RE Bigpond news server

The last time this happened, I could not access newsgroups using Outlook Ex press via Bigpond. For years I could, then one day I couldn't I waited for a few weeks and then I tried Bigpond "Technical Support".It took hours and I was shunted back and forth between barely literate teenaged girls who did n't have the faintest idea what I was talking about. They were ignorant and stupid and rude, they had never heard of Newsgroups but knew there was no such thing and the idea that I had ever accessed them using Bigpond was pre posterous. They were unanimous in the sure and certain belief that it was a ll Microsoft's fault, whatever my complaint was. I was astounded that they had so little knowledge of anything to do with Bigpond. In a well-run socie ty they would have starved to death. Some weeks later newsgroups re-appeared, and now they have vanished again. It is pathetic but brooding is fruitless.

Express via Bigpond. For years I could, then one day I couldn't I waited for a few weeks and then I tried Bigpond "Technical Support".It took hours and I was shunted back and forth between barely literate teenaged girls who didn't have the faintest idea what I was talking about. They were ignorant and stupid and rude, they had never heard of Newsgroups but knew there was no such thing and the idea that I had ever accessed them using Bigpond was preposterous. They were unanimous in the sure and certain belief that it was all Microsoft's fault, whatever my complaint was. I was astounded that they had so little knowledge of anything to do with Bigpond. In a well-run society they would have

is pathetic but brooding is fruitless.

So nothing has changed since I had BP cable thirteen years ago.

Yeah unfortunately it doesn't tell you much. It confirms that you cannot connect to it on the most basic level which saves any mucking around with different newsreaders ect, this is now pointless.

Have you tried, telnet news-server.bigpond.net.au 119 ????

It seems that since my last post news.bigpond.com is now invalid. However news-server.bigpond.net.au still resolves. Previously they both pointed to the same IP.

Just tried that again, could not open, connect failed

I have a case number with telstra over this issue but in the beginning I was not sure whose fault it was then also on one occasion telstra logged into my computer and fiddled after which the usenet worked but that was a while ago for the last three weeks or more It has not but now I am convinced it is their server. Their tech team sent me an email a week or two ago in great detail explaining how to connect, so at least those techs think it is working. I am not the only one who got the email. You would think that anyone with even a vestage of nouse would check their own server when they get a rash of emails that people can not connect I am still waiting for an answer from my case manager, at which time I will tell them that it is their problem I no longer think my end has anything to do with it, either fix it or tell their subscribers that they no longer provide the service.

As you are successfully posting here with some news server, why are you trying so hard with Big Pond?

Even if they resumed their service, I would not bother.

Because eternal does not have binaries and telstra carries groups that others dont.and I pay 80 or 90 dollars a month for a bundle for slowed down broadband and a phone with all calls timed and use usenet more than anything else. Usenet would be a deal breaker IF I had a choice which provider to use which I don't.

with access to NG.

Suggestion of existence may be a slight exaggeration :-)

Fair enough.