Eircom Trickery?

BoB_BoT

Hey all,
I'm pretty sure I read a post similar to this months, if not a year ago. We have just had 2 pstn lines installed on our premises in Longford, now both lines work fine. But only one passes the eircom broadband compatibility test.

Both lines are perfectly identical, same length from the exchange, yet one still fails. Does anyone know the cause of this?

The technician who installed the lines is adamant that they're both perfect and I believe him. The support/query staff at Eircom insist that the line is failing and that there is no solution to this. In fact I was told to call back in 2-3 weeks and check then.

What I was wondering, is Eircom just blowing smoke up my ass because they've hit the limit on the exchange or does this genuinely just happen?

Thanks for any help,
Rob

Iago

there are loads of reasons why your line could fail a test, including you being on the line or a fax coming through at the time etc. the reason you're asked to call back in later is that the tests are re-run periodically and it may pass when there's no interferance on the line.

BoB_BoT

There's absolutely nothing plugged into the lines at the moment. Made sure of that. Retried and retried with the online test, no joy. They're also completely new phone numbers.

dub45

BoB_BoT wrote:

There's absolutely nothing plugged into the lines at the moment. Made sure of that. Retried and retried with the online test, no joy. They're also completely new phone numbers.

Unfortunately all lines are not the same - and this is not just in Ireland I have been reading various articles on this in English computer magazines as well where it is also a major issue for lots of people

The line obviously journeys from the exchange to our houses and along the way there can be many obstacles apparently (dodgy connections at various points and so on) - and thats not to mention effects of bad weather flooding etc. Some lines will be good for the slower speeds and totally wrong for faster speeds.

How far are you from the exchange? If one of the lines is slightly dodgy distance may be another factor thats tipping it over the edge.

The line test is not 'live' as others have said the results are updated once amonth or so - so there is no point in constantly retrying. If one line is ok why not get the bb on that? Why do you need two 'perfect' lines?

jor el

The online test doesn't actually test anything, it just checks the result of the last test in the database. It's only done around once a month. When were these lines installed and were they done at the same time? If one was installed after the other then it might not even have been tested yet. It takes up to a month after a line is installed to get an actual result.

watty

the lines need not come by the same route all the way.

BoB_BoT

Thanks for all the replies.
Both lines were installed at exactly the same time. By the same person, at the same point. Both lines were installed yesterday. Now I'm not 100% sure if they're wired at the "exchange", but they are wired at the exact same spot. The spot i'm speaking of is on the corner of a shop front, this supplies the business on my row and on the other corners row with phone lines. I'd assume this isn't the exchange but just a junction?

We are about 3 small enough shop fronts from where our "new" phone lines are connected, I'm no good at judging distance but it's really not that far.

The idea was to use the second broadband enabled line for VOIP and the other line purely for computer use, the computers need high enough bandwidth and we're already going with eircom's largest package. We can survive on the single line, just a bit frustrated that we had the two lines installed for broadband use, and we'll have to pay for the one that won't work now.

I think I see what you're getting at Watty, the lines may be connected at the same point, but they could be coming from two different locations to meet the demand for lines?

I'm gonna give the Eircom Installer guy another call tomorrow and see can he do anything about it.

Thanks again.
Rob

dathiultaigh

do you have to stay with Eircom? why not ask BT (or another ISP) to look into this for you. You should find out if you are being messed around by eircom.

dub45

BoB_BoT wrote:

Thanks for all the replies.
Both lines were installed at exactly the same time. By the same person, at the same point. Both lines were installed yesterday. Now I'm not 100% sure if they're wired at the "exchange", but they are wired at the exact same spot. The spot i'm speaking of is on the corner of a shop front, this supplies the business on my row and on the other corners row with phone lines. I'd assume this isn't the exchange but just a junction?

We are about 3 small enough shop fronts from where our "new" phone lines are connected, I'm no good at judging distance but it's really not that far.

The idea was to use the second broadband enabled line for VOIP and the other line purely for computer use, the computers need high enough bandwidth and we're already going with eircom's largest package. We can survive on the single line, just a bit frustrated that we had the two lines installed for broadband use, and we'll have to pay for the one that won't work now.

I think I see what you're getting at Watty, the lines may be connected at the same point, but they could be coming from two different locations to meet the demand for lines?

I'm gonna give the Eircom Installer guy another call tomorrow and see can he do anything about it.

