Eircom Broadband: second line workaround!

[Binomial]

I heard this (possibly apocryphal) story in the local last night.

A serious internet user had recieved the usual Eircom blow off concerning availiability of land line based BB in his area. (exchange not enabled, too far away from exchange, wrong type of copper etc etc). His wife and daughters tired of his hogging the phone line for "dial up" access decided to get a second line installed for their exclusive use in their own name.

Once the 2nd line was installed he discovered he could get a good BB connection on it! A month later he cancelled the first line.

Now he is looking forward to a happy and contented BB Christmas with his wife and daughters.

BiN

 

[Snapon]

The line was probably marginal to begin with, a lot of people have tried ordering in isdn then reverting to pstn but it's an expensive process and may not work.

 

[GeneralZod]

It could also have been that the first line was "on a carrier" where part of the copper path is being shared with another user. This was done a lot in the past when it was a great money saving idea and before anyone dreamed of DSL access to the Internet. This renders the line into the customer incapable of BB.

All new lines being put in now are a direct copper path back to the local exchange to avoid this problem.

So your story is quite possible.

 

[Pique318]

Please tell me they're not using copper still !??
Have they not heard of Fibre Optics ?

Although, it being Eircom, we're probably being charged F.O. prices and getting copper !

 

[redstar]

Once the 2nd line was installed he discovered he could get a good BB connection on it! A month later he cancelled the first line.

Just curious, did the 2nd line pass the Eircom BB tests before they supplied him with BB ?

 

[DublinBoy834]

Please tell me they're not using copper still !??
Have they not heard of Fibre Optics ?

They would be using fiber between exchanges but the run up to your house would still be copper. The average home has no need for the bandwidth fiber can give and the cost of running fiber into every home would be huge.