Eircom eFibre VDSL/FTTC rollout – plans to reach 1.6m premises by mid 2016

corkview

Sky BB only works on copper. eircom, vodafone and magnet working on e fibre

brophs

We had our install today. Basically we have two phone sockets in the house. The one at the front door, which he replaced with the new Sky socket and one in the computer room, which had both Sky Multiroom boxes connected to it (one via the usual splitter/filter and the other by wiring another phone socket in the room with the other Sky box in it). The installer told me that Sky causes issues with eFibre and basically installed a new socket in the computer room to which the broadband is connected.

The old socket in the computer room, which we used to connect to both Sky boxes, now doesn't work. The engineer told me at the time that Sky's wireless connector would get rid of the need for the phone line being connected. Having called Sky after he left this absolutely is not the case. This obviously means that I now have two Multiroom boxes with no phone line connected to either.

Has anyone come across this issue? If there are people who have eFibre and Sky Multiroom could you tell me how these are connected.

Cheers.

arctan

the telephone line to your box is so Sky can keep an eye that the box stays in said premises, and for some interactive services (quizes, interactive etc...)

it is not used for media content, that is why it's ok to dis-connect it**.

(** sky boxes/internal wiring installed by installer are notorious for shorting out premises lines, if you are still withing the first 6 (or is it 8?) months of a multiroom contract, sky will insist that they are connected, so you dont get a multiroom contact and throw a box in another house)

media content (on demand etc..) is done through an internet connection ... i.e. the sky box is connected to your broadband router physically with cat5 to your RJ45 connector in the back, or wirelessly, via the wireless adaptor you can get off them

http://www.sky.com/products/kit/on-demand-connector/

brophs

arctan wrote: »

the telephone line to your box is so Sky can keep an eye that the box stays in said premises, and for some interactive services (quizes, interactive etc...)

it is not used for media content, that is why it's ok to dis-connect it**.

(** sky boxes/internal wiring installed by installer are notorious for shorting out premises lines, if you are still withing the first 6 (or is it 8?) months of a multiroom contract, sky will insist that they are connected, so you dont get a multiroom contact and throw a box in another house)

media content (on demand etc..) is done through an internet connection ... i.e. the sky box is connected to your broadband router physically with cat5 to your RJ45 connector in the back, or wirelessly, via the wireless adaptor you can get off them

http://www.sky.com/products/kit/on-demand-connector/

Thanks Arctan. I'm more wondering the physical order of the connections for people that do have eFibre and Multiroom with a phone line connected, though (splitters, filters etc.). We've had them connected previously, I'm just a bit unclear on why we can't do the same now (according to the installer at least) or if we can, how others have done it without issues.

Given that the Eircom master socket has two jacks (one for phone, the other for Fibre) what I'd like to do ideally is to either wire a socket off the phone line jack part of the Master Socket, in which case I should be able to reconnect the old socket in the computer room and use that to plug in the Sky boses, or to use a splitter outside the Master Socket coming from the phone line and run the cable to the Sky boxes.

I spoke to Sky tonight and they say that they'll charge us for two separate subscriptions if we don't have phone lines connected. Obviously that's if they actually notice, which I know a lot of people get away with, but it's my folks' house so I'd prefer it to be clean so that when I'm not around they don't have any issues arise.

arctan

they'll be fine to plug into the telephone side once the socket was wired correctly in the first place, and the sky box connectors and/or wiring to it are ok ..

you come across so many problems with them, it's almost a kneejerk reaction just to remove them if seen

plug them in (on the phone side)... if you have dial tone and your dsl isnt dropping it should be ok

irishgeo

brophs wrote: »

Thanks Arctan. I'm more wondering the physical order of the connections for people that do have eFibre and Multiroom with a phone line connected, though (splitters, filters etc.). We've had them connected previously, I'm just a bit unclear on why we can't do the same now (according to the installer at least) or if we can, how others have done it without issues.

Given that the Eircom master socket has two jacks (one for phone, the other for Fibre) what I'd like to do ideally is to either wire a socket off the phone line jack part of the Master Socket, in which case I should be able to reconnect the old socket in the computer room and use that to plug in the Sky boses, or to use a splitter outside the Master Socket coming from the phone line and run the cable to the Sky boxes.

