NTL just pulled the plug in Swindon forever
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I used to have analogue cable from NTL for the last 7 years, but they just pulled the plug without telling anyone in Swindon.
I called it in as a fault and was told that the analogue service is no longer available. The problem is some of us in Swindon cannot get the digital TV service.
I stopped the direct debit and NTL are still trying to charge me for a service I know longer get.
The good news is I now have SKY+ and it rocks
I called it in as a fault and was told that the analogue service is no longer available. The problem is some of us in Swindon cannot get the digital TV service.
I stopped the direct debit and NTL are still trying to charge me for a service I know longer get.
The good news is I now have SKY+ and it rocks
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Haha nice one
They cant charge you for soething that you havent got! - they can charge you for the phone line - but have to take in to account the cable tv you lost
Besides, my aunt lives in swindon, and her analogue is working fine.
Sure you didn't just forget to pay your bill?? Seems a little suspect to me that a new user comes on, and one of their first posts is this!
Sounds fishy if you ask me.
If this had happened a while ago, someone would have mentioned it on here and it would have no doubt been big news.
If it happened recently (ie. in the past few days), then there is no way you could have had Sky+ installed in that space of time.
It just doesn't add up and I reckon someone's taking the piss.
Sherlock
Dave
I got Sky installed within 36 hours of calling them, so getting it installed in the space of a few days is no problem and could be done.
I'm not saying this is what's happened in Swindon because I don't know anything about that area, but it sounds more like what David (2) is talking about.
At last someone can confirm that I was not telling porkies
No work was carried out down our street, so I am unable to get NTL digital, so no options at all. The problem is they never even told me they were switching it off in the first place :mad:
I think you got your wires crossed here. NTL switched of the analogue TV service on NTL analogue cable
I remember that! It was just before the digital era I think. Small population, not allowed their own outdoor roof top aerials. Analogue (only 4 channels I expect) provided by simple cable connection to nearby large "shared" aerial. Signals were originally FTA, but once the shared aerial was bought, they had to pay for the service. Nice little earner! I guess the people could have an aerial in the loft, but I think the reception was fairly poor - hence the single large shared aerial at the end of the road. And they wouldnt have the option of satellite - not allowed a dish, so basically they were, umm, as you say, stuffed. I wonder if they get digital reception from that shared aerial?
Dave
This is certainly possible.
Swindon has a significant number of listed cottages called the Railway Village (built for GWR workers). They used to have free cable but it was taken over by NTL who charged for the service.
The tv prog was about another place, not Swindon. I remember correct, it had lots of woodland around it. But I wonder if the same sort of thing has happened for certain parts of Swindon, ie: switch off fta analouge, and hope those people sign up to a digital cable subscription.
As far as Swindon goes, tv reception can be tricky. Reception from main transmitters is usually patchy due to distance and terrain. These sites are the Mendip and Oxford masts. Reception is patchy for both analogue and freeview from those masts. Maybe if you go to extreams you could get a few more people on it, but that means large outdoor aerials - which wont be an option for people in listed buildings, etc.
I remember that there is a "local" analogue Relay transmitter (sergay court - cant remember for sure) which was installed some years ago to provide better tv reception. I assume its still going, although there wont be any freeview, or even ch5 signals. This might be enough to allow those people in listed buildings to have a regular aerial installed in the loft. Not sure what the "footprint" is like for this transmitter - I dont think it reaches very far. Maybe this transmitter could be upgraded to carry Freeview in the next few years. It would certainly solve any remaining digital reception concerns.
Do NTL Digital have a FTA service? Not sure about this one. If they do, it may not be much of an issue, although I guess you would need to still purchase the equipment which might be expensive without subscription.
Then there is always Sky Digital. You would certainly get a signal, but there are 2 main probs. People in listed buildings wont be allowed a dish. Reception of ITV1, C4, and C5 via Sky Digital requires subscription at this time (may change in the future).
Dave
I had to upgrade to a wideband Aerial and decent Amp to receive all the Freeview channels satisfactory and had to point to the Oxford mast as Bristol is terrible for me. This also allowed me to receive CH5 analogue as well
The local 'analogue' relay transmitter only covers north Swindon, which is not good for me
As I no longer have NTL analogue cable or can't get NTL digital, my only option is now SKY and I decided I'll go for SKY+ which is amazing. When you have got it, you won't want anything else
Their was the Original old system, which would only let you have 31 channels. Which we originally had, from the days of Swindon Cable. Their was also the new build, which was built about four years ago, mainly for digital. I think they have just decided they dont want to pay for the upkeep of two systems.
About three years ago we switched to NTL phone, as Swindon Cable & Comtel never offered the phone. At the same time the installers said they were changing our Cable connection over us to the new network. We explained to them that we didn`t want digital at the time. The engineer explained that we were changing over to the new build that carried digital, but we would still not be digital. We kept the old Jerrard box, the only difference was that the box went up to 54 i think, and we got the 4-5 PPV channels at the time, though no other channels to fill the other spaces up. About a month after we decided to chang to Digital.
I think it is just a case that they are closing down the old network, and will not install any new Analogue customers, as the cost to link them to the new build, if their not going digital, is too much.
Their was an article in the local evening Advertiser about this recently. A local Battered wives home had just had their Cable turned off. The home protested about the effect on the kids. NTL relented and gave them a months to sort the situation out.
Thanks for the info.
I suppose there is one benefit of not having NTL digital. The pavements and roads down our way not being dug up and being uneven and unsightly
If you request your ntl digital to be switched off, then you will only recive the BBC channels for free, no itv, ch4 or 5. But if you cut the wire and plug it directly into the back of your TV then you recive about 10 channels, 3 of them scramblled, including bbc1&2 itv1&2, ch4 and 5, buy ntl and some REALLY blurry channels.
Admin edit
Interesting this has only just come up - Wootton Bassett had their analogue cable switched off a couple of months ago now...
matt888uk
************
Dave
Doubt something as little as anologue cable being shut down would make the national BBC or ITV news! Hardly surprising, as anologue will be shutting down over the next few years anyway!
Wouldn't be surprised if they don't start shutting digital cable down soon as it is in a down ward spiral now, Teletext are pulling the plug on cable from next month due to digital cable no longer being a "growth platform" and other broadcasters are considering their positions when contracts are up for renewal too.
It was in Bracknel and it went something like this:
1. Bracknel built the system and it was run by the council
2. Bracknel council sold it to ntl: as an 'outsource' but funded it so that there people could get a TV signal. People pay nominal fee and Council pay the rest.
3. Bracknel tell ntl: that they will no longer pay for it and that its up to ntl: to sort it out
4. ntl: offer people affected digital cable at price less than they were paying for their ariels (£10 a month)
RESULT: ntl: are the criminals becasue they are ntl: and Watchdog say so and of course if Watchdog say so then it must be true (cough: ratings:coungh)
There are a number of old old cable systems that ntl: have inherited and its actually cheaper for them to loose the customers off the analogue than keep them running.
That last bit about it being cheaper to loose the customers than keep the analogue (FTA) system running sounds right. While there are lots of people who want a FTA service (analogue or digital), they (in this case NTL) would rather everyone go onto subscription (digital) than simply use a FTA service for which there is no money from viewers. Fromt that pont of view, there is no reason for NTL to want to keep any form of FTA service running, even if lots of people were to use it. The would make more profit from less people using a subscription based system.
Dave