NTL BB vs Smart BB in first year

fullerand

Hi,

Want to run something past you guys to see what you think.

Have just moved into a secondhand house and need to set up:
1) phone line
2) cable tv
3) broadband (2MB down)

Smart BB do not currently provide BB to our exchange (Ballyboden) but have said it's on their 2006 rollout plan. Am a bit sceptical about this though.

I phoned NTL today to enquire about getting cable TV and they told me that they do a package whereby BB subscribers receive cable TV for free for the first year. In addition, the first three months of BB are free. It's 35 euro per month for 2MB down, 200k up - and they can have it installed next week.


So for the first year, NTL looks like a much better deal:

With NTL:

Eircom line rental: e20 x 12 = e240
Broadband: e35 x 9 = e315
Cable TV: 0

Total: e555


With Smart:

Eircom line rental: 0
Broadband: e35 x 12 = 420
Cable TV: e20 x 12 = 240

Total: e660



... have I forgotten anything? Looking at other posts, most NTL customers seem happy.


cheers

Blaster99

The Eircom line rental is close to €25. If you get NTL, don't get the phone line and use VoIP instead. That should take off about €15 a month from the NTL option.

paulm17781

I use NTL and blueface http://www.blueface.ie I would really recommend it. Blueface are easily the best telecoms comapny I have ever dealt with and no I don't work for them.

bk

A couple of things:

1) NTL is expected to increase their speeds in the new year, so you will get more for your money.

2) Your don't need a phone line from Eircom with NTL, you could use VoIP instead. www.blueface.ie come highly recommended, for just €15 per month you get unlimited free local and national calls at anytime of the day.

So the Cost would be:

Broadband: e35 x 9 = e315
Blueface: e15 x 12 = e180
Cable TV: 0

Total Cost: e495

(And remember the e15 for Blueface includes unlimited free local and national calls and very cheap international calls, potentially saving you a lot more money).

One thing to note, if you get VoIP, then you need to get a ATA to allow you attach your telephone to the NTL modem. Blueface has a very good deal on these at the moment, if you sigh up to their €15 package for 6 months at a cost of €99 then they give you an ATA, so basically you get the ATA for just €10 (normally cost over €70). Also if you do go with this option, ask NTL to give you a wireless router, as you will need it to attach both your computer and ata to the NTL modem at the same time, NTL seem to give people a wireless router for free if you ask nicely.

DemonOfTheFall

Go for NTL and blueface, it's what I did, very nice set up. You can't max out your upload with file sharing or the call quality will suffer though. Other than that it's a very cheap setup for a good service

bk

DemonOfTheFall wrote:

Go for NTL and blueface, it's what I did, very nice set up. You can't max out your upload with file sharing or the call quality will suffer though. Other than that it's a very cheap setup for a good service

You can actually get BB routers with support for VoIP Quality Of Service which ensure that there is always enough bandwidth for high quality VoIP, even when you have P2P apps running.

Of course you could also just limit the upload and dowload speed in the P2P app.

DemonOfTheFall

Yeah, the router does have QoS and claims to do that. It doesnt though. Enabled it and it helped marginally but not by much at all. Going to buy a decent Linksys this week to do QoS.

fullerand

Thanks for the replies guys.

Ordered NTL 2MB yesterday, getting it installed Thursday next week. No TV or BB for 7 days, gah!

Hopefully Smart will have their act together by the time I cancel my NTL contract this time next year. Hopefully they'll still be paying line rental too - although I would imagine there'll be more deals of a similar sort arriving in 2006

paulm17781

Why move to Smart? just get a blueface accont and you have phone too.

fullerand

Cos Smart will pay my line rental. Blueface costs 15 euro p.m.

halenger

15 euro per month for unlimited local and national calls.

Smart wont pay your phone bill for you.

Take a look at http://www.blueface.ie They have many plans and options. You can do pay as you go ala mobile phones and have zero monthly commitment (I think).

If NTL was an option for me I'd be cancelling BT and moving straight to NTL/Blueface. No line rental and free local and national calls for 15 euro a month? My parents could fly away with their calls and not have a bother on them.

fullerand

Yeah I know, but it comes down to how we use our phone... we don't really make many outgoing calls - we mostly need it to receive calls

paulm17781

fullerand wrote:

Yeah I know, but it comes down to how we use our phone... we don't really make many outgoing calls - we mostly need it to receive calls

But as it is you pay line rental yes/no? Blueface will reduce this cost hugely for you. 99 euro, 6 months unlimited calls to Ireland/UK (landlines) and free ATA.

