Via Networks DSL

Damian

I am very tempted to sign up for Via's SOHO DSL service.

I called them today and confirmed the following.

The SOHO price for (512k/128k) is €99 per month including VAT

There is NO cap!

They supply you a fixed IP.

Has anyone else taken the plunge, and if so what are your thoughts on their service?

MDR

Jesus,

I wonder who you work for ....

scojones

Agreed Have you got a link? Mr. Via... err or can i call you Damian?

Damian

NO, I don't work for them.

I just want to see if anyone else had signed up with them before I do.

I know their price is far too high, but, as far as I can see, it is the cheapest uncapped service available, except the wireless providers who have no plans for the northside.

MDR

Are you locked into a years contract with Via,
I suspect you rolly are, they are just
reselling Eircoms product. Is Esat BT's Residental DSL
product available in your area check out www.iol.ie ...

Damian

I asked them, and yes you are locked in for 12 month.

I also asked that, if in 6 months time, they were to drop their price, would I benefit from the new price, or is your price fixed for 12 months when you signed up.

The person I spoke to humed and hawed a bit about this not being decided yet, but the impression I got was that your price would reman the same for 12 months.

While the prices for 512k are a scandel, I think that the price Esat are charging for 256k 'broadband' is an insult. Half the bandwidth for 2/3's of the price! I can't imagine that it will be viable, especially if FRIACO comes in at a reasonable price.

Calman

I was impressed myself with the no CAP policy, but they can change that at any time, and if they do they'll probably go along with eircom's CAP.

MagicBusDriver

The VIA deal is ok compared with ISDN/56k prices. You get a better service for less money than ISDN. Its better than the eircom deal and via will install on lines eircom wont.

Ardmore

Originally posted by Damian

While the prices for 512k are a scandel, I think that the price Esat are charging for 256k 'broadband' is an insult. Half the bandwidth for 2/3's of the price!

Esat charge €59.90 for 4GB (that's the VAT inclusive price). Eircom charge €89 PLUS VAT, ie €107.60 for 3GB.

However you slice it, there's no way that you can claim that ESATs offering is 2/3s the price of Eircoms.

Given that you'll hardly ever be downloading at 512kb anyway (just as well, or you'd use up your "quota" one the first day of each month), ESATs product isn't half of Eircoms product either.

Though when eircom introduce their 256K service in the near future, I'll bet it works out at suspiciously close to €59.90 as well.

Damian

The 2/3's price thing didn't come from comparing Esat's price to eircom's, I was comparing it with Via's.

Via €99.00
Esat €59.90

OK, not 2/3, but 60.5%

My point is you are getting half the service and paying more than half the price!

leeroybrown

Don't forget the absence of a CAP on the VIA serivce whereas the Esat Resedential offering has been lumbered with a cap of 4GB cap.

So if you plan on "making use" of your DSL to a large extent maybe you can factor in the lack of usage worries with VIA too.

Ardmore

Originally posted by Damian
The 2/3's price thing didn't come from comparing Esat's price to eircom's, I was comparing it with Via's.

Via €99.00
Esat €59.90

OK, not 2/3, but 60.5%

My point is you are getting half the service and paying more than half the price!

I see that Via still haven't figured out how to calculate VAT properly! - €78.21 plus VAT is €94.63, not €99!

And a 256K ADSL connection isn't "half the service" - even without a cap, you wouldn't be getting 512K out of the 512k service anyway.

(If the line test limits for the 256 service are lower than for the 512 service, then the 256 service will be a whole lot more attractive to some people. And technically, the 256 service should reach further than the 512 service, but that doesn't mean that Eircom will make it more widely available).

SkepticOne

In pure bandwidth terms, Esats residential offering is approx 1/4 that of Eircom 'solo'.

Esat Residential: 256k @ 50:1 ratio = 5.12k

Eircom Solo: 512k @ 24:1 ratio = 21.33k *

[*] also applies to Via's offering.

Washout

Just called them and told them i was interested in their Soho product.

Sales Man kindly informed me that it is only available to existing via networks customers and as a residential user it would be uneconomical for me (which is true but I want DSL now as I am preparing to set up me own enterprise) to go for the full 1 mbit line?

Couldnt believe that.. Im on a flippin downer now.

MDR

does it say that on the T & C on their website,
I feel a consumer affairs complaint coming on.

Washout

Cannot find any mention of this in their terms and conditions on their web site...

In fact they have a section in the T & C which deals with Non-Business User

?T & C


But the fact that they are blatently advertising a product which is worded in such a way that you assume you can apply for and then to be told "ehhhhmmmm no" completely cheeses me off... I wonder will Eircom be the same now that I have to ring them. I do pass the Eircom line test and not the BT-Esat one.

on another note anyone know what the local exchange for Harolds Cross is

cgarvey

Originally posted by Washout
on another note anyone know what the local exchange for Harolds Cross is

I assume it very much depends on what part .. but I used to be on Clareville Road (on the way to Sundrive, with the National School) and was on the Terenure exchange.

