Love for sale
Further to your article on eBay (August 10) I've seen a few "wacky" auctions on there myself - although the truth is that EBay frown on them.
My friend Pete listed his "eternal love and friendship" and had several interested bidders (I think it went for about $8).
However, he received a particularly tetchy e-mail from eBay administrators asking him not to list such things as they're not tangible products.
Bloody killjoys.
Andrew Emery
acn42@dial.pipex.com
Take a look...
In response to Search Engines I feel that one omission was made. www.alltheweb.com searches all the web very quickly for anything.
It's a very useful first time search for anything that you want, and provides you with a wealth of information very quickly without restraints, unless you ask for them in the advanced search facility.
Search now, specialise later.
David Dobbie
d.dobbie@ntlworld.com
Not new
I was surprised to read in What's New (Online, 10 August) that "Computers featuring a DVD-ram drive are scheduled to go on sale in the US before the end of the year". Mac G4 buyers have had the option of DVD-ram drives since last year. Roger Houghton
mail@rogerhoughton.com
Pain 4u users
Like AL Ronald (August 10), I signed up to 4unet, sent my £20 off and received a box to plug into my BT socket. It doesn't work, and the only technical solution offered is to wait in a queue on a premium rate phone line.
I don't know if one ever gets to the front of the queue, as having gambled a few quid waiting I gave up. I emailed them requesting either a refund or a solution, but they do not even bother replying to emails.
Tony Evans
stonybonytony@hotmail.com
AL Ronald asks how many others are awaiting a refund from 4unet.co.uk : count me in.
Like him, I signed up months ago for free internet access and cheap phone calls. I was billed immediately but unlike Mr Ronald, didn't even receive a dialler.
After complaining by phone, I eventually wrote to their head office asking for a refund. Interestingly, I got a phone call from them about three weeks ago and was told I'd get a refund "next week". I'm still waiting.
Regarding David Cowling on the continuing subject of BT Surftime, I have this gem from a recent BT mail shot: "Surftime is available NOW* (*subject to availability)"
John Armstrong
john.armstrong@btinternet.com
Following my letter last week I received a number of other e-mails detailing similar problems regarding 4unet.co.uk and its inability to provide either the service paid for or a refund.
However, when I made my usual fortnightly call to 4unet over the weekend to see if adverse publicity had stirred them into action, I was told that the company had been taken over in the last 10 days by Callnet and a special department had been set up to deal with refunds.
Request for refunds should be sent (by letter only) to:
Customer Queries Department, Callnet PLC, PO Box 31149, London E14 9ZF.
Andrew Ronald
a.l.ronald@theronalds.clara.co.uk
No surprise
Your exposé of the poor service offered by the current crop of unmetered ISPs was long overdue.
However, no one should be surprised that BT is dragging its heels in offering wholesale rates for the local loop.
They are making money from their own "unlimited" internet services and have no incentive to change the current situation. It needs stronger action from Oftel to unlock this BT stranglehold.
In my experience, the BT Internet service, offering unlimited free call access at off-peak times for a flat monthly fee, is particularly poor.
I have had more access problems with this in the two months I have been trying it than with my other ISPs in five years.
The software had a bug which prevented the rest of my family from accessing their ISPs (and cost me £3 in telephone calls to resolve). and, most cynically of all, this software automatically selects a local-rate rather than the "Free" number for the connection without prompting the user for a choice.
Ian West
101337.3022@compuserve.com
Happy user
In defence of NTLword, the service it is providing to those who have received the CD is very good. I get a connection on the first dial-up and response is very good.
Unlike Lineone, Breath and others, NTL is not backing out. The company is doing its homework properly and ensuring that service levels are met.
To those who have not received the CD, I would say the wait will be worth it. One happy NTLworld User.
Emir Kumbarji
terazone@ntlworld.com
Copper dream
I have been forced to write you about Jim Giles' article about the maximum speed of copper wires.
May I point out that although it is true that ADSL has a maximum bitrate of around 6Mbps, this is just one of many technologies in the DSL family.
The VDSL specification, which admittedly is more of a dream than reality at the moment, allows for data rates up to 52Mbps using the same copper wire. See a good FAQ on the subject at: www.orckit.com/orckit_dsl_center.html.
In addition, the rather dubious assertion that "high quality full screen moving images" requires 30Mbps is clearly wrong.
The BBC transmits its channels at a fixed 3.5Mbps over digital TV, and you only need to walk into your nearest TV store to see how good it looks.
Matt Pyne
matt.p@softsim.co
