ISDN saga

Friday, 23 January 2004

Rang Telstra on 1800 882 891 and arranged conversion of my existing 'phone service to ISDN.

Friday, 30 January 2004

Telstra contractor checked out my 'phone line. He said that. because my line runs nine kilometres of copper from a RIM in Charlton St, Bellbird, a booster will be needed to get the required 100 volts ay my end. I asked about the fibre that was put in last year. He seemed not to know about it but said that, if there is any, none of it is in use. I expressed my surprise and he said "it's like that all over". Telstra is putting in fibre whenever they have to lay copper, but not lighting it up.

Saturday, 31 January 2004

Message from Telstra on answering machine (left last night). Rang the number given, only to get a recording saying that they only work weekdays.

Monday, 2 February 2004

Rang Telstra "Customer Experience Centre" (where do they get these titles?) in response to message left Friday night. They said that I have 9.5 kilometres of copper between me and fibre, so a booster is required. They should have timing within 48 hours.

Wednesday, 4 February 2004

Rang Telstra on 1800 130 015. I'm told that a repeater is required, but they need to order one in. At present, installation is scheduled for 24 February, but that could slip. I can expect a call when the date for conversion of my line is more certain.

Wednesday, 25 February 2004

Received call from Telstra. They do not have confirmation that my ISDN installation can go ahead, but will find out within 24 hours.

Friday, 27 February 2004

Telstra still do not know whether the repeater has been installed to allow my line to be upgraded.

Monday, 1 March 2004

Arranged ISDN installation for the afternoon of 12 March.
Message left on answering machine later in the day: preparatory work has not been done - it is now scheduled for 23 March.

Tuesday, 2 March 2004

Telstra now inform me that work on my line, which the contractor had reported complete, has not been done. Another contractor has been engaged. Completion is now set for 23 March. ISDN installation tentatively set for the week before Good Friday, probably Tuesday 6 April.

Monday, 8 March 2004

Message from Telstra left on answering machine confirming tha work on my phone line should be completed on 23 March.

Thursday, 11 March 2004

Message from Telstra left on answering machine: preliminary work on my phone line has slipped to 24 March.

Friday, 19 March 2004

Message from Telstra left on answering machine: "disturbing news" from the engineering department. The contractors have struck "big problems" and completion of preliminary work has been set back to 29 April. The problem is with "resources in the area" and has been "escalated to top level management".

Sunday, 21 March 2004

Two Telstra contractors turned up. They indicated that the 9.5 kilometres from the RIM in Bellbird is probably too far for ISDN to work. In any event, there isn't enough capacity in the network.

Wednesday, 31 March 2004

Message from Telstra left on answering machine: they want to install my ISDN this Friday. Presumably, the preparatory work has been done.

Thursday, 1 April 2004

After many tries and false starts (so many I lost count), I managed to contact the Telstra operative who left yesterday's message. The next possible installation date after Friday is 14 April. We finally settled on 8 am to noon on Tuesday 27 April.

Tuesday, 27 April 2004

ISDN installed. Installer didn't have a wall bracket for the NT1 unit, but agreed to drop one in my mail box.

Thursday, 6 May 2004

Checked with Telstra: they are still waiting for delivery of brackets.

Sunday, 16 May 2004

Mounted NT1 unit on wall, with bracket that arrived during the week.