Smart BB incl. free line rental for life

abra123cadabra

It seems smart is still offering this to new customers. Just some info for all those who think this is really cool (as I did):

The free line rental is connected to the address. If you move houses you have to apply again and probably won't be one of the first 100.000 customers any more and have to pay line rental.

For the contract details as I understood them: If you cancel before the end of the 12-month period ends, you have to pay up. Probably even if you start a new contract with them?

Please correct me if I'm wrong. I got their offer when the Clontarf exchange got unbundled and these terms and conditions together with not being able to port my phone number (as promised when I applied) put me off in the end. And there was my contract with eircom (started just after the trial period waiting for smart to get ready) as well.

abra

paulm17781

abra123cadabra wrote:

The free line rental is connected to the address. If you move houses you have to apply again and probably won't be one of the first 100.000 customers any more and have to pay line rental.

There are less than 300k BB connections in Ireland. I would think it will be a while before Smart have 100,000.

abra123cadabra

Ok, it might take a while till 100.000 are connected but the main point is that your house keeps the free line for life (as long as the new occupier keeps the number with smart) not you. Even if you move into an area where smart is available.

abra

Blaster99

You might find that BB gets cheaper and faster all the time, so you have nothing to fear of the future...

ISP's incur cost when you move so they won't do it for free during the 12 month contract.

abra123cadabra

It's simply misleading. You only find out after applying and getting to read the smallprint. I really thought the line for life would be attached to me (as long as smart services the area I live in and not necessarily with the same phone number). Or, in other words, that I would have free line rental for the rest of my life because I sign up as one of the first 100.000 customers. Just a thought: do addresses have a life?

Anyway I know prices will drop and speeds will increase as competition really gets on the way in this courtry. But if you want BB now, you got to make a decision and the outcome of this depends on the terms and conditions (and benefits to you) available.

abra

WizZard

I'm fairly certain that Garfield, when he was more active here, confirmed that the line is attached to your account, and not your premises. That was one thing that was enticing me to Smart back when it was first launched. Although eventually my exchange is being unbundled next month (fingers crossed).

I'm still unsure whether to order Smart or wait for NTL who are making noises in the broadband arena at the moment...

paulm17781

I assume it is because the line is tied to the address. I would think Smart would have to move it if you move address and I am sure they are charged for this service by the company who owns the exchange...

Maybe Garfield can shed some light on this?

SeaSide

paulm17781 wrote:

I assume it is because the line is tied to the address. I would think Smart would have to move it if you move address and I am sure they are charged for this service by the company who owns the exchange...

Maybe Garfield can shed some light on this?

Do you think i could bequethe my free line rental for life to my childrens and them to my children's children and them to my children's children's children. what did the romans ever do for us

paulm17781

SeaSide wrote:

Do you think i could bequethe my free line rental for life to my childrens and them to my children's children and them to my children's children's children.

If they lived in the same address, yes.

fullerand

I signed up for Smart BB a month ago online, but never got round to sending the direct debit mandate to them. I got bored waiting for them to support my exchange so I went ahead and got NTL BB. I just phoned Smart now to cancel, and they said no problem - and if I subsequently go back to Smart I'll retain my free-line-rental status.

Sounds good to me

dub45

Smart are by no means perfect but at the moment they are offering their customers a pretty good deal. It is arguable that the increased speeds from Eircom are due to to Smart (and probably NTL).

Smart offer pretty good support to their customers particularly in the on line support forums. The increase in speeds over Christmas was pretty innovative to say the least and they seem to realise that you have to be innovative and customer friendly if you are going to survive. And paying 35 euros a month for upwards of 5mb speeds (albeit temporily isnt bad).

Sure lots of people have been disappointed with the slow roll outs in areas and I am sure that Smart would like to be in more exchanges than they are at present.

But to be criticising them over possible house moves in the future given the various major issues with other bb providers which are detailed on here on a daily basis really seems to be stretching it a bit?

:rolleyes:

Drapper

Thank God for SMART and NTL :-)

we'd be all on dial up if Eircom still had the monopoly

Anarchist

SeaSide wrote:

Do you think i could bequethe my free line rental for life to my childrens and them to my children's children and them to my children's children's children. what did the romans ever do for us

lol

MOH

abra123cadabra wrote:

For the contract details as I understood them: If you cancel before the end of the 12-month period ends, you have to pay up. Probably even if you start a new contract with them?

Please correct me if I'm wrong. I got their offer when the Clontarf exchange got unbundled and these terms and conditions together with not being able to port my phone number (as promised when I applied) put me off in the end. And there was my contract with eircom (started just after the trial period waiting for smart to get ready) as well.

abra

I'm had SMART BB in two addresses now, and been very happy with the connection in both, BUT had big problems when I moved.

Their website FAQ states:
"Q. If I move house during the period of the contract, can I take my Smart Broadband contract with me?
A. If you move house during the period of your contract, then unfortunately this contract will be terminated. Each contract is specific to a particular line, account number and address, you will have to begin a new 12-month contract at your new address."

As I was househunting when I first got it in, I sent SMART a mail before I subscribed, just to check there wouldn't be a penalty. I was told that as long as my new address was broadband enabled, and I signed a 12-month contract there, there would be no penalty. If I didn't (or couldn't) get Smart broadband at the new address, I'd half to pay out the remainder of the original contract, which wsas fair enough.

Which was fine until the week I was moving. E-mailed Smart to find out what process I needed to go through to move the account, and got a reply telling me that "Unfortunately you will have to pay 200 euros to set the account in your new home or pay the remainder of the contract.".I was furious. I went through the small print in their terms and conditions, and nowhere was this 200 euro charge mentioned. Plus the FAQ made it seem like there was no such charge.

I had kept the original e-mail telling me I wouldn't have to pay a penalty, so I sent that back to them. Eventually after a week of e-mails back and forth they agreed that I could sign a new contract at the new address with no penalty.

I had moved in the meantime, and the day I left I phoned Smart to ask them to disconnect the line. Because the whole argument over the 200 Euro was still going on, they agreed to leave the line connected but not allow any outward calls. A month later I got a bill for calls made after I'd moved out, which eventually they agreed I didn't have to pay as they were supposed to have suspended the service.

Connection Quality and Technical support - excellent. Garfield gave me a response last bank holiday Monday 15 minutes after I posted on the Smart support forum.

Customer support regarding administration issues - pretty poor. (I also sent off DD applications both times I registered with them, they never used either of them, keep sending me bills instead.)

gerire

Just had a Sales guy call to the house, saying they have just rolled out in Walkinstown area, now I live in Templeogue and its up here too. But I think the "Free Line Rental" is a touch of a gimick. Although you do have to transfer your phone line they were trying to sell me Broadband for 10.82 p/m but it would actually cost 35 p/m because of the line rental, you just pay it to them instead of Ericon. I'm not too sure of it tho, the website still says we are not eligible for it,

paulm17781

gerire, that is just semmantics. Do you know anyone else in Ireland who offers a decent BB product for 10.82 per month which isn't part of a promotion? No you don't. With Eircon it is 30 euro excluding line rental. Smart is easily on of the best priced BB products in Ireland what ever way you look at it.