Best Telephone / broadband system for working from home

Lmnover

Hi
I recently have had to set up office at home in a bedroom, I use the phone alot during the day calling mobiles and landlines in southern and northern Ireland. The coverage for mobile phone is very bad in this area so I really need a landline. I currently have broadband through Imagine - they were the only company who could provide us with a service here.

I am trying to decide now between whether to run with this company for the phone line or to switch both over to Eircom

Anyone any suggestions??

Thanks

goz83

just avoid UPC. trouble. Their BB is good but the phone is not worth a pile of old S***E

Magnet: Rory

Lmnover wrote: »

Hi
I recently have had to set up office at home in a bedroom, I use the phone alot during the day calling mobiles and landlines in southern and northern Ireland. The coverage for mobile phone is very bad in this area so I really need a landline. I currently have broadband through Imagine - they were the only company who could provide us with a service here.

I am trying to decide now between whether to run with this company for the phone line or to switch both over to Eircom

Anyone any suggestions??

Thanks

We really need to know where you are? Even a local business name will do the trick. (the exchange that serves you is the key actor in this particular show)

Lmnover

Magnet (Rory) wrote: »

We really need to know where you are? Even a local business name will do the trick. (the exchange that serves you is the key actor in this particular show)

I am near Grealys Stores in Maree, Oranmore, Co. Galway

Dardania

if you are currently using imagine, it probably means that your phoneline is capable of receiving DSL (Bitstream at least) THat means that you can go to any one of the bitstream dsl providers (eircom, BT, UTV, imagine, digiweb etc.) for broadband - by and large they all provide a comparable service at different speeds/download capacity.

Seeing as you are working from home, and can't use your mobile for mobile to mobile calls, you could look at getting your broadband and landline voicecalls from Vodafone. THey have standard bitstream DSL, at either 3 meg or 7.6 meg, have fairlyu competitive landline-landline rates, and have x amount of free minutes to vodafone mobiles. Also, if your mobile is with vodafone already, there is a reduced line rental rate for a certain time...

Check it out:

https://www.vodafone.ie/df/modem/homebroadband/?gap=pers-home&gag=row3&gac=VAH_29052009

A word of advice - just cause you CAN get 7.6 meg dsl doesn't mean you need it...and people with 3 meg report better ping times (response time when clicking a link)

D

Magnet: Rory

Lmnover wrote: »

I am near Grealys Stores in Maree, Oranmore, Co. Galway

You may be on the Oranmore exchange in which case you may not be capable of the faster speeds (ADSL2+ up to 24Mb).

My advice here is get the landline and then check the number (whatever happens I would recommend a fixed line, even if its not with Magnet). However if you can get ADSL2+ (up to 24Mb) from anyone I would strongly recommend it, it is a clearly superior service and the list of benefits is impressive.

Dardania

Rory, can you recall the address of the database type website that lets you check what BB is avialbale to you? There is broadband.gove.ie... but I thought there were 2 or three others

Magnet: Rory

Dardania wrote: »

Rory, can you recall the address of the database type website that lets you check what BB is avialbale to you? There is broadband.gove.ie... but I thought there were 2 or three others

There are lots, some are good but some are very outdated. If you google "broadband compare" you'll come up with a few.

Dardania

I just assumed you guys would have particular ones you keep your profile up-to-date on. Thanks anyway

Magnet: Rory

Dardania wrote: »

I just assumed you guys would have particular ones you keep your profile up-to-date on. Thanks anyway

Most of them would be fairly up to date on our offers, but we wouldn't really recommend any specific one as they can be a little one dimensional. Some dont mention our extra services or benifits or our special offers, some also ignore the differences between different forms of internet networking.

Lmnover

Magnet (Rory) wrote: »

You may be on the Oranmore exchange in which case you may not be capable of the faster speeds (ADSL2+ up to 24Mb).

My advice here is get the landline and then check the number (whatever happens I would recommend a fixed line, even if its not with Magnet). However if you can get ADSL2+ (up to 24Mb) from anyone I would strongly recommend it, it is a clearly superior service and the list of benefits is impressive.

Hi I checked with eircom today and they say the the line is only capable of 1MB - so are my options extremely limited??

Dardania

you can either go with one of the (numerous) standard bitstream DSL providers (eircom, vodafone, BT, imagine, magnet etc.) and choose from any of their 1 meg packages

or

do as Rory from Magnet syas and check if you exchange has been unbundled from eircom bitsream, and if you have a choice of a LLU (Local Loop Unbundled) ISP (such as Magnet, BT, Smart etc.)
check these at:
http://www.magnetentertainment.ie/
http://www.smarttelecom.ie/line_checker.aspx
http://www.btireland.ie/24mb/24_checker.html

I don't think the choice of broadband provider is your primary concern here - voice calls are the varibale cost every month...

FusionNet

Personally I would stick with Imagine. Firstly good pricing, secondly they are the biggest customer of Eircom, thirdly they wont go bust like other firms, fianlly they answer the phone within 30 seconds of you calling their helpdesk, thats worth anything...

I am sick of computerised phone systems, especially Eircoms. Anyways give imagine a call and tell them you want to review your use with them, see can they offer you a deal. They do excellent business packages where if your spend is over X amount you get your broadband for free