I spoke to Sky tonight and they say that they'll charge us for two separate subscriptions if we don't have phone lines connected. Obviously that's if they actually notice, which I know a lot of people get away with, but it's my folks' house so I'd prefer it to be clean so that when I'm not around they don't have any issues arise.

make sure you dont use any DSL filters as they are not needed any more

ECO_Mental

jimmyboy2013 wrote: »

I also live in Mount Oval and we experinced an issue with our broadband connection which Vodafone was not able to resolve over the phone. Anyhow they had to arrange with Eircom to send an Eircom engineer to my house to review the issue. I got speaking with the Eircom engineer and he told me Eircom are ready to lay the fibre cable the cabinets, but the developer being O'Flynns won't allow it. I have emailed O'Flynns four times over the past 3 weeks and each time they have not responded to me. I suspect the issue here is that the Mount Oval development is due to be handed over to the council at some point and O'Flynns don't want to have to pay any money towards digging up the roads to allow Eircom to do there work. I will continue to put pressure on them until something gets done.

I eventually managed to get a hold of OFlynn Const after a number of non returned phone calls, I think they knew I wouldn't go away.

Anyway they did confirm that they are having some legal issues with Eircom with the installing of the cabs. He wouldn't go into what the legal issues were, but given the fact that Eircom have installed cabs all over the country without a problem I cant see what the big problem is here. He stated that they were now dealing with a new guy within Eircom and they are hoping to have things sorted in the next few weeks and even if they do I cant see anything happening this side of Christmas.

I am going to keep up the pressure with Oflynns and call them back in the next week or for an update again or until its sorted. Feel free any of you guys out there to call OFlynn's as well to put more pressure on.

tarakino

Some areas went live in November 2013, has anyone living in those areas placed an order??

raymix

tarakino wrote: »

Some areas went live in November 2013, has anyone living in those areas placed an order??

it's a little more complicated than that. For example I live in apartments, my neighbors downstairs got their fibre month ago, but I can only order it next thursday, it will be 2-4 weeks after that till I will actually get to use it. Sucks so bad...

jeffk

Down in Navan today and eircom and kn network vans all over the place, even at ten ish at night.

jca

zerks wrote: »

More activity today with the cabs that aren't finished being comissioned,I reckon they'll be live soon.

What cabs were done zerks? No power at vocational school one yet.

m8

tarakino wrote: »

Some areas went live in November 2013, has anyone living in those areas placed an order??

I signed up to efiber with vodafone in Clonmel about 6 weeks ago and was told that when my area goes live I will get it, Clonmel is live on the eircom site but I still only have 5MB. Anyone any idea whats the store with it?

kaizersoze

m8 wrote: »

I signed up to efiber with vodafone in Clonmel about 6 weeks ago and was told that when my area goes live I will get it, Clonmel is live on the eircom site but I still only have 5MB. Anyone any idea whats the store with it?

You can't really sign up/order until your area is live, not beforehand.
Where did you do the signing up? In store, online, on the phone?
Are you sure it wasn't just an 'expression of interest'?

Nothing happens automatically. You order over the phone or online when your area is live. You're given an install appointment for a week or two later, then an engineer calls to your house and installs the fibre modem and makes the necessary changes to your line at the cabinet and exchange.

HellboundIRL

I was finally able to put in an order for efibre in Loughrea last week, the online form said my home would be enabled on the 4th of December and I'd get a call from eircom within two working days - I didn't get anything and when I rang them up I was told that the area wasn't going live until the 4th and to call back then....load of balls, wish they'd just give me an appointment for around that date instead.

Red Nissan

irishgeo wrote: »

make sure you dont use any DSL filters as they are not needed any more

Not exactly, they are built into the new wall mount box, additional ones are not needed.

jca

HellboundIRL wrote: »

I was finally able to put in an order for efibre in Loughrea last week, the online form said my home would be enabled on the 4th of December and I'd get a call from eircom within two working days - I didn't get anything and when I rang them up I was told that the area wasn't going live until the 4th and to call back then....load of balls, wish they'd just give me an appointment for around that date instead.

But they can't give you an install date until the area is live. These "live" dates are for an area that will have 40% of cabinets ready. If your cabinet is one of the magic 40% then you're sorted, if not, get ready for a long wait.

jca

Red Nissan wrote: »

Not exactly, they are built into the new wall mount box, additional ones are not needed.

Unless you use the connections behind the face plate.

Red Nissan

jca wrote: »

Unless you use the connections behind the face plate.

Yes, but you're now bypassing the new socket box [an advanced procedure] most customers will simply plug in their phone and modem line into the sockets and forget it.

jca

Red Nissan wrote: »

Yes, but you're now bypassing the new socket box [an advanced procedure] most customers will simply plug in their phone and modem line into the sockets and forget it.

