conclusion is that the PM did not deceive and did not break the ministerial code”


    https://twitter.com/SebastianEPayne/status/1476624741876355073?s=20

    Stunning result. Tory Lord appointed by the PM to be an independent adviser on ministerial interests clears aforesaid PM of all wrong-doing.
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 23,051
    Gallowgate said:

    dixiedean said:

    Someone on the previous thread said Carlisle had its attractions.
    Citation needed.

    Carlisle has one nice cocktail bar
    A great railway Station and nice Castle
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 68,540
    Stocky said:

    darkage said:

    Thanks for the replies, sincerely appreciated - seems like my instinct to stick with BT was possibly justified and I just need to keep trying to get them to solve the problem. Interesting idea about there being a log to the router, I will mention that to them. I will look in to Zen if it gets really bad but I think they use the BT infrastructure. At least BT should be able to sort the problem out as they are so big.

    Comes down to speed doesn't it? In our village we had a choice of sticking with BT (at a speed of 4 Mbps if lucky) who refused to fibre optic our village and Gigaclear who came to our rescue with incredible speeds. Our choice to leave BT asap was not a difficult one.
    Presume BT will be coming with higher speeds at some point now they are rolling out more rural fibre?
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 21,092
    bigjohnowls said:

    Gallowgate said:

    dixiedean said:

    Someone on the previous thread said Carlisle had its attractions.
    Citation needed.

    Carlisle has one nice cocktail bar
    A great railway Station and nice Castle
    Shame they decided to build a four lane dual carriageway between the town and the castle.
  • StockyStocky Posts: 10,446
    Gallowgate said:

    Stocky said:

    darkage said:

    Thanks for the replies, sincerely appreciated - seems like my instinct to stick with BT was possibly justified and I just need to keep trying to get them to solve the problem. Interesting idea about there being a log to the router, I will mention that to them. I will look in to Zen if it gets really bad but I think they use the BT infrastructure. At least BT should be able to sort the problem out as they are so big.

    Comes down to speed doesn't it? In our village we had a choice of sticking with BT (at a speed of 4 Mbps if lucky) who refused to fibre optic our village and Gigaclear who came to our rescue with incredible speeds. Our choice to leave BT asap was not a difficult one.
    Don't you mean Openreach?
    Yes. You're right. Openreach - but part of BT then I think??? I know our parish council and local MP on our behalf were remonstrating (to no effect) with the senior management at BT.
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 20,707
    rottenborough said:

    Big_G_NorthWales said:

    Alphabet_Soup said:

    darkage said:

    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?

    The only problem we have with BT is that an incoming call on the landline seems to knock out broadband for 1-2 minutes. Can't be bothered to work out why as we've trained everyone we know to call our cell phones, thereby conceding the landline to spammers who can safely be ignored.
    They have just moved my landline to digital
    Everyone will have to do this soon.
    Gave up the landline when I moved the broadband to Aquiss. Was briefly concerned that it meant I was losing use of the phone in the case of a prolonged power cut (and my phone dying), but presumably if all the landlines are moving to digital they will all need an electricity supply then anyway, so makes no difference.
  • solarflaresolarflare Posts: 4,231
    Gallowgate said:

    Taz said:

    solarflare said:

    Gallowgate said:

    solarflare said:

    I've started to think Omicron is a bit like that moment in the Walking Dead where they realise even without being bitten they still turn into a zombie when they die because it's so ubiquitous they just already have the virus anyway.

    spoilers
    It's many seasons and many years ago. The Titanic also sinks. Soz.
    Lol. I must admit I laughed at the idiocy of that comment for the same reason. I get spoilers being said for something that has yet to be shown but years after the event....
    To reassure you, my comment obviously wasn't serious
    Ah fair enough. I assumed it was, so hopefully my tongue-in-cheek response was equally seen as non-serious :-)
  • EndillionEndillion Posts: 4,976
    state_go_away said:

    rcs1000 said:

    rottenborough said:

    Someone was asking about covid hospitalisations with/from covid stats:


    Allison Pearson
    @AllisonPearson
    ·
    6h
    Of 9,470 patients with confirmed Covid currently in English hospitals, 6,106 are being treated primarily for Covid.
    3,364 are in hospital for other ailments but tested positive.
    Around 1 in 5 will have contracted Covid in hospital.

