Micro Mart Forum / Broadband / Technical Forums / AOL are blocking access to Be / Latest Posts

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

Tippon — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:57:36 GMT

I know it's definitely not AOL software, as while the problem was happening, it was on systems that have never had AOL installed, but just access it through a router.

I can't test anything else now, as the problem has gone. Now it's just a case of finding the best ISP for my area :)

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

LittleJohnSW — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:57:45 GMT

Hmm, I don't know if that could be the case for myself. I don't use the AOL software, it's a nightmare so I just use the router.

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

malc_wright — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:02:34 GMT

Hi Tippon

Can you access the internet using a Live Linux CD?

The reasons for that question is:

1) If you access the internet using an operating system other than your installed operating system, you can then try to open up the BE website.
2) Should you be able to open up the BE website using a live Linux, then the problem may be down to some malicious software installed on your computer by your ISP AOL, if that is the case identifying said software would provide a water tight case for a massive fine from OFCOM plus probably a class action case by AOL users against the ISP.
3) Should you be unable to access the BE website using a Live Linux Distro which connects to the internet, then the, for want of a better word 'Firewall' is located at higher level within the ISP AOL, and proving a case will be harder.

The reason I mention this is I like everyone else was once on dial up with an ISP, which has since been taken over so many times I'm no longer sure what they're now called, however, when I changed my dial up provider, I would lose the internet connection after precisely 20 minutes. Subsequent investigation of the problem alerted me to the fact that the original ISP had left a small program which checked if I was connected through them and if I wasn't the program simply disconnected my internet connection.

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

LittleJohnSW — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 23:30:56 GMT

AOL are a nightmare anyway, it took yonks to get my MAC out of them. As soon as the service changes over, the better.

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

FreakShow! — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 16:22:06 GMT

Be are great and super fast.

Tippon, it seems to much of a conincidence that it works and now that you threaten to Ofcom them, it suddenly works. I'd report it to Ofcom (it has happened a couple of times now). Tell them that it does work now, but you feel they may be doing it quite often, which is just wrong.

As you're leaving, it's not like you're going to feel any pain for reporting it :)

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

MartenReed — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:16:50 GMT

[quote][b]asininity (28/06/2008)[/b][hr]This isn't going to help but I've just been to BE's site and it looks like its been hacked since all the "UNLIMITED" parts have been scribbled out so it says "LIMITED USAGE".[/quote]

Utter bull about being limited.

I've not had any service limitations :)

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

asininity — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 21:41:21 GMT

This isn't going to help but I've just been to BE's site and it looks like its been hacked since all the "UNLIMITED" parts have been scribbled out so it says "LIMITED USAGE".

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

Tippon — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 20:26:26 GMT

Tried the nslookup and it worked, so tried the site again. It's working ok at the moment, so hopefully it was just a short term problem. I'll be keeping an eye on this though.

Thanks for all your help :)

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

LittleJohnSW — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:09:41 GMT

I tried doing a trace on the URL and the IP address, lost all packets at the router. So AOL are blocking it it seems. Works fine at work and on my mobile.....

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

Tippon — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:46:48 GMT

[quote][b]FM (26/06/2008)[/b][hr]Just a few things to try:

Open a command prompt window and then do the command '[i]nslookup www.bethere.co.uk[/i]'.

If this doesn't return a result then AOL conveniently have no DNS entries for bethere.co.uk.
If it does return a result then somewhere along the line your packets are being lost.
I would suggest a ping but the servers are probably configured to not respond to ping requests. ;)[/quote]

Haven't tried that yet, as I'm not at home. Tried pinging them and running tracert on both www.bethere.co.uk and the IP address Spedley supplied, but got nothing. Tracert stopped straight after my router.

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

LittleJohnSW — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 22:55:46 GMT

And I bet they wonder why they're losing custom..... :P

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

FM — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 22:09:13 GMT

Just a few things to try:

Open a command prompt window and then do the command '[i]nslookup www.bethere.co.uk[/i]'.

If this doesn't return a result then AOL conveniently have no DNS entries for bethere.co.uk.
If it does return a result then somewhere along the line your packets are being lost.
I would suggest a ping but the servers are probably configured to not respond to ping requests. ;)

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

Tippon — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:30:40 GMT

Still no joy from home, but works first time from in work. Complaint going in in the morning :angry:

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

FM — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:57:05 GMT

The ISP places a request with BT and usually you can get your MAC code within a couple of minutes at most.

If the provider insists they have to post it to you (like Orange [Mobile] do with their PAC codes) then counter-insist that you will require it in audiotape form or something equally fussy, this might persuade them to give it you over the phone.

