Questions about switching from Eircom to UPC

PenguinForce

Hi all,

So I contacted one of the Eircom reps about eFibre in my area a few weeks ago and I was told that they will not have eFibre in my area for another year. This was due to the lines in our estates been directly fed from the exchange and Eircom will have a new product to address this within 12 months.

Right now we are using Eircom business starter pack plus line rental and are only receiving 5Mbps download and 0.31Mbps upload(using speedtest). The starter pack said we could have speed of up to 12Mbps and we are not even seeing half of that speed and it cost €80 month.

So I've looked into UPC which is available in my area and they seem to have good offer. Download speed of up to 200Mbps plus phone line for €52 a month or 60Mbps plus phone line for €37.

I got a two questions:

Is there a way to find out how well the speed are for UPC around my area?

What does switching to UPC involve? I read a post from a year or two ago and it said that UPC handles everything for cancellation and can even port the current phone number?

Would like hear what are people's advice

Thanks

dub45

The best way to get a feel for speeds in the area is to ask people who have it in your area:) Knock at a few doors!

As UPC provide their service over cable there is no "switching" as such - as there would be between to dsl providers.

You can order UPC and when it is installed just ask for your telephone number to be ported over.

If I was you I would cancel the contract with Eircom yourself. I don't believe it is ever wise to leave cancellation to a third party no matter what they may say to you. A month's notice is normally required if you have completed your initial contract.

Sheldons Brain

What does switching to UPC involve? I read a post from a year or two ago and it said that UPC handles everything for cancellation and can even port the current phone number?

Order the UPC service, when the phone is up and running fill in their port number form and they'll transfer your existing number.

http://www.upc.ie/customer-support/transfer-my-number/

PenguinForce

Thanks for the replies

We have been using Eircom for 10 years now and as far I know we are not on a contract so I could cancel without too much hassle(hopefully).

dub45 wrote: »

As UPC provide their service over cable there is no "switching" as such - as there would be between to dsl providers.

Does that mean the Eircom connection and UPC connection will be available at the same time if Eircom has not been cancelled after UPC have been installed?

At the bottom of the form that Sheldon linked, it said that once you complete the form it will "result in your current phone service with your current provider coming to an end and possibly the closure of your account with this provider". Does that not mean it will automatically cancel my Eircom account and everything ie broadband?

Then on the first paragraph it said "please note that this DSL broadband service will automatically be disconnected once your phone number has been transferred to UPC. If you cancel this DSL broadband service yourself this could delay the transfer of your phone number to UPC. Please confirm you understand this." Does that not mean I shouldn't cancel my Eircom account myself and just let UPC handle it if I want to port the number over?

ED E

Steps:

1. Order UPC
2. Wait until its installed and working, eircom will still be active too
3. Submit Port Request
4. UPC will "take" the number from eircom, killing the eircom account and replacing the upc landline number with your old one
5. Call eircom to be sure your fully paid up and finished

Nollog

if you have phone watch, you should mention it to them when you're switching.
You usually get a rebait to cover the cost of switch to a gsm one.

PenguinForce

Thanks for the replies

Just another few questions to any of yous using UPC.

Was there any hidden cost to it? If I sign up for the 200Mb plus phone bundle I should only need to pay €52 a month and it will come with free installation. Will there be any price increase after few months?

Am I right to assume UPC use FTTH broadband connection?

Do you guys think 200Mb is overkill and to anyone using it do you guys see half of that "up to speed"?:p

Thanks.

ED E

UPC use "Cable" (DOCSIS3.0), its Co-Ax cable back to a fibre node for each cluster of homes.

120Mb is fine more than most would need, I dont really see the point in the 200Mb for most. We've a heavy household (650GB usage a month) and still dont need 200Mb.

Pricing your best bet is to ask UPC directly.

Sheldons Brain

You are getting 5Mb down at present. I'd get 60Mb or 120Mb and UPC will always be happy to upgrade you in the future if you want more.

ruairi

If you really want to switch to UPC, wait til Xmas is well out of the way.

My internet with UPC (on the 200Mb package) is down for the second time this week, and all I'm getting from them is to power cycle it or do a Factory Reset on the box. Given that I'm not a complete retard, I'd already tried these options before bothering to contact them. When it went down on Monday, they sent out an engineer the following day, after much messing about on Twitter, who said that the port in the apartment building comms panel had been faulty and he switched it around. Here I go again, only this time they will resist sending out another engineer, because, well, I'm only a paying customer.

Given the crap they put me through this time last year, I don't expect to have Internet til some time in the new year again.

Nollog

PenguinForce wrote: »

Was there any hidden cost to it? If I sign up for the 200Mb plus phone bundle I should only need to pay €52 a month and it will come with free installation. Will there be any price increase after few months?

There is a price increase next year, I'm not sure if it's on the broadband or on tv or what, but it's going up I believe around February.

braddun

dont forget eircom makes you give 30 days written notice to cancel your account

which I think is a scam

Its Only Ray Parlour

braddun wrote: »

dont forget eircom makes you give 30 days written notice to cancel your account

which I think is a scam

ComReg ruled against that as long as you're out of contract.

PenguinForce

Thanks for the reply guys

ruairi wrote: »

If you really want to switch to UPC, wait til Xmas is well out of the way.

I would prefer to get UPC as soon as possible preferably before 5th of January since I will be back in work.

How long is the waiting process if I order online and the time it takes for them to send a technician to come and install?

Its Only Ray Parlour wrote: »

ComReg ruled against that as long as you're out of contract.

So if I am not in a contract with Eircom then the 30 days notice will not apply to me?

One other question is about number porting. The Eircom account is under my dad's name. When I am filling out the form to port the number over do I need to fill in my name or my dad's name? Also do you think there will be any difficulty in the process due to different name used in the UPC and Eircom account?

Thanks

Its Only Ray Parlour

PenguinForce wrote: »

So if I am not in a contract with Eircom then the 30 days notice will not apply to me?

http://www.uswitch.ie/broadband/news/2013/12/13/comreg-rules-against-eircom/

One other question is about number porting. The Eircom account is under my dad's name. When I am filling out the form to port the number over do I need to fill in my name or my dad's name? Also do you think there will be any difficulty in the process due to different name used in the UPC and Eircom account?

Don't know. If you're a male, just pretend to be your dad.

murphaph

braddun wrote: »

dont forget eircom makes you give 30 days written notice to cancel your account

which I think is a scam

I wish I only had to give 30 days! Here in Germany the system is retarded beyond belief. Your contracts for utilities including telecoms auto renew every year and you have to cancel within a very specific time frame or you're stuck with the provider for another year. Now that's a scam.

PenguinForce

So I ordered UPC online last night but I wasn't given any option pick between self-install or technician required. I got automated confirm email this morning from UPC and the order details section said that " If you currently do not reside in a self install area we will be in contact with you to arrange a technician to install your products for you." So UPC only offer technician if you are not in self-install areas? What qualify as a self-install area?

paulosam

An area that has had the cable on houses upgraded over the last few years I'd imagine, so all you have to do is plug in the router and TV boxes etc yourself and then ring UPC up to activate them.

PenguinForce

Got a response from a UPC rep on the broads. Apparently online orders default to "self-install". In my case I don't have a UPC connection box in the house so I have to ring them up to request them to send out a technician to install one after I receive my equipment.

Kind of weird that they don't just give you the options to pick self-install or request technician during the sign up process :pac:

I guess I won't have UPC until after Christmas.