What is LLU?

In Local Loop Unbundling (LLU), a provider installs their own equipment in the BT exchange, allowing them to provide broadband direct to the end user. This hardware means that customers can expect faster internet speeds, and Ofcom believes that LLU will bring more competition and innovation to the broadband market.

Why isn’t everyone using LLU?

For one thing, LLU isn’t available to everyone. As more exchanges are unbundled, more people can switch to LLU – some through their current provider, others by switching to an LLU ISP.

Unfortunately, LLU providers have also faced a number of service problems; because it uses a different underlying technology to the more common ADSL connection, switching from ADSL to LLU is not always a seamless procedure – some people have been left without any connection at all for weeks on end. Being a relatively new technology has also meant that a few unforeseen problems have cropped up. Migrating away to other providers has also proved to be difficult for customers.

What is the switching process?

People don’t want to get stuck with a provider that they can’t leave; even if they’re happy with the service they still want the option of being able to switch.

Most people now know what a MAC code is. Migration Access Codes allow customers to switch to a new provider without a break in their connection. The use of MAC codes also means that switching has become cheaper as new ISPs just switch the connection over to their service in the local exchange.

LLU MAC codes do exist and increasing numbers of ISPs are now accepting them. They are in a different format to the traditional codes so not all providers will use them. However, having a LLU MAC doesn’t mean you won’t suffer downtime when switching provider.

If you’re switching from LLU back to ADSL, then your new connection will use a completely different technology so you will have to be manually returned to the BT network before your new connection can be set up, and there could be a charge for this.

Even if you want to switch from one LLU provider to another, you’ll still be restricted to those companies currently supplying broadband from your local exchange.

You also need to be aware that if your entire connection is switched over – that includes your line rental – then your phone line will have to be reactivated by BT if you want to return to an ADSL provider.

What if my chosen ISP doesn’t accept LLU MAC codes?

The best way to find out if they’ll accept your LLU MAC is to ask them before-hand by giving them a call.

If they don’t, and you definitely want to go with that provider, then your only option will be to cancel and disconnect your LLU line, and then have a new connection set up by your new ISP, and you will probably have to pay a connection fee for this.

CREDIT: http://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/llu-broadband-migration-and-switching.html

Background

Impact
The damaged main data artery immediately affected vital services such as mobile phone cell sites, remote connections to traffic light signals and emergency services.  Needless to say, phone and broadband services were also affected.

I am an independant computer services technician working in Lincoln and the surrounding area.  I have had dozens of clients call me complaining of their lack of broadband connectivity (their phone services have been unaffected.) Confirmed affected areas that I have had first hand information about include Saxilby, Fiskerton, Sturton-by-Stow, Ingham, Glebe Park, Nettleham and Lincoln city centre.

Some of these clients lost their broadband on Saturday afternoon.  This would appear to be a direct result of the incident as you would expect.  More interestingly, other users had an uninterrupted service over the weekend but have experienced outages during Monday and today (Tuesday.)  This wouild imply that users accross the country are experiencing ‘planned outages’ in order to cope with capacity issues.  The problem is that no one is being advised of these planned outages.  Some BT reports have even denied that anyone outside of east London is affected.

Comment
Clearly such a huge incident is not going to be repaired overnight.  Imagine a colapsed service tunnel 32m below ground.  Construction workers will have to gain access, make safe and repair the area before any access can be granted to telecom engineers.  Once the engineers get on site the repair job is still mamouth.  In the mean time it would appear that the data can be re-routed.  But at what expense?  The capcity appears to be being borrowed from domestic users from what I can see.

If you have been affected by this issue then please leave a message detailing the extent of your outage and the ISP that you use.  Most of my clients use Tiscali Broadband but what about you?  What are you doing about it?  Will you expect to receive compensation from your ISP?

Update (Wednesday morning)
I have just been in touch with my contacts at Tiscali to try and get some more info.  The quote from their technical team is as follows:

“We identified a further issue yesterday morning (Tuesday) relating to the BT outage, there is a further two STM-4 (622Mbps) IPStream pipes down which is around 15% of our (Tiscali’s) overall IPStream capacity so this will be causing some customers to be without service across the UK. BT are working on resolving these two breaks but as there is 1186 cables to be repaired it won’t be a quick fix.”

It’s nice to be told ‘something’ but it begs more questions than it answers.

Update (Good Friday)
There are a couple of photos on Flickr now.   The big orange thing is the boring machine cutting through the cable tunnel.  Actually it’s a much tidier job than I’d imagined!  Still, it’s had a huge impact on our broadbnad service.  (Note that I have no way of telling whether these photos genuinely releate to this issue.)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23919135@N00/

Other Related Stories
The Register  |  BBC News

Our children are of course getting quite familiar with the story of the baby Jesus.  They all take part in the primary school nativity playing roles such as kings, angels or shepherds.  Our pre-school three year old was able to watch his older brothers and sister perform.  When asked where the baby Jesus was born he confidently, if somewhat patronisingly, exclaimed “On the stage in front of the donkey. Derrr.”

