Eircom Plan to deliver 500,000 Broadband connections by December 2007

Sponge Bob

watty wrote:

OK. Proper testing can't be done without something at both ends of the wire. I used to design telecom stuff, so I'm not making it up.

Point accepted in full Watty , I do know what a ringer equivalence number is !

watty

jwt wrote:

well there are quite a few test you can do on one end of a line and remember that it isn't open circuit if there are devices connected at the customer end.

You can measure resistance, impedance, capacitance, noise

Only as visible at exchange.

and then make good educated guesses at s/n ratios.

Just guesses without a signal at one end and test set at the other

Start banging some varying frequencies down the line and measure attenuation, distortion and filtering effects

Not without injecting the test signals at one end and measuring at the other.

You can measure how long the line is and "see" any dicontinuities and very very roughly guess at frequency response by sending pulses and looking at reflections. But only if a known "instrument" is connected at far end. That was a long time ago before these tests came in.

The circuit I made that fitted in an actual BT case, used a special signal sensing to disconnect the line and optionally terminate it 600Ohm or open circuit or almost short circuit. It was aDSL, ISDN and analog POTs compatible. Even that (which Eircom do not use) does not allow a proper line test. BT UK system have a Master socket which actually has components in it (phones and Faxes designed for this won't ring on most Irish plug sockets unless the RJ11 - BT Jack has a capacitor in it). Most Eircom "master sockets" are just connectors.

Eircom will only very reluctantly send out someone to work with exchange and a test box at subscriber end to do real tests. Even then not always someone who understands what is happening. It took me 5 years to get Eircom to test the line properly. Then they fixed it same day. Speed went from 14.4 to 33k with erratic connects / disconnects every few minutes and intermittant audible crackle on conversations to a steady 42K .. 44k almost always connect with at least 1 hr per connect.

I'm 900m from a modern exchange with almost entire cable underground and never any pair gain. Originally it had been OK and gradually over 6months deterioated.

Slightly OT.
I used to have to test BBC sound circuits and occasionally design equalisaton filters to get 20Hz to 20KHz or 40Hz to 12KHz or what ever. One circuit was to Scotland from Belfast CTA. It never seemed the same on tests. Eventually I copped that it changed with the tides. It turned out it was a very old undersea cable from Donaghadee to Portpatrick. Probabily each wire paper insulated rather than plastic or rubber. Several twisted pairs. My theory was the extra weight of water at high tide compressed the cable and made the capacitance higher. The frequency response would be worse at High tide compared with Low tide

bealtine

Sponge Bob wrote:

Point accepted in full Watty , I do know what a ringer equivalence number is !

Don't forget Stimpey...

kaizersoze

The following 8 exchanges were enabled on Thursday 9th March 2006:
Costello
Geashill
Innishannon
Lismore
Omeath
Oylgate
Tara
Tomhaggard.

lucernarian

I definetely saw an eircom ad in the local paper which said that Omeath was already enabled! I wonder what caused the delay... I do know that it's a pretty small exchange.

JohnC.

I wonder if someone is giving the GAA advance notice. My exchange (Mooncoin) is on a list SpongeBob posted in January which should be enabled "in the next 3 months." Got a letter from our local GAA club today, offering broadband with Gaelic Telecom. Given that it's from the local club, which would be entirely in an area not yet enabled, maybe they know something

They are offering the rubbish 20 hour faux-broadband package for €9.99 rather than the eircom €19.99. With further packages also cheaper than eircom. The higher packages seem similar to BT packages, but with a lower download limit.

Hopefully the time is drawing near when I need to take a more serious look at potential providers.

kaizersoze

Kahless wrote:

I wonder if someone is giving the GAA advance notice. My exchange (Mooncoin) is on a list SpongeBob posted in January which should be enabled "in the next 3 months." Got a letter from our local GAA club today, offering broadband with Gaelic Telecom. Given that it's from the local club, which would be entirely in an area not yet enabled, maybe they know something

They are offering the rubbish 20 hour faux-broadband package for €9.99 rather than the eircom €19.99. With further packages also cheaper than eircom. The higher packages seem similar to BT packages, but with a lower download limit.

Hopefully the time is drawing near when I need to take a more serious look at potential providers.

Gaelic Telecom is really Imagine, steer clear.

niallb

Curious, my exchange (Tara) was finally enabled last week.
Looks like my line is too far out anyway, but I put in a few numbers from the village yesterday, and this is what I got back:

School : Fail
Post Office : Fail
GAA Club : Pass

They're all within 100 yards of each other.
Is this a conspiracy :-)

NiallB

JohnC.

kaizersoze wrote:

Gaelic Telecom is really Imagine, steer clear.

I had no intention of going with them.

JohnC.

Looks like my exchange (Mooncoin) has finally been enabled! I've been checking that Netsource checker every few days and it passed today, saying a test was performed yesterday. Also passing tests on other sites.

kaizersoze

....

The following 23 exchanges were enabled on Wednesday 22nd March 2006:
Aherla, Co.Cork.

Ashford, Co.Wicklow.

Ballyheigue, Co.Kerry.

Ballymacelligott, Co.Kerry.

Ballyragget, Co.Kilkenny.

Berrings, Co.Cork.

Bruff, Co.Limerick.

