Alternatives to UPC.

As a matter of interest, did your invoice in Jan specify the billing period (e.g. Jan-Dec)?
 
People need to shop around more to get the best deal.
A simple phone call or a look at bonkers.ie and be very worthwhile.
 
Update. I decided to ring UPC. I was 25 minutes on the phone before I got to speak to a person. I explained that I was not happy to receive an undated letter advising me that my annual premium was increasing just a week after I had paid my premium. I suggested that there was some form of trickery going on because the price increase announcement could easily have been communicated to me when I got my invoice rather than after I had paid it. UPC now have my money and I have to now try and get this back. I noticed also that I have to pay for my service while waiting for UPC to disconnect me whereas if I had known beforehand I could have decided not to renew and it would have been up to UPC to disconnect on their time.
The lady said that she would put me through to one of her colleagues to see if there was anything he could do for me. I was then disconnected!
I rang back. This time it took 10 minutes to get through. Different customer service rep. This guy said that he would look after me. He put me through to presumably the same colleague that the first lady said she was going to do. 25 minutes later and the phone was never answered. So an hour on the phone.
So. Not everyone is being told of the price increase until AFTER they have paid their premium. Then you have to go through two levels of customer service to ask for your money back. In my case I tried for an hour and never got to speak to anyone.
 
Hi I was wondering if anyone could advise me an alternative to UPC as well.

I have the basic tv broadband and Phone bundle with UPC, .
Obviously no one told them about the recession because every year the costs have risen since I joined in 2010
I used to pay €55 a month for my service. Which when broken down was: Broadband 20, phone 5 and I think the TV service was roughly 15. I spend roughly €10 on calls.
Now my average bill is €75 - Broadband is 34, phone 10.50 TV service 23.49 and I reckon overall my cost will rise to €80 - €85 per month. I am also annoyed that they have got rid of UTV and replaced it with UTV Ireland and yet still increased the price.
I know I get 30mbps broadband with UPC, but I'm not convinced I need it. I wouldn't be using video steaming very often. I thnk 10Mbps might do me.
As regards the options:
Unfortunately Evision is not an option as they are not in my area yet.

I was thinking of switching to SKY. Their equivalent basic package is €79 which is dearer, but if they gave me a 6 month deal it might be worth my while. I would have to sign up with them for 12 months, and that is okay.

I was also thinking of getting WI MAX bundle for €19 for 10Mbps BB and scrapping the Phone and broadband with UPC. This would reduce the cost of my phone and broadband by over 50%.

Does anyone know:
1. Would I have to pay Eircom Line rental on top of the €19 WI MAX and €79 Sky deals
2. Is the WiMax Broadband any use.
3. Is there any other possible options I haven't considered.

Long Term: I think getting sky for a year might be the best option and then getting a freeview+saorview tv combi box and getting rid of pay tv.
 
Theres some great information on page 1 of this thread.
Did you ring UPC customer loyalty on 061 272190?
Did you complain to them and threaten to leave?

In the time it took you to post all that here you would most likely have got a better deal from UPC by calling customer loyalty.

People will complain about utility companies and their bills but yet they wont do anything about it.
Its up to the customer to shop around or ring said utility company and demand a better deal.Its also up to the customer to make sure he or she has or gets a good deal again when its coming to the end of their contract.


Sky lease out and also buy the lines off Eircom and BT so Sky wont give you any better than what Eircoms actual line can handle.So if you cant get Eircom E-Fibre then you wont be able to get Sky Fibre.

If Eircom do a line test and say that your phone line can only handle say 10mb bb then thats all Sky will be able to give you too.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thank you for your reply.
To answer your questions.
1. Did you read this thread fully yet? Yes, I didn't see anything that was applicable to my situation.
2. Did you ring UPC customer loyalty on 061 272190? No as I am considering leaving upc and would like to know what my alternatives are. That is why I reviewed the various deals and posted up here. At the very minimum it will give me ammunition to drive a good with UPC in the unlikely event I choose to stay with UPC.

3. See Answer 2.

People will complain about utility companies and their bills but yet they wont do anything about it. Completely agree. That is why I am doing investigation of the various bundle deals now so I know which is the best value and the most suitable for me.

Its up to the customer to shop around or ring said utility company and demand a better deal. Agree.

Sky lease out and also buy the lines off Eircom so Sky wont give you any better than what Eircoms actual line can handle.So if you cant get Eircom E-Fibre then you wont be able to get Sky Fibre. Thanks I didn't know that and that is why I posted up here. I did get something in the post on Wednesday saying SKY Fiber is here. But I'll bear what you said in mind and ask relevant questions when I ring up SKY.
 
http://www.bonkers.ie/

[broken link removed]

In some cases you will get a better deal by actually ringing said utility companies and demanding the best deal by playing one company off another company.

If you do go with Sky then be prepared for alot of congestion as you will be sharing with alot of other Sky customers,as Sky just dont have the network capacity to handle their customers.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Just a heads up for anyone thinking of switching to Eircom or any existing Eircom customers.



Eircom are ramping up their prices from April 15th this year.New customers and also customers with existing contracts will be hit for the new increased charges.

Broadband bundles are going up by 5 euro a month.

Certain phone call rate packages will be increased too.


And from June Eircom will remove SMS text alerts from all Eircom land lines,this will affect people with Eircom landlines connected to their alarm systems.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Many thanks for the details of the UPC Loyalty team direct dial!
Just successfully negotiated a satisfactory deal with them.

We were paying €55pm for 30mB broadband, unlimited Irishlandline calls & 400 international minutes.

Now, we've got 240 mB, free upgrade modem (their sales team initially wanted me to pay €60 for this), unlimite Irish landline AND mobile calls, and for €35 for 6 months, rising to €45 after that, for a 12mo contract. That's more, better and cheaper. #Happy

http://www.bonkers.ie/

[broken link removed]

In some cases you will get a better deal by actually ringing said utility companies and demanding the best deal by playing one company off another company.

If you do go with Sky then be prepared for alot of congestion as you will be sharing with alot of other Sky customers,as Sky just dont have the network capacity to handle their customers.
 
flowerman thanks for your tips on this. I managed to get a discount deal off the UPC loyalty team for 6 months as long as I signed a 12 month contract. As it turned out I couldn't get SKY BB and phone. Eircom keep telling me I don't have broadband in my line. Yet I know I had broadband there several year ago when I had an Eircom phone. I said this to the Eircom customer support person and they told me I'd need someone to come out and test my line. They should have all my area sorted out by end of 2015 she said. I was told that last year as well when I asked about switching so I wouldn't be too sure. Anyway thanks.
 
I had 120mb broadband with free landlines for 54 euro. I rang the loyalty number. I just asked could they give me a better deal.
They gave me 240mb broadband, free landlines, mobile phone and 400 international minutes all for 25 euro for the first 4 months.Then 45 euro with a one year contract. I'm very happy. Thank you Flowerman
 
Back
Top