AOL's UK upgrade 1

[GwydionM]

For several weeks now, AOL have been sending me an orange-gold pop-up box asking me upgrade.I have tried, but the system could not cope with my actual hardware - stuff I got from BT several years back. This is a Speed-Touch USB which says Alcatrel. It is nothing like the two choices that the automated upgrade system offered me.

I've actually been through both. The non-BT claims to have worked, though it did not stop the automatic upgrade system demanding the same again. The BT option demands I plug something in - what? Just now it also crashed my computer, very rare with XP.

On Saturday, I asked phone advice and the fellow on other end had no clear idea, finally telling me that I could not be upgraded and they'd stop sending me automatic messages, which however have continued on all IDs and without the least provision for the system being less than perfect.

My equipment is entirely legal and all that. I've tried to get in touch again. The telephone help number won't reply. The e-mail address says:

The following problems occurred while processing your request:

AOLUpdate - This member is currently not accepting email.

Your email has not been sent. Please correct the problems listed and try again.

If they can't handle my hardware, I'd appreciate a straight answer from them. So far I have got nothing coherent. Which is very irritating, since I have been a customer since 1997 and I've always found them fine before now.



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An old man who lives in the UK

 

[BionicJohn]

Can you confirm a few details?

Who is your ISP - AOL or BT?
What's the exact model of your SpeedTouch? Is this it?

And you have no poblem with your connection - it works OK?

> > I asked phone advice

From AOL?

> > the system could not cope with my actual hardware

What does that mean? You downloaded and update and it wouldn't complete in the installation?
Was there any error message?

> > The BT option demands I plug something in - what?

What's the BT option?

> > If they can't handle my hardware,

Which is?
If you're running WinXP, I would expect your hardware to exceed the basic minumum and be recent.

These pages may help:

http://www.speedtouchdsl.com/produsb.htm

http://www.aol.co.uk/about/help/faqs/broadband/install_guides/alcatel_speed_touch.html

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;323520

http://www.adslguide.org.uk/qanda.asp?faq=speedtouch

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[GwydionM]

Yes, it is exactly the device you showed. Whereas their upgrade gave me a choice between two different devices.

I tried on-line help, which gave me their phone number. When I tried it, they seemed not to understand, and then said I'd be taken off the list. After which, more compulsory upgrades kept arriving.

It is also possible that they have managed it since my last posting. When I logged on, there was a brief problem and then an apparant upgrade. At least I get no more damn messages for now.

Than't for the help. It seems OK for now.

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An old man who lives in the UK

 

[GwydionM]

Whatever they did, I have had no more problems. Cheers!

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An old man who lives in the UK

 

[BionicJohn]

Great! Happy surfing!

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[GwydionM]

Oops, I spoke too soon. AOL are now at it again, blockading me with demands that I upgrade using hardware that I don't have. Refusing to notice what I do have. Not answering their own phones. Bloody rubbish!

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An old man who lives in the UK