Thanks again.
Rob

For once I have a certain sympathy for Eircom:) You only got the lines yesterday so they will not have been tested for bb suitability at all yet. That is unless you made some special arrangement to have them tested specifially yesterday????

(And already we have the mother and father of conspiracies in place:rolleyes:)

It can be up to a month before a line is tested - so you will not know about the suitability of either line for a while yet.

So its no wonder that the installer is assuring you that both lines are perfect!

And the distance that is being talked about here is the distance between your location and your local telphone exchange

dub45

dathiultaigh wrote:

do you have to stay with Eircom? why not ask BT (or another ISP) to look into this for you. You should find out if you are being messed around by eircom.

There is no evidence anywhere that he is being messed around by Eircom:rolleyes: And as all the other isps simply resell the Eircom wholesale product they will be dependent on exactly the same lines. Even Smart who unbundle still have to cope with Eircom line quality.

BoB_BoT

BoB_BoT wrote:

Hey all,
I'm pretty sure I read a post similar to this months, if not a year ago. We have just had 2 pstn lines installed on our premises in Longford, now both lines work fine. But only one passes the eircom broadband compatibility test.

Both lines are perfectly identical, same length from the exchange, yet one still fails. Does anyone know the cause of this?

ONE of the lines passes the test and I have broadband on order for that line.
It's also an EIRCOM line installer/technician that's telling me the lines are perfect, not an independent contractor, or even cowboy. So it's Eircom's word against.... Eircoms word.

Gonna try and manage with the broadband line for the moment and see if it's sufficient, rather keep all the bills under one company if possible.

Also on a side note regarding other ISP's, I've seen BT pass lines that Eircom have failed time and time again. All the lines in question are working perfect with Broadband, despite Eircom failing them and telling the potential customers, sorry no, no Broadband for you.

You're lucky you said a "certain" sympathy. No normal sympathy for Eircom, well at least they're better than BT *vomits*

dub45

BoB_BoT wrote:

ONE of the lines passes the test and I have broadband on order for that line.
It's also an EIRCOM line installer/technician that's telling me the lines are perfect, not an independent contractor, or even cowboy. So it's Eircom's word against.... Eircoms word.

Gonna try and manage with the broadband line for the moment and see if it's sufficient, rather keep all the bills under one company if possible.

Also on a side note regarding other ISP's, I've seen BT pass lines that Eircom have failed time and time again. All the lines in question are working perfect with Broadband, despite Eircom failing them and telling the potential customers, sorry no, no Broadband for you.

You're lucky you said a "certain" sympathy. No normal sympathy for Eircom, well at least they're better than BT *vomits*

You say that the lines were only installed yesterday - is that correct?

And have you had the lines tested specifically on an individual basis for yourself or are you relying on the online data base?

sesswhat

I'd go ahead and order online for the line you say has failed. I've been able to get broadband on a new line even though it had not yet passed. If you can't get it you can't get it.

BoB_BoT

dub45 wrote:

You say that the lines were only installed yesterday - is that correct?

And have you had the lines tested specifically on an individual basis for yourself or are you relying on the online data base?

Yep the lines were installed on Tuesday, I've tested online, I've also called the Eircom Support/Query line and asked them to check it for me. The line in question failed all round. Do the Eircom staff actually do a proper check or are they relying on the same test methods as the online one? i.e. checking against a database?

We've more or less decided to not bother with bb on the second line for the moment. There's a cable provider in the town that's offering 9mbps for half the price of eircoms top 6mbps package. Will be looking into that too

Thanks for all the replys and help.

dub45

BoB_BoT wrote:

Yep the lines were installed on Tuesday, I've tested online, I've also called the Eircom Support/Query line and asked them to check it for me. The line in question failed all round. Do the Eircom staff actually do a proper check or are they relying on the same test methods as the online one? i.e. checking against a database?

We've more or less decided to not bother with bb on the second line for the moment. There's a cable provider in the town that's offering 9mbps for half the price of eircoms top 6mbps package. Will be looking into that too

Thanks for all the replys and help.

As far as we can gather on here they dont check the lines 'live' and they are only referring to the database which is compiled on the basis of the monthly check. So it could be up to a month from installation before the actual results of the test are available in the database.

Richard Dower

Exactly, it takes time for he database to be updated...usually 3-4 weeks. Have them recheck in a month.