UPC phone, need info

Appleblossom42

Can you now get the phone without having to connect it to the modem? This was a bugbear with me as I didn't want the modem plugged in 24/7.

Knasher

No as the only other thing that the phone can go over is the Eircom phoneline, in order to use that you would have to be paying rental to Eircom at €20 per month. You always have the option to go with a different provided for your phone if you really don't want to use cable, but its an expensive route with the only real upside being that it should work during a power outage. Why exactly are you hesitant to have the modem plugged in?

Appleblossom42

Thanks for your reply. I'm with Eircom paying €25 per month rental. The reason for the hesitancy is when broadband goes down I'd have no phone and I plug out everything at night even the digi+hd box. The reason I ask is they contacted me again this weekend and said it wouldn't need to be plugged into the modem just the connection point at the window. This is the little white box that cable is plugged into. It has tv written on the right side and fm on the left. She said the phone can be connected to the fm point. All my friends that have their phones have them connected through modems. It would be better for me not to have to use the modem. If this is still the case I shall stick with Eircom.

Dublin_Gunner

Appleblossom42 wrote: »

Thanks for your reply. I'm with Eircom paying €25 per month rental. The reason for the hesidency is when broadband goes down I'd have no phone and I plug out everything at night even the digi+hd box. The reason I ask is they contacted me again this weekend and said it wouldn't need to be plugged into the modem just the connection point at the window. This is the little white box that cable is plugged into. It has tv written on the right side and fm on the left. She said the phone can be connected to the fm point. All my friends that have their phones have them connected through modems. It would be better for me not to have to use the modem. If this is still the case I shall stick with Eircom.

AFAIK the Phone signal comes through the cable broadband, so the person telling you to use the FM is talking BS.

Plus, you probably do not have a coaxial connection on the phone. The phone MUST be plugged into the routers phone port for connection.

Or just get a pre-pay mobile, and ditch both telephones?

Appleblossom42

Dublin_Gunner wrote: »

AFAIK the Phone signal comes through the cable broadband, so the person telling you to use the FM is talking BS.

I've just found this on their website ("Requires a TV connection which new customers can add whilst placing the order.") Jesus I'm so confused. If there are any Upc employees around I'd be very grateful for their input.

Dublin_Gunner

Appleblossom42 wrote: »

I've just found this on their website ("Requires a TV connection which new customers can add whilst placing the order.") Jesus I'm so confused. If there are any Upc employees around I'd be very grateful for their input.

It requires the cable to be active to your address, hence the requirement for a TV connection (or BB?).

As there is no coaxial connection on the phone provided, I am unsure as to how they plan on connecting you without a modemrouter...

Dublin_Gunner

Do I need to install new equipment?
In some instances we can send the required equipment to you by courier and you can install it yourself. This is very easy to do. Other times we may need to send a technician to install our service. We’ll confirm which option is available to you when you sign up. This unit depends on access to an electricity supply. Therefore in the event of a loss of power the phone service will not be available and customers are advised to use alternative means such as a mobile telephone to make calls.

http://service.upc.ie/service/?cid=117&aid=50

Do I need to connect to TV or Broadband to get Home Phone?
Yes. You will need to connect to our TV or Fibre Power Broadband service to avail of Home Phone. We have great deals for both new and existing customers, click on Deals above for more details.

http://service.upc.ie/service/?cid=117&aid=48



All of their phones on their site use regular phone (RJ11) jacks, so yes, you would need to use a modem/router with them. Also, I believe they use some sort of IP based phone network, so a router would be required to connect the phone to the network.

I could be wrong, but this seems like the only way.

watty

The Cable Modem connects to the UPC TV Coax and has a built in phone port for a regular or DECT phone.

There are two models, both have built in ATA/POTS ports for a user's phone.

1) One has an ethernet port for your own separately purchased ethernet router/WiFi (sometimes called a cable router or cable/dsl router, but it's just an ethernet WAN router you need, no DSL modem built in). This is my prefered solution to recommend.

2) The other model has WiFi and Router and extra ethernet ports built in. It's less flexible.

You can't supply your own coax connecting Cable Modem, unlike DSL.

Appleblossom42

Thanks for all the replies. They are now offering free line rental to existing analogue customers, wonder how this can be done without digital or broadband. This seems to correspond with what I was told on the phone, but like everyone else I've never seen a phone with a coax cable. I suppose I'll have to ring them, as reluctant to order and have my Eircom line deactivated by them before I'm 100% sure. Would also be subscribed for another 12 months.

watty

The MODEM they supply connects to their coax cable.

The regular phone or DECT phone base then plugs into one of two special RJ11 type sockets on their modem that "simulate" a real phone line socket.

You don't need to keep the regular eircom line and thus save about €26 a month in line rental. There is really no "line".

Knasher

Perhaps they have a telephone handset with an integrated cable modem so they can sell phone services to people who don't want broadband? I've never heard of one but it is possible, but even if this is the case you are still using the same line as your cable internet so when the broadband goes down so does the phone.

To be honest you would probably save money leaving the cable modem on 24/7 and not having to pay line rental.

Dublin_Gunner

Knasher wrote: »

Perhaps they have a telephone handset with an integrated cable modem so they can sell phone services to people who don't want broadband? I've never heard of one but it is possible, but even if this is the case you are still using the same line as your cable internet so when the broadband goes down so does the phone.

To be honest you would probably save money leaving the cable modem on 24/7 and not having to pay line rental.

They certainly don't have it listed on their site if they do.

They must supply their modem/router along with the DECT phone to provision the service.

OP - they're not offering 'free' line rental -as watty pointed out, there is no line rental anyway.

Appleblossom42

Dublin_Gunner wrote: »

OP - they're not offering 'free' line rental -as watty pointed out, there is no line rental anyway.

Sorry I am aware there is no line. What I meant was there is no €6 fee per month for analogue customers but there is for digital or broadband customers. In other words that's like a rental fee. You pay €6 before being charged for calls. I would also be having my Eircom phone number ported over so hence my indecision. Also they have three phone manuals on their website but they won't open when clicked so no answers there.

Edit
Ok Just spoke to UPC there and I was spouted a load of bull by the rep that phoned on Sunday. So yes it still has to be 100% connected to a modem. Analogue customers have to have the modem installed. Damn that girl for getting my hopes up. Anyhow I'd need a new modem as my one is the little dark blue one they gave out years ago. Still have to make up my mind as it's a great offer. Thanks to everyone for the interest.

vibe666

Appleblossom42 wrote: »

Can you now get the phone without having to connect it to the modem? This was a bugbear with me as I didn't want the modem plugged in 24/7.

not being funny, but if you want the phone plugged in 24/7 then what's the problem with leaving the modem plugged in too?

i'm just trying to understand why you wouldn't just leave the thing plugged in and be done with it?

(serious question, not trying to be argumentative, just wanting to understand).

is it an OCD type thing, or trying to save money on your electricity bill or risk of fire or what?