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It’s Not The Phone, It’s The LIME

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limeRecently, I’ve coined a phrase because of how often I’ve had to use it. My telephone line has been “mis-behaving” for quite a while, making it a pain to keep in contact with important people. We called LIME to look at the line, of course, and it seemed as though they took their time in coming. One technician came and said it was too late to tackle the problem and he would return tomorrow. That was the last I saw of him. Another technician eventually came and said that the problem was our phone. We have multiple phones in the house and they are all exhibiting the same symptoms. We borrowed a phone from next door and tried in on our line and it exhibited the same symptoms. Therefore, I was forced to coin the phrase “it’s not the phone, it’s the LIME”.

This was been happening for a very long time now. Whenever he rain falls, the line misbehaves and the technician try to tell us that it’s the phone which is misbehaving. Yet, they always eventually manage to fix, or should I say, plug the problem from the pole, which would logically indicate that in each case, the problem has been the LIME and not the phone.

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  1. sungoddess Avatar
    sungoddess

    Cable & Wireless produces more Salty Limes… tosspots. We have had horrible problems with our phone lines at my mother’s house for years… every time it rains… C&W says it’s this, it’s that… when we get someone out, the sniff they snuff — and clearly Lime — and it works until it rains again.

  2. David Avatar
    David

    If a national strike is called over this LIME impasse what will be the hit to their goodwill and are they prepared for the hit. The money they maybe saving could just go up in smoke. The management at C&W aka LIME should remember strike action at C&W always has always proved a watershed in industrial relations in Barbados. Remember David giles anyone?

  3. Adrian Hinds Avatar
    Adrian Hinds

    Seems like water is gets into your Network interface box, or the cable from the pole to your house has corroded insulation somewhere, exposing the copper pairs, Or the Junction box on the pole isn’t properly insulated. The latter would probably affect your neighbors as well. Rain acts as a conduit arcing the two wires required for tip and ring.

    Get in contact with this guy, I never met him but he seems to know his stuff.

    Merton Watson of
    ASWAD Technicians
    A communication company, specializing in Telephone installation, programming and fault finding on PABX or Key system . Also DSL installation, Computer networking and security cameras.

    Street Address : west terrace
    City: Bridgetown
    State/Province/Parish: st james
    Zip Code: BB23018
    Country: Barbados
    Home Phone: nil
    Cell Phone: nil
    email: wmerton@hotmail.com

    He did not list his telephone on the social website where I briefly converse with him.

    Merton was a Telephone technician for 25 years with Cable & Wireless came out from there back in 2001 and went to both Canada and New York to live and never lasted a year in either country although I have close family in both countries who wanted me to try and stay and fit in.

  4. Technician Avatar
    Technician

    @ Adrian Hinds…..

    Not meaning to rain on your parade BUT…no ex technician can fix faulty cable pairs!
    These cable pairs run for miles and only a LIME technician has access to the trouble ‘joints’ of which there are many.
    This is the result of piss poor preventitive maintenance of the plant.
    Good luck in the rainy season.

    …….’Get in contact with this guy, I never met him but he seems to know his stuff.

    No comment!!

  5. Technician Avatar
    Technician

    Also….

    The above information (some parts) is very misleading to those who don’t know the area of telephony.
    What is DSL installation?
    What would you be paying for in a DSL installation? The line is converted from the remote or exchange by LIME, all you do is connect the filter, plug the modem into an electrical outlet, patch cord from modem to pc, line from jack to modem and you’re good to go!
    PnP.

  6. Christopher Halsall Avatar
    Christopher Halsall

    @BU Family…

    There’s an important concept in the industry known as the “demarcation point”.

    Before that point, if there is a problem, it is your provider’s problem.

    After that, it’s yours.

    Generally, here in Barbados, it’s your provider’s problem…

    But try to prove (or have them admit) to this….

  7. The People's Democratic Congress Avatar
    The People’s Democratic Congress

    I need someone to help me. From my understanding, when a country starts out, the people go to an institution, preferably a bank, and place all or most of their savings there.

    This institution, preferably a bank, takes the money and lends it to the same people or other people who are called borrowers.

    Thus the country conducts its business. One part of the community saves while the other borrows.

    The banks which happen to be the intermediaries are just that, intermediaries.

    They are NOT, especially if they foreign owned, laws unto themselves and their prime responsibility is to the country in which they operate since what the citizens put in them and take from them is the banks’ bread and butter. They are mindful of a duty to the shareholders who have put up a small amount of money ( which they have got back ten times over ) and to a promise to repay the savers.

    Otherwise their obligation is to play the part of intermediaries, or is it?

    The workers of a bank are, or should be, specially trained to deal with money.

    They are the essential link between savers and borrowers and provide the essence of symbiotic relationship of the two entities.

    What I need some one to tell me is why the Central Bank of Barbados has to provide the kind of financial help which we saw outlined in the Barbados Business Authority on August 24.

    The banks in Barbados have been given $ 8 999 862 000 ( March 2009 figures) of our savings. Why is that NOT used to support the Industrial Credit Fund, the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and the Export Credit Insurance and Guarantee Scheme of the Central Bank? 63.37146 per cent has been lent, so they are liquid.

