UTV Clicksilver

byte

I hope to be moving home in the next few weeks, though unfortunately it means I'll be losing my beloved Smart broadband.

I'll have to sign up to Eircom again, and was considering UTV Clicksilver for broadband. The 3Mbit with no-cap option seems a good price.

Is there anything I should look out for with UTV? The only downside I can find is their termination charge.

Do they take long to connect you up once you have Eircom a/c number?

Thanks.

kaizersoze

10 working days normally for connection but the you'll probably find the biggest delay is Eircom. It can often take a month or more to get your account from them and probably the same to get it tested for BB.

byte

2 months without broadband :eek:

Maybe if I order eircom broadband with the line, it may be quicker.

Straight Flush

On Clicksilver your connection will be automatically dropped if you have it left connected for 48 continious hours. This is to calculate your data usage. The same applies if you're on the no-cap option, like I am.

byte

Straight Flush wrote: »

On Clicksilver your connection will be automatically dropped if you have it left connected for 48 continious hours. This is to calculate your data usage. The same applies if you're on the no-cap option, like I am.

How do you find UTV service in general? I'd hope they do none of those nasty things like broadband shaping, since they're just reselling eircom DSL.

Straight Flush

I find the service very good. I always get reasonably close to the full 2Mbps that I'm paying for when I'm on Usenet. I don't download huge amounts myself, but judging from this thread, you'll have to really be downloading insane amounts before you'll suffer the wrath of any nasty shenanigans.

byte

That's what I like to hear.

On a side note, what would be recommended in a decent router? I currently use an Aolynk thing bridged with a cheapo Sweex wifi router, but plan to get an all-in-one solution.

I did have a Netgear DG834G, but sold it due to it being very unstable. That said, the model seems highly rated, and may work better in new house where I'll be much closer to exchange. Or maybe I should consider a D-Link, Linksys, or Belkin alternative?

Straight Flush

I don't know much about routers because I got my friend to install all that. But we've had a Creative Broadband Blaster Router, a Linksys Switch and a Linksys Wireless router for close to three years without any problem.

Mlo

I had UTV for around 2 years (moved house recently and I'm forced to resort to mobile broadband for a while) and I found them to be very good.

Definetly go for the uncapd option as they will charge for exceeding your broadband.

One very nice thing about them is that the customer service line gets you directly to a real person (unlike eircom for example) and they were always pleasant and knew what they were doing.

ardmacha

One wonders when UTV propose to give their new reduced rates to their existing customers? If you are out there UTV get moving on this.

manc

ardmacha wrote: »

One wonders when UTV propose to give their new reduced rates to their existing customers? If you are out there UTV get moving on this.

they won't, you have to sign a new contract to get the new rates

ardmacha

they won't, you have to sign a new contract to get the new rates

I might even do that, no harm in signing up again if they are giving good service and are at the lower cost end of the reseller market. Last time they had a button on the website where you could sign a new contract, this doesn't seem to have appeared yet.

Mlo

The rates dropped a few times while I was a UTV customer, each time all I had to do get the new rate was select it on my account webpage and the new rate was applied at the start of the following month. No new contract.

Not like eircom where I had to threathen to leave to even be offered a new rate....

manc

Mlo wrote: »

The rates dropped a few times while I was a UTV customer, each time all I had to do get the new rate was select it on my account webpage and the new rate was applied at the start of the following month. No new contract.

Not like eircom where I had to threathen to leave to even be offered a new rate....

Don't see that on my account, the only options I have are to Go Unlimited or Upgrade to Talk Anytime. Maybe they got rid of the options to change your account.

Squiggle

Been with UTV Clicksilver since June 04. Got the 2mbps ADSL and on balance it's a good service and I would be reluctant to change from them.

scout353

Squiggle wrote: »

Been with UTV Clicksilver since June 04. Got the 2mbps ADSL and on balance it's a good service and I would be reluctant to change from them.

Have to agree there. I have been with UTV since 2003 and think I've had downtime only twice in that time.

Have the no limits option as I was being charged almost as much again as subscription because my son was downloading movies.

Would like to have increased speed but no overly worried about it.

ardmacha

Wholesale rates are going down in March. UTV at least have cheaper rates, even if we wonder when exactly we are going to get them. Have the other providers cut their rates?

kaizersoze

I'd say there will be little in the way of price changes/offers from any of the ISPs until the new speeds kick in around June.

Most of them are working on a very tight margin for BB as it is so they'll be making a bit extra until then.

Simon201

Somewhat confused with UTV's new prices. Says €15.99 for new sign up for the first 3 months - fair enough I'm not a new sign up. Normal price then €23.99. So contacted them about a month ago, asked to be upgraded to the 3mb (new tarriffs) line from 2mb. Fine they say, you will pay €23.99 a month then, you'll have to read the T&C etc. Fine I says.
Now my advanced BB fee is put at €34.99??? where did this price come from (apart from 2 years ago!!)


Anyone got a number for Smart!

Shame if I have to change providers, it's been a reliable service that has had virtually no down time in 3 years.

ardmacha

Now my advanced BB fee is put at €34.99??? where did this price come from (apart from 2 years ago!!)

