Smart to offer 2Mb Broadband for €35 with no line rental?

Sarsfield · 07-02-2005 2:04pm #1

Seems too good to be true. I there a catch to this? Rollout, involving LLU, starts next week.

http://www.rte.ie/business/2005/0207/smart.html

http://www.smarttelecom.ie/products/broadband/index.htm

Couch Potato · 07-02-2005 2:38pm

Available to me ...

What is the catch ???

Line Rental FREE for life ?

Slow Upload speed 128K ..

Fudge the contention question :

Quote :

What is the contention ratio on the Smart broadband product?
Smart Broadband is not designed around the concept of contention. Smart Telecom owns and operates its own high-capacity fibre-optic network. As any link in the Smart network approaches capacity, it will be automatically be upgraded. Smart Broadband users will continue to enjoy the unrestricted high-speed Internet access.

No info around downloads ...

Why wouldn't anyone go for this ?

Delphi91 · 07-02-2005 2:40pm

Word of warning - Website allows you to check your number. I checked mine (which fails everytime I check with Eircom) and it says "Congratulations, Broadband is available to you!". That's only because my exchange is broadband -enabled but I'm too far away. Out of curiosity I went to the "Sign me up" screen and can't seem to find anything in the T&C that says provision is based on being actually able to have a broadband connection.

It also seems that if you register for this service, the form you fill in gives Smart permission to take over your calls. So, do your calls revert to you if you cannot receive broadband?

Mike

LFCFan · 07-02-2005 2:41pm

and says its progress will depend on gaining access to Eircom exchanges.

And there's the kicker. I can't imagine them having an easy job getting access to exchanges. According to their number checker, it will be available in my exhange in May/June. Of course even if this is true, I'm locked into a 12 month contract with UTV. Something tells me though, they won't be available that quick. €35 though for 2Mbit and line rental seems to good to be true! That basically means €10 a month for a 2Mbit connection.

Third_Echelon · 07-02-2005 2:46pm

Its definitely progress on the price issue. It'll be interesting to see how Eircom react to this...

seamus · 07-02-2005 2:47pm

Definitely curious, but a very welcome move. If they push ahead with it.

I put in my old phone number (deactivated 4 months ago) and it said that yes, Broadband is available to me, around July/August.

That says to me that they're just finding out which exchange you're connected to, not actually testing any lines, but they have a very definite rollout plan - my exchange is Lucan Ballydowd, so they must be planning to upgrade it in July/August.

If there's nothing in it about "depending on availability and line test", then perhaps they're going the "at all costs" route, and making sure that everyone who wants broadband, gets it.

This is Ireland though, and given our past experience with things that sound this good, I'm sceptical.

Emerson · 07-02-2005 2:51pm

My jaw has dropped..

My 12 months is up with EsatBT..
Pity the upload isn't 256, I'd rather that to a faster download to be honest but, sounds amazing!
I'd pay 49e/month if it had a 256k upload. Pity I can't get ntl.

Has to be too good to be true..
Download cap? I'm holding off until I hear a decent down\upload figure. Last thing I need is a dodgy cap.

wideband · 07-02-2005 2:52pm

Just gave them a call to check for further information....there site should be updated today with the download/uploads, caps etc detailed

looks quite promising, they have a TV, Phone and broadband package aswell

The Clown Man · 07-02-2005 2:55pm

rte website wrote:

Smart Telecom has announced plans to offer new broadband services to residential customers. The company, which is listed on London's AIM market, has raised €20m from backers to finance the move.

Smart says its new service will have no monthly line rental charge for the first 100,000 customers and a fixed monthly cost of €35 for 2MB.

Roll-out of the programme begins next week. Smart will deliver the service by unbundling the local loop between local telephone exchanges and homes and says its progress will depend on gaining access to Eircom exchanges.

They obviously have a good deal of funding for their rollout.

I rang to get some info and I have someone calling me back with technical info but I have been told that my line (which is dsl activated with digiweb) is not going to qualify in the near future ...

I'll post up any info i get from the callback.

spongebob · 07-02-2005 3:06pm

Sarsfield wrote:

Is there a catch to this?

None as long as you firmly believe that Smart Telecom will enable over 15 exchanges in County Galway alone including Maam Cross , 30 miles out . Here is the number of the Local Mart.......which passes

http://www.smarttelecom.ie/products/broadband/step2.php?number=91552254

Mr_Man · 07-02-2005 3:12pm

Seems to be passing every number I enter, including ones whcih Eircom have rejected. Since I know there is a splitter on some of the numbers entered it seems to be an exercise in gathering customer interest rather than any check based on technical data.

M

rabbitinlights · 07-02-2005 3:14pm

If you read the second line, it say's "The date of availability is to be confirmed" when i check my number (BB with eircom for 2 years) it said may/june.

