The X Factor

In this day and age I still find it amazing that phone lines for things like this can still jam up because of the volume of calls - surely they should have more lines then?

I experienced a bit of trouble getting through on Virgin Media but it's to be expected. I voted the preivous week and got the same problem.

And to shut up the conspiracy theorists up - I got the "trunk busy" * tone about 8 digits in - i.e. BEFORE I dialled the contestant-specific part of the number. So no need to scream "fix" here. As usual.

* Sounds a bit like the engaged tone but has 1 loud beep followed by 1 quiet shorter beep. I'm pretty sure it used to mean the exchange couldn't get a "trunk" line (ie a line between exchanges) but I don't really know what it means in a modern phone system.

I think this is a problem with exchanges and individual telephone providers, NOT the X Factor televoting team. As I said before I could easily get through on my mobile but not on my Virgin Media landline. Therefore the lines at X Factor's end were fine...it was the lines our end that were the problem!

Exactly - though it was the same with texting. Late votes were an issue with certain providers, not the X Factor team - yet it's those that got into trouble.


Like CBB, it looks like the number of OFCOM complaints is due to press coverage rather than the issue. OFCOM haven't learnt their lessons - there is absolutely no reason for them to release the number of complaints on a daily basis.

I couldn't get through to vote for Leon. Not even sure why I tried other than a flash of Scots pride.

Nonetheless, its interesting to see that the complaints leapt from 80 to 700 once the story was published online.

Bandwagon jumping, anyone?

Oh yes.

That's what annoys me about today's media-driven world, a lot of people don't seem to have their own opinions anymore. They just jump on everything and get these numbers rocketing to ridiculous proportions.

ITV should axe The X Factor and see what all these dullheads have to complain about then!

You've hit the nail on the head there. Hence why also Leon Jackson will be number 1 this Christmas.

It wasn't a fix - Leon came over better with the public who voted for him because he loved his mummy, was a sweet lad etc rather than Phantom boy!
And the lines were busy were they, shock! anyone would think it was the final of a talent show

Did they do text voting this year? I couldn't see the number on the captions.

The BBC are now saying it's over 1000 complaints. Absolutely ridiculous - did all of these people who couldn't get through try voting for Leon also??! Of course they didn't!

I'm very disappointed Leon won - but I'm not going to resort to calling a "fix" when there's blatantly not one. I'm quite comfortable with my theory that Leon won because the British public are simply wrong!

It's amazing how many people complain when something appears in the papers isn't it. I mean they probably had a problem with the calls but if they were really suspicious why did the not complain sooner?

I shan't venture into this thread for too long, as I despise The X Factor .

However, to be honest, if Mr Jackson won, then fair play to him. I believe it's unfair to call 'fix' just because 1,100 people couldn't get through - TBH, more people probably couldn't get through to vote for Mr Jackson than Mr Roberts. However, they are happy at the result and do not complain, therefore only people with an axe to grind make the complaints. Bandwagon jumping magnifies these effects.

That's just my analysis, but I stand by it fully. I truly don't see any reason to think that Saturday's final was fixed.

I'd say a lot of people couldn't get through to vote for Rhydian as well, that's just not being reported. Dreadful single and it does not deserve to be number 1 or even in the top 20.