IOL Free / Poor dial-up access

SharpBlade

Hi there,

At home (Co. Mayo), I am still connected to the internet through a dial-up modem as no broadband is available in my area. I have been using IOL Free (Access Number=1890 924 042) to get on the internet as I am an EsatBT customer and can benefit from a better rate. IOL Free has been fine but for the last two weeks, it has been difficult or impossible to connect: my modem waits for a carrier and none comes or, there is a carrier and the connection script waits for the login prompt but none comes. Sometimes, I must try 15 times before getting the connection and sometimes I can not connect at all for the whole day :mad:. I do not want to call the EsatBT tech support as it costs a fortune per minute and it is cheaper to just try over and over to get connected. Are there other people out there experiencing the same problem with IOL Free? What are my alternatives? Thanks.
Please note that I am 100% sure that my pc/modem configuration is ok: I have the same issue with another computer and with different O/S.

SharpBlade

I have just switched to the Indigo GoFree phone access number (1892 110 110) and I now get my internet connections straightaway on the first dial-up without any problem! In other words, even though I am a single billing customer with EsatBT, I can not use their own free ISP product because it is so poor. On the other hand I have to use the free ISP product of one of their competitors (Indigo is now part of Eircom). I suppose this is going to cost me a bit more as with the IOL Free product you enjoy (when you can get connected ) a discounted price/min rate as an EsatBT customer.

SharpBlade

I have e-mailed IOL tech support regarding my connection problems. They came back saying there was nothing wrong on their side and that my modem must somehow dead or that my dial-up settings needed to be reviewed.... even though I clearly explained that I can connect without problem using the Indigo GoFree access number using either Linux or Windows Me (computer with multiple partitions) :mad:
Yesterday, I switched back to the IOL Free access number after having used the Indigo GoFree number for a couple of days and guess what ... it now connects straightaway :eek:
So definitely, there has been a technical glitch for several weeks on Indigo GoFree and it seems now to be fixed.... It is such a pity it has taken several weeks to get it sorted and that they do no even recognize there was an issue. In the meantime, I have had €0.03 debited from my phone bill for each failed dial-up connection.... more money to EsatBT for such a poor customer service.

garthv

Get Broadband?

SharpBlade

I can not get broadband here... I am too far from the exchange or my line is too poor for that.