Switching from Smart Broadband to.....say...Vodafone Broadband

Kilteragh

I had to change my phone number when joining Smart for Broadband and calls.

Will I have to switch back to Eircom first (get that line re-enabled) before then joining Vodafone?

When I check the Vodafone site for broadband availability by entering my phone number it tells me that Broadband is not available in my area! Even when I check the old (eircom) phone number it tells me the same thing.

watty

Why do you want to change?

Vodafone are great Mobile Operator, but so far since buying Perlico and taking over BT's retail their reputation reselling eircom bitstream is nothing special.

Kilteragh

Poor performance from my broadband and lack of support from Smart.

Just using Vodafone as an example, how easy is it to switch given that I don't have an eircom line now. It's been suggested to me that it would be difficult.

DemoniK

It's not easy (well depends )

I looked into it a while back - before BT changed to VF.

If your on an exchance that Smart has LLC enabled your screwed. Otherwise is probably much easier.
Main issue I faced was a 4wk downtime to move to anyone else. It may be quicker, but no-one would guarantee anything other than 4wks...
And yes - that's 4wks of no phone, no internet - shocking!!

Might have changed since - you'll need to phone the provider you choose.

Hence I moved to UPC - BTW, it took Smart 2.5wks to actually disconnect the line - so 4wks is probably not too unreasonable....

Kilteragh

RikD wrote: »

It's not easy (well depends )

I looked into it a while back - before BT changed to VF.

If your on an exchance that Smart has LLC enabled your screwed. Otherwise is probably much easier.
Main issue I faced was a 4wk downtime to move to anyone else. It may be quicker, but no-one would guarantee anything other than 4wks...
And yes - that's 4wks of no phone, no internet - shocking!!

Might have changed since - you'll need to phone the provider you choose.

Hence I moved to UPC - BTW, it took Smart 2.5wks to actually disconnect the line - so 4wks is probably not too unreasonable....

Cheers mate. I feared as much. Crazy situation.

watty

Kilteragh wrote: »

Poor performance from my broadband and lack of support from Smart.

Just using Vodafone as an example, how easy is it to switch given that I don't have an eircom line now. It's been suggested to me that it would be difficult.

Easier to order an extra line. compare if new service is any better before cancelling.

If the broadband is poor from Smart, it's likely no better from anyone else. Likely your line.

What is your attenuation & SNR stats and how far from exchange?

Kilteragh

watty wrote: »

Easier to order an extra line. compare if new service is any better before cancelling.

If the broadband is poor from Smart, it's likely no better from anyone else. Likely your line.

What is your attenuation & SNR stats and how far from exchange?

Broadband with Smart had always been good until the last couple of months. Now it takes 5-10 secs to load a page

The Dooradoyle exchange is the nearest to me, about a mile away. Don't know what attenuation etc. means but below are the results of a speed test on what is supposed to be a 5Mb down and 384Kb up line.

http://www.speedtest.net/result/891252656.png

jor el

Kilteragh wrote: »

Don't know what attenuation etc. means

http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/linestats.htm
You get these from your modem. How you do that will depend on the modem. Consult your manual.

Your speed is not that bad, certainly not something that would cause a 5-10 second delay in loading webpages. I'd be looking for other problems, perhaps the browser, virus scanner, firewall, or something else with the computer.

Oracle

Kilteragh wrote: »

Broadband with Smart had always been good until the last couple of months. Now it takes 5-10 secs to load a page

The Dooradoyle exchange is the nearest to me, about a mile away. Don't know what attenuation etc. means but below are the results of a speed test on what is supposed to be a 5Mb down and 384Kb up line.

http://www.speedtest.net/result/891252656.png

I think there's something wrong with your line, it's probably not syncing correctly. I'm with Smart, I get the speed I pay for, and I've noticed no change recently. If anything it's gotten a bit faster, in the last few months. It's unusual to get less than half your quoted speed with Smart. I'd suggest posting on the Smart forum or contacting Smart tech support.

Also I'd say Vodafone wouldn't be as good, regardless of what they say about "Next Generation". How could connecting via re-sold Eircom bitstream be as good as using Smart's (or Magnets) own LLU equipment? I ain't budging anyway, common sense tells me to steer clear and ignore the hype.

DemoniK

I was also on Dooradoyle exchange with Smart and experienced this quite a few times in the past year.

A post on the smart forums usually sorted it out. Main cause appeared to be "noise" on the line causing the DSLAMs to knock my line back to remedial profiles.

Sometimes just a hard reset of the modem/router would cause it to resync at right rates, other times I had to get Smart to reset the profile.

Was bloody annoying, and happened at times when I really needed it.

Amazing how this only kicked in a few weeks before the Digiweb buyout. Before that It was very stable, but I could see bit by bit my upload dwindling from the 900Kbps I was paying for down to a below 512Kbps, and thats when I needed a reset.

Back to your original Q - no matter who you go with, smart will have to get permission from eircom to go into the exchange to disconnect your line from their boxes, then notify whoever your new provider will be. They will then have to negotiate with eircom (providing it's not eircom your going with) and get into the exchange to reconnect your line.
Whole shagging thing is a mess!!

Hence I went with UPC and got rid of the damn thing. Yes if I want to change later I will need to pay for eircom to reconnect the line - probably still be quicker anyway!