Is NTL the Best value combined Broadband+local/national calls for OAP Pensioner?

aidancoughlan

I've been looking around for a cheap package for my father-in-law. Low internet usage (but requires broadband), low phone usage. Their existing Irish Broadband Ripwave service @ €18.95/month for 512k is absolutely appaling.

They are an existing/satisfied NTL cable customer and the add-on pack seems great value to me.

(1) €30.99/month NTL add-on for 1MB broadband + free phone "line" rental (calls billed).
(2) €39.99/month NTL add-on for **3MB** broadband + unlimited free local/national calls, other calls billed.
(3) €40.99 for PERLICO bundle 1MB broadband, phone line rental and unlimited free local/national calls.
(4) Similar Esat BT & Eircom bundles are up in the €48-56 range.

If you take off the line rental from number (2) above, you are getting **3MB** broadband and unlimited local/national calls for around €15/month.

Am I missing something ... Is this too good to be true ? Any pitfalls with the NTL service, or other bargains out there that I am missing ?

Capt'n Midnight

similar question - area is Chapelizod , do NTL or Smart have BB there ?

[edit]http://www.smarttelecom.ie/broadbandreview.php[/edit] no smart but are on Palmerstown Exchange

They already have NTL and are getting free line rental so BB would be an add on cost to either. Entry level package desired.

Main call costs roughly split between to Irish mobile and UK Landline €25pm so no huge savings to be made there and not enough to justify a VoIP account. The phone number needs to be kept and there is an alarm too, not eircom phonewatch but it does dial out on the phone line.

If they were to go for a phone that didn't use eircom copper would they still get a contribution to line rental ? and if not should the EU do something about this ?? as it makes competing services far more expensive



Looking up this and just shades of grey
http://www.callcosts.ie/home/default.asp - compares BB and Phone costs including line rental

MHP

NTL phone call charges are about the same as Eircom - the only saving is on line rental. As OAPs don't pay line rental, there's no saving to be made with (1).

aidancoughlan

Good points, I've checked out some of the questions raised .....

(A) Using "FREE TELEPHONE SCHEME" allowance for non-eircom services:
See below, It seems that OAPs can arrange to claim the €24.70 allowance directly - this was introduced to allow them to use the allowance for mobile phones instead of a land line, but I dont see how/why you wouldnt be allowed use the cash to offset land line calls with another provider.

"......
Minister Brennan said that from tomorrow, May 9th, customers will be given the choice by his Department to opt for a direct credit to a telephone company for their landline or for a cash payment in respect of their mobile phone.
Customers who opt for a cash payment in respect of their mobile will be paid on the first Tuesday of each month either via An Post or to their bank account...."
Pasted from <http://www.welfare.ie/press/pr07/pr080507.html&gt;

(B) KEEPING YOUR PHONE NUMBER WITH NTL & USING IT FOR "Copper" ALARM SERVICES

It seems like you **can** keep your phone number, but **cant** use the NTL phone service for security alarm purposes.

"....How do I keep my existing number?
If you would like to transfer your existing phone number to us then you must complete this form and provide a copy of your current bill. We will not be able to transfer your number without this. The process of transferring your existing phone number from one telephone service provider to another is called porting.
Please note if you are reliant on your existing phone line for your alarm, you cannot currently transfer your number to us...."
Pasted from <http://www.upc.ie/service/?cid=117&aid=91&gt;


So - still seems like a good deal if you can manage without the "copper line" security services (which I think they can - they dont have it at the moment).

Still, can anybody suggest any better combined deals - or similar ones that use copper lines ?

bk

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Main call costs roughly split between to Irish mobile and UK Landline €25pm so no huge savings to be made there and not enough to justify a VoIP account. The phone number needs to be kept and there is an alarm too, not eircom phonewatch but it does dial out on the phone line.

BT's Talk Plus (can also be bundled with BB) product includes free calls to UK land lines, so savings to be made there. OAP's can get the free line rental with BT also.

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

If they were to go for a phone that didn't use eircom copper would they still get a contribution to line rental ? and if not should the EU do something about this ?? as it makes competing services far more expensive

LLU operators like Smart and Magnet, Fibre to the home, UPC (NTL/Chorus) and non of the mobile operators get this contribution.

I'm shocked the likes of Vodafone and O2 haven't kicked up a fuss about this. You could offer some pretty good bundled minutes on mobile for €25 and gain many new customers.