question about CATV service provided by ntl

Robbie · 10-09-2005, 17:52

I wonder if anyone is able to answer this query regarding the provision of CATV services?

Firstly, the query relates to a friend of mine (I'm with ntl though I do have the same CATV service too). Basically, we live in a what was a New Town which developed in the 1960s and 1970s. When parts of the New Town were built the houses were cabled by (I believe) Rediffusion. This meant no need for outdoor aerials as the signal was provided by underground cable which was wired to the house to an ordinary aerial socket. In the 70s and early 80s this enabled us to receive the ordinary ITV, BBC1 & 2, then C4 plus the adjacent ITV region. In the 80s I moved from a house with this type of setup, but I believe some cable-specific channels were added. When I moved back in 1997 the CATV service provided BBC1 & 2, ITV (local region only), C4, Sky One, UK Gold on evenings and Trouble (I believe during the day - later this ended and it was UK Gold all the time) No C5 service has ever been provided. The service had passed from Rediffusion and was now managed by BT. BT had a specific number you could dial if you had a problem (as I had to when the service went on a handful of occassions).

Now, onto the problem! My friend has just bought his house (it was, like mine still is, owned by the local authority). All was fine until one day he switched on the TV and there was no signal... even though my CATV signal was still there (by the way, we pay Ã‚Â£1 or so a week in service charges for the CATV service in our rent). He contacted the local housing office who told him that as he had bought his house the service would cease. They then gave him a number to call - ntl, who apparently took over the service from BT in 2001. Of course the number is 0800 052 2000. Phoning this number is obviously proving impossible as he isn't a ntl customer in the traditional sense (and can't be either as he lives in a prt of town that has no ntl service) - for a start he doesn't have an ntl phone number and his BT number goes unrecognised. He therefore can't get to speak to anyone about restoring his CATV service (if indeed it is possible any longer, it's an analogue service that has deteriorated in quality over the past few years, as if the cable infrastructure is no longer fully maintained). In the past he would have been able to phone the dedicated BT number but this is no longer possible.

Is there anyone familiar with the CATV service and is there an ntl number he can contact? The main number is obviously no good. I also wonder who disconnected his service. The local housing staff didn't know, and there are seemingly no boxes for the CATV cables - it's a metal hatch in the ground that someone has to lift (presumably each house can be disconnected individually as it has always been possible to opt out of the CATV service and pay Ã‚Â£1 a week rent less, and some people have seemingly later opted back in, whilst still renting of course).

Sorry for this lengthy question!

jonifen · 10-09-2005, 19:58

If NTL do provide this service, then they should be able to help. However, the lines that are fed to the properties (from what you have said) are only carrying those channels available in a non-encrypted format (i.e. a set top box is not required to decode the signals for viewing on a TV set).
Because of this, I would have thought NTL could not provide a TV service using this medium and would need different cables laid instead.

Are there any other people nearby who are in a similar situation?
Are you able to get Sky?

spike7451 · 10-09-2005, 20:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonifen

If NTL do provide this service, then they should be able to help. However, the lines that are fed to the properties (from what you have said) are only carrying those channels available in a non-encrypted format (i.e. a set top box is not required to decode the signals for viewing on a TV set).
Because of this, I would have thought NTL could not provide a TV service using this medium and would need different cables laid instead.

Are there any other people nearby who are in a similar situation?
Are you able to get Sky?

^^^^^What he said!!^^^^ Plus i'm a ntl tech & i've never heard of this type of service being used for Cable.Basically,the tv & phone service we install use a joined telco/coalial cable called a siamese drop.In order to get cable,you need a STB decoder & to be honest,i would be supprised if NTL supported this type of service as it would not be financially viable.Look on the footpath around the front of your house for a small metal or plastic cover with ntl/cabletel or whatever on it.If you have one of these,then it's a simple matter of a fresh install from the street cab.
Spike

marky · 10-09-2005, 20:49

sounds like a communal aerial to me

we had one and when it busted we put aerials in our lofts

Martin · 10-09-2005, 21:14

My brother used to live in a house that had CATV set up like the one you describe however that was managed by the housing association he was in at the time. From memory they paid a quid a week and got Sky One and a few others! What you could try is getting one of the neighbours who still pay rent to ring and see if they can get any joy?

sollp · 10-09-2005, 21:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by spike7451

^^^^^What he said!!^^^^ Plus i'm a ntl tech & i've never heard of this type of service being used for Cable.Basically,the tv & phone service we install use a joined telco/coalial cable called a siamese drop.In order to get cable,you need a STB decoder & to be honest,i would be supprised if NTL supported this type of service as it would not be financially viable.Look on the footpath around the front of your house for a small metal or plastic cover with ntl/cabletel or whatever on it.If you have one of these,then it's a simple matter of a fresh install from the street cab.
Spike

Yes this service is provided by NTL, basically NTL took about 6 different areas from BT. These vary in the equipment that is in the ground and the service provided. Unfortunately it is quite difficult to get the CS to understand and find the details of these customers.

As for getting reconnected he will have to convince the CS that he is an NTL customer, get him to explain where he is and the situation he is in. Don't know after buying the house if he still qualify's for the service.

monkey2468 · 10-09-2005, 21:44

I have the answer you need. If its Washington, its a MATV area which gives channels via coax to the house via RF relays where the cables are owned by BT. They are billed on the SMS Milton Keynes billing system. Call 08000522000 and input the number 0141(1234567) or a dialing code for Luton, Glasgow, Wales, or Belfast followed by 1234567.

