FT do it immediately on the line when you phone and ask, as long as its possible. If you go with Wanadoo, then it takes about a week to recieve the modem and software by post, or you can go to the shop and buy the package immediately. FT did say (and I'm not sure that its true) that I didn't have the option of any other internet providers except Wanadoo as I was on the boundary limit. FT are really keen to get everyone on ADSL and will be very helpful - its the future for them regarding technology such as TV (they don't get much revenue from phone calls now thanks for VOIP).
Don't rely on your Mairie to tell you if ADSL is possible - I'm in the same position as Alan, my commune doesn't officially have ADSL, but I live close enough to another exchange in a neighbouring commune to receive it.
Susan
Where's Tony?
Thanks Susan. I understand that in rural communities FT/Wanadoo is the only option. It is only in the cities that there is competition. A friend of mine regularly has no ADSL for up to a week, and can't even get someone to speak to her about it. But I expect you get the same said about BT in rural UK.
Paolo
Lay My Hat
Lay My Hat
-
Alan Knighting
- Posts: 4120
- Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 7:26 am
- Location: Monflanquin, Lot-et-Garonne, France
Susan,
As far as I know the VOIP services available in Europe are very limiting. They only work on PC’s between people who subscribe to the same service and who have the same software. For all calls to and from other people you still must rely on the traditional telephone networks. You are tied to your PC and you need to use a microphone headset.
In the USA there are one or two VOIP services which have gone much further. With those services, at a fixed monthly fee, you can make a call to any telephone in the world, fixed or mobile, and anyone in the world can make a call to you from a fixed or a mobile phone. Additionally, you can link your home telephone system, particularly if it is a cordless system, which means you are freed from your PC and freed from using a PC microphone headset. They include all sorts of other services such as messaging, call diverts, call divert on busy, call notification, etc., etc. The list goes on and on.
Roll on the day when such services are available in Europe. The BT’s and FT’s will shudder at the thought; the users, who pay the bills, will rejoice at the new-found freedom.
Paolo,
Alan
I think to say that is a bit of an exaggeration at the moment but there can be little doubt about the direction in which telephone services are going.(they don't get much revenue from phone calls now thanks for VOIP).
As far as I know the VOIP services available in Europe are very limiting. They only work on PC’s between people who subscribe to the same service and who have the same software. For all calls to and from other people you still must rely on the traditional telephone networks. You are tied to your PC and you need to use a microphone headset.
In the USA there are one or two VOIP services which have gone much further. With those services, at a fixed monthly fee, you can make a call to any telephone in the world, fixed or mobile, and anyone in the world can make a call to you from a fixed or a mobile phone. Additionally, you can link your home telephone system, particularly if it is a cordless system, which means you are freed from your PC and freed from using a PC microphone headset. They include all sorts of other services such as messaging, call diverts, call divert on busy, call notification, etc., etc. The list goes on and on.
Roll on the day when such services are available in Europe. The BT’s and FT’s will shudder at the thought; the users, who pay the bills, will rejoice at the new-found freedom.
Paolo,
Like many things in France, ADSL seems to be overly subject to weather conditions. Not such good news if you want to go over to VOIP exclusively.A friend of mine regularly has no ADSL for up to a week
Alan
Alan,
FT themselves actually offer a VOIP service through their Livebox, but strangely enough they don't advertise it, I wonder why!!!! With Skype software for example, you get free calls between PCs using the Skype software, but you can also make calls to 'real' phones at a small price (less than traditional calls). There is some debate as to whether customers should still have to pay traditional line rental as well as ADSL subscription if you they no longer use their landline phone. However, for emergency calls, I think you still need to use a landline or mobile.
FT themselves actually offer a VOIP service through their Livebox, but strangely enough they don't advertise it, I wonder why!!!! With Skype software for example, you get free calls between PCs using the Skype software, but you can also make calls to 'real' phones at a small price (less than traditional calls). There is some debate as to whether customers should still have to pay traditional line rental as well as ADSL subscription if you they no longer use their landline phone. However, for emergency calls, I think you still need to use a landline or mobile.
La France
Hi Paolo,
When we moved here we went from ADSL to dial-up - it was incredibly frustrating, however you can do it. We used Neuf Telecom we also looked into satelite but this proved a costly exercise.
How is your French? Do you know the Mayor in your village? He should know or have an idea when intended ADSL arrives. You could certainly butter him up with Dinner and offer to give him a free lesson or even do a local village website. It all helps in the attainment of ADSL. Get ready to oil the wheels of power.
You can get a local petition (with Mayor's blessing of course) which might escalate your village up the list. However if you are new to a village the ground would definitely have to be tested before trying this.
Good luck and bienvenue a France.
When we moved here we went from ADSL to dial-up - it was incredibly frustrating, however you can do it. We used Neuf Telecom we also looked into satelite but this proved a costly exercise.
How is your French? Do you know the Mayor in your village? He should know or have an idea when intended ADSL arrives. You could certainly butter him up with Dinner and offer to give him a free lesson or even do a local village website. It all helps in the attainment of ADSL. Get ready to oil the wheels of power.
You can get a local petition (with Mayor's blessing of course) which might escalate your village up the list. However if you are new to a village the ground would definitely have to be tested before trying this.
Good luck and bienvenue a France.
Welcome back, Tony! Great to see you again.