Ah here, opening two screws and pushing two wires onto two terminals could hardly be called an advanced procedure. If I ever get fibre before I'm too doting to enjoy it, thats how one of the connections in my house will have to be made.

kaizersoze

jca wrote: »

Ah here, opening two screws and pushing two wires onto two terminals could hardly be called an advanced procedure. If I ever get fibre before I'm too doting to enjoy it, thats how one of the connections in my house will have to be made.

It is for most.

Red Nissan

jca wrote: »

Ah here, opening two screws and pushing two wires onto two terminals .

They are not just two wires, there is five tiny wires each cable in one sheath. Once making an extension then a simple two wire extension lead will suffice.

fat-tony

jca wrote: »

Ah here, opening two screws and pushing two wires onto two terminals could hardly be called an advanced procedure. If I ever get fibre before I'm too doting to enjoy it, thats how one of the connections in my house will have to be made.

The NTU faceplate supplies an unfiltered connection via the DSL socket on the front. It's from here that you take your modem connection. The other socket on the front is filtered and is for a phone connection near the socket. Phone extensions are wired from the L1 / L2 connectors from immediately behind the faceplate. These are filtered, so you can't use ADSL/VDSL. If you wire directly from the incoming eircom connection you're defeating the purpose of having the NTU and may make subsequent troubleshooting difficult if you encounter speed issues.

jca

fat-tony wrote: »

The NTU faceplate supplies an unfiltered connection via the DSL socket on the front. It's from here that you take your modem connection. The other socket on the front is filtered and is for a phone connection near the socket. Phone extensions are wired from the L1 / L2 connectors from immediately behind the faceplate. These are filtered, so you can't use ADSL/VDSL. If you wire directly from the incoming eircom connection you're defeating the purpose of having the NTU and may make subsequent troubleshooting difficult if you encounter speed issues.

I thought L1 and L2 were unfiltered. Thanks for that info. Now its just a matter of getting efibre.

Red Nissan

jca wrote: »

I thought L1 and L2 were unfiltered. Thanks for that info. Now its just a matter of getting efibre.

Ye, we're like druggies on street corners jostling for positions as the pusher is about to arrive.

jca

Red Nissan wrote: »

Ye, we're like druggies on street corners jostling for positions as the pusher is about to arrive.

Ha ha, good one.

Cantona's Collars

@ JCA,the cab at the 'Tech hasn't been powered up yet,spotted an engineer at it the other day,I reckon all that's left to do is hook up the electricity to it,the duct & rope is in situ,ready to go.

Hate to be waiting on fibre on the East side of town,at least you know it's on the way but over there,the set-up is different with no cabs anywhere for dsl,let alone fibre.Eircom engineers said it's gonna be a headache sorting out something for the Shannon side of town.

efb

Confirmed from Eircom engineer Offaly Co Co looking for twice as much as other councils and that was the reason for the delay

jca

zerks wrote: »

@ JCA,the cab at the 'Tech hasn't been powered up yet,spotted an engineer at it the other day,I reckon all that's left to do is hook up the electricity to it,the duct & rope is in situ,ready to go.

Hate to be waiting on fibre on the East side of town,at least you know it's on the way but over there,the set-up is different with no cabs anywhere for dsl,let alone fibre.Eircom engineers said it's gonna be a headache sorting out something for the Shannon side of town.

Just getting impatient at this stage.. Only one cabinet on the Shannon side that I can see. When the ploughing match was on kavanaghs farm a huge cable ( for the time) was brought from the exchange to the Shannon. That cable was then used for all telecoms subsequently. It was the simplest solution at the time especially when there was no such thing as Internet never mind ADSL. Would be a logistical nightmare now.

fat-tony

jca wrote: »

I thought L1 and L2 were unfiltered. Thanks for that info. Now its just a matter of getting efibre.

Just be aware that there are two sets of L1 and L2 connectors. The ones at the very back are where the eircom tech connects the incoming line to the NTU. You are not supposed to interfere with these. The other set are for the internal wiring to the extensions. See attached pics.

m8

kaizersoze wrote: »

You can't really sign up/order until your area is live, not beforehand.
Where did you do the signing up? In store, online, on the phone?
Are you sure it wasn't just an 'expression of interest'?

Nothing happens automatically. You order over the phone or online when your area is live. You're given an install appointment for a week or two later, then an engineer calls to your house and installs the fibre modem and makes the necessary changes to your line at the cabinet and exchange.

I signed up for 70MB but only get 5MB on the phone and was promissed I would be upgraded to the efiber for free when it's available in my area but it is available now. Was I conned?

Taken from the Vodafone site:

"Always easiest already a Vodafone home broadband customer? We'll contact you as soon as Fibre broadband is available for you to switch."