These MATV areas are contracted by the council I believe.

spike7451 · 10-09-2005, 22:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by monkey2468

I have the answer you need. If its Washington, its a MATV area which gives channels via coax to the house via RF relays where the cables are owned by BT. They are billed on the SMS Milton Keynes billing system. Call 08000522000 and input the number 0141(1234567) or a dialing code for Luton, Glasgow, Wales, or Belfast followed by 1234567.

These areas are contracted by the council I believe.

Well,with 1 day to go,i learn something new! But i know for a fact that we dont use that set up in Belfast!
Spike

monkey2468 · 10-09-2005, 22:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by spike7451

Well,with 1 day to go,i learn something new! But i know for a fact that we dont use that set up in Belfast!
Spike

I know, but if customers input the dialing code for any region that is on SMS they would get through to a csr/fmc that has sms access. (which all full MATV areas are covered by) Other MATV (ex BT) sreas are washington, brakla, westminister, milton keynes, somewhere in ipswich? and some areas around Luton/North London (or somewhere inbetween). These are all on SMS milton keynes.

Robbie · 10-09-2005, 23:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by monkey2468

I have the answer you need. If its Washington, its a MATV area which gives channels via coax to the house via RF relays where the cables are owned by BT. They are billed on the SMS Milton Keynes billing system. Call 08000522000 and input the number 0141(1234567) or a dialing code for Luton, Glasgow, Wales, or Belfast followed by 1234567.

These MATV areas are contracted by the council I believe.

Thanks for the reply (and to everyone else too!). It's Washington. The properties that have this CATV system were properties built by the old Washington Development Corporation between 1972 (?) and the early 80s and which were all rented. These properties transferred to Sunderland Council in 1986 when WDC ceased to exist. From 2001 the housing stock has itself transferred to a Housing Group. I assume there must be some arrangement in place to "cut" the service from tenants who buy their own property (or like me could choose to opt out, though I prefer to keep the MATV/CATV service as it removes the need for an aerial for terrestrial channels (and Sky One and UK Gold) for recording purposes etc). I only know of tenants being able to reconnect to CATV. Perhaps private owners can't.

Anyway, I'll pass on the info
__________________

oh, I meant to ask too... in the context above, what does SMS mean? I guess it's an abbreviation (as in the SMS Milton Keynes billing system mentioned above).

Thanks

monkey2468 · 10-09-2005, 23:06

I dont see any reason why private occupiers can't be connected, though it would have to go directly though NTL to set the account up and the payments. (the full package used to be Ã‚Â£12 with a cut down sports and movies package)(although dont quote me on that as it may have changed in the last few years.)
(i think I may be getting a bit bracket happy)(please ignor!!)(blood alcohol contenet a little too high!)

SMS is a legacy billing system from before NTL took over the varoius old cable companies. I think it stands for Subscriber Management System.

Robbie · 10-09-2005, 23:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by monkey2468

I dont see any reason why private occupiers can't be connected, though it would have to go directly though NTL to set the account up and the payments. (the full package used to be Ã‚Â£12 with a cut down sports and movies package)(although dont quote me on that as it may have changed in the last few years.)
(i think I may be getting a bit bracket happy)(please ignor!!)(blood alcohol contenet a little too high!)

My blood alcohol content is sadly too low as I have to be up at 6am for work! Now you mention those channels, when I first moved in my property in 1997 the housing officer said I could choose to replace Sky One and/or UK Gold with Sky News, Sky Sports 2 though I can't remember the offer of a movie channel. It'll be interesting to see if ntl still run this package now. As it's an analogue service they might not bother with new customers anymore... though, as I said, this would be unfortunate for my friend as he lives in one of the few parts of Washington that Cable and Wireless never got around to laying cables for back in the mid 90s. I guess then he'll have to invest in an outdoor aerial!

sollp · 10-09-2005, 23:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by monkey2468

I know, but if customers input the dialing code for any region that is on SMS they would get through to a csr/fmc that has sms access. (which all full MATV areas are covered by) Other MATV (ex BT) sreas are washington, brakla, westminister, milton keynes, somewhere in ipswich? and some areas around Luton/North London (or somewhere inbetween). These are all on SMS milton keynes.

Martlesham is the Ipswich one. Thanks for that number i had forgotten about that one.

monkey2468 · 10-09-2005, 23:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robbie

My blood alcohol content is sadly too low as I have to be up at 6am for work! Now you mention those channels, when I first moved in my property in 1997 the housing officer said I could choose to replace Sky One and/or UK Gold with Sky News, Sky Sports 2 though I can't remember the offer of a movie channel. It'll be interesting to see if ntl still run this package now. As it's an analogue service they might not bother with new customers anymore... though, as I said, this would be unfortunate for my friend as he lives in one of the few parts of Washington that Cable and Wireless never got around to laying cables for back in the mid 90s. I guess then he'll have to invest in an outdoor aerial!

As you said, with this been an a VERY old analogue area, you may be right that they are arnt offering these packages, but i havnt heared this on the old grapevine. However, with this, these areas having no chance of digital upgrade in the next 10 years, I would doubt they would turn down an extra buck/share/pound/lira/doller or 2.
Washington is more or lesss surrounded by an NTL/ex C&W cable franchise, so eventualy, about 2046 (or coming soon) they may (or may not) have a full NTL service (digital or analogue!)