How to go from ISDN to BB?

machalla

Just moved toa new house where previous occupants had ISDN installed. I've just run the line checker on the old numbers (they forgot to tell Eircom to disconnect before they left) and both the lines fail the line-test on the Eircom site.

Presuming we get them to cancel the line and then reconnect it as a standard analogue line (I can only presume I don't have to downgrade the ISDN) whats the process to get a definitive answer on whether the line is suitable for BB? Is ISDN likely to cause an automatic fail on the line-test as it used to?

Wireless doesn't seem to be an option due to lack of a line of site in the area unfortunately. Only other hope is possibly NTL at some point in the near future (if it ever happens).

Any ideas on how to go about all of this and get a result? Or just give up now?

RobertFoster

Originally posted by machalla
Is ISDN likely to cause an automatic fail on the line-test as it used to?

I got BB recently. I had ISDN. Line passed with it.

^pt^

Ring up and ask if your exchange is enabled. If it's not, then you might want to keep ISDN for a while. If it is enabled, they can test an ISDN line these days (previously you had to downgrade it before they'd test). As far as I know the chances of the line passing are still greater when it's not ISDN however. The ISDN line has to be switched off before they'll install ADSL, the green light goes out on the box.

They tell you that you have to get an engineer install when you have ISDN, but that seems to be a load of rubbish. If your existing ISDN box is near enough to your computer, once it's downgraded you can use it as a normal phone socket. Then just plug the stuff in and away you go.

RobertFoster

Originally posted by ^pt^
They tell you that you have to get an engineer install when you have ISDN, but that seems to be a load of rubbish.

It is. I upgraded without an engineer install.

ozmo

Originally posted by RobertFoster
It is. I upgraded without an engineer install.

I did too. I also removed the ugly box as well from the wall as its not
needed anymore once the Green Light has gone out.

RobertFoster

I've no need to remove the box yet - what I can't see doesn't hurt me

machalla

Well the ISDN downgrade finally happened this afternoon and I have a new phone-number (after being disconnected about a week and a half ago from ISDN). Apparently where we are is at the limits of the range for our exchange but there are some places nearby which have been able to get BB.

I ran the new number through the line checker and it fails. Now I wonder if this is due to the fact that the number has presumably only been allocated and that we might need to wait another few weeks before the line test is run again? Any ideas at all when the line tests are run? I am presuming that they run them all at once and still cannot do an individual line test.

ozmo

Originally posted by machalla
Well the ISDN downgrade finally happened this afternoon and I have a new phone-number (after being disconnected about a week and a half ago from ISDN). Apparently where we are is at the limits of the range for our exchange but there are some places nearby which have been able to get BB.

I ran the new number through the line checker and it fails. Now I wonder if this is due to the fact that the number has presumably only been allocated and that we might need to wait another few weeks before the line test is run again? Any ideas at all when the line tests are run? I am presuming that they run them all at once and still cannot do an individual line test.

AFAIK
The charge from ISDN(High Speed) to pots is 25 euros. And there is a free upgrade to ISDN again if it fails the DSL check.
If however you got a new number - its probably about 125 charge and I dont know
if there is a free ISDN upgrade. Did they tell you you need a new number?

machalla

I think its a new number. To be honest I'm not interested in ISDN one way or the other as I'm not paying Eircon double line rental and double call charges if you use boths lines for data. Thanks for the info all the same though.

I'll get my hands on broadband one way or the other through wireless or NTL (if I'm in luck). I presume I will have to wait a few weeks to see if the line does pass for broadband when they run the line tests again.

Probably the only reason for the landline is that my Meteor mobile does not work in the house at all. Slightly outside the front door its ok but inside and its "SOS calls only".

oeNeo

Let me know how you get on machalla.

I've isdn and want to get dsl, but the online test says I've failed and Im pretty sure that it's just because of the isdn. People nearby have gotten dsl without any bother. My friend had the same problem but he just downgraded and got dsl installed and it all worked out fine.