Broadband test result- am I stuffed?

Mlo

Just finishing my new house and I've gotten my phone line in. When I go to the Eircom website and run the line checker for DSL, I get a 'Unable to determine if line is suitable' message, what should I do next and is there anyway of knowing if I can get bb?

paulm17781

If the line is brand new it won't show up. I think they are tested every 3 weeks. call Eircom and see if they'll do it there and then or if they know when the line will next be tested.

Cabaal

As per what paulm17781 said, when did you get the line installed?

Mlo

September the 8th I think, but I haven't hooked up a phone yet.

fatboymsport

how long from the date of order were you waiting for your line

Mlo

Hmm, I think I ordered the line towards the end of March, but had to wait till the end of august to schedule an appointement for installation, because the house wasn't ready at the time.

Eircom claimed that I would be able to get BB when I ordered the line as the exchange is supposed to have been enabled(it's Inch B btw), now that said, I know of others on the same exchange who can't get it, but I suspect that's because of a poor connection on their part.

Solair

I'd suggest that you ring eircom and attempt to order DSL rather than doing it online.

The fact that your line has no result simply means it hasn't been tested and isn't in their database.

The main reason that lines can't get DSL is their length, i.e. people who are several KM away from the exchange. That or eircom have multiplexed your line with several others using "Pair Gain", so there is no dedicated copper wire running from your house to the exchange. i.e. you're sharing the same pair of wires with at least one, if not several other customers.

If you push the case hard enough with eircom you should get some kind of answer. I would suggest ringing them everyday for the next while.

Also, look at alternatives like Digiweb Metro and other wireless providers. They can be pretty good in a lot of cases and do not rely on phone lines, instead a small antenna is placed on your roof.

If you're in an urban area, try cable broadband instead.

Also, feel free to use either of these as a negotiation tool in your dealings with eircom i.e. tell them that you will be disconnecting your phone line and moving to an alternative provider of broadband + voice.

They're addicted to line rental so it does have impact!

anthony4335

I have a similar problem at the moment. Exchange upgraded last year ,got connected only to be denied both online and on the phone, disconnected and they did not care. I reconnected a couple of months ago as a friend moved in about a mile away and the engineer who installed the line fixed him up with BB, and was to help me out but my idiot friend lost his number and does not know his name. So I rang and rang to no avail. So if you do get sorted I would be interested in how you managed it.

Mlo

Moved in on friday, and the phone isn't working.
Thinking that Eircom had setup my phone on the 8th I decided to ring them and find out what was going on.....

I got through to one of the worst customer service reps I think I've ever talked to who told me they still needed work done and that the 'rapid response taskforce' (I kid you not) was on to it but wouldn't be done till November (2008, I presume).

Now TBH I think Eircom are telling porkies when they said I should be able to get DSL anyway. No one else in the village can get it so why should I be any different?

So on the basis that I won't even have diallup till november (eircom willing) I rang a local fixed wireless provider who should be able to set me up sooner rather than later.

jor el

Mlo wrote: »

'rapid response taskforce'

Now that's a good one. I can just see them now, SWAT gear, Uzis, blackout paint on their faces, kicking the door in to get that phone line. Brilliant.

Noel Butler

I was in a similar situation regarding a phone line order before the Christmas. However Eircom deployed their "Emergency Response Taskforce" as their was issues with the lines and I got the phone installed yesterday. It's reassuring to know that Eircom have more types of response taskforces than the Garda and defence forces.

I currently get "Unable to determine if line is suitable" in the bb check. I guess it's better than "Line not suitable for broadband". I often wonder how Eircom maintain the database of bb capable lines. I had a line two years ago which gave "May be suitable; subject to confirmation" so I ordered 3MB bb from UTV. I got it and it worked fine. However shortly after getting it the line check showed up as "Line not suitable for broadband" even though I was getting 3MB on the line (needless to say I wasn't to bothered from once I had the broadband).

Solair

These 'tests' are not carried out live when you check a line. It just checks a database, it's possible that because you already have DSL, it's coming up as unavailable. It means your line has not yet been tested so it doesn't pass/fail.

dub45

Solair wrote: »

These 'tests' are not carried out live when you check a line. It just checks a database, it's possible that because you already have DSL, it's coming up as unavailable. It means your line has not yet been tested so it doesn't pass/fail.

I have noticed that before - lines already bb enabled come up as unsuitable in the test.

Mlo

A new year and still no phone line, or sign of one so far, the only saving grace is that I've managed to get Fixed wirelsss BB from one of the local operators and it's pretty good, even compared to the 2mbit DSL line I used to have when I lived in Dublin.