ntl where are you??

tammy

hi all,
was just wondering if anyone out there had some info about when ntl might make it to other areas of dublin, i called them and got vague rants but nothing in any way specific. i would choose ntl as my prefered provider for broadband, so i want to avoid signing up for iol or eircom only to find ntl get there sheet together two months later. i'm in dublin 8 by the way.
cheers

Ripwave

Originally posted by tammy
was just wondering if anyone out there had some info about when ntl might make it to other areas of dublin, i called them and got vague rants but nothing in any way specific. i would choose ntl as my prefered provider for broadband, so i want to avoid signing up for iol or eircom only to find ntl get there sheet together two months later. i'm in dublin 8 by the way.

I think there are lots of people in your position, tammy, who would like to go with NTL if it was available, and would even wait a few months if they could get a form commitment from NTL. But if anyone in NTL knows for definite what's going on, they're not telling anyone else about it

NTL is such a sweet service. I know ppl who have it and they basicly download all day. Their caps are never enforced.

Don't count on them upgrading anymore of their lines any time soon the company was in a dire finacial situation over the past few years..

Ripwave

Originally posted by ronoc
Don't count on them upgrading anymore of their lines any time soon the company was in a dire finacial situation over the past few years..

They upgraded Kimmage and Crumlin last year. They've moved beyond their dire financial situation of recent years, but they're still not investing as much as they could, or should, if they hadn't screwed up so badly before.

LFCFan

they're missing the boat at the moment with wireless and DSL takeup increasing and they only have a limited area to provide the service. Surely they can see the benefit of rolling it out quicker?

Ripwave

Originally posted by LFCFan
they're missing the boat at the moment with wireless and DSL takeup increasing and they only have a limited area to provide the service. Surely they can see the benefit of rolling it out quicker?

With line rental gone to €24.18 a month now, they would also have a major advantage if they can delivery telephony over cable - an offer of "broadband, telephony and cable TV" for say €65-€70/month would represent a saving of €15-€20/month to the end user, yet be a major source of guaranteed income for NTL.

carrotcake

we have that at the moment for €80 per month. it's not a package though and breaks down as €18 for analogue tv, €40 for 600k cable internet and €22 for two phone lines. (compare that to €48.36 for two eircom lines!)

Ripwave

Originally posted by carrotcake
we have that at the moment for €80 per month. it's not a package though and breaks down as €18 for analogue tv, €40 for 600k cable internet and €22 for two phone lines. (compare that to €48.36 for two eircom lines!)

But only in limited areas. That's the point I was making. This recent Line rental increase is yet another opportunity for NTL, if only they'd get their act together. Even at €80/month, it's a small saving. (€22 for two phone lines is only 50c cheaper than oreillycoms current line rental, because I don't want a second phone line - I want a cheaper first phone line).

eth0_

As someone has already said, NTL aren't exactly in top form financially, so they're not investing in cable internet for now.
I don't know if they will, I mean they have feck all customers in Tallaght, Lucan or Clondalkin where their cable service is...

carrotcake

Originally posted by Ripwave
But only in limited areas. That's the point I was making.

i didn't miss your point, i'm letting you know what their current offerings are in two-way areas in case you didn't know. what with there being no mention of resedential telephony on their site

Ripwave

Originally posted by carrotcake
i didn't miss your point, i'm letting you know what their current offerings are in two-way areas in case you didn't know. what with there being no mention of resedential telephony on their site

Fair 'nuff. I'm not in an area where I can get NTL broadband, so I don't know what they can offer there. If they had their act together, they could have leveraged last weeks line rental to switch people over in areas where it is available (and maybe they did? I guess I wouldn't know, because they wouldn't be selling it in my area anyway, until after they had upgraded the cable).

crawler

LFCfan - good point , well made.

In fairness I dont think ntl will say anything until there is something definate to say - they are not going to fall into the trap they fell into in the late 90's where they over promised and under delivered - that only makes things a lot worse.

Like all telcos though - they know exactly what is happening in the market and where there is money to be made.......

With regards to caps - as I said before - the cap is guideline really - if people abuse a good thing they will get a smack on the wrist but it will not apply for the majority of users - mainly because 1GB per day on average is realisitc!

Save a though for the unfortunate ntl people that dont live in an ntl area

jwim1

NTL suck....

http://www.wibbler.com/archives/000434.php

I've had a similar experience...

crawler

I LOVE that letter - makes me laugh every time!

jwim1

Isn't it just the best rant!?!? I love it!!

Reyman

NTL are in no position to compete with eircom in the access network. Their subscriber cabling is a disaster area---hanging over garden walls and falling off the eaves of houses! (Even worse than eircom)
It's a miracle they can deliver TV with it let alone the triple play of

---

Voice, Internet and TV.

They spent too much money buying the network and now they have no cash to invest in cabling .

So don't hold your breath for relief from this quarter!

LFCFan

Originally posted by Reyman
NTL are in no position to compete with eircom in the access network. Their subscriber cabling is a disaster area---hanging over garden walls and falling off the eaves of houses! (Even worse than eircom)
It's a miracle they can deliver TV with it let alone the triple play of

---

Voice, Internet and TV.

They spent too much money buying the network and now they have no cash to invest in cabling .

So don't hold your breath for relief from this quarter!

There are a lot of areas now though that are new and have new cable, underground and well capable of providing TV, Phone and Internet. I just don't understand their reluctance to just get the upgrade done and watch the money rolling in. Even if it's only a limited number of areas, surely they would make massive profits for those areas that could fund the upgrade for other areas. Someone mentioned that they have very few subscribers to the Internet service in the areas they provide it but you have to remember that they don't advertise the service and most of it is through word of mouth. Do you seriously think that if they came on the TV tomorrow selling TV, Internet and 2 phone lines for €80 a month that they wouldn't be inundated with requests??? I'd bite their arm off for a service like that, especially if it meant I could get rid of €ircon out of my life for good.

Reyman

Too expensive! They need VoIP to deliver proper voice. It still doesn't work , QoS issues , and the cost of delivery is horrendous. Soft switches, CMTS's, MTA/Cable Modems you name it they're all needed. RoI zero!

Eircom have a piece of copper in your house and a €200 DSL termination at the exchange . They're laughing at the opposition , the regulator while they collect €600 p.a. from the customers!

Sorry folks forget NTL

---

maybe in 5 years , who knows !

MickFarr

NTL's broadband is great!! Glad I have it!

sprogman

Same here - it took a few weeks to get it up and running but now it flies along (Could be the only one in the area with it - but its worth getting if its in your area.)
If you have any problems - check with this website: http://www.chetnet.co.uk/

Run by some TS guys that work for NTL

carrotcake

Originally posted by Reyman
They need VoIP to deliver proper voice. It still doesn't work

it's been working for me for the last three years!

Reyman

Not VoIP Gents !--- you have voice over cable.

Spent technology --no future in it for NTL

carrotcake

is voice over cable not proper voice?

Reyman

It's fine as voice goes. But VoIP is where NTL need to be - It would allow NTL to rollout a major voice network to all its customers.

Problem voice is not profitable any longer - can't justify the capital investment. So Eircom gets a clear run with cheap calls preventing any competition

carrotcake

aha