It’s 07:28 the next morning, and already I’m sat at my laptop, which has been left running all night. I have lots of catching up to do. My internet connection isn’t working again!
I call one of those BT helpline numbers, which automatically suggests I power down our router for 3 minutes. For the umpteenth time in the last 24 hours I do as bidden by BT’s systems. Based on recent experience I hold to speak to a human also. BT’s systems tell me the queue is currently 10-20 minutes, so they helpfully take my number and promise to call me back.
At 07:31 I turn on our router again. Would you believe it? All the lights are green, and the one labelled “Internet” starts flashing happily!
I start browsing the World Wide Interweb and discover that according to the Birmingham Mail:
Power cut in Birmingham city centre hits national broadband network
Western Power Distribution said a total of 7,295 customers in Birmingham city centre and surrounding areas were affected just after 11.40am. Power was restored after eight minutes but it continued causing problems for BT broadband customers across the UK for the rest of the day.
The fault at the major exchange meant a loss of internet service for BT customers in several parts of the country, including Cardiff, Bristol, East Yorkshire and London.
BT said the “brief outage” at the exchange in Birmingham affected hundreds of thousands of customers. However, the company stressed this was no more than 5% of the total broadband connections over its network. All services have now been restored, with the majority of BT’s consumer broadband customers’ service being restored within just one hour. Some business customers’ broadband service may have been affected for a slightly longer period.
As I prepare my first mug of coffee of the day, I reflect on the fact that we Dreamers are the beneficiaries of a 0.5 Mbs BT Business Broadband connection in the countryside between Exeter and Dartmoor. What about us!
At 8:05 the phone rings. It’s Kim from BT, and she assures me she is a human from Dundee. I tell her my tale of woe, and she tells me she can find no record of it on her system. I suggest that possibly Pasquale McNamara uses a different system. Kim goes away to do her due diligence. When she returns she informs me that Pasquale hails from Alness. She will investigate further, and get someone to call me back.
At 23:15 I decide that I could do with a slightly earlier night than of late.
Dobranoc.
