Eircom or Bt

kilkennykitten

Hi

I am in the Kilkenny area (Callan) and was hoping to get broadband.

The package I was thinking of was Eircom's eircom broadband always on 2MB & eircom talktime anytime at 59.99 per month or BTs 2 Mb Broadband & Total Talk at 54 per month.

Which package would be the best in your opinion?

Is there much of a difference between the two broadband services?

Thanks for your help.

OfflerCrocGod

BT simply resell Eircom's BB at a cheaper price therefore in terms of technical differences in BB there aren't any. As long as you have no problems BT are excellent but if you have any problems it seems it's extremely hard to get into contact with BT and get anything sorted out. I've been with BT for 4 years with little problem but others have had horrid service from them because they needed to get in contact with them. I'd take BT but that's because I hate Eircom

Liam Byrne

Are those the only 2 options available, kk ?

dub45

There are plenty of threads here on BT - do a search and you will have plenty of material to read. I am happily with Smart and hope to be for a long time but if I had to choose some other provider I would go with Eircom based on the experience of people I know who have it. I firmly believe that a company that is as bad as BT in so many respects does not deserve any support whatsoever.

But as Liam Byrne has hinted to you there are other options such as UTV who must be be behaving well recently as there have been no posts on here moaning about them!

watty

BT do have some LLU customers and areas.

zilog_jones

Even saying that, BT's broadband is not simply Eircom's ADSL "rebranded". Beyond the exchange you're still connecting to BT's DNS servers and whatever else.

I've had BT broadband since it was still called IOL. The actual internet service has never let me down. Fortunately for me it's my mother who has to deal with the occasional billing disasters

Big Chief

Bt

Cabaal

Callan exchange has no LLU services so you can't get the likes of Smart etc

Depending on how close you are to the exchange (the small building in the green behind the garage), obviously the speed you can get may vary so you may not get 2MB but thats a seperate issue..

Basically you can get Broadband from the likes of IBB, UTV, BT etc as they all use bitstream which is resold by Eircom Wholesale.

Personally if I was in Callan I'd get UTV as they have a unlimited option but otherwise I'd go with BT (although BT's billing dept seems to be alot of fun!)

Sam Vimes

dub45 wrote:

I firmly believe that a company that is as bad as BT in so many respects does not deserve any support whatsoever.

as opposed to eircom who have good customer care? which eircom are you dealing with?

@ the OP, bt is basically the same service cheaper but you have to watch the billing and check the bills online each month. their billing department is notorious

dub45

Commander Vimes wrote:

as opposed to eircom who have good customer care? which eircom are you dealing with?

@ the OP, bt is basically the same service cheaper but you have to watch the billing and check the bills online each month. their billing department is notorious

I think anyone who posts here realises that none of the isps have good customer care at least over the phone. Smart have excellent customer care via their support forums. I have argued here before that given the number of customers that Eircom have the absence of complaints about them re service and billing etc is quite remarkable and I think that it is arguable that they are the best isp.

BT irrespective of the bb they supply are deficient is so many ways (for instance their behaviour in respect of the deposit lark would do the worst used car salesman proud) and you should not have to watch a billing department of any company over a period of many years!!!!!! BT = Billing Tyranny.

kilkennykitten

Many thanks for the replies guys.

There are a few more options including imagine,cinergie,perlico and digiweb according to the Irish government broadband site.

I must check the UTV website and see if it is available as I have my landline with them.

Thanks again

dub45

kilkennykitten wrote:

Many thanks for the replies guys.

There are a few more options including imagine,cinergie,perlico and digiweb according to the Irish government broadband site.

I must check the UTV website and see if it is available as I have my landline with them.

Thanks again

One warning about UTV and something which I find outrageous although it may not worry you:) - In the past UTV have not passed on decreases in the wholesale price to their customers unless the customer committed to a new contract. AFAIK they are the only isp to do this.

OfflerCrocGod

Digiweb is worth a look btw if you are a bit worried about BT.

Vunderground

BT ... why pay more?

zilog_jones

I've heard of good experiences with Digiweb's ADSL broadband.

Liam Byrne

kilkennykitten wrote:

There are a few more options including imagine,cinergie,perlico and digiweb according to the Irish government broadband site.

broadband.gov.ie ?

That's the site that flatly refuses to admit that I can get Smart broadband, even though I'm currently online using it, and have been since this time last year. :rolleyes:

While it'll list a few extra options for you, don't take it as a definitive list by any means.