Imagine LTE Rural Broadband

Wing126

leex wrote: »

They supply you with a phone number and you can port your own number also (optional). I am in the process of porting my number and have been told this will trigger the disabling of my Eircom line and line rental etc.

So I can keep my landline number?

ED E

Wing126 wrote: »

So I can keep my landline number?

Yes.

Order Imagine
Have it installed + Be issued with a new number by them
Submit Port Request to Imagine
Ensure you receive final bill from Eir

Important bit is dont cancel your Eir services until after the port has been processed or you may end up with a headache keeping the number.

Scruff

ED E wrote: »

Yes.

Order Imagine
Have it installed + Be issued with a new number by them
Submit Port Request to Imagine
Ensure you receive final bill from Eir

Important bit is dont cancel your Eir services until after the port has been processed or you may end up with a headache keeping the number.

Also i was told that you will have to plug your phone into the provided router for the VOIP to work. Something to bear in mind when getting it installed.
I dont use the phone myself, would prefer a cheaper internet only package!

ED E

Scruff wrote: »

Also i was told that you will have to plug your phone into the provided router for the VOIP to work. Something to bear in mind when getting it installed.
I dont use the phone myself, would prefer a cheaper internet only package!

You can backfeed it to your phone sockets if needs be, easy to do.

KOR101

Not sure if all you guys are following the NBP thread. Imagine is not on the announced shortlist for the NBP. They will, no doubt, fight a rearguard action to get back in contention, or at least to have their customers excluded from the plan. Have to say, neither is likely to happen.

The 30 mbit promise was only chosen to prove they could meet the minimum NBP target. There must be a good chance now that they will act like other wireless companies and pile people onto the masts to recover whatever they can from their investment.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057332672&page=120

rob808

KOR101 wrote: »

Not sure if all you guys are following the NBP thread. Imagine is not on the announced shortlist for the NBP. They will, no doubt, fight a rearguard action to get back in contention, or at least to have their customers excluded from the plan. Have to say, neither is likely to happen.

The 30 mbit promise was only chosen to prove they could meet the minimum NBP target. There must be a good chance now that they will act like other wireless companies and pile people onto the masts to recover whatever they can from their investment.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057332672&page=120

yea I can see that happening they drop 400 per mast and add more.

polaris68

Is any further rollout of their service viable at this point? Assuming NBP is completed in five years the majority of their customers will have some form of actual FTTH. They'll have hardly recouped their investment by then?

The Cush

KOR101 wrote: »

There must be a good chance now that they will act like other wireless companies and pile people onto the masts to recover whatever they can from their investment.

They may only have 12 months to recover that investment, current spectrum licence expires this month next year, spectrum auction ahead.

9726_9726

The Cush wrote: »

They may only have 12 months to recover that investment, current spectrum licence expires this month next year, spectrum auction ahead.

And I can tell you right now, they are operating on WAY more than 12 months ROI on this with the CAPEX, the marketing and so on.

The Cush

9726_9726 wrote: »

And I can tell you right now, they are operating on WAY more than 12 months ROI on this with the CAPEX, the marketing and so on.

Difficult to see them lose the licence unless the big MNOs get involved.

9726_9726

The Cush wrote: »

Difficult to see them lose the licence unless the big MNOs get involved.

Selling the business customers for this, though? Ouch....

I smell regret.

Wing126

Hmm, does this mean I should cancel my installation? I'm not sure when I'll be getting any sort of real Fibre at my address but I was told by an Eir rep that it would not be any time this year.

ED E

9726_9726 wrote: »

I smell regret.

I'm assuming its fiscally impractical to swap out for WiMax? Seems a lot of other ISPs might have dual stacked with it and they're retaining that spectrum for now AFAIK?

In any case it wouldnt be competitive with the NBP winner(s).

KOR101

Wing126 wrote: »

Hmm, does this mean I should cancel my installation? I'm not sure when I'll be getting any sort of real Fibre at my address but I was told by an Eir rep that it would not be any time this year.

You'll be waiting quite a while for the NBP fibre. Even contract signing is 12 months away.

I have to say, if I could get this in Kerry right now, I might still be tempted, as a short term fix. But, long-term, Imagine, and all the wireless providers, only have a future as resellers of the fibre from the NBP winners.

Gonzo

great news that Imagine are not getting the contract, can't see them expanding their roll-out now as fast as they were. They were trying to keep their service above 30meg to look good for the NBP, now that they have lost, they will probably just cram customers onto those masts now.

tsue921i8wljb3

ED E wrote: »

I'm assuming its fiscally impractical to swap out for WiMax? Seems a lot of other ISPs might have dual stacked with it and they're retaining that spectrum for now AFAIK?

In any case it wouldnt be competitive with the NBP winner(s).

As far as I know thet were (are) running their legacy WiMax network in the 3.6Ghz band. They are currently decommissioning WiMax sites to install the new product. What other licennced spectrum do they hold?

editorsean

I'm sure the wireless providers will be around for many years to come. Let's say the cheapest FTTH package will be €55/month (like Vodafone's current entry FTTH product), there will be people willing to spend €30 or €40 per month on a fixed wireless product just to save €15 to €25 per month, such as those who just use the web for e-mail, Facebook, etc. and don't care about being able to stream Full HD video at peak time.

On the other hand, it'll be interesting to see how much longer Imagine can charge €60/month if it gets its licence extended...

tsue921i8wljb3

editorsean wrote: »

I'm sure the wireless providers will be around for many years to come. Let's say the cheapest FTTH package will be €55/month (like Vodafone's current entry FTTH product), there will be people willing to spend €30 or €40 per month on a fixed wireless product just to save €15 to €25 per month, such as those who just use the web for e-mail, Facebook, etc. and don't care about being able to stream Full HD video at peak time.

