UTVip Constantly engaged

Our man in Havana · 10-09-2003 10:22am #1

Just got UTVip and if is an absolute pain to get online. Took a lot of redialing to get through even during the day. why is this? Are they totally over subscribed?

is the 1893 number the correct one? IE eircom dont charge me for it?

James

silent · 10-09-2003 10:26am

get the utv dialer (link should be in your welcome to utv email)

if the flat rate will be engaged the dialer will redirect you to the pay per minute number - all at utv's cost, you will not pay anything extra if within the 180 hours

Our man in Havana · 10-09-2003 11:09am

Originally posted by silent
get the utv dialer (link should be in your welcome to utv email)

if the flat rate will be engaged the dialer will redirect you to the pay per minute number - all at utv's cost, you will not pay anything extra if within the 180 hours

What is the UTVip flat rate number?

silent · 10-09-2003 11:58am

1893242242 (utvip xl)

mike65 · 10-09-2003 1:31pm

Two nights ago at about 10.30 I nearly lost my rag dialing about 50 times before I gave up and used indigo. It seems to be a problem mostly late-ish in the evening.

Mike.

Eurorunner · 10-09-2003 1:36pm

There have been quite a few posts on this since utvip xl came on the market. From my own experience, i just get the occassional prolonged logon procedure - which, although irritating is more the exception than the rule.

I would imagine that the problems lie with busier exchanges where there are a higher proportion of subscribers dialing up??

daveg · 12-09-2003 8:28am

I too had the engaged problem. I rang UTV support. They told you HAVE to use the dialer. Reason being if the first number is engaged the dialer will ring different numbers (which seemingly costs UTV a packet).

I have the lastest exe file (dialer) at home. Let me know if you need it and I'll post a link.

gonker · 13-09-2003 6:01am

I have the lastest exe file (dialer) at home. Let me know if you need it and I'll post a link

yes please

Lunabu_ie · 13-09-2003 2:22pm

Help!
I've only been using UTVip for a few days and am generally happy with the flat-rate interness access, that is if I manage to get online. I've been on the phone to their technical support (very helpful and nice), but I've been told that it's down to my ISDN line that I get error message 629 or 753 about 50% of the time. They say that my ISDN doesn't default to their alternative number(s).
And they are not allowed to give out those alternative numbers as it will cost UTV internet a lot more. I have, however, been told that someone posted at least one of the alternative number here on this forum!!!!!!!!!!!!! Haven't found it yet and I'm actually paying for being online at present as I couldn't do it with their dialer.
Can anyone help me please?
If you know the other number.....something 1890........please mail me: lunabu_ie@yahoo.com
but please only if you're sure.
I'd gladby buy someone a pint (or send the money for a pint) if I get the right reply a.s.a.p.

daveg · 16-09-2003 6:56am

Dialler can found ---> http://www.utvip.com/dialer.asp?loc=ie

Lunabu_ie · 16-09-2003 3:47pm

Thanks for your reply.
Unfortunately, the dialer is not the problem. I'm using it all the time.
What they told me is that my ISDN modem doesn't default to the alternative number automatically and that they're not allowed to give it out.
Has nobody posted it here in this forum????????
I'm offering a pint again:D

zenith · 16-09-2003 4:09pm

here ya go.

135131890927750

note the carrier pre-select bit i(13513) in front of an 1890 number.

Lunabu_ie · 16-09-2003 9:25pm

Zenith, you've made my day, week, month......
Thanks a million. Will try out the number the next time I can't log on with the regular number on the dialer.
If everything works fine, I'll be posting you a cheque for a pint. Fair enough?
Please send your address to lunabu_ie@yahoo.com.
Again, many thanks and regards,
Luna:)

Lunabu_ie · 16-09-2003 9:33pm

Zenith, what exactly does that mean....or what did you mean by it?

Our man in Havana · 16-09-2003 10:28pm

Originally posted by Lunabu_ie
Zenith, what exactly does that mean....or what did you mean by it?

If you dont use it the call will go via €ircon and you will get charged by the Rat.

