Getting a new telephone line

In February I went online to Orange.fr and requested a new internet package to get my telephone line working into the house. The original line was ancient and unfortunately it entered the house mid new floor level never to be seen again. We don't have fibre and won't for a long time so we have gone for one of th ADSL options

I used the call back facility and they tested the line for the address and said yes we do have a line. They made an appointment for the engineer to come out on 15th Feb and then sent out a load of paperwork for me to sign and return. I received a livebox (3 euro a month rental) and a tv box (not sure if we’ll use it but we’ll see).

The engineer came out and realised he couldn’t connect anything up. He spoke to the electrician and said he’d send out a team with a lift truck to redo the line. I also wanted to benefit from this opportunity by moving to the side of the facade which would be much neater.

I waited a month and heard nothing and as there are rumours of our village having no more internet connections left due to the apparent limit on the size of the exchange being reached I worried in case mine wasn’t in fact connected. So I chased them up which wasn’t easy as I have no phone line so 3900 doesn’t work…the overseas number I tried from my UK mobile didn’t work either. I tried the contact us but couldn’t find a way of getting to speak to a person other than pretending to be a new customer again. This worked and I managed to get them to call me back as per before and we booked another appointment for an engineer. I explained I needed the arm lift to move the line.

On Friday, the engineer turned up (within the 5 hour window) in a little van and read the notes. I said I didn’t think he could do what I needed and he said he knew that before he turned up but he has to attend as an appointment had been made (!). I asked if he could call the head office and re-arrange the appointment explaining clearly that we need the lift truck.To my surprise this was arranged for this morning. Now that is very quick!

So at 9am today the team turned up, they put in the new wire which is ‘rien a voir’ compared to the old cable which was ‘pas au normes’ according to the chap and wouldn’t have given me a working internet connection.

I haven't been told if this work will cost me or not...I hope the latter.

So now I await ERDF on Wednesday afternoon to move the electric cable and the box from the upper floor down to the lower floor (850 euro!).

Soon we'll have power, internet and all we need then is a working loo!

I think you've done well and been extremely lucky.

We had virtually the same thing in 2014, with Orange not wanting to acknowledge we had a line despite me showing the local office photos of their poles and identifcation plate. In the end we did get a connection, but I understand it's even more difficult since then with my (French) neighbour next door (who didn't have a line going to his house) being told last year there were no more spare lines to be had.

Hope EDF and the Water goes well for you.