That's a beautiful cabinet, it's only open, others I've seen here in France, look like they've been hit by a car and left for dead, with dozens of cables dangling in the wind, and no door to be seen...
I have been told that telecoms cabinets are used for drug drop-offs. This would explain why they are often broken open but rarely vandalised inside. The last thing a dealer wants is to provoke a visit from a repairman who then runs off with the stash.
Jan 6, 2023·edited Jan 6, 2023Liked by Alistair Dabbs
We had a beautiful cabinet similar to that about a quarter of mile from my house. It serviced the entire estate where I lived, and was the main hub (I am told).
One morning, my connection suddenly dropped and didn't come back. I won't detail everything that went on until I got the truth out of them, but a week later I found out some little shit on my estate had taken his mother's car without permission one morning, spun it out (our estate is 20mph), and completely demolished the hub. They had to completely rebuild it.
VM did compensate me, but they would tell me his name and address.
In my last life I probably trained those technicians, I recognise the cheap company policy. I can normally tell as my guys ‘no’ a lot …was it something I did? ‘No’. Did you need to replace anything? ‘No’. Was there a problem at your end? ‘No!’. What’s the problem? ‘DunNO’.
Who needs knowledge and experience when just the ‘no’ledge is a quicker and cheaper training course
My neighbour gave me a set of house-keys when he had a complicated burglar alarm fitted 'to assist when the response-team' turned up in the event of an attempted heist. Just to be clear, this protection was over the top for a retired lecturer, and he had no other 'business' interests.
Inevitably, we had a power cut in the middle of the night, the neighbour's burglar alarm triggers and I get a call from the security company to 'assist the police when they arrive'.
"It's a power cut" I say, to no avail.
Nevertheless, in the pitch dark, the police do in fact turn up and I'm asked to assist getting into Fort Knox (3-keys, plus a 'knack' of pushing the door on lock 3), especially as I also have a dog. A few minutes later, we get into the house, have a look around and find the owner still fast asleep despite the ear-splitting internal sounder which I silence when he shows me where the control box is located: hidden behind hanging coats.
"It's just a power cut" he says...... as the lights come back on.... I never thought he felt as guilty as he should have done.....
Last time I had a power cut it was in the winter, woke up as normal (battery alarm clock) and thought it is a bit quiet in here usually you can hear the background hum of the heating, pumps etc
Looked out the window it was only just gettting light and no other lights were on outside.
I just went back to bed there was no way to find your way around so until it got light nothing could be done.
Mind you the broadband went off one day, it was just before lunch so I took an early break, walked past the bt junction box to find it open and an engineer changing all the filters in the gear. I was told my provider should have informed me openreach were planning this work but someohow ee forgot that bit.
It was back on after I came back from lunch though….
Kind of ditto, the most recent (lunchtime) power cut had me first resetting the breakers. A quick wander outside in my WFH clothes (AKA pyjamas) suggested it may be more than just us. So time to put on some actual trousers and walk up the road to where I can get a good mobile signal.
At which point I spot a tent up where I know the broadband box is ...
My best mate got broadband several years BF (Before Fibre), and living in a small village he only had one option: BT ADSL.
From Day One his service was crap. Having to repeatedly restart the modem, and I reckon BT must have completed two landfill sites judging by how many times they 'replaced the microfilters' (which they sent to him).
Years later he switched to Sky and supposedly 'proper' BB. And his service is still crap. Because none of the main wiring changed his end, just the name of who he was paying. We think there might be some 'fibre' involved somewhere, but we're not sure, though we're certain it isn't anywhere in Yorkshire, where he lives, if there is.
When we're Skyping, some nights we have to give up. If I send him a music video/YouTube to look at, the bandwidth often cuts his sound off and freezes the video feed. Apparently, he frequently can't use Sky TV, because it insists on being connected to work. We've done checks and his 50MB connection frequently hovers between around 1 and 5MB, occasionally spiking to 20MB. We assume the nights when we cannot connect, it is hovering closer to 0MB.
Sky reliably informs him everything is working normally.
This is as useless as that EcoWatt app. We literally had two power cuts within the last month but these dopey powercut predictors just continued insisting that all was well. It's PR bullshit that makes an interesting news story but these services simply don't work.
There is an increasing plethora of services that simply don't work. But hey, the feature sounds 'Smart'. Another word that has had its meaning inverted.
You should write an article on "Our Website is being updated. Check back soon....."
