conspiracy theory on ADSL trials (lets hear them)

Boston

I really don't see the need to trial, the hardware been tested for about 2 years and other hardware before that.

I think its because eircom know they are in ****e, that unless they release ADSL soon someone else will come in with something better (namely ntl)

in the past there's been a kind of unofficial cartel, once nobody endangered each others business the status quo was maintained. But recent signings of itv and rte to sky digi have made ntl pull the finger out(or will do).

So how they are looking towards broadband, and remember even if they are paper plans eircom will know about them long before we do.

So back to eircom, they are sitting there thinking, if we don't do something soon we will loose allot of potential business, we cant rollout ADSL, we would have to agree to the odtrs demand. lets instead run theservice as a loss, developed and market base and go from there, there must be thousands of home users on it, with business user set to go on in January.

so to sum it up, I think the trial are to capture a market share without releasing the product, banking on that people will stick with eircom once they have their free installation and free modem.

Pimp

They wanna see how much pr0n u can all d/l in a month, before releasing it.

pete

Originally posted by «Bo§ton»
so to sum it up, I think the trial are to capture a market share without releasing the product, banking on that people will stick with eircom once they have their free installation and free modem.

I'll second that - give it to people while they can't sell it, then retain them as customers when they can.

A foot in the door and all that.

Red Moose

Well it worked for all the console makers by getting people in cheap by taking a loss (e.g., the hardware) and making it up eventually.

Same with Microsoft - years ago when DOS cost £50 for original copies and the price of a new PC was over £3000.

Now they have that proverbial foot-in-the-door they can charge £200 for the OS with PCs costing under £1000.

So the tactic is very sound. Eircom know more than anyone else that should the worst happen and they lose the ultra-monopoly, they will need that foot in the door to keep the phone line rental, etc., coming into their pockets.

I see people complaining that they cannot get on the trial even though they know their local exchange is DSL-ready. Well I have to side with Eircom here even if it's for a different reason - if the exchange is DSL ready, there is no need to trial, is there? A sensible explanation would be that they are testing the service level with different exchanges to see where possible bottlenecks could be, and to trial previously untested areas.

But yeah they are still bastards.

Son of Blam

Originally posted by «Bo§ton»

I think its because eircom know they are in ****e, that unless they release ADSL soon someone else will come in with something better (namely ntl)

in the past there's been a kind of unofficial cartel, once nobody endangered each others business the status quo was maintained. But recent signings of itv and rte to sky digi have made ntl pull the finger out(or will do).

I'd *really* love to see NTL offer some high speed internet access anywhere else in Dublin. But since 1996 (when I first heard about cable being available in Ireland from the Cablelink [hehe] homepage) NTL have basically stuck to the Dublin 24 area.

Five years later they are *still* telling people that only select areas in Dublin 24 (and whatever other four square metre area they've upgraded) have been upgraded for cable internet.

Obviously the mail reason for this is because of the cable network in Dublin. For example, to give me cable internet in Dublin 9 NTL would have to upgrade the cable network here which would be pretty darn expensive. NTL have already recorded amazing losses in the UK and Ireland, so I'm guessing this won't be happening really quickly. It's easier for them to make cash off Digital TV because satellite dishes are easier to install.

For Eircom to offer me ADSL in Dublin 9 they just have to put a DSLAM (or whatever they're using) in my local exchange, connect that to their ATM network, and then install a little box in my house. The existing phone line is used.

I might be spelling things out a bit here, but basically my point is that I doubt Eircom are in any danger whatsoever of NTL "taking any market share" from them in the high speed internet business in most areas of Dublin. I think the *real* competition will (hopefully) be between Eircom and any OLO (other licence operators) that get access to Eircom's exchanges. (Ie Esat and....eh.....who else is there?)

We've already seen Esat get access to an exchange in Limerick (the only exchange Esat has actually applied to get access for if I'm not mistaken), so perhaps Ireland Offline should ask Esat how their plans for applying for access to exchanges in Dublin are going? And also, buy me a pizza.

-Son of Blam

Dustaz

nice one Blam, i couldnt agree more.

This is exactly what i was trying to say in the ntl thread but obviously my communications skills are lacking:) Blam, will you post for me from now on?:)

Also, good idea about asking esat about thier plans. A quick official call to esat might silence the "why is there no news!! we want news!! now now now" muppets.

Boston

well esat or ntl it doesnt really matter, i agree with bam on one point and disagree in another. NTL cable network is making them money, its the amount of debt they have from buying all those stupid companies at over the odds that has devalued them.
im sure ntl have the capital to do it if they thought they could make money at it, or it they though it was the only way to hold onto what they have.

JamworkS

A few things to remark/correct:

It's easier for them to make cash off Digital TV because satellite dishes are easier to install

The actual fact, is that they provide the Digital TV through their existing underground cable network, and it's received at home at a set-top box. Sky Digital is the only one that installs the satellite dishes.

For Eircom to offer me ADSL in Dublin 9 they just have to put a DSLAM

Not as simple as that, otherwise we'll all be having ADSL since Ages. It didn't happen overnight in Britain either. Other things have to be taken into consideration (distance to the exchange, noise in the line, DACS, Phone Posts, the layout of the exchange, reconfiguring whatever routers they have ....).

And also, buy me a pizza

I prefer Chicken Stixs from Domino's. They're brilliant.


JamworkS.

Ba$tard

I suppose another conspiracy would be a finanical consideration...

Seeing as alot of people got their SNL cancelled, people have to revert back to large bills of 56k/ISDN dialup. Pennies per minutes.

Which, knowing some of my friends anyways(you who you are! :P ), can cost up to 150 quid per month.

So Eircom think(yes they may do!) ;
"right...
1) do we offer these 'cash cows' DSL which will cost us to implement and ruin the revenue from them, or
2) do we wait as long as possible and endure the young techno-geeks outrage and bad publicity until we are FORCED to open exchanges and then do it"

The Eirc*nt accountants and business advisors say option #2 because they are paid by Eirchomps to think only revenue and money and not public consideration or quality of service.

But, on a side note...I must say, from experience of different countries, the phone service Telecom Eireann (not Eircom) has provided over the last 20 years in Ireland has been very reliable. so, I say this to Eircom... repeat the performance with your Data services....

James.

Boston

eircom arnt that smart