Smart Telecom: Whats the catch?

ShiverinEskimo

Looking at alternatives to Digiweb for broadband and came across this Smart Telecom that seems to be in the limelight.
This 100,000 customer offer - think it has more catches than a GAA match?
The whole offer seems a little too good to be true, I know waiting and seeing how it pans out would be ideal but I want rid of Digiweb and would like to avail of this free for life offer if its still going. Is this a good deal or am I a slag to marketing?

Opinions please...

is_that_so

If you live outside the Pale you haven't a hope of getting signed up.

" Unfortunately, Smart Broadband is not yet available to you! However we have a Trigger Program whereby the more interest we get from an area, the sooner we can bring Smart Broadband to you, so spread the word! Would you like to join our Trigger Program?"

JNive

Huge discussions about their offering in other threads, covering literally every coneivable question nearly.

As for catches, right now, exhanges are being enabled either March/April or May/June mostly. Anyway, no there is no catch about the line rental, cause effectively they are just charging €10 per month for th ebroadband, however, you also are required to use them also for your voice calls.

Right now, if you were to change, it requires you to change your number to a a new one until legal battles with eircom are finished and hopefully will force eircom to release their numbers to be portable.

Anyway, enough rambling, there arent many catches as such to the service, mostly doubts as to the quality of an as yet untested product.

JNive

what he just said also isnt true. Many exchanges around the country are being enable.

The 4 main Cork exchanges are due in May/June, and ballincollig in July/August.
The dates have been posted in other threads

is_that_so

JNive wrote:

what he just said also isnt true. Many exchanges around the country are being enable.

The 4 main Cork exchanges are due in May/June, and ballincollig in July/August.
The dates have been posted in other threads

Quote is from Smart not me. Have been put off by that.

JNive

Thats what i mean, you are just unlucky to be on that exhange i guess lol. :-)

ShiverinEskimo

Sorry I should have stated:
I live in Dundalk,
According to Smart's online check my number is compatible.

How likely on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being hell freezing over) will I be able to maintain my existing phone number?
If I won't now be able to keep my number, when is it likely I will I mean I have a couple of months to spare - and after reading a different thread, it doesn't seem the 100,000 is filling up fast.

is_that_so

True, but misleading advertising on their part. Suggesting we're all in with a shout. :rolleyes:

JNive

As for the number issue, you can
A) choose to wait until its sorted
Get a new number anyway
C) Get the new number and pay extra to forward your old number to your new one, until its sorted

All detailed in other threads

ShiverinEskimo

Hmm, all the FAQ's on Smarts homepage state clearly numbers don't change. Is it legal for them to state that if in fact they may not, pending the result of a courtcase, be able to back up such claims?

http://www.smarttelecom.ie/products/residential/smart2smart/faq.htm -6th one down.

themole

JNive wrote:

no there is no catch about the line rental, cause effectively they are just charging €10 per month for th ebroadband,

since smart are doing local loop unbundeling, wouldn't they not have to pay any line rental to eircom as they are only using the local loop line from your house to the exchange and not any of eircoms equipment??,

so all of the 35 goes to smart?

JNive

eircom still own the last-mile lines, smart have to rent them off eircom at the wholesale LLU rate.

beller b

Hi I'm new to boards so here goes...
The only point to Smart that I have yet to see discussed is if the free line rental includes any free calls. Although you pay eircom €29 a month this includes 600 minutes of calls. If there are no calls included in Smarts offer then the cost of your voice/data could cost the same or maybe more in the long run? Have I missed something?
On a positive note I spoke to Smart today (060405). My exchange is down for March/April, & they say I will get a call in the next week to arrange delivery of the modem.. Hope So.. Anyone else got good news?

julius

I have the Smart telephone package (you'll be forced to use them for telephone calls if you get their broadband) and AFAIK you get free calls to other Smart users!!!

Pretty good if you ask me.

Jip

beller b wrote:

Although you pay eircom €29 a month this includes 600 minutes of calls. If there are no calls included in Smarts offer then the cost of your voice/data could cost the same or maybe more in the long run? Have I missed something?

Have I ? :eek: 10 hours of free calls a month with Eircom, what package do you have ?

foxybaz

firstly, lo all.

this smart package did seem to good to be true. 2048/128 for €35pm? free line rental for life? hmmmm. k. bit of research(i say this when i asked my buddy sputnik to do it for me!), smart have their own equipment in the exchanges. nice. thus we're able to get rid of rip-off eircom.

if you read the smart pages, READ THIS .nice thing. they'll have to keep up a great service or lose money big time. this is a gold mine for them.

then read this NICE THREAD HERE . sounds good to me to have the possibility of 2mb wireless, dont you think.

it is early days for smart, but i'm willing to pay €30 - €40 pm less for a while and see how they get on. its worth the risk i think.

SeaSide

I would also appeal to your self interest.

If Smart are encouraged then they gain market share if a competitior does not want to lose the share then they will have to match Smart. Eircom have tried to do this but have not get close to Smart's offer. I would therefore suggest that at this moment it is in your interest to encourage Smart.

Anarchist

Has anyone actually got Smart yet?
I have the identical Eircom package 2mb/128 but what scares me about Smart is them being unproven.

beller b

Jip wrote:

Have I ? :eek: 10 hours of free calls a month with Eircom, what package do you have ?

Its talktime 300
You get 600m off peak allireland landlines
240m off peak call a friend for free
Don't get me wrong I'm not defending Eircom' I'm off to Smart as soon as the exchange is ready!!!

foxybaz

Anarchist wrote:

Has anyone actually got Smart yet?
I have the identical Eircom package 2mb/128 but what scares me about Smart is them being unproven.

at what cost anarchist? out of curiosity.

Anarchist

foxybaz wrote:

at what cost anarchist? out of curiosity.

€55, I realise Smart will be much cheaper but Eircom may be this n that but their internet is very stable.

foxybaz

agreed, m8. eircom are well established and stable. i may regret this and go back to eircom on my hands and knees begging them to take me back. wait and see status on smart's performance id say.