# Want Phone Line Broadband......so confused



## folder (14 Sep 2008)

Hello All,

Im usually extremely technologically savvy but when it comes to phone lines etc Im lost.

There is too many companies with confusing lingo and 1 million offers each with bundles, no bundles, line rental included, not, unlimited download, post paid downloads. AAAAGGGGHHHHH!!!

Im living in Newport, Tipperary and my only provider for mast-wise is Ice Broadband whom Im currently with, however, of late they are useless. Im cancelling my contract.

I have the house wired for a phone line but never connected it.

Do I need to connect to Eircom First?
Can I then immediately divert to another provider without being penalised?
Who do I pay line rental to? Do I have two payments?

Considering Im not too bothered about using the phone(having a company mobile - fully expensed) Im only interested in the ISP's broadband offer.

Im led to believe that Digiweb are the best. 

Step by step. How do I get onto Eircom, over to Digiweb simply.

Thanks


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## cleverclogs7 (14 Sep 2008)

well i dont know much about this but i for one am trying my hardest to keep bills at bay.i have i phone line but do not have a phone as i have a pay as you go mobile.i have vodafone broadband 3 weeks now.it was very slow at first but has become much better over the past few days.its 30e a month only.first 3 months half price.

You have a 14 day trial thingy so if your not happy,bring it back before days 14 and you wont be charged.


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## folder (14 Sep 2008)

Thanks cleverclogs but mobile broadband is not the way I want to go. Im trying to get away from the inconsistency of radio waves and go with buried cable. 

I previously had Irish Broadband previously and It was always touch and go. Ice Broadband is not much better.


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## dieseldave (15 Sep 2008)

Digiweb do a few versions of suppling the service you want, is it DSL on a phone line or Wireless Metro (similar to ICE) you want? I'd ring them first to see what wireless is avalible first i'm on their 6 mb package and never had any problems with speed or service in 2 years. I'm in Limerick working off the gallow's hill mast. Maybe they have one on Keeper hill. Don't know if Chorus is still doing their wireless package, they would defo be working off keeper. Take a drive around and look at people's roof's for aerials.


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## folder (15 Sep 2008)

Thanks Dave. I said Limerick but its really Newport. Chorus broadband does not extend this far. If you want Chorus out here you need a dish, less channels and higher price. Crazy Fools!!

I dont know what ASL, ADSL, PSTN is. When Im signing up for Eircom phone line only they are saying they are giving me a PSTN.

I currently have ICE, I do not want anything like this. I want Broadband coming in through the phone line with a low contention ratio and high download. Thats why Digiweb sounds the business.

I currently run off a mast on the roof and a wireless router sticking onto the end of their router/modem.

Digiweb say the only thing available in my area is DSL. 7.6mb is €39.95 per month am I paying €37 to a bunch of yahoos for 3mb when I only really get (today) 98kbps.

If I get a PSTN line from Eircom, will Digiweb be able to work with this? Is there line rental payable on top of the €39.95? Im aware I could ask but when making this thread their offices were closed.


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## folder (15 Sep 2008)

I have received a phone number from Eircom. My God, they are droll, the most miserable people on a phone I have ever spoken to. I told one woman that I could not hear her, it was too loud behind her in the office. She said "sorry we are so busy, maybe you should call me back when we are not so busy". I sarcastically asked how I was supposed to know when the office is quiet, she said "when its not so noisy" so I hung up on her.

Another woman after explaining why I was calling her asked what I was calling for. I said to order an Eircom product. She told me not to be rude!!! I hung up for fear of another argument with phone operators.

Another guy answered(remember its free phone) as though I had just pulled the quilt from over his head. He said I was through to the wrong number. I asked what department he was in. He said Phone Sales. I said I was ordering a phone line, he mumbled something and transferred me anyway. God I love monopolies!!!!!

Anyway, some woman gave me a phone number, told me nothing of line rental, account numbers etc. I reminded her that she should ask me for my direct debit number. She said "oh yeah, that would be handy". 

I then called BT and Digiweb. Speedtest.net are suggesting that either of the two are the top providers for consistent high connection in Tipperary.

3mb which will do me fine. I would like 7.6 but I will try out 3mb first. 

Total talk and Broadband is 56 with BT and 55.99 with Digiweb.

Any pro's and con's between them??


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## guzzler (17 Sep 2008)

Hi All,

Exact question I was going to put down.  New house and new number for the last 7 months.  3g card getting slower. Work from home 3 days a week.

I don't remember signing any contract with Eircom, got the line in and the number and in my belief was by default put with Eircom. I want to go with wired DSL. My belief is the BT broadband is best for me Deluxe 24Mb and calls at local rate 55eur.

Can I just switch over to BT now  and no hassle from Eircom?
and
Anyone have any experience of BT in West Sligo?  

Thanks (and all the bundles are confusing, that 24Mb was not available on Monday!)


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## folder (17 Sep 2008)

guzzler said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Exact question I was going to put down.  New house and new number for the last 7 months.  3g card getting slower. Work from home 3 days a week.
> 
> ...



I would love that connection speed because the contention ratio is only 24:1 to at worse it should be 21mb. The village I live in does not have the newly upgraded Lines so my line(so Im told) can only handle up to 5mb so there is no point signging up for the 7.6mb because I wont get it.

I have more or less decided myself on BT on account that the 55.95 package(normally 6mb for cities) but I can only get 3mb. It comes with a good enough upload/download and unlike the same offer from Eircom & Digiweb it offers free calls to landlines in Ireland, North and the UK mainland.

Digiweb will give you nearly similar but only within the country.

Perlico is only perlico to perlico. Not even considering.

Eircom are offering similar at 55.95 but talktime in the evenings which would be fine but the calls costs as per everybodys PDF's shows Eircom are very high.

When I finally get my Account number I can switch to BT or Digiweb. "Eeny meeny mino mo" if thats how you spell it.


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## LFC Murphy (22 Sep 2008)

Hi there, I just rang eircom about my phone jack and they said I have a Soft tone, meaning I can be connected remotely and a number has been asigned. When I ask for that number the guy said I'd need to set up an account.

Is there any other way do get my number? I'm looking for broadband


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## folder (22 Sep 2008)

LFC Murphy said:


> Hi there, I just rang eircom about my phone jack and they said I have a Soft tone, meaning I can be connected remotely and a number has been asigned. When I ask for that number the guy said I'd need to set up an account.
> 
> Is there any other way do get my number? I'm looking for broadband



I found that because Eircom were the monopoly if you want a phone line then you must open an account with them initially.

Reason was that unless they set up an account you cannot have an Account number and if you do not have an account number you cannot sign up to a service from another company because they require your Account number to process your contract.

They will take over your line rental from eircom so you will not have two bills.


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## LFC Murphy (22 Sep 2008)

Feck sake........ Thanks.


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