Is there any reason to still be with Eircom?

Zascar

Sorry for such a general question, but with so many other telco providers on the market I just don't even know where to start, so hopefully someone can help me. My dad has been with eircom forever - he has 2 phone lines (one for a fax) and a 3mb broadband - I don't think really needs such a fast line, I'd say 1mb would be fine for him. I can't remember exactly what he pays per month but it seems very expensive to me. He works from home and uses the phone a lot, makes many calls to the around ireland, to the UK and to mobiles etc.

So with so much competition, I'm sure there must be a far batter deal out there, unlimited call packages etc. I looked into a few of the voip packages - blueface etc - but I hear quite a few reports of service outages etc and really he cannot afford to be without the phone so I didn't look any further.

Can anyone point me in the right direction of who might be better that eircom for his needs?
Thanks

Foxwood

BT's Broadband and Total Talk costs €63 and includes 3MB broadband, Line Rental and free landline calls to Ireland and the UK.

It's meant to be a residential package, so there might be an issue with using it for a business, but it's definitely worth looking intp. At a guess, he's probably paying over €200 for the equivalent service from eircom today.

Zascar

Thanks that looks interesting. I wonder if they can still do the 2nd line for the fax etc. I'll give them a call tomorrow. I just spoke to my dad he said that his last bill as over €500! With reaccurring charges coming somewhere around the €200 mark... absolute madness.

Foxwood

Zascar wrote:

Thanks that looks interesting. I wonder if they can still do the 2nd line for the fax etc. I'll give them a call tomorrow. I just spoke to my dad he said that his last bill as over €500! With reaccurring charges coming somewhere around the €200 mark... absolute madness.

The fax line is just another phone line - if he feels that he receives €24 worth of faxes per month, then he just keeps that line. He could save that money by using blueface's fax-email gateway (and sell the fax machine while he's at it!) but if he has his fax number on letterheads, etc, and customers know that number, then he'll probably feel the €24 is worth spending.

He's probably being billed bi-monthly, so that €500 would come down to (63+24 x2) = €174 plus mobile and international calls.

elivsvonchiaing

I would say this: (but my experience is over a year old - yet probably still true). My father business/voice traffic to another provider (purely for international rates) about two years ago. The provider did not offer broadband.

Inspired by this I decided to go with smart (just for voice).

I also cut my eircom broadband in the good faith that I would be without broadband for no more than 10 working days.

3 months later and 3 providers later I was back with eircom for broadband.

The difference being this was domestic - but I doubt business was significantly different - dunno how it is now tbh!

If broadband is important - get more up to date facts before even dreaming of leaving eircom!

That said I hate the bastards - I really believe they are the reason why 3rd party providers **** you around so much - they are waiting for eircom to plug your order in - and won't give them a turn-on date!

They come back to you; "Yes we can give you broadband - we just can't confirm a date yet!"

As for Comreg? Completely ineffectual! (unlike the shining examples of other state set-up bodies such as the... er mmmm!):eek:

Foxwood

elivsvonchiaing wrote:

I also cut my eircom broadband in the good faith that I would be without broadband for no more than 10 working days.

To get Smart broadband, you line needs to be unbundled - eircom will cease all other services on the line before unbundling it.

To get DSL from any of the companies that are just reselling eircoms broadband (as suggested above), there is no need to cease existing services. You can even change from one DSL provider to another wothout interruption.

In this case, as there are already 2 lines in place, I'd suggest ordering broadband from BT on the ine that doesn't currently have broadband. Only when it's up and running to your satisfaction should you cancel the existing eircom broadband on the other line.

Capt'n Midnight

elivsvonchiaing wrote:

As for Comreg? Completely ineffectual! (unlike the shining examples of other state set-up bodies such as the... er mmmm!):eek:

ESB ?
they can provide copper to the home for a fraction of the price of eircom, their numbers of connections are increasing (eircoms are falling despite the number of new houses)
also the ESB usually come at or near the top of trusted organisations, beating politicians and other big business

Zascar

Thanks guys, I think BT looks like a sensible choice. However I'm not sure what happens re breaking a contract with Eircom, how do I know if I am tied into broadband etc for a year?

nialler

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

ESB ?
they can provide copper to the home for a fraction of the price of eircom, their numbers of connections are increasing (eircoms are falling despite the number of new houses)
also the ESB usually come at or near the top of trusted organisations, beating politicians and other big business

I've been keeping an eye on ESB for a couple of years now, any details, urls etc on how to get onto their network?

Foxwood

Zascar wrote:

Thanks guys, I think BT looks like a sensible choice. However I'm not sure what happens re breaking a contract with Eircom, how do I know if I am tied into broadband etc for a year?

Eircoms current contract for a broadband only connection is for 6 months. But I don't know what it was this time last year. Their current "broadband and calls" bundles have a 12 month contract.

Don't you have any records of what you signed up for?

Capt'n Midnight

nialler wrote:

I've been keeping an eye on ESB for a couple of years now, any details, urls etc on how to get onto their network?

no can do,
they mainly provide fibre optic backhaul country wide

broadband over electric cables is possible but has problems, the esb were doing trials. Burried cable is acceptable, but BB over overhead cable would affect amatuer radio and CB er's and Mass over radio so won't be popular.

The whole point was to show that it can be done, even in this country, once the will is there.

Foxwood

As far as I can recall, Bord Gáis were looking into running cables into homes when they rebuilt much of the network in recent years to work well with Natural Gas. But they weren't allowed.

Another opportunity lost.