    In other words, if the duty to repay the savers is a consideration, then the Central Bank has promised that if loans to the borrowers go bad it guarantees repayment to the banks.

    Why is this NOT a solace to the banks so that they can perform the obligation which their role in society demands?

    Is the Central Bank Guarantee flawed? Unlikely! Are the profit margins of such transactions too small? Is the credit card business so lucrative?

    I am seeking information.

    Obviously the Central Bank sees the need for assistance to the Small Businesses and Small Hotels as essential to growth in the country at this time. “Sumt’in w’ong’!”

    I am NOT saying that the Enterprise Growth Fund Limited, the Barbados Agency for Micro-Enterprise Development and the Small Hotels Loan Fund should NOT be considered for this means of assistance.

    Far be the thought! But why are they?

    Has moral suasion failed in the Central Bank’s appeal to the banks?

    Why go to institutions that have limited funds and limited dealings with the potential borrowers to give help when the banks have the resources of the country in their coffers and themselves keep the accounts of the borrowers.
    Is the Central Bank afraid to confront the banks?
    Somebody seems to have had an orchedectomy!
    Why is there a suspicion that only the National Bank is supportive of the guarantees of the Central Bank?
    Why at a time when people are being laid off and are trying to start something for themselves, the savings of the country are NOT available to them? Are the banks only supporting the rich and famous?

    Are they only interested in an uptick in profit?

    And while all of this is going on the Central Bank is prepared to maintain grants for technical assistance to the borrower out of its own resources.

    In other words besides its guarantee, it is prepared to cover a portion of the technical costs of the borrower. “Sum’tin w’ong!”

    So why are we so hostile to poor Cable and Wireless whose only dalliance is to better last year’s mammoth profit of $ 91 million, even if people unfortunately have to be laid off when other institutions are NOT fulfilling even more serious national responsibility? Somebody Help!!

    I would like some one to say that I have it wrong, sorry “w’ong”.

    Mr.Harry Russell’s latest contribution to his own Wild Coot column in the Daily Nation, Monday, August 31, 2009.

    Reproduced on here without the permission of Mr. Russell and the Nation Newspaper. Apologies to them however.

    WELL, what a very incisive and thought-provoking article indeed about some of the very wicked and destructive political workings of the financial system in Barbados, and especially those which involve the Central Bank of Barbados and the wider banking sub-system, and about the countless different political financial effects that are at work to continue oppressing and suppressing esp. the broad masses and middle classes in this country, and their business and other effects.

    Now, why would the damned DLP and blasted BLP and many of their supporters – some of whom should know better – wish that the PDC does NOT enter into governmental office and implement policies like the ABOLITION OF TAXATION; the ABOLITION OF INTEREST RATES; MAKING INSTITUTIONAL LOANS FOR PRODUCTIVE PURPOSES NON-REPAYABLE; ABOLISH MORTGAGES, etc, so that thousands upon thousands of people in this country would become greater empowered and enfranchised and our country become politically financially stronger and more prosperous? Huh!!

    Indeed, the DLP and the BLP and some of their supporters really got more wishing to do. And, Mr. Harry Russell keep rightfully attacking this wretched political financial system in Barbados. We in PDC are right there with you when you are constantly exposing the ruthlessness and mindlessness of these financial oligarchs. And you are correct it is NOT just LIME that is severely EXPLOITING thousands upon thousands in Barbados it is also the banks and other financial institutions that many Barbadians are on a daily basis saving with and borrowing from.

    PDC

  8. Adrian Hinds Avatar
    Adrian Hinds

    Not my parade. I merely offered a possible solution. I assumed that GoWeb wanted to have a working phone.

    Why have you ignored the symptoms of the problem provided by GoWeb and concluded that the problem is “Faulty pairs”? What specifically do you mean by “faulty”? What information have use to determined the fault to be located and of such nature as to be inaccessible and unsolvable by someone other than LIME?

    The needless complexity to this situation is unnecessary. The “demarcation” of which Halsall refers, when applied to GoWebs situation is likely to be the Network Interface box or whatever solution is used in Barbados to bring a pair from the junction box on the pole to the residence. Copper pairs are delivered from the CO (central office) via 100,50,25 pair fat cables etc. I think!

    In the Industry there is a belief that copper lines can last a 100 years. In addition to this, the nature of the problem as GoWeb explain (issues/problems) which could be static and or lost of lost of dial-tone etc, when it rains, gives a possible indication of what and where the problem is occurring. The report did not say that other residences experience the same problem when it rains so I concentrated on what is occurring with GoWeBs NIB (Network Interface box) and the cable that goes from that box into the house.

    My personal experience:
    I once lived in a two family house (1995-6) that was served by a multi-connection NIB (Network interface box) When ever it rain two things occurred.

    I got “crosstalk” with my neighbor if we both attempt to use our phones at the same time. My CC Mail modem connection would not work, or when it did, it kept dropping the connection. Data connection are more sensitive to noisy lines than are voice connections.

