Getting connected to Smart Broadband a joke!

Alex_1

1 month and still waiting!!!! I signed up for broadband on Feb 13th and have yet to receive any information on when my connection will be installed. I have called at least 5 times and yet no one seems to be able to give me a reasonable explanation as to why there is a hold up on my connection! Every time I call it seems to be Eircoms fault for the hold up, is anyone else having this problem??

I even wanted to lodge a formal complaint and was told it would be no use! Comreg dosen't seem to think it will be no use!

I was under the impression that Smarts customer service was actually a step above the others, but obviously not!

Getting really frustrated at not being able to get a proper explanation!

paulm17781

There is a good chance it is Eircom's fault. They tend to hang on unbundling lines and delay competition where ever possible. In total I had to wait 5 months to port my number to another provider!

Alex_1

Thanks for the feedback paulm17781, but there certainly has to be some kind competition law preventing Eircom from doing this?!

Anyway, as I was writing this reply Smart contacted me to say that Eircom have been having technical difficulties within the Dolphins Barns exchange and there will be a delay on all orders.

However they still cannot provide me with any more on completion dates/details.

Sponge Bob

Alex_1 wrote:

Thanks for the feedback paulm17781, but there certainly has to be some kind competition law preventing Eircom from doing this?!

There is a thing called Comreg which allow them to do precisely this, if you mail info@comreg.ie they will probably tell you to piss off for having the cheek to ask.

Anyway, as I was writing this reply Smart contacted me to say that Eircom have been having technical difficulties within the Dolphins Barns exchange and there will be a delay on all orders.

In other words the fuse blew on the kettle down there so its ' all out lads '

However they still cannot provide me with any more on completion dates/details.

eircom won't provide them with a completion date and eircom know that Comrge will do nothing .

zuma

The Eircom Directors are taking Ireland for a ride and we keep asking for more of it!

I think the current owners have made tens of millions from bleeding eircom of everything worth taking and now the Aussies want a piece of the cake that never disappears no matter how much you eat

belmulletman

Ah Crap, don't say that... I'm about to switch to Smart from BT (and don't even get me started on BT, 3 formal complaints in 2 weeks)... also, just something to note, sorry can't remember the second posters name, but Dolphins Barn is an un-bundled exchange, infact it was one of the first to be unbundled, cause i've been on an BT (yeah, they SU*K) Business Broadband for a couple of years, and they only offer through un-bundled exchange...

SOO... how is eircom holding up things if this exchange is already unbundled, unless they are refusing to remove service from you line...
I've already had this arguement with Esat, and filed a formal complaint before i've even cancled (that back fired!! yeah right... they got a debt management company on to me, for money i own, and a bill that was due like 2 weeks ago... OH so much wrong with BT Ireland.... DO NOT, and i repeat, DO NOT under any circumstance go with BT Ireland... everyone i know has left them in the last few month because they and their billing system is a joke... it's actually so funny, it's not!!)

Let me know how you get on... if you can PM me i would really appriciate it as i'm planning to organise this to go through while i'm away to avoid the downtime!!! hopefully there won't be as big a problem switching from BT to Smart... yeah I know, i know... but i can but hope!!!...

B>

Alex_1

belmulletman, I feel your pain, I had originally tried to switch my BT broadband form an apt to a house and after three months of down time, two lost relocation forms, two lost cancellation forms and numerous bills given to me from BT for a line I wasn't using I finally got away from the idiotic shackles of BT. And now..... well you can see what's happening with Smart!

Sponge Bob, like I said "I even wanted to lodge a formal complaint and was told it would be no use!" by Smart customer service.

belmulletman, what is the deal with a unbundled exchange? Does this mean Smart are flubbing me off with another excuse and there should be no "technical difficulties " with the Dolphins Barn Exchange? Is there anyone on here from Eircom or with knowledge that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the Dolphins Barn Exchange???

Just to top it all off a Smart telecomms sales rep showed up at my door last night to sell me the package I have been waiting a month for and had no idea of any "technical difficulties"!

Zulu

I had the same pain getting started wih Smart. I was down 7-8weeks, but I've never regretted it since; in fact I've been advising everyone to join Smart. The inital setup is painfull, but the good news is - its easy riding afterwards.

Great service Smart - and cheap. Bravo!

