Broadband in Dublin 7

quad_red

Hey all,
All the difficulties I've read about here has made me think it might be a good idea to see how people who live close by are getting on.

I'm in a house thats in D7, close to Hanlons corner. Anyone in the vicinity have broadband? If so, what company and whats the service like?

Cheers
quad

Macker

I use Netsource ,not the cheapest around but reliable

WezzyB

I used to Live in Stoneybatter and had BB from BT(Esat), which was fine.

I also hear that Irish Broadband have got an ariel on top of 'Park House' (Hanlons Corner) so that would be right on top of you. But be warned Irish Broadband don't have a great rep, do a search on them in this forum.

heffsarmy

I live near blackhorse avenue, have ntl bb, its top, used to have eircom bb.

Steffano2002

quad_red wrote:

I'm in a house thats in D7, close to Hanlons corner.

Me too! I'm with IBB. Mast is on top of Park House as WezzyB mentioned. Latency is good enough but speeds are far from great... That mast is getting busy enough now...

Had Esat BT before IBB, worked well, no complaints.

Waiting for CABRA Exchange to be upgraded in March by SMART. I'm leaving IBB to go to them ASAP. You should wait for SMART also IMO...

Steffano2002

heffsarmy wrote:

I live near blackhorse avenue, have ntl bb, its top, used to have eircom bb.

Everytime I ring NTL they tell me it's nowhere near the area!?!?!?! :eek:

How long have you had it? Are you at the bottom of Prussia Street? Surely if it's available down there on the quays it must available closer to Hanlon's!

NTL is by far the best! I'd go with that straight away if they were available!

jonny68

quad_red wrote:

Hey all,
All the difficulties I've read about here has made me think it might be a good idea to see how people who live close by are getting on.

I'm in a house thats in D7, close to Hanlons corner. Anyone in the vicinity have broadband? If so, what company and whats the service like?

Cheers
quad

Im 2 mins walk from Hanlons Corner, im on BT Ireland,they are ok a lot better than Irish Broadband don't touch them with a barge pole you have been warned!!!:eek:

Skatedude

i'm on botanic rd d9.
currently on eircom and still waiting for ntl to install the cables in the area.
i'll probably change over to smart as soon as they offer the 3meg line the same as eircom, as ntl can only say they plan to have all of the city upgraded by the end of the year

quad_red

Oh isn't D7 a techno junket? :P

Steffano2002 wrote:

Waiting for CABRA Exchange to be upgraded in March by SMART. I'm leaving IBB to go to them ASAP. You should wait for SMART also IMO...

What do ya mean upgrading? What speed is it at now? Just did the linechecker on Smart's site and it says our line is on the cabra exchange.

€35 quid per month including line rental is sweet. Am I correct in saying that you can make voice calls on that line as well? If so I think Smart is the way to go. Anyone have any idea what the wait on that is? I've heard Eircom drag their feet as long as possible.

heffsarmy

Steffano2002 I'm livin near villa park, have NTL the past 3 months, I know somebody livin in aughrim street who enquired and was told they could get get it, but I also know somebody live on ivar street and was told that they could'nt get it. Seems like a few black spots around D7, I'd ring them again.

paulm17781

My brother has NTL on Skreen road. Not sure if that is any use to you.

Steffano2002

quad_red wrote:

What do ya mean upgrading? What speed is it at now? Just did the linechecker on Smart's site and it says our line is on the cabra exchange.

SMART don't use Eircom infrasctructure so you can't get SMART at the moment in and around Cabra. They use their own exchanges which are ADSL2 enabled I believe (correct me if I'm wrong). Definitely the way to go if NTL is not available. But all these people living 5 minutes walk from me and who have NTL is really irritating me! Better give NTL a call...

Steffano2002

Well, just got off the phone with NTL and they confirmed NTL Broadband wasn't available in my street/area.
@ heffsarmy: I asked about Aughrim Street and the lady on the phone told me NTL Broadband wasn't available in that street either... oO

quad_red

Steffano2002 wrote:

SMART don't use Eircom infrasctructure so you can't get SMART at the moment in and around Cabra. They use their own exchanges which are ADSL2 enabled I believe (correct me if I'm wrong). Definitely the way to go if NTL is not available. But all these people living 5 minutes walk from me and who have NTL is really irritating me! Better give NTL a call...

Doh. Didn't read it properly. Thats a joke isn't it? Smart don't even have Dublin city covered.

Would be interested to see if NTL are available. Am on Glenard Avenue off Ellesmere Avenue.

