Smart going belly up?

Kensington

If Smart go it'll be Digiweb for me since their €35 Metro product is pretty much the same as Smart's current broadband/phone offering (albeit with twice the upload speed of smart's package) and there is no way in hell I want to give €ircon scum another single cent EVER if I can help it. Only thing about Digiweb though is their installation fee which is pretty ginormous! .

paulm17781

Cable or wireless is the only real way to go if you want to avoid giving Eircon a cent. It's days like this I'm glad Eirscum don't get a penny from me.

constitutionus

Kensington wrote:

If Smart go it'll be Digiweb for me since their €35 Metro product is pretty much the same as Smart's current broadband/phone offering (albeit with twice the upload speed of smart's package) and there is no way in hell I want to give €ircon scum another single cent EVER if I can help it. Only thing about Digiweb though is their installation fee which is pretty ginormous! .

i was looking at that and i think its waived if you sign up for a year (or broken up over 12 months, one or the other)

i really dont want to do this again but if i have to go through the pain it wont be for eircom:mad:

Kensington

constitutionus wrote:

i was looking at that and i think its waived if you sign up for a year (or broken up over 12 months, one or the other)

Yeah I think they will install it for free so long as you pay your installation annually which is a hell of a lot of money aswell! Pity they don't waive the fee temporarily and try to get some of smart's customers over to them, eh? :cool: .

probe

Dellas wrote:

Wouldnt it be great if Eircom got no Smart customers back . I would advise all Smart customers who need to switch to go to BT or UTV and under no circumstanses go to Eircom !!!! BT have a new package and if you sign up online its FREE connection . Broadband 1MB and Total Talk Eur45 a month all in !!! 2MB is Eur 53 and 3MB is around Eur 65 that includes all your call Irish and UK and line rental !!! Not bad

www.btireland.ie

www.utvinternet.ie

www.imagine.ie

www.perlico.ie

www.magnet.ie

www.callcosts.ie

Just posted these websites if anyone needs to compare rates etc....

Please read the thread before posting!

If you sign up for dsl broadband with any of the above (aside from magnet.ie in some locations), you are giving your business to eircom one way or the other. Most of these companies are re-selling eircom's wholesale bitstream service and do not engage in local loop unbundling to any material extent, if at all.

Better to sign up directly with eircom and give them 99.999% of the market - as the powers that be are not sufficiently impressed enough with eircom's dominance (having a 94% share of the dsl business) to take meaningful action to correct the problem.

.probe

byte

Dellas wrote:

Might be worth your while seeing if you can get out of it by ''breech of contract'' they failled to offer you with service when you got cut off. I wonder if you just signed up with another company like BT would they be able to do anything. I wonder what will happen to Smart. Switching back on customers so that they can sign up with another company doesnt sound like Smart will be that reliable in future!!! If I was a Smart customer I would have signed up with another company ASAP !!!! If you get cut off again you may not get the chance to switch.

Well that's the thing. I didn't get totally cut off. My broadband still works now, I just cannot receive calls.

But even from TV3 News there a few moments ago, they say the deal will have services back up and running giving customers about 2 weeks to find an alternative! They were the first to mention the "2 weeks" time scale, though it's probably not the first time TV3 News got it wrong!

I guess I'll just have to ring Smart and see what they say. If the worst came to the worst, I'd like the service to survive long enough for me to get Digiweb Metro! The install charge of €89 is waived if you sign up for 12 months, though I'm not sure if they expect all 12 months paid in advance...

Free Intallation Fee for annual payment only

Kensington

byte wrote:

The install charge of €89 is waived if you sign up for 12 months, though I'm not sure if they expect all 12 months paid in advance...

Free Intallation Fee for annual payment only

I think it's the 12 months all upfront, since although the "Lite" Service is 12 month contract as standard, an €89 install fee still applies. .

matt-dublin

www.ntl.ie (cable)
www.clearwire.ie (bad download speeds)
www.irishbroadband.ie
www.magnet.ie (fibre where available)

none of these pay eircom

Blackdragon

probe wrote:

Please read the thread before posting!

If you sign up for dsl broadband with any of the above (aside from magnet.ie in some locations), you are giving your business to eircom one way or the other. Most of these companies are re-selling eircom's wholesale bitstream service and do not engage in local loop unbundling to any material extent, if at all.

Better to sign up directly with eircom and give them 99.999% of the market - as the powers that be are not sufficiently impressed enough with eircom's dominance (having a 94% share of the dsl business) to take meaningful action to correct the problem.

.probe

Are BT also resellers of Eircom - Im gonna do everything i can to avoid signing up to Them.