Having experienced all of this at school it was a real thrill for them to visit the Castle and follow the journey of Mary, Joseph and the donkey.  We could see the shepherds minding the sheep in the neighbouring fields.  We spotted the three Wise Men in the distance as they made their way around the perimeter wall of the Castle.  We witnessed several inn keepers miming the frustrating news that they were fully booked.

Eventually Mary and Joseph parked their donkey and settled in the Castle’s bath house making a wonderfully intimate stable.  From the distance we could hear the cries of a new born baby and we could see a hive of activity as various visitors assembled.

Jesus then led the following crowd up the hill and we were all invited in turn to enter the stable and take a closer look at the shepherds, the three wise men and of course, at the centre of the scene, the baby Jesus in his mother’s arms with Joseph looking proudly on.  A radiant angel hovered above to over see the tale as it had been foretold.

This morning Ken Campbell personally welcomed us to his own funeral.

Over the sound system we heard ”Do you realise, the word FUNERAL…” it was Ken’s usual very nasal and now ethereal voice, “is actually an anagram for  REAL FUN!”  Pause for laughter.  “Why are you lot down there looking so miserable?  I was a clown.  You should be throwing a flan or something.”

Nina Conti

Chris Langham

Jim Broadbent

Jim Broadbent then added his memories during the service.  He talked about how he got his first job with Ken back in the seventies.  There was an occasion when they were touring the show and stayed in a hotel with far too many people and far too few lifts.  There was always a huge crowd waiting in the lobby for the lift to come.  Ken, Jim and the rest of the theatre company were travelling down in the lift one morning.  Suddenly Ken said “Down on the floor everyone.  Put your hands and legs in the air.”  Everyone did as they were told. Well, you did when Ken spoke!  So there they all were, on the floor, with their arms and legs in the air.  As the doors opened on the ground floor in front of a packed lobby Ken said “My, that came down at one hell of a lick!”

Ken’s coffin was taken to the woods on a dog-drawn carriage.  He was laid to rest in beautiful woodland under the leafy trees of Epping Forrest.

People gathered in groups telling each other their ‘Ken stories’.  As I mingled I’d hear various impressions of that nasal voice as the Ken quotes kept pouring out.  They were invariably followed with a knowing laughter from the listener.

I have learned today that Ken Campbell touched and influenced the lives of so many people.  Everyone who has worked with Campbell seems to have a little bit of Ken still inside them.

The cause of death is currently unknown but it is reported that Ken was not ill.  He had in fact been on stage just days earlier at the Edinburgh Festival with his show Showstopper! – The Improvised Musical.

Ken was a friend of the Broadbent Theatre.  He visited us first with “The History of Comedy Part I: Ventriloquism” in October 2002.  He followed  this in April 2004 with “The Meaning of Life: I’m Not Mad.  I’ve Just Read Different Books”.  His third visit was perhaps his most remarkable.  Ken arrived one Saturday in November 2005 at 2pm.  I presented him with 11 amateur actors.  He spent the afternoon in workshop mode and taught the principles of Improvisation.  That night the packed house was treated to a hilarious and quite outstandingly entertaining impro performance.  Ken’s most recent visit to us was in May 2007 with “Hyphenator” when he displayed a gallery of art by his talented parrot, Dolly.

We didn’t book Ken in the usual sense.  It was he who found us.  One day in 2002 I got a call from Ken’s agent, Colin Watkeys.  Colin explained that Ken had been listening to Radio 4 and came across a programme about the Broadbent Theatre.  Ken rang Colin and said “The Broadbent Theatre.  Why have you never booked me in there?”  “The where?” replied Colin.  “You know, Jim’s parents place.” ”Who?” said Colin.  ”Jim Broadbent.  The Broadbent Theatre.  I want to go there.”  Colin did some research, found the website and called me.

Now, if I’m honest, I have to say that I wasn’t really sure who Ken Campbell was.  I Googled his name.  There, to my astonishment, near the top of the page was a reference from Jim Broadbent’s biography on my very own website, broadbent.org!  It read “A significant breakthrough came in 1976 when he (Jim Broadbent) appeared in Ken Campbell’s ‘Illuminatus’ a 12 hour sci-fi extravaganza in which he played a dozen characters.

Jim Broadbent actually came to see that first performance “The History of Comedy…”  It was so interesting to hear them catching up in the pub afterwards.  Jim once said to me that chatting to Ken in a pub is very much like seeing him on stage except that you can occasionally get a word in sideways!”.  On his second visit Ken stayed with us at our house.  Having a drink with him that night was indeed like being treated to a 4 hour extension of his show!

Ken Campbell (1941-2008) will be missed.  May he have a safe journey to wherever the heck he thinks his going!