On the other hand, it'll be interesting to see how much longer Imagine can charge €60/month if it gets its licence extended...

I can see these lighter users being catered for by the MNOs, whose networks should be quieter as FTTH takes hold. I'm not sure if there is much of a future for the smaller WISPs.

rob808

editorsean wrote: »

I'm sure the wireless providers will be around for many years to come. Let's say the cheapest FTTH package will be €55/month (like Vodafone's current entry FTTH product), there will be people willing to spend €30 or €40 per month on a fixed wireless product just to save €15 to €25 per month, such as those who just use the web for e-mail, Facebook, etc. and don't care about being able to stream Full HD video at peak time.

On the other hand, it'll be interesting to see how much longer Imagine can charge €60/month if it gets its licence extended...

The cheapest of Eir FTTH product 150 download and 30 upload beats the hell out of imagine LTE.

ED E

Reyansh Little Bandage wrote: »

As far as I know thet were (are) running their legacy WiMax network in the 3.6Ghz band. They are currently decommissioning WiMax sites to install the new product. What other licennced spectrum do they hold?

Seems like they have some 10.5G space too.

Kristopherus

Gonzo wrote: »

great news that Imagine are not getting the contract, can't see them expanding their roll-out now as fast as they were. They were trying to keep their service above 30meg to look good for the NBP, now that they have lost, they will probably just cram customers onto those masts now.

Why is it great news? I'm sure a lot of people would be very happy to get 50+ mbps from Imagine, while waiting for the arrival of the NBP, which is at least 3 yrs down the road for most people. They can then sign up with whoever offers them over 100 mbps.

tsue921i8wljb3

ED E wrote: »

Seems like they have some 10.5G space too.

Yeah I just checked ComReg. Six 10.5Ghz licences nationwide. You'd have to suspect if they lose their 3.6 lots they would be doomed.

Kristopherus

rob808 wrote: »

The cheapest of Eir FTTH product 150 download and 30 upload beats the hell out of imagine LTE.

When will that be available to those thousands of rural customers who can now barely get 1-3mbps at present. Not next year, or the year after, or the year after..........

rob808

Kristopherus wrote: »

When will that be available to those thousands of rural customers who can now barely get 1-3mbps at present. Not next year, or the year after, or the year after..........

imagine good for people who can't get fast broadband the only thing I don't like about it is imagine has a close network unlike the NBP open network.

KOR101

Kristopherus wrote: »

Why is it great news? I'm sure a lot of people would be very happy to get 50+ mbps from Imagine, while waiting for the arrival of the NBP, which is at least 3 yrs down the road for most people. They can then sign up with whoever offers them over 100 mbps.

The point is that if Imagine has no NBP future, they will just milk their existing infrastructure and the 30 mbit guarantee will go out the window.

9726_9726

Reyansh Little Bandage wrote: »

As far as I know thet were (are) running their legacy WiMax network in the 3.6Ghz band. They are currently decommissioning WiMax sites to install the new product. What other licennced spectrum do they hold?

Yeah, honestly, not sure about dual stacking them. I doubt it really. You wouldn't be able to use GPS sync between them. Different timing.

Most of their spectrum is FDD at the moment. Are they being naughty and installing TDD in that?!

tsue921i8wljb3

9726_9726 wrote: »

Yeah, honestly, not sure about dual stacking them. I doubt it really. You wouldn't be able to use GPS sync between them. Different timing.

Most of their spectrum is FDD at the moment. Are they being naughty and installing TDD in that?!

I'm not sure if their current licences explicitly prohibit TDD but ComReg's plan for the future of the 3.6 band is a TDD configuration.

9726_9726

ED E wrote: »

Seems like they have some 10.5G space too.

There is no LTE bastardisation available in 10.5GHz. They use old Alvarion Walkair in 10.5GHz.

You'd recognise the square panel CPEs on businesses with one beveled corner and an N-connector and LMR400 coax coming out at 45 degrees. If you were a total wireless nerd like me, that is!

Used for corporate leased-line replacement at 2M - 10M type speeds, to a total of 34Mbps in the sector.

Typical Imagine 10.5GHz sites (usually ESBT or Towercom towers) would be:

- one or two Ceragon IP10 microwave backhauls
- Extreme networks switch
- Alvarion Walkair kit
- Flatpack rectifier
- Few telco batteries
- full-height 42U cab

All very very standard stuff (with variations on the last mile) similar to what would be used by Airspeed, Digiweb/ex Smart, Nova, UPC, Irish Telecom, Exigent, Host Ireland, Magnet.

ItHurtsWhenIP

Kristopherus wrote: »

When will that be available to those thousands of rural customers who can now barely get 1-3mbps at present. Not next year, or the year after, or the year after..........

Perhaps you missed this?

ED E

Yeah, assumed that was a non runner.


Lazy with the google fu at this time of night:

Accordingly, ComReg is of the view that future interest in the 2.6 GHz band is most likely to be in relation to the provision of WBB services and that the band should be released, on a service and technology neutral basis, in a manner that enables the provision of WBB services.

If thats their ethos they shouldnt really be picky whether licence holders deploy FDD or TDD as long as required guard zones are left.


What I don't get is Imagine pushing for this on such a huge gamble. They must know more than we do or its hard to think they've have received the funding to push ahead.

31st Dec 14 Source: CRO
€31.6 million turnover
-€10.3 million profit
153 employees
31st Dec 13 Source: CRO
€38.9 million turnover
-€8.9 million profit
181 employees

Hardly have the cash for a deployment so they had to raise capital externally.