Vonage.co.uk is now up and running, so it is entirely possible to get a VOIP system from them and bring it to any other country where you have broadband access. You'd then have a UK telephone number so it'd be inexpensive for family and friends in the UK to contact you and for you to contact them. Plus, calls to Italy, France, etc., would be very cheap.
I have been using Vonage for almost 2 years now (in the States) and I love it! You don't actually have to have a working PC to use it -- just a broadband connection.
Vonage.co.uk is now up and running, so it is entirely possible to get a VOIP system from them and bring it to any other country where you have broadband access. You'd then have a UK telephone number so it'd be inexpensive for family and friends in the UK to contact you and for you to contact them. Plus, calls to Italy, France, etc., would be very cheap.
I have been using Vonage for almost 2 years now (in the States) and I love it! You don't actually have to have a working PC to use it -- just a broadband connection.
Brooke
I actually caught the Money programme the other day which was extolling the virtues of both Vonage and Skype.
Unfortunately I can't get ADSL where I am (Telecom Italia are not as foward thinking as FT) and in fact coverage outside of big towns in Italy is almost non existant.
Tony do you have an ISDN line or are you getting that connection speed with an ordinary line? I have an ISDN but no modem
and the best I can get is 44kbps. Maybe it's time for a new modem 
C-A
Unfortunately I can't get ADSL where I am (Telecom Italia are not as foward thinking as FT) and in fact coverage outside of big towns in Italy is almost non existant.
Tony do you have an ISDN line or are you getting that connection speed with an ordinary line? I have an ISDN but no modem
and the best I can get is 44kbps. Maybe it's time for a new modem C-A
-
Alan Knighting
- Posts: 4120
- Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 7:26 am
- Location: Monflanquin, Lot-et-Garonne, France
Brooke,
There was an editorial about VOIP on WinXPnews recently.
http://www.winxpnews.com/index.cfm?id=163&search=voip
Their choice was Lingo which looks to be very similar to Vonage.
This type of VOIP service appears to be expanding in the USA. I guess it is only a matter of time before they become readily available in Europe. OK, they're not free but they do appear to be a good alternative to traditional telephone lines.
Have you binned your traditional telephone line or do you use both?
Alan
There was an editorial about VOIP on WinXPnews recently.
http://www.winxpnews.com/index.cfm?id=163&search=voip
Their choice was Lingo which looks to be very similar to Vonage.
This type of VOIP service appears to be expanding in the USA. I guess it is only a matter of time before they become readily available in Europe. OK, they're not free but they do appear to be a good alternative to traditional telephone lines.
Have you binned your traditional telephone line or do you use both?
Alan
Alan,
At the moment in the UK you cannot get rid of your old rental phone line if you have ADSL and only use VOIP, although there due to be an OFCOM investigation into this soon as companies such as Vonage disagree with it. I'm not sure that you can use Vonage for emergency calls, so there may be some argument for keeping the line, but I'm sure Brooke can tell us more about what happened in the US. Line rental is an important income for telecom companies and as they have invested so much into the network infrastructure, they want to get something back!
At the moment in the UK you cannot get rid of your old rental phone line if you have ADSL and only use VOIP, although there due to be an OFCOM investigation into this soon as companies such as Vonage disagree with it. I'm not sure that you can use Vonage for emergency calls, so there may be some argument for keeping the line, but I'm sure Brooke can tell us more about what happened in the US. Line rental is an important income for telecom companies and as they have invested so much into the network infrastructure, they want to get something back!
Paolo,
Re ADSL again - the Mairie are not the best source of info on this, as they only have information on the commune generally, not the specific houses, which are invariably located over a wide area. FT will tell you conclusively a) if you have ADSL already (via your commune or another close by) b) if you are due to get it or c) tell you definitely you will never get it, in which case you may need to look at satellite or other new technology, such as Wimax (not yet commercially available).
Its just that my local Mairie were wrong and still say that I haven't got ADSL whereas I have been using it since January without a problem, thanks to phoning FT and inquiring personally!
Re ADSL again - the Mairie are not the best source of info on this, as they only have information on the commune generally, not the specific houses, which are invariably located over a wide area. FT will tell you conclusively a) if you have ADSL already (via your commune or another close by) b) if you are due to get it or c) tell you definitely you will never get it, in which case you may need to look at satellite or other new technology, such as Wimax (not yet commercially available).
Its just that my local Mairie were wrong and still say that I haven't got ADSL whereas I have been using it since January without a problem, thanks to phoning FT and inquiring personally!
Paolo,
http://www.degrouptest.com
will tell you immediately if ADSL is available/possible and what strength, you just need your tel number and code postale. I've just did a test and it was accurate on what I have here.
I'll shut up on the subject of ADSL now!
Susan
http://www.degrouptest.com
will tell you immediately if ADSL is available/possible and what strength, you just need your tel number and code postale. I've just did a test and it was accurate on what I have here.
I'll shut up on the subject of ADSL now!
Susan
sorry guys - slightly technical for me...but I am a great believer in walking into a FranceTelecom office.....in an important town e.g. for me St Lo or Bayeux.....and then I hold my ground....the French are incredibly practical and hate to loose face - they will always find a solution - very quickly if you arrive at 11.15 a.m. (that is perfect timing as they close at mid day for 2 hour lunch), so all the technical bits and bobs are done - then they want rid of you!
Manners and timing in France!
Manners and timing in France!