    That 6,106 is the number to watch.
    So about 9 per parliamentary constituency . Hardly overwhelming imo and serious questions needs to be asked of the NHS if that is a figure that needs society restrictions
    No-one is saying it does - but we are all expecting it to rise significantly over the next month. The question is by how much. If it goes up by ten times, we can probably cope. If it goes up by fifty times, we definitely can't.
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 33,472
    TheScreamingEagles said:

    rottenborough said:

    TheScreamingEagles said:

    darkage said:

    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?

    BT have been great for me.

    Avoid Virgin like the plague.
    I have never met someone with a good word to say about Virgin fibre/broadband.
    Virgin when it is great is utterly brilliant but far too often it is terrible and their customer services are even worse.

    One of the reasons I'm migrating from O2 is I know they'll infect O2's brilliant customer services.
    All companies are the same. Every service is great when things go well and appalling as soon as there is a problem. Not just ISPs but shops, banks, delivery services, everyone. The suppliers probably do not use their own service, and certainly not their own complaints procedure. Nothing is tested. Customer services consists of a badly-programmed chatbot and two bored housewives in a far-off country of which we know little.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 30,875
    Gallowgate said:

    dixiedean said:

    Someone on the previous thread said Carlisle had its attractions.
    Citation needed.

    Carlisle has one nice cocktail bar
    You should work for the Tourist board.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 21,092
    Stocky said:

    Gallowgate said:

    Stocky said:

    darkage said:

    Thanks for the replies, sincerely appreciated - seems like my instinct to stick with BT was possibly justified and I just need to keep trying to get them to solve the problem. Interesting idea about there being a log to the router, I will mention that to them. I will look in to Zen if it gets really bad but I think they use the BT infrastructure. At least BT should be able to sort the problem out as they are so big.

    Comes down to speed doesn't it? In our village we had a choice of sticking with BT (at a speed of 4 Mbps if lucky) who refused to fibre optic our village and Gigaclear who came to our rescue with incredible speeds. Our choice to leave BT asap was not a difficult one.
    Don't you mean Openreach?
    Yes. You're right. Openreach - but part of BT then I think??? I know our parish council and local MP on our behalf were remonstrating (to no effect) with the senior management at BT.
    I was just being annoyingly facetious, but yeah, Openreach's relationship with "BT" is complicated. Especially if BT plc was bought by foreign owners, for example...
  • darkagedarkage Posts: 5,398
    StuartDickson said:

    darkage said:

    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?

    Mother has BT. Total, total nightmare.

    Do not waste your energy fighting them. Just switch as soon as humanly possible.

    No idea how it looks in your part of the world, but here a lot of people just use mobile broadband for everything. We have 5 mobiles on our account, plus cheap fibre digital-tv/100 Mbits broadband/bbt via our resident’s association. All from same supplier. This means that we get totally unlimited mobile broadband for all 5 iPhones for a reasonable price. And the mobile broadband is more robust than the fibre router. We usually just switch off wifi, even when at home.
    Yes - seems like mixed opinions, I'll have to fight them to see if I can get it fixed, possibly just a case of better the devil you know.
    I've also got a 4g mobile portable broadband router which I pay £35 a month for mainly to use in my garden office. It would actually do the trick for most internet uses except for my work which goes through some sort of antiquated high security VPN and the speeds using the 4g connection aren't fast enough for effective working.
  • StockyStocky Posts: 10,446
    rottenborough said:

    Stocky said:

    darkage said:

    Thanks for the replies, sincerely appreciated - seems like my instinct to stick with BT was possibly justified and I just need to keep trying to get them to solve the problem. Interesting idea about there being a log to the router, I will mention that to them. I will look in to Zen if it gets really bad but I think they use the BT infrastructure. At least BT should be able to sort the problem out as they are so big.

    Comes down to speed doesn't it? In our village we had a choice of sticking with BT (at a speed of 4 Mbps if lucky) who refused to fibre optic our village and Gigaclear who came to our rescue with incredible speeds. Our choice to leave BT asap was not a difficult one.
    Presume BT will be coming with higher speeds at some point now they are rolling out more rural fibre?
    I'll believe it when I see it - "not economically viable" was their view when our village of 200 households were without and now most are happy with Gigaclear it would be even less economically viable I should think.