Perhaps it is a timing issue to do with the date you received the upgrade and the date of your bill?

Skyuser

Simon201 wrote: »

Somewhat confused with UTV's new prices. Says €15.99 for new sign up for the first 3 months - fair enough I'm not a new sign up. Normal price then €23.99. So contacted them about a month ago, asked to be upgraded to the 3mb (new tarriffs) line from 2mb. Fine they say, you will pay €23.99 a month then, you'll have to read the T&C etc. Fine I says.
Now my advanced BB fee is put at €34.99??? where did this price come from (apart from 2 years ago!!)


Anyone got a number for Smart!

Shame if I have to change providers, it's been a reliable service that has had virtually no down time in 3 years.

I was charged 32.99 after upgrade but i asked for new 23.99 price.

pauly3

I asked to be upgraded from their 2mb package to 3mb (to take advantage of the speed increase when it arrives) and they emailed me back to say I would be on the new package and rate from 1 April. I have found UTV Internet to be a sound ISP, though they do charge if you go over the cap so it is advisable pay for the no-cap option if you need it. At 23.99/month I think the 3mb (soon 7.6mb) option is very good value. And their technical support are good too. Also, the UTV talk package gives you free calls to anywhere in Ireland or the UK after 6pm, and all weekends, and that's a no-brainer!

pzurdo

Simon201 wrote: »

Somewhat confused with UTV's new prices. Says €15.99 for new sign up for the first 3 months - fair enough I'm not a new sign up. Normal price then €23.99. So contacted them about a month ago, asked to be upgraded to the 3mb (new tarriffs) line from 2mb. Fine they say, you will pay €23.99 a month then, you'll have to read the T&C etc. Fine I says.
Now my advanced BB fee is put at €34.99??? where did this price come from (apart from 2 years ago!!)

Amazing: they're trying the same trick in my case! Are you going to challenge this, and have you had any success to date - any tips? I've mailed utv to say the price variation is not acceptable to me, and I'll go to the regulator if need be. They advertise 23.99, and then charge 32.99 (in my case)!!!! This is sharp practice and presumably will attempt to extract a cancellation fee if I cancel. Any one else have this situation?
Cheers

Simon201

Ok I got on to them today. It seems I had read the 'statements' page of my account section somewhat wrong. The 'advanced subscription' amount of €34.99 is for March! and not April.Ok I read it wrong but I pointed out that it can be confusing and coming out of my account on the 25th March is hardly 'advanced'. So anyhow having sorted that out, it only made things worse cos now what they are saying is that I have been on the 3mb connection for all of March, but at the old prices as the new tarriffs don't come into effect until 1st April.
This is misleading as I can find nowhere on their tariff and information pages about new prices starting from 1st April for either new users or existing users. And in fact, as Pzurdo has found out, they only tell you when you ask about this.
So the upshot of this is that because I requested upgrading to the new tariffs etc literally a day or two (around 22 Feb) after the new prices were put up on their website they upgraded me using the old prices for March. I could have put up with the €10 extra that I would be paying except that they didn't actually physically upgrade my line as I have done speed tests every other day nearly since the beginning of March and their is no difference in what I'd always got on the 2mb line. So they put me through to technical support who told me that, yes I was still on the 2mb line and that they would make an adjustment to my 'advanced' payment. (good job it actually isn't 'advanced'!!) Needless to say I'll be getting back to them if that charge is not changed before 25th March.

ardmacha

I hope that UTV are not turning into BT with this type of messing.

carbsy

I switched over to Smart from UTV around the middle of February but just received a bill for 'broadband advance subscription for March' typical.. going to have to cancel the direct debit.

nacimroc

Simon201 wrote: »

So the upshot of this is that because I requested upgrading to the new tariffs etc literally a day or two (around 22 Feb) after the new prices were put up on their website they upgraded me using the old prices for March. I could have put up with the €10 extra that I would be paying except that they didn't actually physically upgrade my line as I have done speed tests every other day nearly since the beginning of March and their is no difference in what I'd always got on the 2mb line. So they put me through to technical support who told me that, yes I was still on the 2mb line and that they would make an adjustment to my 'advanced' payment. (good job it actually isn't 'advanced'!!) Needless to say I'll be getting back to them if that charge is not changed before 25th March.

I posted on the other thread before I spotted this. Can you keep us updated please. Writing to comreg Tuesday if all the mess in my acc isn't sorted.

Drag00n79

pauly3 wrote: »

...At 23.99/month I think the 3mb (soon 7.6mb)...

Is this definite or rumour?

nacimroc

UTV told me on phone last week it was definite, but then again they lied to me about everything else!

Simon201

Ok my speed has gone from around 1700Kb/s to around 2550kb/s so it looks like they've upgraded the line. I think they said they'd re-imburse me the pro rata amount for the time I was only on the 2mb line cos my statement page hasn't changed at this stage.

ardmacha

UTV now appear to have a New Services tab in your account to allow you move to the new tariffs. This would be subject to the usual 6 months issue, but for most people this is not a problem as they do not plan to change their provider in the next 6 months anyway. The New Services tab for me shows that I had already moved to the new tariff (from 1 April ) as I had emailed them.