You won't regret it. Plus you have the satisfaction of never giving a cent to Eircon again (LLU operators have to give Eircon money).

UberNewb

fullerand wrote:

Yeah I know, but it comes down to how we use our phone... we don't really make many outgoing calls - we mostly need it to receive calls

Well then you should sign up for VOIP with Broadtalks Pay as you go service and you'll have no monthly phone bills! and stick with NTL

http://www.broadtalk.ie/callplans/pay2.htm

mollser

paulm17781 wrote:

But as it is you pay line rental yes/no? Blueface will reduce this cost hugely for you. 99 euro, 6 months unlimited calls to Ireland/UK (landlines) and free ATA.

You won't regret it. Plus you have the satisfaction of never giving a cent to Eircon again (LLU operators have to give Eircon money).

I like the look of this deal, after 6 months will they allow you to reduce your package down to the €9.99 a month, as I don't make that many calls??

Can you cancel completely after 6 months and keep the equipment??

carrotcake

fullerand wrote:

Ordered NTL 2MB yesterday, getting it installed Thursday next week.

get it changed to 3mb while you have the 3 free months

paulm17781

mollser wrote:

I like the look of this deal, after 6 months will they allow you to reduce your package down to the €9.99 a month, as I don't make that many calls??

Yes.

mollser wrote:

Can you cancel completely after 6 months and keep the equipment??

I don't know. I'd surprised if you want to.

dlofnep

Yes, get 3 meg for 3 months, then go down to 2.

Sam Vimes

Blaster99 wrote:

The Eircom line rental is close to €25. If you get NTL, don't get the phone line and use VoIP instead. That should take off about €15 a month from the NTL option.

eircom line rental is €24.18 pm

HungryJoey

Am I missing something ? I just got my NTl 3MB package about 3 Hours ago today to replace my 1MB Eircom package. NTL runs through cable right ? Why would I need to pay NTL's bill for 45/M along with Eircoms phone line rental charge ? arent NTL and Eircom Completly different ? Im a little confused,

Hj

amby666

HungryJoe, the Eircom line rental is what you would have always paid even before you got broadband on it. At the moment, that is what your phone number is tied to.
What many of us have done is to take out a subscription with Blueface (like the examples above) and then ported our phone number from Eircom to Blueface.
Once the number is ported, you can cancel the line, saving the €24.18 per month for line rental.

HungryJoey

Sorry about the confusion, I shouldnt of posted that. Infact I should of read the Original Poster's post 1st. Then it would of made sense

Sorry,

Hj

paulm17781

HungryJoey wrote:

Sorry about the confusion, I shouldnt of posted that. Infact I should of read the Original Poster's post 1st. Then it would of made sense

Have a look at www.blueface.ie It's a great money saver.

Freddie59

paulm17781 wrote:

I use NTL and blueface http://www.blueface.ie I would really recommend it. Blueface are easily the best telecoms comapny I have ever dealt with and no I don't work for them.

How good is Blueface? I'm considering having it installed (am on NTL 3 Meg) but a friend of mine got it in and says the voice quality isn't the best. How's yours working out? Is it a contract job? Sorry for all the questions!;)

amby666

Hi Freddie,

You'll find a lot of good feedback about BlueFace on the VOIP forum Here

When I first tried it using a softphone on the trial, I wasn't that impressed, but with all the other positive feedback & the option of saving money with no line rental, I got an ATA and signed up.
It really is very good and recently I used the softphone while I was traveling and it was great - someone even commented on how clear it was.

I'd say give the trial a go!

Freddie59

amby666 wrote:

Hi Freddie,

You'll find a lot of good feedback about BlueFace on the VOIP forum Here

When I first tried it using a softphone on the trial, I wasn't that impressed, but with all the other positive feedback & the option of saving money with no line rental, I got an ATA and signed up.
It really is very good and recently I used the softphone while I was traveling and it was great - someone even commented on how clear it was.

I'd say give the trial a go!

Thanks for that Amby. You've sold me!!:D

amby666

Hope you get lots of free calls on Christmas day Freddie!:D

Best of luck,

Ambrose

paulm17781

Freddie I'd say much the same as Amby. I wasn't to convinced when I used the Softphone but really didn't like line rental. A few people said use an ATA so I bought one and the quality is so much better. So cheap too!!!

Go for it.