I HATE EIRSCUM:mad:

constitutionus

Kensington wrote:

I think it's the 12 months all upfront, since although the "Lite" Service is 12 month contract as standard, an €89 install fee still applies. .

then why does the comreg site break it up over 12 months? surely it'd say up front you have to pay all at once. i think it really is spread over the year in monthy payments cause they (comreg) add it to the advertised price of 19.99 euro bring it to 27 something a month. damn them and their "free with annual charge"

still thats what credit card are for , or i could do a bertie

bk

People who have Smart Broadband should NOT PANIC

My advice is wait and see what happens.

The thing is that Smart uses it's own equipment in Eircoms exchanges (LLU), this equipment is incredibly valuable, even if Smart do liquidate, all this equipment and customers would likely be sold to a different company (Magnet, BT, etc.) and the service continued.

Even if you decide to move off Smart Broadband, it will take a few weeks of no internet and as Smarts BB service has not been interrupted, it would be a much better idea just to wait for the dust to settle and see what happens.

I fully expect to hear that Smarts Broadband service will either continue to operate with no interruption or that they will sell the customers and equipment to another company. This is due to the nature of the value of the equipment.

As for Smart voice only customers (CPS, WLR) you probably should start looking for a new provider as it seems that Smart will be dropping this service, as unlike broadband, it tends to be low margin and unprofitable. UTV or BT offer good solid phone services.

digitaldr

bk wrote:

I fully expect to hear that Smarts Broadband service will either continue to operate with no interruption or that they will sell the customers and equipment to another company. This is due to the nature of the value of the equipment.

I wonder what would happen to pricing in this situation. I presume the free line rental would still apply as the lines are unbundled??

Just another thought - Free line rental for life - they failed to mention whose life!

bk

digitaldr wrote:

I wonder what would happen to pricing in this situation. I presume the free line rental would still apply as the lines are unbundled??

Just another thought - Free line rental for life - they failed to mention whose life!

Pricing would depend on what the purchasing company wanted to do. No guarantee prices would stay the same, but at least you wouldn't have to suffer weeks of downtime and you could make a decision on if you wanted to stay or leave in a more calm manner.

Blackdragon

bk wrote:

Pricing would depend on what the purchasing company wanted to do. No guarantee prices would stay the same, but at least you wouldn't have to suffer weeks of downtime and you could make a decision on if you wanted to stay or leave in a more calm manner.

I Agree this may prove to be the best course of action for Smart BB customers

Bards

digitaldr wrote:

I wonder what would happen to pricing in this situation. I presume the free line rental would still apply as the lines are unbundled??

Just another thought - Free line rental for life - they failed to mention whose life!

you could alwys sue:D ...oh wait they're broke

billy the squid

matt-dublin wrote:

no i don't, i have a contact who works there.
they just got the news

you have to go to the high court to have a liquidator appointed first I would imagine

fifth

This is exciting stuff.

(eircom user). Probably with eircom 'cos of family ties, staff in the company for years. Can't explain it. But I'm just glad I don't have to worry about losing service.

I feel for you guys!

JNive

Interesting article from ComReg about the Status of LLU as of September 18th Last

www.comreg.ie/_fileupload/publications/ComReg0650.pdf

billy the squid

maybe smart can get their €4m by suing magnet for copywrite infringement
http://www.magnet.ie/

use of their logo top right of page.

JNive

yeah i actually noticed that one. lol

btw 2 questions,
Magnet are using the GLUMP process ( allowing transfer of eircom phone number ) as opposed to standalone LLU liek Smart. Is this process reasonably efficient at the moment, or would you end up waiting for a month or 2 to get connected with the number transfered etc.

And is the Magnet Intro over ADSL2+ service good quality, since it too is non-contended like smarts was, and is 4mbps down, 512kbps upload.

And what type of Modem would they send out for this adsl2+ service. cause pricesswise, the best was smart, (also best product), then chorus ( great potential, since its cable, but currently crap service ), and 3rd cheapest is Magnet Intro on ADSL2+ ( taking iunto account 3mbps and greater services )

In other Magnet News, their DTT application looks interesting http://www.magnet.ie/news/10-08-2006.shtml

JNive

oh and magnet is a 6-month term , check the bottom of form
http://www.magnet.ie/pdf/sign-up.pdf

Oh and with the Magnet Intro ( Unbundled Line on ADSL2+ ) will they provide the modem without the firewall activated, and also, should i wish, is it possibly to use my own ADSL2+ modem rather than theirs ( Not taking any TV service, just the broadband and calls, however im likely to use my own VoIP with that too )

Also, the 10-working deadline for Eircom to transfer me to smart is up tomorrow, the 4th of October. Few days ago, i was able to ring the new smart number i was assigned ( hear the ringing tone) , however when i ring it tonight i get the 'congestion' error from my mobile.

Would i be wise to just order from Magnet or will i need to cancel the Smart order even though i havent been transfered yet etc lol.

billy the squid

I was told I would have to wait six months for my number to be ported over to magnet. I decided to change the number and went over in about a month.