Campile, Co.Wexford.

Cappoquin, Co.Waterford.

Cong, Co.Mayo.

Delvin, Co.Westmeath.

Emyvale, Co.Monaghan.

Graiguenamanagh, Co.Kilkenny.

Greenoge, Co.Meath.

Grenagh, Co.Cork.

Inniscrone, Co.Sligo.

Johnstown, Co.Kildare.

Lahinch, Co.Clare.

Louth, Co.Louth.

Mooncoin, Co.Kilkenny.

Portumna, Co.Galway.

Ramelton, Co.Donegal.

Quarryvale, Co.Dublin.

PoolBall

Just past my line test today, Castlebellingham Exchange Co. Louth

Sponge Bob

* Achill sound, Co. Mayo.
* Annagry, Co. Donegal.
* Ardara, Co. Donegal.
* Ballygarret, Co. Kerry.
* Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo.
* Ballyjamesduff, Co. Cavan.
* Bansha, Co. Tipperary.
* Beaufort, Co. Kerry.
* Bennettsbridge, Co. Kilkenny.
* Bunnacurry, Co. Mayo.
* Castlebellingham, Co. Louth.
* Castletownbere, Co. Cork.
* Clonmany, Co. Donegal.
* Durrus, Co. Cork.
* Farranfore, Co. Kerry.
* Glenties, Co. Donegal.
* Inch, Co. Kerry.
* Kilbeggan, Co. Westmeath.
* Killeagh, Co. Cork.
* Kilmacthomas, Co. Waterford.
* Kilmeaden, Co. Waterford.
* Kiltimagh, Co. Mayo.
* Knock, Co. Mayo.
* Knockcroghery, Co. Roscommon.
* Pedlar's cross, Co. Cork.
* Powerscourt, Co. Wicklow.
* Rosslare strand, Co. Wexford.
* Stradbally, Co.Laois.
* Termonfeckin, Co. Louth.
* Wellington Bridge, Co.Wexford.

kaizersoze

Beat me to it.:)

lucernarian

I was told this morning that the Termonfeckin exchange had its DSLAM installed yesterday by eircom; indeed, I came onto boards to mention it would be online soon.

I have to say fair play to eircom as they now have every exchange in Co. Louth enabled except for Togher, probably the smallest exchange in the county.

Shyboy

I called Eircom yesterday to check (yet again - I have been ringing them for the past few years) if my local Exchange in Turloughmore, Co.Galway will be DSL enabled anytime soon. They checked their "lists" and it is not even scheduled for anytime soon.

It is a shame because most of the exchanges around here have been enabled over the past year or so. Do I have any hope??

Cheers
Jason

kaizersoze

Only 2.
The following 2 exchanges were enabled on Thursday 27th April 2006:

• Duncannon, Co. Wexford.
• Passage East, Co. Wicklow.

bealtine

kaizersoze wrote:

Only 2.
The following 2 exchanges were enabled on Thursday 27th April 2006:

• Duncannon, Co. Wexford.
• Passage East, Co. Wicklow.

Passage East isn't in Wicklow...it is in Waterford as far as I know...

kaizersoze

bealtine wrote:

Passage East isn't in Wicklow...it is in Waterford as far as I know...

Ring Eircom and tell them. They might have enabled the wrong exchange.:p

Nuphor

kaizersoze wrote:

Ring Eircom and tell them. They might have enabled the wrong exchange.:p

Nah, they enabled the right one alright. I passed and ordered a few days ago Their site is still wrong though!

kaizersoze

The following 3 exchanges were enabled on Wednesday 17th May 2006:
Ballyfarnan, Co.Roscommon.
Pelletstown, Co.Meath.
Portlaw, Co.Waterford.

Danno

Amazing that everywhere Digiweb Wireless is setup, eircom enable the exchange!!!

watty

No doubt this is why it is "secret" where Digiweb are installing bases till running and they advertise for customers.


Obviously Eircom doesn't realise the Metro signal reaches here as the local exchange is not enabled.

kaizersoze

The Drumshambo, Co. Leitrim exchange was broadband enabled on Wednesday 7th June 2006.

1huge1

now they seem to be only enabling one at a time
what happened to when they were doing like 20 at a time
not good

watty

Because they are finished. There is no more.

byte

watty wrote:

Because they are finished. There is no more.

There are plenty more, though not seen as financially viable for Eircom.

zuma

watty wrote:

Because they are finished. There is no more.

They will never be able to enable ALL exchanges but to stop now with our 60-70% population coverage is absolutely sickening!!!

kaizersoze

.....

The following 3 exchanges were enabled on Thursday 6th July 2006:
Annacotty, Co.Limerick.
Corrandulla, Co.Galway.
Spiddal, Co.Galway.

1huge1

Shyboy wrote:

I called Eircom yesterday to check (yet again - I have been ringing them for the past few years) if my local Exchange in Turloughmore, Co.Galway will be DSL enabled anytime soon. They checked their "lists" and it is not even scheduled for anytime soon.

It is a shame because most of the exchanges around here have been enabled over the past year or so. Do I have any hope??

Cheers
Jason

well according to the 2006 census turlough only has a population of 552 people
i live in hospital in co.limerick which has 1206 in the town and we still dont have broadband

we will both be waiting a while it seems