NTL or Metro?

dave oc · 11-12-2005 1:20am #1

Im finally looking for an alternative to eircom and am just trying to decide between ntl and digiweb metro. Both have 3mb dl and a decent upload and a reasonable price, so what would you suggest or think is the better option. I might be swayed towards ntl because of the recent talk of the possible upgrade to 10mb, but any help would be great.

D

digitaldr · 11-12-2005 9:16am

the big draw back asfar as can see with ntl is having to take their tv service too. I have Sky+ and they don't have anything that even comes close to it.

Drapper · 11-12-2005 12:13pm

NTL hands down

OfflerCrocGod · 11-12-2005 1:51pm

Ntl

DemonOfTheFall · 11-12-2005 1:53pm

NTL are excellent, but I guess if you don't want their TV service you dont have much of a choice.

dave oc · 11-12-2005 2:15pm

I already have ntl digital so i guess i should go for ntl. After the 3 month free trial can i choose anyone of their packages or do i have to stick with whatever speed i get from the start?

djmarkus · 11-12-2005 2:22pm

god i wish NTL would get their finger out of their arsé and enable my area, i might have to resort to ripwave otherwise!

paulm17781 · 11-12-2005 3:57pm

Dave6195 wrote:

I already have ntl digital so i guess i should go for ntl. After the 3 month free trial can i choose anyone of their packages or do i have to stick with whatever speed i get from the start?

You can change after the first 3 months.

Drapper · 11-12-2005 4:05pm

DemonOfTheFall wrote:

NTL are excellent, but I guess if you don't want their TV service you dont have much of a choice.

Tip if you have SKy, put the NTL in a kids room or bedroom and broadband near pc ! simple !

not many with SKy in an extra room?

Drapper

Roen · 11-12-2005 4:43pm

All I ever had was NTL's basic TV service, the non digital one. Do you have to even get the service or can you just get BB installed seperately? As a former Digiweb customer I would have to recommend NTL. Switching from Digiweb to NTL was like a new lease of life for me.
Anyway there are enough posts on this particular forum to float a battleship, so just do a search of complaints against both ISP's and let common sense decide.

Freddie59 · 11-12-2005 5:59pm

Dave6195 wrote:

Im finally looking for an alternative to eircom and am just trying to decide between ntl and digiweb metro. Both have 3mb dl and a decent upload and a reasonable price, so what would you suggest or think is the better option. I might be swayed towards ntl because of the recent talk of the possible upgrade to 10mb, but any help would be great.

D

NTL.

watty · 11-12-2005 6:32pm

I'd have tought you could get it (at a price) without TV.

Likely only if you cable has Digital TV on it.

NTL good value if you want their TV and phone service too. If you don't the I not so sure.

dave oc · 12-12-2005 1:08am

Right so, seems like ntl are the way forward. im also thinking of setting up a wireless network in the home and have been looking at this router

http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=306148&cks=PRL .
Am i able to use this router with ntl or does it have to say that is a cable router?

Drapper · 12-12-2005 10:45am

Dave6195 wrote:

Right so, seems like ntl are the way forward. im also thinking of setting up a wireless network in the home and have been looking at this router

http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=306148&cks=PRL .
Am i able to use this router with ntl or does it have to say that is a cable router?

I think you answered your own question:- It has to be a cable router! RESEARCH:D

I use this one perfectly :- http://www.netgear.com/products/details/WGT624.php

bk · 12-12-2005 10:50am

watty wrote:

I'd have tought you could get it (at a price) without TV.

Sure, just pay an extra €19 per month over the cost of BB, you don't actually have to use the TV service, you just have to pay for it.

I'm actually being serious, I have a friend who doesn't even own a TV, yet still gets NTL for the BB, he jsut pays for the TV service.

Paying for the TV service is a bit annoying, but there is a reasonable reason for it. If you can get NTL BB in your house, then you can receive the TV service, NTL have no way of stopping you from using the TV service. If NTL offered BB without having to pay for TV, then I'm sure many people would abuse it and only get BB, but watch TV also without paying.

