[Goosegirl]

My nearest neighbour lives two fields away from me and rang up today saying her broadband reception last Fri and Sat kept going off then on. This also happened to a house near her and another house about half a mile away yet mine was fine. She's in the process of changing her internet provider but the other two aren't. Does anyone know what was the cause?

[JayG]

If your broadband comes over the telephone wires, it could easily have been BT Openreach messing around doing maintenance either in a street cabinet or at your exchange - they don't exactly make a point of advising customers of possible interruptions  , and if it's working OK now you'll probably never know the reason.

[Goosegirl]

I didn't have a problem so don't know why they did.

[JayG]

BT Openreach probably wouldn't know either! 

[madcat]

Different places, (usually) different connections even if in the same cable.  So if they are changing things around in the DSLAM (the big green roadside box) then it can just affect a few properties.  The other likely cause is if it goes overground on telegraph poles and there is damage from trees or hedge cutting at this time of year, which can be very intermittent and a complete horror to find!

[Goosegirl]

My phone line comes in via overhead wires as I think theirs does. I'll try and get some more info next time I see her. 

[grinling]

Very bad wet and windy weather can affect here. Also the wires up the pole as well as the house can rust causing crackling noise on the line.
Do miss cable...

[Goosegirl]

We're in a rather windy place too and can get crackling noises over the line, but it still doesn't explain why I was ok and they weren't. Must be one of life's mysteries!