# Difference between 1mb and 3mb speed.



## BOXtheFOX (16 Sep 2011)

I am looking for advice.  Eircom have a bundle package of phone and broadband for €46.79 per month. This has 1mb and 10gb's.

Their next package is  €51.78 per month. This has 3mb's and 30gb's.

I really only need my broadband for internet surfing. I don't download music or films etc.  Is there enough mb's and gb's for what I need if I take out the basic package. Any advice appreciated.


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## onq (16 Sep 2011)

Even if you're only looking at Youtube videos, there is a price to be paid in terms of traffic down the line - I'd definitely go for the 3Mb and 30Gb.

Your effectively getting an extra 20Gb capacity and 2mb speed for a fiver.

Perhaps you can start low and slow and upgrade.

Check the terms of the contract.

ONQ.


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## ajapale (16 Sep 2011)

I swithched to eircom recently and am very disapointed with their offering.

The down load speeds meet the advertised speed of 1MB ok but upload speeds never exceed 125k! When I contacted them they said the contract upload speed is 1/8th of the down load speed. The service is sticky and slow and voip is very difficult because of the imbalance between upload and down load.

Also before you sign up get them to be explicit about the montly charge for each of the twelve months of the contract. I faced unexpected bb set up charges and phased increases at 6 and 9 months.


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## RonanC (16 Sep 2011)

1mb broadband speed is terrible these days. In fact, its embarrasing that a company is providing this kind of service, when download speeds of up to 100mb are possible in Ireland.

I wouldnt be a happy customer if I was paying anything for 1mb, and upload of 125k. Shop around folks

If you can get UPC in your area, they offer a broadband & phone package - 25mb, 2.5mb upload and 500gb limit for €40 a month


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## SlurrySlump (16 Sep 2011)

If you are in an area where the speed on offer is being provided at up to 8mb's, are you not going to get this automatically?  If you look at the Eircom offer it says up to 8mb's.  Who gets 1mb?  Who gets 2mb's?  Who gets 3mb's and so on.  How do you know that you are going to get 8mb's?  Have a look at their advertising on the link below.

[broken link removed]


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## runner (16 Sep 2011)

I switched recently from the 8MB eircom package to UPC 25MB.
Upload/download speeds much much quicker which is great for file transfer.
Found contention ratios on Eircom downgraded speed - opposite to their claims in recent tv ads!


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## RMCF (16 Sep 2011)

Problem is, for many of us, Eircom or Vodafone are really the only options.
UPC is probably never going to come to where I live in Donegal, so I'm stuck with BB that will be 8mb max for years to come


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## gipimann (16 Sep 2011)

...and I can't even get 8mb where I am!   UPC don't do broadband where I live, and although Vodafone sent us a welcome letter (former BT customer) telling us that we'd shortly be upgraded to 8mb at no extra charge, the line can't support it, so the best I get is about 1.7mb (occasionally I'll be lucky and hit 2!!).


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## SlurrySlump (17 Sep 2011)

ajapale said:


> I swithched to eircom recently and am very disapointed with their offering.
> 
> The down load speeds meet the advertised speed of 1MB ok but upload speeds never exceed 125k! When I contacted them they said the contract upload speed is 1/8th of the down load speed. The service is sticky and slow and voip is very difficult because of the imbalance between upload and down load.
> 
> Also before you sign up get them to be explicit about the montly charge for each of the twelve months of the contract. I faced unexpected bb set up charges and phased increases at 6 and 9 months.


 
I was told by Eircom that when you use up your 8GB's in each month then you have to pay extra for the extra that you use. I asked the person on the helpdesk as to how I would use up 8GB's in a month and she said by looking at Youtubes etc. 
Ajapale. Is it possible that you are exceeding your monthly allowance of 8GB's and this is why your monthly charges vary?


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## horusd (17 Sep 2011)

I have vodafone at home for €40.00 with up to 8mb download and 40GB useage. Dublin area. Seems a lot better than the Eircom offering.

http://www.vodafone.ie/df/homebroadband


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## SlurrySlump (17 Sep 2011)

Why do they advertise *Up to* 8mb?


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## runner (18 Sep 2011)

SlurrySlump said:


> Why do they advertise *Up to* 8mb?


 
Because all their lines are shared and controller by ehats called 'contention ratios' which means you get 8MB if ure the only one on that fiber but the service speed reduces with the number sharing. Most suppliers have a max for this number. ask them what it is.


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## SparkRite (18 Sep 2011)

SlurrySlump said:


> Why do they advertise *Up to* 8mb?



Nothing to do woth contention ratios but rather the inherent losses on your line measured in DBs (decibels). Generally the further you are from the exchange the higher the losses and therefore the lower the speed your router will synch at.
There are other factors involved but they are outside the scope of this forum.
Contention may slow down data transfer but will not affect what speed your router synchs at.


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