Magnet is a good service when it is working properly, however when something goes wring, you might as well be bashing your head off a brick wall trying to get them to fix it promptly. they fix stuff when they feel like it. The bills are always on time though.

On the eircom deadline, After hearing details of the deal on morning ireland this morning, I got the impression that smart customers would have limited access to the eircom network, with free phonecalls for the next two weeks while they find a new provider. No mobile calls and no international calls on smart lines.

CrowdedHouse

bk wrote:

The thing is that Smart uses it's own equipment in Eircoms exchanges (LLU), this equipment is incredibly valuable, even if Smart do liquidate, all this equipment and customers would likely be sold to a different company (Magnet, BT, etc.) and the service continued.

Well considering all the money they owe eircom AND the fact that the equipment is on eircoms' property,I wonder who will have first call on that so.....

Blaster99

The financial institution they leased it from might insist on getting it back, you never know.

Fallschirmjager

does anyone know if an announcement by smart is on the cards...the comreg site says move, but i would like to hear what smart have to say...

anyone know if smart have a plan?

are they going to offer phone services for a few days or a few weeks?

Blackdragon

JNive wrote:

oh and magnet is a 6-month term , check the bottom of form
http://www.magnet.ie/pdf/sign-up.pdf

Oh and with the Magnet Intro ( Unbundled Line on ADSL2+ ) will they provide the modem without the firewall activated, and also, should i wish, is it possibly to use my own ADSL2+ modem rather than theirs ( Not taking any TV service, just the broadband and calls, however im likely to use my own VoIP with that too )

Also, the 10-working deadline for Eircom to transfer me to smart is up tomorrow, the 4th of October. Few days ago, i was able to ring the new smart number i was assigned ( hear the ringing tone) , however when i ring it tonight i get the 'congestion' error from my mobile.

Would i be wise to just order from Magnet or will i need to cancel the Smart order even though i havent been transfered yet etc lol.

If you were able to ring your smart number then your order is already complete my friend. So if i were you i would wait untill the dust settles and see what happens next:)

Blackdragon

Fallschirmjager wrote:

does anyone know if an announcement by smart is on the cards...the comreg site says move, but i would like to hear what smart have to say...

anyone know if smart have a plan?

are they going to offer phone services for a few days or a few weeks?

Thats pretty much what im waiting to hear as well. Untill they come right out and say it then im going to stay put. I moved house in june so i had to sign another contract with them and id just hate for them to turn around and charge me for breach of contract if i moved now.:)

Full Moon Angel

I get broadband AND phone from Smart, and have had absolutely no service on anything since Monday evening around 8pm.
Now from what I could see on the news we should get at least the phone service back today, but so far I can still not call my number from another phone, I get a network busy signal.
Also so far, there is no news on what is happening with broadband. The Comreg site has no news either.
This is the last I heard: http://www.rte.ie/business/2006/1004/smart.html

As I am in the middle of a 12 months contract, I don't really feel like I can go off and sign up with another operator before I know what is actually going on.

However, I tried to call Smart, and the only possibility there is on the customer service line, is to leave a message. And I would doubt we would get any call back at any stage.

So what are we supposed to do? Just wait without broadband or phone until something happens?

Can anyone advise on that?

Thanks!

Blackdragon

Full Moon Angel wrote:

I get broadband AND phone from Smart, and have had absolutely no service on anything since Monday evening around 8pm.
Now from what I could see on the news we should get at least the phone service back today, but so far I can still not call my number from another phone, I get a network busy signal.
Also so far, there is no news on what is happening with broadband. The Comreg site has no news either.
This is the last I heard: http://www.rte.ie/business/2006/1004/smart.html

As I am in the middle of a 12 months contract, I don't really feel like I can go off and sign up with another operator before I know what is actually going on.

However, I tried to call Smart, and the only possibility there is on the customer service line, is to leave a message. And I would doubt we would get any call back at any stage.

So what are we supposed to do? Just wait without broadband or phone until something happens?

Can anyone advise on that?

Thanks!

So far is seem that im going to lose my BB at some stage today.

"Meanwhile as those talks were going on yesterday, Eircom was continuing to disconnect Smart's 17,000 broadband customers and separate talks are due to take place today to try and resolve that problem."


I pray to god they reach an agreement. So am i to underdtand from the rte post that ive got free national and international calls when they switch the phone lines back on???:)

Full Moon Angel

Blackdragon wrote:

So far is seem that im going to lose my BB at some stage today.

"Meanwhile as those talks were going on yesterday, Eircom was continuing to disconnect Smart's 17,000 broadband customers and separate talks are due to take place today to try and resolve that problem."


I pray to god they reach an agreement. So am i to underdtand from the rte post that ive got free national and international calls when they switch the phone lines back on???:)

Hmmm. I think it means that eircom is providing that service for free.
Will smart charge us for it??