Lunabu_ie · 17-09-2003 11:20am

You learn something new every day. Thanks for that.:D

Lunabu_ie · 18-09-2003 10:18am

Well, I've put in the second number as well and I'm alternating between the 2 numbers.
Still, when it's a busy time, it's pot luck if I get online or not. Who knows, maybe my chances have doubled by having this new number.

J K Partridge · 18-09-2003 10:56am

Other people having the same problems ..
I have had to reconfigure my router to dial eircom (ISDN)
3 times now - with calls lasting approx 3 hours.

I paid for an always online service
and I am now getting an oversubscribed engaged tone

This rubbish about a second number the support people 'won't' give it out
Ever heard of a hunt group ??
A hunt group is where you can have several PrimaryRates (30 calls) linked to one phone number - there is no limitation to the number of primary rates in the hunt group -

This is not rocket science - it is simply a good service gone bad - when they needed your business they treated you well ... when they don't they treat you bad

They have changed their 'contention' - so more people share the same lines, probably seen as a good cost cutting measure.

UTV internet won an award last year for being the best service provider...
if they are not careful they will win the reward next year for being the worst

To conclude -

I have had enough - I quite simply refuse to pay calls to eircom when UTV is engaged and I also refuse to connect to the internet only when most convenient for UTV
I rang to disconnect and after about 1/2 hour wait I was given an email address - this address oddly enough didnt work - surprise surprise they werent too helpful when it comes to disconnection - so we are going down a different route now ....
I simply have stopped paying

.... its all very fustrating.

My advice is -- get broadband !

Lunabu_ie · 18-09-2003 5:12pm

Well, that sounds pretty bad.
I used to be with IOL No Limits who treated me appallingly. I'm so far not unhappy with UTVip, as long as I manage to get online most of the time.
Broadband would've been my first choice but is, unfortunately, not available in rural areas like mine. Maybe in 10 years time, maybe never:rolleyes:

oscarBravo · 18-09-2003 7:42pm

Originally posted by J K Partridge
This rubbish about a second number the support people 'won't' give it out
Ever heard of a hunt group ??
A hunt group is where you can have several PrimaryRates (30 calls) linked to one phone number - there is no limitation to the number of primary rates in the hunt group -

I doubt that would work when one of the numbers is a FRIACO port, and the other is a LoCall number intercepted by a CPS prefix.

My understanding before the product launched was that UTV were providing the rollover number so that (a) people could get through even when the FRIACO ports were all used up, and (b) to measure the demand for FRIACO ports, and adjust as required.

J K Partridge · 19-09-2003 8:43am

You say the other number is a lo call number - are you telling me you have to pay if the free (your prepaid) number is busy ??

This makes me even more mad !

Please don't take me as a grouch - I just believe that the service should be always available.
I am curious if eircom 'always on' service is suffering similar service quality issues -

or do they fear the wrath of Comreg ?

Anyway don' t mean to influence anybody either way - just get whats right for you - there are more options every day - that is of course if you live in dublin, no one lives outside dublin anyway do they !

:eek:

oscarBravo · 19-09-2003 9:05am

Originally posted by J K Partridge
You say the other number is a lo call number - are you telling me you have to pay if the free (your prepaid) number is busy ??

UTV have made it abuntantly clear on several occasions that this is something they are doing at considerable expense to themselves to try to provide as high-quality a service as possible. In other words, no, you don't pay for the call! My point was that you can't blithely suggest a solution to a problem without fully understanding all the parameters.

Mad Mike · 19-09-2003 9:14am

Request to a moderator to scratch the post containing the UTV 1890 number.

That number is only intended to take overflow calls that are not handled by UTVs FRIACO ports. This is an innovative scheme that allows UTV to buy fewer FRIACO ports and offer the cheapest flat rate on the market. Every call to the 1890 number costs UTV money and it should only be used for overspill. If Noddy's start using it as their normal dial up number (as Noddy's will) then UTV will lose money (potentially a lot of money) and that's will mean the end of their value for money service.

