Ha ha, bit overly-dramatic Boost.
The problem with this type of fault is, and always is, whether to report it as a PSTN (Phone) fault or a DSL (Broadband fault) ?? Both products have set-in-stone test processes that have been agreed with
ALL parties. when BT was separated and Openreach formed.
Aluminium in the circuit ?? To use a technical term ..... tough tators ..... we know it's not ideal for DSL transmission but when it was lain decades ago and high frequency DSL was a pipe dream, it
was fit-for-purpose. DSL is a 'best-efforts' product
as a result of this legacy cable.
With the advent of G.FAST, no business worth its salt is going to invest
heavily in the legacy network. BT are however fully committed to reducing high-fault nodes and have upped their budget for the FVR (Fault Volume Reduction) teams to continue with their good work.
I've seen this kind of issue Frogparty is experiencing many, many times. No matter what tests, or stresses you put on the circuit ...... if they all pass and the fault condition isn't there to 'see', what would you have us do ?? That's why the term 'Intermittency' is used quite a lot in telecoms faulting.
To put the readerships minds at rest, engineers get monitored to death on their 'Stats' ......... two of which are 'Early Life Failures' (For provisioning faults within 28 days of going 'Live'), and 'Repeat Reports' (For repair faults reported within 28 days of last engineering visit).
No-one wants an ELF or RR, not the engineer ..... not his/her Operations Manager ...... not their Senior Operations Manager ...... and certainly not the EU. But, the hierarchy do understand that there will be times were instances like Frogparty's will occur, and certain percentages are allowed.
Lets not get into another 'Engineers are inept' session ....... or, 'BTOR don't care' ................ until you actually witness what really happens it's just another whinge with no substance.