    They would be better off just buying Gigaclear.
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 12,290
    Data delayed till 8pm.

    The tension...
  • Alphabet_SoupAlphabet_Soup Posts: 3,726
    bigjohnowls said:

    BBC News is a total basket case

    https://twitter.com/BBCNewsPR/status/1476506386964131840

    When I were a lad you had to be well-spoken and presentable to land a job with Auntie. I failed badly on the latter. Nowadays both attributes would be regarded as a fatal disqualification.
  • Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,822
    rottenborough said:

    Stocky said:

    darkage said:

    Thanks for the replies, sincerely appreciated - seems like my instinct to stick with BT was possibly justified and I just need to keep trying to get them to solve the problem. Interesting idea about there being a log to the router, I will mention that to them. I will look in to Zen if it gets really bad but I think they use the BT infrastructure. At least BT should be able to sort the problem out as they are so big.

    Comes down to speed doesn't it? In our village we had a choice of sticking with BT (at a speed of 4 Mbps if lucky) who refused to fibre optic our village and Gigaclear who came to our rescue with incredible speeds. Our choice to leave BT asap was not a difficult one.
    Presume BT will be coming with higher speeds at some point now they are rolling out more rural fibre?
    Incredibly frustrating in our case. They dug up our road and installed fibre, but they didn't put enough roadside cabinets in place, so even with a supposedly 'guaranteed' 80Mb fibre-to-the-cabinet contract, we only get 10Mb download and just 1Mb upload. And we're not exactly in a remote area, just 50 miles from London.
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 23,051
    bigjohnowls said:

    BBC News is a total basket case

    https://twitter.com/BBCNewsPR/status/1476506386964131840

    https://twitter.com/Agitate4Change/status/1476624772410875909/photo/1
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 68,540
    Talking of fast broadband and fibre and so on. A good old friend of my wife's has a property in rural France. Way off the beaten track. The little house is at the end of an unpaved lane that's at least 1/2 mile from a tiny road that leads to the nearest one bar village. Definite france profonde.

    He's had super fast fibre broadband for at least a decade, probably more.




  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 30,875
    rottenborough said:

    NickPalmer said:

    rottenborough said:

    "Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband."

    @darkage

    Yes, I'm with BT. Been absolutely fine for years.*


    * so sod's law dictates it will crash tomorrow.

    Same here. The availability of public wifi points is an important bonus, but anyway it's fine, and includes my mobile contract for a fiver extra.
    Engineers have been to my house from BT maybe twice in ten or twelve years. Once to upgrade the line somehow or other (it is still good ole copper) and once when the wind damaged the line.

    Both times, the engineers have been excellent.

    Yeah. BT engineers were great with us. Fixed the problem within a couple of hours.
    After Talk Talk left us without Internet, and thus income for four days straight. And didn't seem to give a toss either.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 40,927
    Gallowgate said:

    Big_G_NorthWales said:

    Alphabet_Soup said:

    darkage said:

    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?

    The only problem we have with BT is that an incoming call on the landline seems to knock out broadband for 1-2 minutes. Can't be bothered to work out why as we've trained everyone we know to call our cell phones, thereby conceding the landline to spammers who can safely be ignored.
    They have just moved my landline to digital
    What's a landline?
    My mum was really upset that we decided not to bother with a landline phone at our new house. She literally said "how will I phone you?" While she was talking to me on a mobile lol.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 38,202
    Gallowgate said:

    Big_G_NorthWales said:

    Alphabet_Soup said:

    darkage said:

    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?

    The only problem we have with BT is that an incoming call on the landline seems to knock out broadband for 1-2 minutes. Can't be bothered to work out why as we've trained everyone we know to call our cell phones, thereby conceding the landline to spammers who can safely be ignored.
    They have just moved my landline to digital
    What's a landline?
    It's the way most people's broadband works.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 30,388
    StuartDickson said:

    Very surprised to hear on the news that the AstraZeneca vaccine is not available in Sweden, and appears not to have been available for some considerable time.

    Why surprised? Because AstraZeneca is half Swedish.

    I usually switch over as soon as anyone says Covid, but am mildly interested as was boosted three days ago: Pfizer-Pfizer-Pfizer. Only other one around seems to be Moderna, and almost nobody wants that.