The Risk factor in a power cut is about to get higher for me. VirginMedia have just sent me an email “advising” me that my landline will require a connection via a new router which an engineer has to visit to install as they are phasing out their old telephone connection and therefore I should expect that my landline will not work during a power cut.
We know it might inconvenience 2% of our customers, but for the rest they’ll just try their mobile during an outage… Instead of the old, traditional copper network, we’re moving our phone service on to our ultrafast Fibre network. This means that new phone lines will be delivered over the same network we use for our broadband service.
The copper network is quickly becoming outdated, and we want to be ready for the future, making sure our customers always get the best possible experience. That’s why we’re investing billions to expand our network and bring our ultrafast connectivity to more people
Thanks for this comment. Found a letter posted on the OFCOM website on the topic (a freedom of information response). Seems it’s ‘guidance’, not a requirement of the service. So, mileage may vary in real life depending on individual situations.
In 2018, we published guidance on how providers can meet this obligation as customers move from traditional landline services to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, given VoIP landlines will not function in a power cut. This states that providers should have a solution available that enables access to emergency organisations for a minimum of one hour in the event of a power outage in the premises. It should be provided free of charge to customers who are at risk as they are reliant on their landline, for example, because they do not have reliable indoor mobile coverage, or no mobile phone.
That's an awfully complicated ritual to restore connectivity. It used to be so much easier in the days of dial-up when all that was needed was a simple goat sacrifice.
So the TalatObig effect wore off then?
TalatObig only works on other people's tech, yours has it own personalized demons that only respond to someone others' TalatObig
That's a beautiful cabinet, it's only open, others I've seen here in France, look like they've been hit by a car and left for dead, with dozens of cables dangling in the wind, and no door to be seen...
I suspect a lot of cabinets are built and supplied pre-distressed and with dangling cables in order to deter further vandalism?
I have been told that telecoms cabinets are used for drug drop-offs. This would explain why they are often broken open but rarely vandalised inside. The last thing a dealer wants is to provoke a visit from a repairman who then runs off with the stash.
We had a beautiful cabinet similar to that about a quarter of mile from my house. It serviced the entire estate where I lived, and was the main hub (I am told).
One morning, my connection suddenly dropped and didn't come back. I won't detail everything that went on until I got the truth out of them, but a week later I found out some little shit on my estate had taken his mother's car without permission one morning, spun it out (our estate is 20mph), and completely demolished the hub. They had to completely rebuild it.
VM did compensate me, but they would tell me his name and address.
Perhaps if your neighbors had answered one of the calls from '/ solar panels /' they would not be in that situation in the first place
Perhaps Mme D could teach you a marvelous way to evacuate your bladder while sitting down.
Mark this day, for the literary bar has been raised (razed?)
"Not all those who wander are lost" ... drivel
"My wound is geography. It is also my anchorage, my port of call." ... merde
"Call me Ishmael." ... bollocks
"We are huddled around two candles, instinctively leaning into the light like moths"
#bravo
#huzzah
#chefskiss
In my last life I probably trained those technicians, I recognise the cheap company policy. I can normally tell as my guys ‘no’ a lot …was it something I did? ‘No’. Did you need to replace anything? ‘No’. Was there a problem at your end? ‘No!’. What’s the problem? ‘DunNO’.
Who needs knowledge and experience when just the ‘no’ledge is a quicker and cheaper training course
My neighbour gave me a set of house-keys when he had a complicated burglar alarm fitted 'to assist when the response-team' turned up in the event of an attempted heist. Just to be clear, this protection was over the top for a retired lecturer, and he had no other 'business' interests.
Inevitably, we had a power cut in the middle of the night, the neighbour's burglar alarm triggers and I get a call from the security company to 'assist the police when they arrive'.
"It's a power cut" I say, to no avail.
Nevertheless, in the pitch dark, the police do in fact turn up and I'm asked to assist getting into Fort Knox (3-keys, plus a 'knack' of pushing the door on lock 3), especially as I also have a dog. A few minutes later, we get into the house, have a look around and find the owner still fast asleep despite the ear-splitting internal sounder which I silence when he shows me where the control box is located: hidden behind hanging coats.
"It's just a power cut" he says...... as the lights come back on.... I never thought he felt as guilty as he should have done.....
Last time I had a power cut it was in the winter, woke up as normal (battery alarm clock) and thought it is a bit quiet in here usually you can hear the background hum of the heating, pumps etc
Looked out the window it was only just gettting light and no other lights were on outside.