.cg

Dustaz

Its really quite simple:

<you> Hi, would you like a large amount of money from me every month?

<them> no

<you> fair enough, Im on the terenure exchange so Ill give it to Esat. Bye now, good luck with that whole "customer base" thingy.

Washout

Alas Dustaz...my exchange has not been updated yet for Esat...and god knows when it will be as "there is no further information when this will happen" Plus im not sure if im happy with the Esat BT contention ratio

that excuse wont work for Via networks. :mad:

Big Chief

where is this "via" available?

dosent tell you on there site and i cba to deal with some idiot on the phone (ala esat/eircom)

Washout

they are reselling Eircons product as their own I think! cause I believe that if you pass the Eircon intital tests then you pass the Via Network intital tests

bk

Originally posted by Damian

There is NO cap!

They supply you a fixed IP.

Are you certain about this, in another thread some one said that there is a cap. Perhaps they mean that they just haven't implemented the cap, like Eircom, but they might in the future.

Has anyone seen the T&C's or contract for this service? That would answer the question.

Washout

you can find t & c here buddy

Terms and Conditions

Ardmore

Originally posted by bk
Are you certain about this, in another thread some one said that there is a cap. Perhaps they mean that they just haven't implemented the cap, like Eircom, but they might in the future.

Has anyone seen the T&C's or contract for this service? That would answer the question.

From their website
And there are no traffic charges with Via's DSL offering, so you can upload and download whatever you like, whenever you like, without worrying about costs. And for added security, you are assigned a fixed IP address with all of Via's packages, which allows you greater flexibility to configure all of your internet options.

bk

Thanks Washout and Ardmore, it looks like there isn't a cap, but according to the T&C's they could change this in future, however they have to inform you and you can cancel the contract.

4.3. You agree that we may increase the Charges and other fees from time to time by providing you no less than thirty (30) calendar days' written notice of the date your next payment is due. In addition, we may increase the monthly or annual charges if your use of the Service generates a level of access which in our reasonable opinion, our Services (or any part of it) to other users is likely to be impaired in any way whatsoever. If you find such increase in Charges unacceptable, you may terminate the Contract by providing us with written notice. Your continued use of the Service after expiration of the thirty (30) days notice period shall be conclusively deemed acceptance of such increase and your right to terminate under this Section 4 will end.

Which is pretty fair. One question it doesn't answer however is what happens if you move house? Do you have to pay the remainder of the contract etc?

This certainly looks like it could be a better alternative to Eircom for people who can't get Esat DSL.

Brian

spongebob

Originally posted by bk
This certainly looks like it could be a better alternative to Eircom for people who can't get Esat DSL.

Better than the native Eircom offering too. Via have their own, high capacity, international links which is why they are not worried about usage. Via are probably looking at the consumer market to use up spare capacity on these out of hours.

As BK pointed out, there are no nasty lock-in periods either. In fact it is the best 512k offering available over telephone wire at the moment .

As Via have no network outside Dublin, they must go with Bitstream or face a buildout cost.

M

bk

Originally posted by Muck
As BK pointed out, there are no nasty lock-in periods either. /B]

Not quiet, the T&Cs say:

11.1. The term of the Contract shall be as noted in the Order Form. If no end date is noted, this Contract shall continue for a period of one year and be automatically renewed for successive one year periods unless (a) you notify us in writing at least 45 days before the end of the year or (b) either of us terminate the Contract as permitted by these Terms and Conditions.

This looks like at least a 12 month contract, but if they decide to increase the cost or put a cap on it you can break the contract.

Ardmore

Originally posted by bk
Not quiet, the T&Cs say:

Via-networks sell a range of services. The T&C you guys are quoting from is a generic T&C document - it doesn't apply specifically to ADSL.

T&Cs for a residential (as against SOHO) offering may be quite different.

(And yes, there is a difference between the residential market and the SOHO market).

cgarvey

The "DSL - Terms and conditions" they sent me in November for the 1Mb offering were clearly for DSL services and Clause 3 clearly refers to a minimum of 12 months from RFS. Maybe the residential offering is different?

.cg

Edit: Terms which are remarkably close to i-stream's terms and conditions funny enough!

Damian

I spoke to the sales people in relation to their home (SOHO) offering and yes, you are tied in for a 12 month contract.

See my earlier post in this tread.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?postid=713275#post713275

Dustaz

Originally posted by Washout
Plus im not sure if im happy with the Esat BT contention ratio

You actually think youll have to worry about a contention ratio at irish dsl prices? ignore it