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

JammyDodger — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:22:25 GMT

When i was with aol i too had similar probs in obtaining my MAC. It was lie after lie from them ie. I was promised that i would receive my MAC via post within 5 working days. Surprise, surprise, it didn't turn up so on the phone i went...

I was told after being passed or p***ed about that they we're having trouble obtaining it from BT (more rubbish!). So, the ultimatum i gave them was that if i do not receive it by the end of the day i will be getting in touch with Ofcom!

Tech support put me on hold for approx 2 minutes to see if their technical dept. could do anything. When the person returned it was as if by magic they we're able to give me my MAC there and then over the tel and an email!

So, my point is that it is all lies you receive from them. If i we're you i would get back on the tel. and get straight to the point with em. MAC now or Ofcom :angry:

AOL went pear shaped when TalkTalk took over in Jan 2007. I've spoken to many dissatisfied customers who are experiencing one problem or another with TalkTalk. It is that reason why i would not recommend them to anyone! customer support is virtually non existent!

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

LittleJohnSW — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 09:46:18 GMT

AOL like faffing people about it seems, a fortnight I've been waiting for my MAC code.....next phonecall will be to Ofcom.

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

johnbarry — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 06:51:05 GMT

If it's the page below you want, it has .net on the end.

http://www.bethere.co.uk.net/

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

Tippon — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 01:02:09 GMT

Dave: That may be why you can still access it. I could too until they announced that they were coming to my area.

Mik: Not tried a proxy yet, went for a pint instead ;)

FM: Will be registering a complaint if it's not working tomorrow :)

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

Dwynnehugh — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:08:38 GMT

Hi Tip,

No its not unfortunately, otherwise I wouldnt still be with bl**dy AOHell!!!! No proposed date either as far as I can see.

I had no problem with www.bethere.co.uk from my AOL connection.

Dave

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

MartenReed — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 23:09:46 GMT

Tried using a Proxy server?

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

FM — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:37:26 GMT

Hmm.. if it really is a problem you could forward it to OfCom, they really dislike this anti-competitiveness malark. ;)

Good luck getting it sorted.

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

Tippon — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:27:44 GMT

Nope, still nothing :(

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

Spedley — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:12:21 GMT

Try this [url]http://87.194.0.70/[/url]

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

Tippon — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:51:24 GMT

Nope, no dice unfortunately :(

Yes, I did manage to slip an extra i into the address in the quote, but the original post is fine, as is the second link in your post, but I still just get an error message.

Dave, is Be available through your exchange? I've only had this problem since they've announced that they're coming to mine. Just seems like a strange coincidence seeing as Be are already investigating them.

Just found the original thread here :)

Will be reporting this too, as this is too much like bad timing.

EDIT: Just tried Spedley's link too, and still nothing :(

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

Spedley — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:51:04 GMT

bethere shows up via ntl, however it's full address is [url]https://www.bethere.co.uk/[/url]

Note the http[i]s[/i]. Perhaps that has something to do with it?

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

MartenReed — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:33:42 GMT

That's because of a simple URL mistype by Tippon :)

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

Dwynnehugh — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:31:57 GMT

Hi,

I may have found an answer to this, I too am an AOL customer :w00t: however by clicking on the link in the thread sends me through to the following link which AOL rightly says it can't find:-

www.bethere.co.uki uk (...i...) !!!!!!!

however if I go via AOL to

www.bethere.co.uk I get there straight away - no blocking.

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

Tippon — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:02:42 GMT

Thanks FS! :)

I'll give them a call tomorrow and see what they say :)

EDIT: Just posted a message through O2's site, which seems to be working ok:

[quote]I understand that O2 either own, or are part of the same parent company of, Be broadband. I also understand that Be have been investigating claims that AOL are blocking their customers from accessing www.bethere.co.uk

I am currently an AOL broadband customer, but have been looking into switching to Be. Until recently, I have had no problems visiting Be's website to check for any updates. However, since Be announced on 23/06/08 that they would be enabling my exchange (SWAA), I have suddenly been unable to access the site.

Hopefully this is just a coincidence, but if you could pass my message to the relevant department, I would be most grateful.

Thanks, Ryan.[/quote]

RE: AOL are blocking access to Be

FreakShow! — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:54:47 GMT

Sales support

24/7 sales assistance

Sales hotline-0808 234 8570

Tell them. Be were aware, maybe they thought it was fixed. I was going to give you email, but it's a form you fill in on the website.

Good Luck :)

AOL are blocking access to Be

Tippon — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:41:37 GMT

Ok, I remember someone posting about this a while back, and stating that Be are looking into it.

I've always been able to access www.bethere.co.uk with no problems at all, until they announced that they are going to be enabling my exchange. All of a sudden, their site is unreachable from any of my systems...

What do I do about this, and how do I contact Be to let them know?

Thanks guys :)