What service is best for Ringsend Area?

Blub2k4

Hi guys, I am signing up for BB soon and was looking for advice on what the best service would be to pick in the Ringsend area. I remember a while back getting an email address here for one of the guys from Irish Broadband about a 1mb(symmetric) residential package they were talking about doing with a contention ration of 8:1 during the day and 4:1 in the evening, are they still doing this package? Does anyone have it and is it any good?
Main requirements for me are
1/no cap
2/low ping
3/reliability

Any advice would be much appreciated thanks.

Blub2k4

*bump*

EvilDoctorK

Well in my experience of IBB (but dont' just take my word for it)
1 - No cap - no problem here
2 - Low Ping - forget this, especially recently
3 - Reliability - was great, recently terrible, hopefully will improve.

Blub2k4

Firstly thanks for the reply.
any idea what ISP would meet my need on the three questions?

DrEvil

I'd go for IBB as they will meet all of those no problem if you make sure you get the good equipment off them! This is easy to do if your a new customer as everyone that I know that got IBB recently all got the good equipment as it just as easy for them when installing the first time. The problem is with existing customers as it costs more to them to change the old equipment than it would to leave it.

Oh yeah if your on the 1MB connection they will definitly give you the good equipment

Blub2k4

I was speaking to them yesterday and they said they would only be able to guarantee 100ms ping. Any idea what "the good equipment" is called? That way when I phone up and order I can be sure that I get it. Thanks again

DrEvil

i used to know the details but have forgot some of it. You should get some more info to back this up off some other people, I think mutant fruit knows alot about IBB.

What i kinda remember is that the equipment they have been using since the start for resisential customers operates on an unlicensed frequency (2.4Ghz afaik) which is shared with other equipment, such as Wi-Fi networks and baby monitors, i believe which is what causes the interference which results in poor pings. However the business equipment is called VL or something... not sure exactly, which operates on a freq. something like 5.7/5.8Ghz and this is either a licensed frequency or, unlicensed but not used much, which gives brilliant latency/pings. This VL equipment is what they are giving to some residential customers(higher priced BB packages have priority) and from what i know of people got this recently on a res 512 connection.
Also a while back the goverment sold licences for a 3.5Ghz freq. for which IBB got a few licences for dublin, cork, galway etc... The equipment for this freq. I heard is intended for residential customers and should have no interference at all but i think IBB are only testing it at the moment. I haven't heard of anybodys feedback with this equipment so can't give any verdict on it.

So if they offer you the 2.4ghz equip don't get it if you want to play games, imo you should try avoid this unless it's a last resort!!

I'm not sure about all the details here. If anyone knows better please correct me!

Blub2k4

OK I phoned them again and it is indeed the VL equipment that will do the job, with regard to low pings apparently the recent problems are due to a change over in frequencies, once the upgrades are done then the problem will be gone, as a result they are not doing any fittings while the upgrades are being done as people would ditch on their 7 day cooling off.
Have ordered it anyway and will let you know what the story is. thanks for all the help

DrEvil

Do you know what exactly did they say they are upgrading. are you on about moving residential customers from the 2.4ghz to the licensed 3.5ghz? Any info would be good.

Anyway what package have you ordered? I'm on the breeze home plus 512K 1:8 contention

Blub2k4

am going for the 1mb VL, apparently they are doing the changeover to the 3.5ghz, I think was not that interested in that as I was more interested in what I was going for sorry.