Alex_1

Zulu wrote:

I had the same pain getting started wih Smart. I was down 7-8weeks, but I've never regretted it since; in fact I've been advising everyone to join Smart. The inital setup is painfull, but the good news is - its easy riding afterwards.

Great service Smart - and cheap. Bravo!

I hope your right Zulu! That's the very reason I signed up with them, have read many good reports.

Blaster99

Alex_1 wrote:

belmulletman, what is the deal with a unbundled exchange? Does this mean Smart are flubbing me off with another excuse and there should be no "technical difficulties " with the Dolphins Barn Exchange? Is there anyone on here from Eircom or with knowledge that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the Dolphins Barn Exchange???

Just to top it all off a Smart telecomms sales rep showed up at my door last night to sell me the package I have been waiting a month for and had no idea of any "technical difficulties"!

Do you really think a sales rep walking around knocking on doors really is the definitive source of knowledge when it comes to the state of Eircom's exchanges?

I'm sure Smart would love to get you up and running. If eircom refuses to do it, what can Smart or you do but wait? The LLU process is a complete shambles but that's life.

Sponge Bob

Alex_1 wrote:

Sponge Bob, like I said "I even wanted to lodge a formal complaint and was told it would be no use!" by Smart customer service.

You can complain to eircom who are not releasing your line , complaints@eircom.ie . Also demand that they port your number to Smart . You are entitled to move your number under the terms of

Section 26 of the Universal Service Directive also known as Statutory Instrument 308 of 2003 in Irish Law.

26. (1) An undertaking providing a publicly available telephone service, including a mobile service, shall ensure that a subscriber to such service can, upon request, retain his or her number independently of the undertaking providing the service-

(a) in the case of geographic numbers, at a specific location, and
(b) in the case of non-geographic numbers, at any location.

If they have not responded positively within 24 hours simply go to the top, email again and cc phil.nolan@eircom.ie

5 days after the first complaint was lodged you can complain to Comreg on info@comreg.ie if your line has not been released as requested and your number has not been ported as requested and cc them the responses to the various complaints.

Once you demand to port the number you will see major action on unbundling the line

Ardent

Yeah, stick it out dude. We all had problems switching over to Smart but it's so worth it in the end.

Remember, it's not like Smart are deliberately trying to frustrate you.

Alex_1

Blaster99, No I don't think "a sales rep walking around knocking on doors really is the definitive source of knowledge when it comes to the state of Eircoms exchanges"! But it was worth asking her if she knew anything considering she was trying to sell me the product!

Sponge Bob, Thanks I will get in touch with eircoms complaints department today and start the process.

Ardent, I realise Smart are not deliberately trying to frustrate me but if these problems (it being with Smart or Eircom) are not brought to light they will never get a process in place to improve either of there services.

ALL, I have just found out from an Eircom employee (friend of a friend) that there is no problem with the Dolphins Barn Exchange and that exchange allows smart customers to be hooked-up by smart themselves WITHOUT the help from Eircom.

oilfoster

Issues in Dolphins Barn are resolved, and were outside Smarts control. Its business as usual, please bear with us
Ciarán

Jor

Hi Alex1,

It's obvious you are new to the boards site.
The Smart BB debacle has to be one of the favourite subjects on the whole board.
Many of us signed up a year ago and are still waiting.

byte

I was incredibly lucky, I moved from Eircom to Smart, and it took a mere 5 days! Ordered the Monday, router arrived the Friday, and it worked. And according to my first bill, I wsa with Smart the Thursday also, so I guess that makes it 4 days.

Sadly, this is probably more an exception than a rule.

dub45

byte wrote:

I was incredibly lucky, I moved from Eircom to Smart, and it took a mere 5 days! Ordered the Monday, router arrived the Friday, and it worked. And according to my first bill, I wsa with Smart the Thursday also, so I guess that makes it 4 days.

Sadly, this is probably more an exception than a rule.

Ironically enough Eircom are probably the best isp to be moving to Smart from!

From reading posts on here Eircom seem to cancel the bb virtually immediately when you contact them and it is easy to get the termination number (or whatever you call it:)) from them.

Whereas most of the isps require a months notice of cancellation - then you may have to bring your telephony back to Eircom (especially messy if you have moved your line rental) - open a new account etc etc - it can be a nightmare as I found out - but as someone else has pointed out eventually its worth it. but expect to age and suffer in the process unless you are very lucky indeed!