The best broadband package as of today?

Trotter

My phone bills with eircom are working out at about €120 every two months, with half of that being Flate Rate 150, the other half split between rental and calls.

What would be the best broadband option for me? Something reliable, I dont need huge allowances, and Id like to keep my landline.

Im thinking Smart Telecom? My line is prequalled so its ready to go when I decide who to go with.

Id just get eircom broadband except they'd charge me rental on top of that.

Are smart any good? They're doing free rental at the mo.

Random

www.irishbroaband.ie if you can afford them. Customer service is terrible and slow unless you forward your email to them 3 times.... but the product itself is top notch.

enno

ciaranfo wrote:

www.irishbroaband.ie if you can afford them. Customer service is terrible and slow unless you forward your email to them 3 times.... but the product itself is top notch.

I agree about the customer service. The product is like the little girl in the nursery rhyme: when it's good, it's very, very, good; when it's bad, it's horrid. I see ping RTT between my home and my favorite reference site ranging from 5 milliseconds to 6 seconds, and have had outages of over 10 hours. Your mileage may vary.

maxheadroom

Trotter wrote:

My phone bills with eircom are working out at about €120 every two months, with half of that being Flate Rate 150, the other half split between rental and calls.

What would be the best broadband option for me? Something reliable, I dont need huge allowances, and Id like to keep my landline.

Im thinking Smart Telecom? My line is prequalled so its ready to go when I decide who to go with.

Id just get eircom broadband except they'd charge me rental on top of that.

Are smart any good? They're doing free rental at the mo.

NTL's broadband starter would be perfect for you if you happen to be in an ntl area. €25 per month, 16GB "suggested usage" cap and is very reliable.

bk

Smart are just smoke and mirrors at the moment.

If it is available in your area then NTL all the way, they offer the following services:

1m/100k 16GB cap for €25
2m/200k 30GB cap for €35
3m/300k 40GB cap for €45

The 1m would probably suitable for you to start with. Actually NTL give you the 3m product free for the first three months, you can downgrade then. They are a bit like a drug dealer in this way, they offer you the high speeds at first to get you addicted

You can of course keep your phoneline, of course you will still pay line rental, but I would then advise you to go with UTV Talk for your phone calls (free local and national calls evenings and weekends).

Trotter

bk wrote:

Smart are just smoke and mirrors at the moment.

If it is available in your area then NTL all the way, they offer the following services:

1m/100k 16GB cap for €25
2m/200k 30GB cap for €35
3m/300k 40GB cap for €45

The 1m would probably suitable for you to start with. Actually NTL give you the 3m product free for the first three months, you can downgrade then. They are a bit like a drug dealer in this way, they offer you the high speeds at first to get you addicted

You can of course keep your phoneline, of course you will still pay line rental, but I would then advise you to go with UTV Talk for your phone calls (free local and national calls evenings and weekends).

I dont really spend much at all on calls, but Id still prefer to have it available if you get me. I dont actually have access to NTL cable, I use NTL MMDS Digital.

How come Smart is not an option??

Sponge Bob

Trotter wrote:

I dont really spend much at all on calls, but Id still prefer to have it available if you get me.

Cablesurf is easily the best package in Ireland.
NTL is next

IBB and Smart would be next

IOL probably the best of the rest at the mo.

bk

Trotter wrote:

How come Smart is not an option??

Well first you must be on a Smart enabled exchange. These are far less then Eircom ATM. Second they haven't upgraded many exchanges yet. Third you have to take a new phone number as Eircom isn't allowing them to transfer numbes at the moment.

Gangsta

Aren't Eircom just starting to give flat rate phone call.E40 a month for unlimited local and national calls to landlines?

Trotter

bk wrote:

Well first you must be on a Smart enabled exchange. These are far less then Eircom ATM. Second they haven't upgraded many exchanges yet. Third you have to take a new phone number as Eircom isn't allowing them to transfer numbes at the moment.

Hmm..Thats fine with me, anyone ringing me always rings my mobile anyway. My number is in a smart exchange too.

That seems like an option so!

Blaster99

If you want a landline Smart is the best value but you can get nice voice/broadband bundles with BT as well if Smart isn't an option.

Sponge Bob

Gangsta wrote:

Aren't Eircom just starting to give flat rate phone call.E40 a month for unlimited local and national calls to landlines?

Not in a bundle with DSL. They expect you to pay another €40 cash on top.

thats €80 a month for basic BB and line rental and some landline calls every month (calls to mobile still robbery)

IOL (Bt Ireland) do BB + Line Rental for €49 a month . Does our friend make €31 worth of local and national calls every month ????

Mark

Was reading the terms and conditions of Ntl broadband, found one thing somewhat distressing:
ntl’s Broadband service is only available in ntl Broadband enabled homes. Installation carried out by a third party installer. ntl will not be responsible for installation. Usage allowances for ntl’s Broadband services are: up to, 16 (Broadband Starter), 30 (Broadband) or 40 (Broadband Max) gigabytes of data transfer monthly. ntl’s Broadband services are the fastest and cheapest broadband services available in ntl upgraded areas. If you are not currently an ntl TV customer additional subscription charges may apply. Subscription is payable by direct debit. Subject to a minimum contract period of twelve months for all services. All services are billed at the two-monthly rate. At the end of the offer period you will be charged at the normal two-monthly rate for the broadband service you have subscribed to. This is a limited offer and ntl has the right to stop this promotion at any stage at its discretion. Residential use only. ntl’s standard terms and conditions apply. All prices are inclusive of VAT. Information correct at time of print (04/05).

What if I only want it for 3 months before moving say? Can I transfer my account to my new address?

Atlas_IRL

i have BT BB and then for 25 a month free calls to landlines

the BB can be got for 50 (including line rental with BT)a month

at the moment we pay 33 a month (discounted with the free calls)

does anyone know how to cut out eircom altogether and get the BT line rental

bk

Trotter wrote:

Hmm..Thats fine with me, anyone ringing me always rings my mobile anyway. My number is in a smart exchange too.

That seems like an option so!

In that case you are good to go.

Let us know how it goes, there have been very few reports about Smart from users here in Boards.

bk

Atlas_IRL wrote:

i have BT BB and then for 25 a month free calls to landlines

the BB can be got for 50 (including line rental with BT)a month

at the moment we pay 33 a month (discounted with the free calls)

does anyone know how to cut out eircom altogether and get the BT line rental

Call BT, I think they can put you on BB + Line Rental + Free anytime calls for €75 per month.

Trotter

bk wrote:

Call BT, I think they can put you on BB + Line Rental + Free anytime calls for €75 per month.

That works out though at 150 every two months.. My last bill was only 117.
With Smart, I still have the use of the landline if I need it, and I have broadband for €70 every two months. Thats saving me around €50 every two months which is €300 a year. Thats christmas sorted or a good chunk of car insurance if you think about it!

bk

Trotter wrote:

That works out though at 150 every two months.. My last bill was only 117.
With Smart, I still have the use of the landline if I need it, and I have broadband for €70 every two months. Thats saving me around €50 every two months which is €300 a year. Thats christmas sorted or a good chunk of car insurance if you think about it!

That info was for Trotter, obviously it is only for people who use their phone a lot.

Personally I will be on NTL 2m for €35 (I'm currently getting 3m for free) and UTV Talk for €25 including line rental. So total price is €60

We do use the phone a lot, so this is very good value for money.

Anarchist

bk wrote:

The 1m would probably suitable for you to start with. Actually NTL give you the 3m product free for the first three months, you can downgrade then. They are a bit like a drug dealer in this way, they offer you the high speeds at first to get you addicted

lol that made me titter :E