PS in my experience the system works very well. The FRIACO number is often busy at peak times but the overspill number always works for me. This is as it should be. UTV have deliberately bought fewer FRIACO ports than required for peak times in keep the costs (and prices low). Personally I hate the dialler but if it helps keep the cost down I'll put up with it.

oscarBravo · 19-09-2003 9:47am

^ What Mike said. ^

I asked Verb to do this, but maybe he didn't get the mail...?

J K Partridge · 19-09-2003 10:34am

Why wont the support people give out this number (to paying customers)!!!

I got talking to charles and he got all shirty with me.

Our man in Havana · 19-09-2003 11:21am

Originally posted by J K Partridge
Why wont the support people give out this number (to paying customers)!!!

I got talking to charles and he got all shirty with me.

Seems UTV are cutting corners. Not enough FRIACO ports and a so called secert overflow number. If you offer a service of 180 hours anytime internet at €24.99 a month you are bound to be swamped with customers. I have often spent 1 hour trying to get through and no luck. I agree with JK Partridge about UTV becoming the worst ISP. If they keep this up they will lose customers.

Given my experiences It would be worth paying a little extra to be sure of a quality service.

Frank Grimes · 19-09-2003 11:56am

Originally posted by oscarBravo
^ What Mike said. ^

I asked Verb to do this, but maybe he didn't get the mail...?

It's hardly a matter of national security, anyway seeing as UTV read/post to the boards here, I'm sure they'll spot it and do something on their side if it's going to cause them hassle.
Just on a side note though. If they do not have the ports to handle the amount of users they have, regardless of the (very good) reasoning behind this, it's hardly surprising that people are going to get pissed off and use this alternative number.

zenith · 19-09-2003 1:20pm

The central point here is that UTV have sold a service which they cannot supply. People should not take unfair advantage of the number, but I believe it's contained in every copy of the dialer that UTV distribute.

(The number was posted to ILUG, lads.
Look on Fri 29/08/2003. Re: [ILUG] u.tv numbers.
That's where I got the info.)

Mad Mike · 19-09-2003 2:25pm

Originally posted by zenith
The central point here is that UTV have sold a service which they cannot supply.

I am not sure if this statement is correct. Yes the FRIACO number is often busy but in my experience if you are using the dialler it will then dial the 1890 number and you will always get a line (the 1890 number is not port limited in the same way the FRIACO number is). Since you the user are not paying the 1890 charge you are still getting the service you paid for.

I do think that UTV have hit on a very innovative way of keeping the costs of flat rate dialup to a minimum. The system will fall apart however if people start configuring their Internet Explorer etc to dial the 1890 number by default (and it will happen). Granted anyone who knows what they are doing can get the number from their modem - but I would hope that anyone who knows what they are doing would understand the system enough not to abuse it. In hindsight I was naieve to think that you would pull the number but I for one will be dissapointed if this innovation by UTV fails because of abuse of the 1890 number.

Our man in Havana · 19-09-2003 2:36pm

Originally posted by Mad Mike
I am not sure if this statement is correct. Yes the FRIACO number is often busy but in my experience if you are using the dialler it will then dial the 1890 number and you will always get a line (the 1890 number is not port limited in the same way the FRIACO number is). Since you the user are not paying the 1890 charge you are still getting the service you paid for.

I do think that UTV have hit on a very innovative way of keeping the costs of flat rate dialup to a minimum. The system will fall apart however if people start configuring their Internet Explorer etc to dial the 1890 number by default (and it will happen). Granted anyone who knows what they are doing can get the number from their modem - but I would hope that anyone who knows what they are doing would understand the system enough not to abuse it. In hindsight I was naieve to think that you would pull the number but I for one will be dissapointed if this innovation by UTV fails because of abuse of the 1890 number.

Yes, but what when the 1890 number is also constanly engaged as is frequently the case.

oscarBravo · 19-09-2003 2:45pm

Originally posted by Bond-James Bond
Yes, but what when the 1890 number is also constanly engaged as is frequently the case.

Could be a sign that the muppetry has already begun.

