Broadband provider in Portmarnock area.

parkman6551

I wonder whether anyone can recommend any of the main providers of ADSL [phone line] broadband and landline phone in the Portmarnock area ?

I was with Vodafone for ADSL broadband and landline, but I made the huge mistake of changing to Eir, three days ago. Basically, I changed because Eir lied to me about being able to provide a fibre connection to my house, as the fibre cable runs through a manhole right outside my driveway. There are two cabinets locally, within 500 metres, which are listed as live. but KN circet [another obstructive company] say that they can't connect to either of them.

Eir said that, when I signed a new agreement, they would arrange for KN circet to call and do the fibre connection. I got two texts from Eir to say that the appointment was still good for today, but, of course, no-one turned up. I rang KN circet and they said that they didn't have an appointment arranged by Eir. So, obviously, someone is lying.

The next thing I heard, when I eventually got through to Eir, was that I was 1 1/2 kilometers from the exchange and it was too far. So, after a long discussion, I accepted that just because there is a fibre cable in the manhole outside my driveway, and despite being fairly close to two live cabinets I am unable to ever get broadband. Which, of course, begs the question - why is there a fibre cable, with multi-plugs, in the manhole ?

So I then asked what options I had, and the numbskull on the phone in Eir kept saying that the only method of getting broadband is wireless broadband, which I don't want at all. I then asked why I couldn't have broadband on my phoneline, i.e. ADSL, but he had no idea what I was talking about. I pointed out that I have had ADSL in my house for the last 15 years, but I would like to get a faster broadband, and, as far as I am concerned, that is what Eir were going to provide.

Having got to a complete deadend I gave up, and rang the bloke in the Eir shop in Swords and asked him what I was expected to do, having left Vodafone. His answer was to go back to Vodafone, or just keep using the current ADSL broadband and landline services, for which I wouldn't be charged - at all - ever !!!

Apparently, somebody cancelled my new contract for fibre, and the contract is now null and void. But, seemingly, I have been transferred from Vodafone to Eir last Friday but I no longer have a contract, and the broadband and landline are now free !!!!!!! Pick the bones out of that !

Personally, I don't believe him, so I would like to ask if anyone can recommend any of the other broadband providers. Looking at the reviews on Trustpilot none of the main players, Eir, Vodafone, Virgin, Magnet, or Pure have any good reviews. They all seem to be the same bunch of shysters, just with different names. None of them get good reviews, except for one or two customers.

Perhaps members here might be able to provide a concensus on who is the best of a bad bunch.

Your help would be appreciated. Parkman.

BArra

input your eircode here, what does it say is available?

https://www.airwire.ie/index.php/avail/

ADSL = pure copper broadband upto 24mb, further from exchange the less speed
FTTC = fibre to green cabinet, copper from cabinet to your house. the closer to it the better with 100mb max, if your distance from cabinet is 1.5km then speed as low as 7mb or no service at all
FTTH = fibre direct to your house fed by black distribution box on telephone pole or maybe not visible in manhole, if you can get it then speeds of 150mb upto 1000mb

parkman6551

Hi, thanks for your answer. I was aware of the details that your have provided, so I kind of know what to expect.

What I was hoping to find out was whether any provider was better than the competition, or all they all as useless as each other ?

The reviews on all the main culprits show the same problem - they all have non-existent customer service. My experience of Eir was grim, and I won't be signing up with them for my broadband. The problem is, who else does one go to. There is all this nonsense about switching, and changing providers, and looking for new contracts, but from my experience it is usually a big mistake as, invariably, one has all sorts of performance issues.

Stay with the devil you know makes most sense, unless another provider can give you genuinely better service. Companies like Eir, Magnet, Virgin don't appear to do that, so it looks like I will have to go back to Vodafone as I have been with them for the last 18 months and they have been just about OK. I don't want any of their fancy services, just ADSL internet and a landline phone connection.

I got rid of pipe tv and stuff like that and I rely on my own ability to get my services wherever possible. My tv has, for several years now, been connected to Free-Sat, as I refuse to pay the ridiculously high charges to outfits like Sky, who put every obstacle in your way if you want leave. Just a bunch of shysters.

Anyway, I see nothing to change my mind, so it's back to Vodafone in the morning to put my old contract back in operation - hopefully, and the other wasters can get stuffed.

Parkman.