Steffano2002

quad_red wrote:

Doh. Didn't read it properly. Thats a joke isn't it? Smart don't even have Dublin city covered.

Didn't get that!? oO

quad_red wrote:

Would be interested to see if NTL are available. Am on Glenard Avenue off Ellesmere Avenue.

If NTL is available in your area, go for it. If not, SMART will be available in a few weeks (just rang SMART who confirmed this).

quad_red

Steffano2002 wrote:

Didn't get that!? oO

I used the Smart line checker and thought it said that I could sign up now. But I was still wearing my morning head - it said I could sign up to be informed WHEN cabra was brought up.

Steffano2002 wrote:

If NTL is available in your area, go for it. If not, SMART will be available in a few weeks (just rang SMART who confirmed this).

I was looking at Magnet - 2mb Broadband is available through them for my place. But (if I understand this correctly) this requires us to keep the eircom line. This makes the cheapest package €52 per month (€28 + €24line rental). This is for 2meg BB (which will be upgraded to 4megs in 4 months).

Smart is all inclusive at €35 per month. You kindly checked and that'll be available in a few weeks. Its a 3meg line is it not?

Just called NTL - she informed me that I can't get NTL broadband and they have no timetable as to when that area will be connected to the NTL broadband network. She seemed genuinely sorry and all!!

So I suppose we'll probably wait for Smart. Eircom is a rip off. The wireless stuff just sounds like stress. Irish Broad Band is run by Satan.

Steffano2002

quad_red wrote:

I used the Smart line checker and thought it said that I could sign up now. But I was still wearing my morning head - it said I could sign up to be informed WHEN cabra was brought up.

Well that's not entirely true. I actually registered on the SMART website this afternoon myself. Once you do, you actually become a customer and you get broadband as soon as it becomes available.

quad_red wrote:

I was looking at Magnet - 2mb Broadband is available through them for my place. But (if I understand this correctly) this requires us to keep the eircom line. This makes the cheapest package €52 per month (€28 + €24line rental). This is for 2meg BB (which will be upgraded to 4megs in 4 months).

Too costly and slower than SMART... Bad move IMO as you're still reliant on €ircon...

quad_red wrote:

Smart is all inclusive at €35 per month. You kindly checked and that'll be available in a few weeks. Its a 3meg line is it not?

Yes it is. And the lucky buggers who already have SMART are actually on a 6MB free trial at the moment (lucky bollixes!)

quad_red wrote:

Just called NTL - she informed me that I can't get NTL broadband and they have no timetable as to when that area will be connected to the NTL broadband network. She seemed genuinely sorry and all!!

Hard luck... Same here

quad_red wrote:

So I suppose we'll probably wait for Smart. Eircom is a rip off. The wireless stuff just sounds like stress. Irish Broad Band is run by Satan.

You summed it up perfectly!

quad_red

As succinct as I could make it

I just went on to Smart's site again. I could sign up now. But why would I? I get no service till they hook the area up. Even if I sign up they don't guarantee a date when it'll be hooked up or even that my place will be able to hook up (dependent on line tests etc.)

Actually, should we start trying to disentangle ourselves from Eircom now or what? We don't really use the phone that much so I suppose a few weeks without it wouldn't be too bad.

How long is 'a few weeks' Steffano? Do you think we're talking 3/4 or 7/8?

Steffano2002

Is your line Broadband enabled/compatible? I know mine is coz I had BT Broadband before going with IBB. As soon as I got IBB I asked Eircom to disconnect my phone line. Now I'm waiting for SMART to be up and running on the Cabra Exchange and they will reactivate my phone line thus completely by-passing Eircom as you can see. I would advise doing the same quad_red...

But is your line Broadband enabled/compatible? That's the important question here. I think Eircom have a website to check that...

quad_red

Just did the line check on the Eircom site and our number (hence line?) is broadband compatible.

So you're advising us to totally disconnect from Eircom first? Or should we just go onto Smart now - initially just getting a phone service and then getting BB when it becomes available.

Or does it work like that? Is Smarts phone service over BB?

Steffano2002

I would advise disconnecting from Eircom completely and waiting for SMART to have the Cabra Exchange up and running (BTW I'm thinking more like 3/4 weeks rather than 7/8).
I don't think you'll be able to go with SMART at all for the moment, even if it's only for phone service.

I think staying with Eircom will only make it longer for SMART to get you connected as you'll be switching companies. That's why I advise disconnecting from Eircom now...

