Well, I turned the cable backup connection off because it was getting to the point where it would cost me a small fortune to have it on while the carrier guys are toying around with my connection. I have a subscription which is time-based and that suits me fine for a backup (I pay zero for it when I don’t use it and when I need it I assume it will not be for long – huge mistake!).
The carrier guys are really a piece of work: Sunday the 8th I report a problem on my line, no voice service and a huge frame drop on the Internet service, Wednesday the 11th they finally get around to it and solve my voice problem but leave me without Internet access (apparently they switched the DSLAM port where my connection was terminating and configured that port to the wrong Internet operator). Then Sunday the 15th I get home from a 3 day trip and find I have no voice or Internet service again. Today I have voice service (1 day delay, they sure are outdoing themselves!) but no Internet service.
God how I love Portugal Telecom…