# New phone line connection BT or Eircom?



## cian8 (17 Aug 2006)

As if deciding which phone + broadband package wasn't complicated enough....

I've just moved into a brand new apartment and decided to go for the BT 45euro/month Broadband and Total Talk package. So I ring up BT Sales (getting through was eventful to say the least!) and ask to have my phone line connected etc. The sales person advised me to have Eircom connect the line and then switch over, because it would take so long with BT!

This is obviously not an ideal solution. What will my position when Eircom connect the line, will I have to sign up for a minimum contract? 

Also, at the moment they have a special offer - free installation (would like this), free one month broadband talk (don't want this as its the timed product), free one month talktime (depends on whether I have to stay with Eircom for a certain period of time) and half-price Sky TV for 4 months (this would be much appreciated!). Will I be able to take up these offers if I intend switching? Its not clear from their website.

What would people recommend - wait indefinetely for BT? connect with Eircom and switch over asap? or connect with Eircom for a few months to avail of the special offers?


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## deem (17 Aug 2006)

Sorry this is a long one, hope it helps

Firstly is your house prewired for connection. You need to ring eircom sales department and check, give them the address, this is the only connection that is free I believe. Even if they say its not I would believe them 100%, they told us ours wasnt and it was.

When we ordered our phone it took from 6 July to 11 August to connect, so wasnt that quick either.

We also received a contract it post to sign, together with DD information, it was a 12 month contract, however, later conversations with Eircom staff, identified that they didnt know why we had received a contract, or in fact where it had gone.

On the sky issue, you are better off going direct to Sky, get a friend or relative to let you say they introduced you. I'd do if for you only haven't got connected yet, coming sat. We got my Mum and Dad, a cheque for €75, all channels for 3 months for €15 per month and the Sky + installed for free as we were introduced by existing customer.

In the UK the offer is £50 M &S vouchers and free intstallation, with sky movies or sport for 4 months, will need to ring to get offer here, we combined it witht the offer for €15 for first three months they had on at the time.


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## Guest107 (17 Aug 2006)

Sounds more complex than it is. Sequence.

1. Ring eircom get line connected, you hear dialtone and can make calls eventually. 

2. New lines are free before end august if there was no line in the premises before (I Think ) otherwise its €120 or so.  If they say its free get the agenst name , full name and be prepared to hassle them. They may charge  €25 or €50 in some cases depending on presence of wiring etc.

3. There is no contract with eircom at all. Tell them you own the place though to avoid hassle.

4. Ring 1800503303 and get the new line tested for Broadband OVERNIGHT TEST , say its very important and escalate to a manager if they refuse.

5. Once the line is tested and passed for BB you ring BT and they will hook you up within 3 weeks. 

6. Make sure you tell BT you are a homeowner or they could take months to hook the BB

You can kinda skip 4 5 and 6 by simply ordering BB from eircom as they test , The minimum contract is 6 months and you can transfer your BB to BT then with a 5 minute loss of service only.


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## cian8 (17 Aug 2006)

Thanks for both replies.

I'm not sure exactly if I am 'prewired and ready to go' so to speak, the phone socket thingy on the wall is a blank one, i.e. no place to connect the phone. What the vendor said was Eircom would put their own branded thingy on when they connected the line (Hope that makes sense). So should buy my own (I really wish I knew what they were called!) socket thingy and see if Eircom can connect the line without someone calling out?

Deem, thanks for the Sky tip, will defo get recommended by an existing customer!



> 3. There is no contract with eircom at all. Tell them you own the place though to avoid hassle.


 
Thats the key point really.


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## Guest107 (17 Aug 2006)

precabled connect fee is €50 but  a new line because you have no wiring done is €122 , if the socket is there is called in situ and costs €25

eircom may have a special offer on Pre Cabled so check when you ring it could be free. Make sure you get the agents full name and if they try to rob you as they normally do then complain to the CEOs office immediately to correct it. I never deal with their awful customer service any more, life is too short.

simply email phil.nolan@eircom.ie (or whatever the new fella is called after today) 

installation pricelist  (but there may be a special offer on)

[broken link removed]

all eircom prices and special offers (click telecommunications scheme inside the link below)

[broken link removed]


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## whackin (21 Aug 2006)

2Pack said:


> Sounds more complex than it is. Sequence.
> 
> 1. Ring eircom get line connected, you hear dialtone and can make calls eventually.
> 
> ...




I tried this earlier, (as far as I know my apartment is precabled). When I rang eircom to check if I was connected on Friday. He said I was. He mentioned though that I would need to have it activated (but he couldn't explain what this meant) . Today I rang for a BB overnight test. The girl I spoke to there said I'd need a phone number to get this test done. So at what stage of the process should I have got this number? Then she proceeded to help me get this number where she assured me that the only cost was a one off fee. Then she asked me how often did I want my bill for the line rental? As I want to get all my services through BT this set alarm bells going! Would she needed to have done this in order for me to get a phone number so that I could order BB through another company?

It is an incredibly irritating process.
Would I be best off going with BT for the entire process or would that be equally as frustrating?


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