    Is part of this that offered an alternative to AZ, and diverted a lot of it to Covax?
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 27,361
    Lock him up...

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/dec/30/dominic-raab-photographed-at-chelsea-game-without-a-mask

    Dominic Raab photographed at Chelsea game without a mask
    Image shows justice secretary apparently ignoring club guidance to wear face covering while seated in stadium
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 21,092
    Andy_JS said:

    Gallowgate said:

    Big_G_NorthWales said:

    Alphabet_Soup said:

    darkage said:

    (reposted from previous thread)
    Sorry for going off topic but I wondered if people still use BT for their broadband. I have stuck with them, on the assumption that they would be no better than anyone else. But I have found them to be hard work. I had a problem with my router which means that it cuts out continually, I kept being told that I was imagining it or it was my computer that was at fault, I proved otherwise to them and they eventually sent an engineer around and it seemed to be fixed, only now the problems are starting up again, and I am stuck with another 9 months on my contract. The current situation is really bad because the WIFI is now so unreliable that I can't use it for work, mobile broadband is more reliable. I fear that I will need to go in to some kind of energy sapping consumer rights battle with BT. Am I just unfortunate or do other people experience/hear of these problems with BT?

    The only problem we have with BT is that an incoming call on the landline seems to knock out broadband for 1-2 minutes. Can't be bothered to work out why as we've trained everyone we know to call our cell phones, thereby conceding the landline to spammers who can safely be ignored.
    They have just moved my landline to digital
    What's a landline?
    It's the way most people's broadband works.
    Nah, that's line rental.

    I'm 30 in less than 2 months and have never had a landline phone!
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 23,051
    Eabhal said:

    Data delayed till 8pm.

    The tension...

    Numbers too big to count?
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 21,092
    bigjohnowls said:

    Eabhal said:

    Data delayed till 8pm.

    The tension...

    Numbers too big to count?
    The spreadsheet is probably full. Run out of rows marra
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 40,927
    Richard_Nabavi said:

    rottenborough said:

    Stocky said:

    darkage said:

    Thanks for the replies, sincerely appreciated - seems like my instinct to stick with BT was possibly justified and I just need to keep trying to get them to solve the problem. Interesting idea about there being a log to the router, I will mention that to them. I will look in to Zen if it gets really bad but I think they use the BT infrastructure. At least BT should be able to sort the problem out as they are so big.

    Comes down to speed doesn't it? In our village we had a choice of sticking with BT (at a speed of 4 Mbps if lucky) who refused to fibre optic our village and Gigaclear who came to our rescue with incredible speeds. Our choice to leave BT asap was not a difficult one.
    Presume BT will be coming with higher speeds at some point now they are rolling out more rural fibre?
    Incredibly frustrating in our case. They dug up our road and installed fibre, but they didn't put enough roadside cabinets in place, so even with a supposedly 'guaranteed' 80Mb fibre-to-the-cabinet contract, we only get 10Mb download and just 1Mb upload. And we're not exactly in a remote area, just 50 miles from London.
    It's because BT funneled Openreach profits into sports rights instead of investing in full fibre. BT has been holding the country back for the better part of 20 years with poor internet and all of the altnets are eating into its monopoly now.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 35,326
    bigjohnowls said:

    BBC News is a total basket case

    https://twitter.com/BBCNewsPR/status/1476506386964131840

    Donald Trump, Bill Clinton and Prince Andrew for the papers review later?
  • TazTaz Posts: 21,685
    tlg86 said:

    Lock him up...

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/dec/30/dominic-raab-photographed-at-chelsea-game-without-a-mask

    Dominic Raab photographed at Chelsea game without a mask
    Image shows justice secretary apparently ignoring club guidance to wear face covering while seated in stadium

    Just like most other people in the picture. Guidance isn’t law. This is pretty lame stuff.
  • AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670
    Pretty much the only good thing of buying our new build is fibre to the premise. And now Hyperoptic have installed cabling down the street and we can get a second FttP provider!
  • Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,822
    BT engineers are usually excellent once you can get them to turn up. The problem is getting through the brain-dead call centres.

    My favourite was when I phoned them to tell them we'd severed the armoured cable with a JCB, and could they please send someone to put it together again (which I was quite happy to pay for, it being our contractor's fault). They still insisted on going through the idiotic script ('Have you rebooted the router? etc etc).
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