Im just off the phone to them and they are getting a "broadband expert" to ring me back to confirm the more complicated questions i asked her (cap/Con ratio)

S.

parasite · 07-02-2005 3:18pm

so, is it llu ? what about that high court delay in llu pricing or something ...?

bofs · 07-02-2005 3:26pm

I live in Sligo town and currently have IOLBB, their line check says no, are they very localised? so is it just Dublin,Cork and Galway only?

"Broadband Check: Review Line Check Result
Unfortunately we have not yet allocated a date to when your exchange will be live. However, you can help us bring Smart Broadband to your community. The more interest we get from your area the sooner we will bring it on to our network, so spread the word!

wideband · 07-02-2005 3:27pm

what is llu?.....

WezzyB · 07-02-2005 3:33pm

I'm currently on IOL trial ending in two weeks, have ordered this, they say that it will be available to me in March/April.
I'm a bit anxious about not having BB for a month or so, or even more if eircom drag their heels on LLU.

A O Malley · 07-02-2005 3:35pm

Just talking to a sales rep, and she said there are no caps at all, the free line rental only comes into effect if you are in the first 100,000 customers when your area is enabled i.e. you sign up now get installed next august after 100,000 have been installed since your sign up then you don’t get free line rental.

causal · 07-02-2005 3:39pm

wideband wrote:

what is llu?.....

<guess> Local Loop Unbundling </guess>

Couch Potato · 07-02-2005 3:39pm

Why is the Upload speed so low ??????

NTL are 256 Upload on their 1.5meg product ...

Couch Potato · 07-02-2005 3:40pm

A O Malley wrote:

Just talking to a sales rep, and she said there are no caps at all, the free line rental only comes into effect if you are in the first 100,000 customers when your area is enabled i.e. you sign up now get installed next august after 100,000 have been installed since your sign up then you don’t get free line rental.

Is that 100,000 per exchange or in total ?

causal · 07-02-2005 3:48pm

Mr_Man wrote:

Seems to be passing every number I enter, including ones whcih Eircom have rejected. Since I know there is a splitter on some of the numbers entered it seems to be an exercise in gathering customer interest rather than any check based on technical data.

Yeah my number passed on Smart:
"Congratulations, Broadband is available to you! It will be available in July/August"

But it has always failed on Eircom.
My local exchange is enabled but I'm too far away.

The result from Smart was suspiciously fast too. Maybe it just checks the area code and first four digits to see if your local exchange is enabled.

causAl

SkepticOne · 07-02-2005 4:01pm

Local loop unbundling, yes.

I just tried 7 numbers from Eircom's joke "trigger level" programme including Ballyhaunis and Kinnegad. All of them came up with "Broadband is available - date to be confirmed".

Two numbers in Dublin came up with "Congratulations, Broadband is available to you! It will be available in July/August."

I think they are being slightly liberal with the word "available" maybe in an effort to get people to sign up to their phone service.

Emerson · 07-02-2005 4:08pm

Oh dear,
Now I'm getting:

"Unfortunatly, Smart Broadband is not yet available to you! The date of availability is yet to be confirmed. Would you like to register your interest anyway?"

An hour I go, I was excited at seeing "Congratulations" for the same 01-285 number..

That'll teach me for getting my hopes up!!

WezzyB · 07-02-2005 4:09pm

I've signed up, got an e-mail from them with a confirmation link that points at a password protected file
http://smarttelecom.iebt1.xmlw.ie/products/broadband/broadband_validate.php?validate=[refno]
where [refno] is my reference number. seems like they need to iron out a few glitches in their ordering system, from being a phone user with them i remember their billing wasn't fabulous, but i will forgive them if they do provide me with a 2 meg dsl service!

Emerson · 07-02-2005 4:14pm

A number, which is on the Dun Laoghaire exchange (280), however, passes for July/August. This exchange is enabled for EsatBT LLU also (biz bb).

Is Smart telecom's fibre network just along the train lines? eg: Bray, Dun Laoghaire, Arklow, Wicklow Town etc like EsatBT? Ruling out hope for the further away echanges...

Couch Potato · 07-02-2005 4:16pm

What is going on ...

My number now fails ....

Aquos76 · 07-02-2005 4:24pm

My number also fails on their site but passes on the likes of eircon, digiweb and iol.

SkepticOne · 07-02-2005 4:32pm

The seven numbers I put in from the joke "trigger levels" now fail. The two Dublin numbers still work and still give "July/August".

One of these numbers is my own, so that is the main thing.

seamus · 07-02-2005 4:37pm

The fact that some people's do fail, indicates that they do have a specific rollout plan.

That's a start.

Couch Potato · 07-02-2005 4:44pm

seamus wrote:

The fact that some people's do fail, indicates that they do have a specific rollout plan.

That's a start.

Why would a number pass and then subsequently fail ...???

jor el · 07-02-2005 4:49pm

My number passes anyway, says it'll be available in May/June. That's the Dooradoyle exchange in Limerick. I'm with Esat right now, but my 12 months are up so I might go for this, unless Esat will match it.

Does anyone know if there'll be problems in changing from one DSL provider to Smart?

Smart to offer 2Mb Broadband for €35 with no line rental?

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