I just went back to bed there was no way to find your way around so until it got light nothing could be done.
Mind you the broadband went off one day, it was just before lunch so I took an early break, walked past the bt junction box to find it open and an engineer changing all the filters in the gear. I was told my provider should have informed me openreach were planning this work but someohow ee forgot that bit.
It was back on after I came back from lunch though….
Kind of ditto, the most recent (lunchtime) power cut had me first resetting the breakers. A quick wander outside in my WFH clothes (AKA pyjamas) suggested it may be more than just us. So time to put on some actual trousers and walk up the road to where I can get a good mobile signal.
At which point I spot a tent up where I know the broadband box is ...
At least they come out now.
My best mate got broadband several years BF (Before Fibre), and living in a small village he only had one option: BT ADSL.
From Day One his service was crap. Having to repeatedly restart the modem, and I reckon BT must have completed two landfill sites judging by how many times they 'replaced the microfilters' (which they sent to him).
Years later he switched to Sky and supposedly 'proper' BB. And his service is still crap. Because none of the main wiring changed his end, just the name of who he was paying. We think there might be some 'fibre' involved somewhere, but we're not sure, though we're certain it isn't anywhere in Yorkshire, where he lives, if there is.
When we're Skyping, some nights we have to give up. If I send him a music video/YouTube to look at, the bandwidth often cuts his sound off and freezes the video feed. Apparently, he frequently can't use Sky TV, because it insists on being connected to work. We've done checks and his 50MB connection frequently hovers between around 1 and 5MB, occasionally spiking to 20MB. We assume the nights when we cannot connect, it is hovering closer to 0MB.
Sky reliably informs him everything is working normally.
Well, you know how it is with fibre: you're sharing it with the neighbourhood. At least with DSL, you would suffer a consistently slow speed.
"Dunno"? You must me up to date with your technician jargon, "chépas" is more fitting of the your (and your technicians') whereabouts
Have you signed up for the power cut "meteo" alerts via sms on https://www.monecowatt.fr/ yet, Mr Dabbs?
This is as useless as that EcoWatt app. We literally had two power cuts within the last month but these dopey powercut predictors just continued insisting that all was well. It's PR bullshit that makes an interesting news story but these services simply don't work.
There is an increasing plethora of services that simply don't work. But hey, the feature sounds 'Smart'. Another word that has had its meaning inverted.
You should write an article on "Our Website is being updated. Check back soon....."
The Risk factor in a power cut is about to get higher for me. VirginMedia have just sent me an email “advising” me that my landline will require a connection via a new router which an engineer has to visit to install as they are phasing out their old telephone connection and therefore I should expect that my landline will not work during a power cut.
We know it might inconvenience 2% of our customers, but for the rest they’ll just try their mobile during an outage… Instead of the old, traditional copper network, we’re moving our phone service on to our ultrafast Fibre network. This means that new phone lines will be delivered over the same network we use for our broadband service.
The copper network is quickly becoming outdated, and we want to be ready for the future, making sure our customers always get the best possible experience. That’s why we’re investing billions to expand our network and bring our ultrafast connectivity to more people
OFCOM decreed that you could not be forced into a VOIP line unless your provider could give you 1 hour of uptime after the power went.
So far no provider has shipped any kit which meets spec, and, surprise, OFCOM have not even slapped any wrists.
Thanks for this comment. Found a letter posted on the OFCOM website on the topic (a freedom of information response). Seems it’s ‘guidance’, not a requirement of the service. So, mileage may vary in real life depending on individual situations.
OFCOM: Maintenance-of-Digital-Internet-Telephone-services-during-power-outage-PUBLISHED.pdf
In 2018, we published guidance on how providers can meet this obligation as customers move from traditional landline services to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, given VoIP landlines will not function in a power cut. This states that providers should have a solution available that enables access to emergency organisations for a minimum of one hour in the event of a power outage in the premises. It should be provided free of charge to customers who are at risk as they are reliant on their landline, for example, because they do not have reliable indoor mobile coverage, or no mobile phone.
Yes this whole concept of how you report an issue using the service that doesn't work seems to be often missed by certain types.
As for emergency calls!
Love your articles, refugee from El Reg... Thank you :)
That's an awfully complicated ritual to restore connectivity. It used to be so much easier in the days of dial-up when all that was needed was a simple goat sacrifice.