OK! So slowly things are starting to work again!
Free:
Our internet connection is now working happily, as far as I can tell! Last night Pat had a problem or two, but I think the computer was doing one of those Windows update things. I was half asleep watching the BBC news.
Our TV box is working fine, too. We have innumerable channels, including lots in Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese, etc. We have three in English: CNN, BBCWorld and SkyNews. It's nice to watch UK news in English. The TV signal comes over the internet and works surprisingly well via a wireless connection from the ADSL modem. The modem is upstairs in my office and the TV box in the sitting room by the TV (logical for once!). The TV box also has a hard disk, so you can pause programmes and record them and time-phase, and so on... This means we could record French films and stuff.
These technological marvels are included in your Broadband fee of 30 euros a month. As are unlimited phone calls within France and to UK and sundry other countries. The phone line doesn't yet work - no dial tone and when I dial the number it doesn't ring. Yet. They say it takes about 72hrs from when you activate it, so it should work by Monday evening, I think...
In France TV is different. Basically there are fewer sitcoms and soaps, and there are films every night at 8h50.
Mobile phone:
No. It's not working yet. I phoned yesterday from the student centre and they said they'd send me a new sim card and it would take a few... the lady paused... I said "weeks?". She said "days, I hope." They said they'd refund me some of my rental to make up for being off-line.
So I popped into the Virgin Megastore and got one of their prepay sim cards and popped it into the phone. That works, and it's fine for emergencies, etc.
Our internet connection is now working happily, as far as I can tell! Last night Pat had a problem or two, but I think the computer was doing one of those Windows update things. I was half asleep watching the BBC news.
Our TV box is working fine, too. We have innumerable channels, including lots in Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese, etc. We have three in English: CNN, BBCWorld and SkyNews. It's nice to watch UK news in English. The TV signal comes over the internet and works surprisingly well via a wireless connection from the ADSL modem. The modem is upstairs in my office and the TV box in the sitting room by the TV (logical for once!). The TV box also has a hard disk, so you can pause programmes and record them and time-phase, and so on... This means we could record French films and stuff.
These technological marvels are included in your Broadband fee of 30 euros a month. As are unlimited phone calls within France and to UK and sundry other countries. The phone line doesn't yet work - no dial tone and when I dial the number it doesn't ring. Yet. They say it takes about 72hrs from when you activate it, so it should work by Monday evening, I think...
In France TV is different. Basically there are fewer sitcoms and soaps, and there are films every night at 8h50.
Mobile phone:
No. It's not working yet. I phoned yesterday from the student centre and they said they'd send me a new sim card and it would take a few... the lady paused... I said "weeks?". She said "days, I hope." They said they'd refund me some of my rental to make up for being off-line.
So I popped into the Virgin Megastore and got one of their prepay sim cards and popped it into the phone. That works, and it's fine for emergencies, etc.
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