    The local telephone company came out 4 times to replace the NIB, yet whenever it rained the problem was present.

    I decided to do my own trouble-shooting. I opened the NIB including the part that was clearly marked Technician. I found that they had grease the connections as added protection against moisture. So what could the problem be?

    It turned out to be the 2 pair cable that came out of the NIB, and that ran into the basement, providing the pairs for my neighbor and I. It had corroded as a result of years of water damage from water drips that fell on the part that was exposed to the elements and ran along it’s length into the basement. The corrosion was such that the individual insulation of the “ring” wires from the two pairs had expose the copper, and arcing occurred from water when it rain leading to one set of dial-tone being delivered to both numbers (crosstalk) and continuous noise that led to drop data connections.

    When presented with this information the Local Telephone company (Verizon) came out and resolved the issue by running a new cable from the NIB to the splitter box in the basement free of charged.

    DSL installation as a service:
    I do agree it is very easy to do it yourself. Verizon’s DSL service provides you with a CD that tells you in clear English accompanied by animated picture slides on what to do. Yet there are people who have no interest in a “do-it-yourself” exercise and would rather pay someone, and Verizon offers that service as well. This I think is the nature behind the Guy’s offer. Are you the type to refuse payment for a task that you believe others should be capable of completing on their own?

    ——————————

    None of the above is to suggest any support for LIME. I am anti-Telcom monopolies wherever they may exist. I have said quite a bit about C&W in the past made many predictions back them, on the Barbadosforum, that have all come to pass.

  9. Adrian Hinds Avatar
    Adrian Hinds

    Oh I get it now. Merton and you are in the same business. ha ha lol! I had no idea that the article on GoWeb was your. Is it your? lol!

    Beg yuh pardon bosey!

  10. Technician Avatar
    Technician

    *sigh*

  11. Thewhiterabbit Avatar
    Thewhiterabbit

    LIME
    Less Internet More Expense
    Least Internet Most Expensive

    I am certain that there are many more out there so please send them in so we can all enjoy.

  12. GoWEB Avatar
    GoWEB

    how about…

    Laziest Island Monopoly Ever

  13. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Leave Immidiately Morons Emitted

  14. Bonny Peppa Avatar
    Bonny Peppa

    Lacklustre Invention Most Evasive.

  15. Johnny Postle @ Avatar
    Johnny Postle @

    Lousy Internet Money Enthusiast

  16. Thewhiterabbit Avatar
    Thewhiterabbit

    All the above excellent! Thank you.

  17. Bonny Peppa Avatar
    Bonny Peppa

    White rabbit,
    We want sum mor man. Good fun.

  18. Cat Woman Avatar
    Cat Woman

    It would not surprise me in the least if these telephone problems are a result of some disgruntled “lucky to still have employment” workers who want to disrupt LIME in support of the “unlucky not employed workers. I’ve been having problems with my phone line as of recent where I hear clicking on the line and it goes dead after a few seconds. That said I doubt very much if the laid-off workers will be rehired regardless of how many general strikes hae taken place in Barbados.

    LIME is a large corporation and make no mistake that they have contingency plans in place in anticipation of what the Union plans to do. The decision by LIME to downsize their workforce has been long in the planning and they are well on their way to implementing the “do more, with less” policy that most large corporations are incorporating in the business strategies. They have shareholders to answer to and if the shareholders pull out their investments, the company will go tits up and everyone will be out of work…not just 150 or so. This is the wave of the future and like the ocean, you cannot turn back a wave.

    If the Union insists on this peeing contest the only ones to suffer will be the economy of Barbados…which is already in deep doo doo, and ofcourse, the people of this country. Union members cannot afford to live on “strikers pay” and other businesses cannot afford to have their doors closed during these tough times.

    The Union, just like LIME is a business and I’m sure that their profit margins have diminished substantially with all the lay-offs that have been going on across Barbados. That said, they will not win this one, just like they did not win Sandy Lane nor Royal Shop.

  19. David Avatar
    David

    The big issue going forward for our small islands is how do we sustain a lifestyle built on consumption spending. All the financial analysts have forecasted that GDP growth in the post financial meltdown will be slower than before. We all have heard Bush Tea’s prophecy!

    Tell the truth if we survey how the Barbados economy is being planned, what is it that is new or different as far as the foreign exchange earning capacity of Barbados is concerned? Of course we have the perennial tourism, international business and foreign direct investment, how reliable will these sectors be going forward?

    Many of these monopolies/transnationals will use the current economic conditions to call the bluff of our small island governments. BU has a haunch we have not seen the last of the organizational restructuring. Will the government of Barbados tell LIME to go to hell or will we have business as usual. Who will blink first?

  20. Bonny Peppa Avatar
    Bonny Peppa

    Cat Woman
    Dem claws scratching hard girl. Ya in lie. Tru dat. Ya mekkin nuff sense hay girl.
    Meowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

  21. Tsi home phone Avatar
    Tsi home phone

    Usually happens to be the worst situation while on urgent talks… there is no replacement… heard about army’s wireless phone, can work in challenging weather or situation…but very expensive.. ..

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