ISP that doesn't provide an Internet Service

sturgo

Hi, I'm looking for an ISP that actually provides an internet service. I set up an account with BT weeks ago. I called them
today to check when I'd be switched over from Eircom and they told me they lost all my details. Possibly due to the fact
that their sales staff record everything on paper. I called Eircom and asked about their broadband packege.
After line rental, monthly fees, connection charges, upload, download and connection limitations and other meaningless random
charges I figured it would be cheaper to set up my own Telco. I spoke to NTL, Smart Telecom and Irish Broadband. They were
a nice bunch of people to talk to, but none of them could offer me any of their so-called "broadband services" as I live
in the Dublin 6 area, which leads me to wonder do these companies exist at all? As for Imagine and Tele 2 I'd feel safer
replying to spam mail with my bank details.

At this point I think I've exhausted all avanues. Maybe broadband just isn't supposed to happen for me. I suppose I could
go back to using dial-up out of phone boxes.

Any suggestions?

mikeruurds

Hi Sturgo... I can't believe I'm doing this, but I suggest you keep hassling BT. You could go with UTV, but price-wise BT is leagues ahead... if you don't mind the wait and can handle the incompetent sales staff.

I was with UTV for a year and was reasonably happy with their product. I just don't believe that it represents good value for money when compared to the current 2MB 24GB cap product (coupled with cheap line rental) that BT is peddling.

Alternatively try digiweb... maybe they are covering your area. Their new Metro product is pretty appealing on paper.

Good luck!

jor el

Yeah, give digiweb a call about Metro. That seems a good offering, if you can get it.

Alternately, try BT again, though if you're fond of your hair you may just want to give up now. It seems that with BT when things are good, all is well, but when it goes wrong, then everything goes wrong, repeatedly.

bk

sturgo wrote:

I spoke to NTL, Smart Telecom and Irish Broadband. They were
a nice bunch of people to talk to, but none of them could offer me any of their so-called "broadband services" as I lived
in the Dublin 6 area, which leads me to wonder do these companies exist at all?

Yes they do, NTL cover about 100,000 of their 300,000 customers in Dublin and all their customers in Galway and Waterford.

Smart are enabling exhanges as they go, but it is hard and expensive work and it takes time.

IBB isn't worth talking about.

Like others have said keep trying BT, it is worth it once you get it. I hate to say it but Eircom isn't so bad, but it is more expensive then anyone else. Alternatively Digiweb has both DSL and a cool new looking wireless BB product called Metro and finally there is Clearwire offering wireless BB.

eth0_

Don't think NTL cover D6 and D8 areas at the moment.
I have clearwire in portobello and it's not bad at all.

sturgo

I spoke to digiweb and their Metro product looks great and it sounds like it works a lot better then IBB. Unfortunately I live in an apartment block and I might have trouble installing the required antenna. On the other hand Clearwire offer a similar product, without the antenna.

Eth0, what's your opinion on these people? Please tell me they are better than IBB! Anyways there's a geeezer from Clearwire comming over tomorrow to give me a demo.

mikeruurds

Sturgo... check the post "Metro is Coming"... Chaz is looking for someone living within 10KM of the 3 Rock site and in an apartment block to be a guinea pig for Digiweb.

RangeR

sturgo wrote:

I spoke to digiweb and their Metro product looks great and it sounds like it works a lot better then IBB. Unfortunately I live in an apartment block and I might have trouble installing the required antenna. On the other hand Clearwire offer a similar product, without the antenna.

Eth0, what's your opinion on these people? Please tell me they are better than IBB! Anyways there's a geeezer from Clearwire comming over tomorrow to give me a demo.

I have BT and Clearwire. Can't fault clearwire at all, other than some drops but they are still in testing and haven't gone live yet. That's what I keep telling myself anyway

Seriously, Clearwire are quite good. And their support guys [if you ever have to call them] are great and really know their stuff. Actually, the few times I rang up they keep saying "ah, your the guy from Naas". Guess that means I'm on a 1:1 at the moment

sturgo

The guy from Clearwire came over to give me a demo this morning. The product looks very impressive. Just a simple wireless modem. Unfortunately for me I'm surrounded by a load of big old trees, so I couldn't get a clear LOS. Even in D6 and there's base stations all over the place.

Back to BT I suppose. I spoke them today and they assure they can connect me before the end of the year.

mikeruurds

Hey Sturgo

Provided Eircom don't stuff you about too much during the transfer and BT can succeed in not losing your DTAF form, there's no reason why it should take more than a month to get BT broadband.

Just keep making a nuisance of yourself and call them daily to make sure everything is on track. If you leave them to get the job done you might end up getting nowhere and waiting a long time.

Good luck!