Chorus do offer BB without TV, but this is because their analogue TV service is scrambled and you need a descrambler box to watch it, so they have more control then NTL, this is actually a bad thing IMO as the Chorus service is awful because of the box.

dave oc · 12-12-2005 11:45am

Thanks for the reply drapper, figured i needed a cable router. Found one on ebay but just wondering would it matter if it is factoty refurbished? Shouldn't be any different to a new one?

http://cgi.ebay.ie/Netgear-WGU624-108Mb-802-11g-Wireless-Cable-DSL-Router_W0QQitemZ5840547300QQcategoryZ91356QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Drapper · 12-12-2005 11:54am

Dave6195 wrote:

Thanks for the reply drapper, figured i needed a cable router. Found one on ebay but just wondering would it matter if it is factoty refurbished? Shouldn't be any different to a new one?

http://cgi.ebay.ie/Netgear-WGU624-108Mb-802-11g-Wireless-Cable-DSL-Router_W0QQitemZ5840547300QQcategoryZ91356QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

should be ok ! they are poweful and Netgear upgrades the firmware regularly !

good luck with it!

christophicus · 12-12-2005 6:06pm

Ntl do a phone service?

bk · 12-12-2005 6:45pm

christophicus wrote:

Ntl do a phone service?

At the moment, no.

However there are rumours that they will very soon (and it makes a lot of sense).

Also you can actually get a phone service over NTL cable BB right now. Take a look at www.blueface.ie they offer a VoIP phone service that works great over NTL cable BB, many people are using it.

DemonOfTheFall · 12-12-2005 7:06pm

Ntl will loan u a free netgear wireless router when doing the install. They gave me a router and a USB wireless adapter even though I didn't want them! Just ask the engineers, the lads who did my install were friendly and knowledgeable.

dave oc · 12-12-2005 7:19pm

It take that the netgear router wasen't new but i suppose if i can one for free why not! Is there any chance i would have ntl bb installed by crimbo if i ordered tommorrow?

D

Drapper · 12-12-2005 7:54pm

NTL and this is why :-
ping www.jolt.co.uk

Pinging www.jolt.co.uk [82.133.85.65] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 82.133.85.65: bytes=32 time=41ms TTL=51
Reply from 82.133.85.65: bytes=32 time=25ms TTL=51
Reply from 82.133.85.65: bytes=32 time=31ms TTL=51
Reply from 82.133.85.65: bytes=32 time=30ms TTL=51

Ping statistics for 82.133.85.65:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 25ms, Maximum = 41ms, Average = 31ms

ping www.esat.ie

Pinging www.esat.ie [193.95.153.20] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 193.95.153.20: bytes=32 time=12ms TTL=117
Reply from 193.95.153.20: bytes=32 time=12ms TTL=117
Reply from 193.95.153.20: bytes=32 time=12ms TTL=117
Reply from 193.95.153.20: bytes=32 time=12ms TTL=117

Ping statistics for 193.95.153.20:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 12ms, Maximum = 12ms, Average = 12ms

Perfect

DemonOfTheFall · 12-12-2005 8:45pm

The Netgear was brand new, shrink wrapped box and all.

I ordered mine last monday, installation was last thursday.

dave oc · 15-12-2005 12:54am

DemonOfTheFall what do you mean they will loan you a router? My installation is on tues and im just wondering do they give anyone who asks them free routers?

Automan · 15-12-2005 1:44am

Dave6195 wrote:

DemonOfTheFall what do you mean they will loan you a router? My installation is on tues and im just wondering do they give anyone who asks them free routers?

I asked and they would not give me one, they said they only give them to customers who need one due to it being difficult to install a cable point in the room where the computer is.

paulm17781 · 15-12-2005 10:21am

Automan wrote:

I asked and they would not give me one, they said they only give them to customers who need one due to it being difficult to install a cable point in the room where the computer is.

F'n typical, I run 30 m of CAT 5 around the apartment. If I knew they would have given me a free router I wouldn't have BOUGHT one or run the cable.

dave oc · 16-12-2005 12:05am

Well ill be running a 10 metre wire across my room so i think there's a good chance they'll give me one. Any one know what model router they are giving out?

mcloughl · 16-12-2005 11:54am

Metro is actaully using the NTL network to backhaul their traffic out to the web so from a service perspective there is not much difference

Sparky · 16-12-2005 11:59am

sure thier aeriel is an ntl one aswell

TinCool · 16-12-2005 2:20pm

christophicus wrote:

Ntl do a phone service?

NTL did run a phone service but have stopped it.

bk · 16-12-2005 2:51pm

mcloughl wrote:

Metro is actaully using the NTL network to backhaul their traffic out to the web so from a service perspective there is not much difference

There is a very big difference, just becuase Metro are using the same backhaul doesn't make any difference. The "last mile" technology they are using is very different (line of sight wireless versus fibre/co-ax hybrid, yes I know they both use DOCSIS) and this will have a much greater effect then the backhaul used.

Also even if they are using the same backhaul, it doesn't mean that it is the same quality, Metro maybe buying less backhaul then NTL, or using different netwroking equipment with different Quality of Service settings, etc.

Now I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with Metro, there isn't, I think it is a potentially great technology. However they are certainly not the same thing.

NTL or Metro?

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