All of the above is my opinion and my opinion alone. I could be wrong obviously and it could be easier and faster to switch from Eircom to SMART rather than going with a fresh install with SMART! (But I'd be surprised...)

paulm17781

I'm nearly certain you need to have an active Eircon phone line to get Smart BB. My advice would be get the line connected now and then you will be able to port as soon as Smart is available. This was definitely the case six months ago.

quad_red

paulm17781 wrote:

I'm nearly certain you need to have an active Eircon phone line to get Smart BB. My advice would be get the line connected now and then you will be able to port as soon as Smart is available. This was definitely the case six months ago.

Get the line connected now? Which line? Do you mean get Eircom BB then port to Smart as soon as it's available? We have an active phone line.

paulm17781

quad_red wrote:

Get the line connected now? Which line? Do you mean get Eircom BB then port to Smart as soon as it's available? We have an active phone line.

No, you just need an active phone line. My understanding is you need an Eircon account number to unbundle your line.

It would make sense if Smart could connect you from an inactive line to the Smart service but that's not the Irish way. :rolleyes:

Steffano2002

paulm17781 wrote:

I'm nearly certain you need to have an active Eircon phone line to get Smart BB. My advice would be get the line connected now and then you will be able to port as soon as Smart is available. This was definitely the case six months ago.

That's wrong. When I heard SMART were coming to Cabra I rang them straight away and asked them if my line had to be active with Eircom before going with them. They told me not to re-activate it with Eircom as they would take care of everything.
Plus, I'll be saving a lot of time as SMART will be able to connect me straight away as they won't have to wait for Eircom to give them the go ahead/disconnect my line...

Steffano2002

quad_red wrote:

Get the line connected now? Which line? Do you mean get Eircom BB then port to Smart as soon as it's available? We have an active phone line.

No no no. Don't get Eircom broadband. SMART can't give you broadband if there is already a broadband signal from another provider on the line!
He meant to say "make sure your Eircom line is Active (for phone calls only)".

quad_red

Steffano2002 wrote:

No no no. Don't get Eircom broadband. SMART can't give you broadband if there is already a broadband signal from another provider on the line!
He meant to say "make sure your Eircom line is Active (for phone calls only)".

Aha. Mmmmm. I've heard of people having trouble getting Eircom to play ball and transfer details over to Smart. Indeed, a woman I used to work with had serious trouble getting some sort of number of them. Smart told her it was up to her to get it off Eircom.

So Steffano - you DON'T have an active phone line at the minute and SMART said there would be no probs in hooking you up once the Cabra exchange is up and running?

paulm17781

Steffano2002 wrote:

That's wrong. When I heard SMART were coming to Cabra I rang them straight away and asked them if my line had to be active with Eircom before going with them. They told me not to re-activate it with Eircom as they would take care of everything.
Plus, I'll be saving a lot of time as SMART will be able to connect me straight away as they won't have to wait for Eircom to give them the go ahead/disconnect my line...

Perhaps this is new, it definitely did not used to be the case and I have heard of Smart giving out fraudulent information (change your line rental to Smart and it will be faster - lies). Is Garfield about, he could probably confirm this either way.

Steffano, if you are correct it is a good step forward.

Steffano2002

quad_red wrote:

Aha. Mmmmm. I've heard of people having trouble getting Eircom to play ball and transfer details over to Smart. Indeed, a woman I used to work with had serious trouble getting some sort of number of them. Smart told her it was up to her to get it off Eircom.

Not surprised with Eircom there... Dirty b*stards!

quad_red wrote:

So Steffano - you DON'T have an active phone line at the minute and SMART said there would be no probs in hooking you up once the Cabra exchange is up and running?

Absolutely.......................CORRECT!

Steffano2002

paulm17781 wrote:

Steffano, if you are correct it is a good step forward.

I hope I'm correct! I rang them 3 times and spoke to 3 different representatives who all told me the same: "no need to have an Active Eircom line in order to avail of SMART Broadband. We'll take care of everything."

If all 3 were incorrect/lying, I'll batter them...

Steffano2002

quad_red wrote:

So Steffano - you DON'T have an active phone line at the minute and SMART said there would be no probs in hooking you up once the Cabra exchange is up and running?

Actually quad_red, could you ring SMART and tell them you have an inactive phone line in the Cabra area (make sure you tell them it is broadband compatible) and ask them if you need to re-activate it with Eircom in order to avail of SMART Broadband?
If the rep. says no then I'll breathe a sigh of relief. If not, the 3 reps I was speaking with are all idiots!