If UTV pull the rollover service due to abuse: thanks a bunch, guys.

mike65 · 19-09-2003 3:59pm

I can only belive UTV are quite aware of the capacity problem
that has been created by thier success, so it would be nice if they issued a formal acknowledgment of same.

They have to be careful not to spook the horses...there is the semblence of a genuine market out there now.

Mike.

Eurorunner · 19-09-2003 4:26pm

Life is full of choices...if your not happy with it (utvip), then cancel your subscription - end of story.

However, in my opinion, anybody who has actually taken the time out to read Scott Tauntons posts at the time of the lauch will be aware of the margins involved - for the money, we ARE getting a good deal. We wont get it any better in terms of price/service for now (not whilst they resell €ircon product).

So once again......

you dont like...then WALK AWAY SLOWLY:ninja:

Our man in Havana · 19-09-2003 4:38pm

Originally posted by Eurorunner
Life is full of choices...if your not happy with it (utvip), then cancel your subscription - end of story.

However, in my opinion, anybody who has actually taken the time out to read Scott Tauntons posts at the time of the lauch will be aware of the margins involved - for the money, we ARE getting a good deal. We wont get it any better in terms of price/service for now (not whilst they resell €ircon product).

So once again......

you dont like...then WALK AWAY SLOWLY:ninja:

All well and good, but they have a 3 month min contract so you cannot just walk away without penalty.
It would cost almost €75 to walk away, plus i think there are penalty with the phone service too. So its not that easy.

Delphi91 · 19-09-2003 5:03pm

UTVip don't give out ther roll-over number because when it is used, THEY pay for the call instead of the user. If the number were made public, can't you just imagine what would happen?

As for the number being constantly engaged, I think that is a bit of an over-generalisation. Having checked my last bill and from experience of the service this week, I think I can say that the number of times when I've ended up using the roll-over number has been in single digits. Oh, and before anyone says that I'm probably never on the net, my usage is well into 3 figures a month in terms of hours online.

It would seem that the engaged number syndrome is confined to certain exchanges. Its entirely possible that the exchange is not able to cope with the demand on the 1893 number. And I don't think that's necessarily the fault of UTV.

I'm standing up for UTV here because my experience of the last few weeks is different from the implication in posts that it is a nationwide problem. I do have other issues with the service - dead spots, errors in transmission, etc, but that's a different story.

Mike.

Lunabu_ie · 20-09-2003 3:42pm

Well, I'm not unhappy with UTVip and have found their technical support very helpful unlike the hassle I experienced a couple of years ago with IOL's No Limit scheme that was everything but No Limits.....and they pulled the plug by sending out nasty letters to customers telling them they'd overused or abused the No Limits scheme

And after telling you that you were off the scheme, they would keep on sending invoices for services that you hadn't received and threatened you with legal action.
As long as I get online with UTVip for most of the time, I don't mind. It is, indeed, the best deal we have in this country, although still a joke compared with what people pay in the UK (£15 a month for totally unlimited access?). But we shouldn't grumble too much;)

Eurorunner · 20-09-2003 8:21pm

Originally posted by Bond-James Bond
All well and good, but they have a 3 month min contract so you cannot just walk away without penalty.
It would cost almost €75 to walk away, plus i think there are penalty with the phone service too. So its not that easy.

As minimum service contracts go, three months is not bad Mr. Bond. Its unfortunate if your still at the beginning of that three months but nevertheless, that is what you agreed to when you signed up. I'm sure there are others who have posted here recently moaning about UTV that have served out their three months...so give it up folks.

I think its important that a company that makes every effort to provide a combination of value for money & good service should be rewarded. If consumers act in a way that is short-sighted/narrowminded and don't reward genuine attempts to satisfy consumer 'wants & needs', then we will be sending a message to service industry here that they can continue on treating us like the fickle consumers that maybe we are?

mike65 · 20-09-2003 9:09pm

Originally posted by Eurorunner
As minimum service contracts go, three months is not bad Mr. Bond.

As you refuse to accept this reality now you must die Mr Bond!!!:D

Sorry! :ninja:

Mike.

zenith · 21-09-2003 7:06pm

It's worth noting at this point that there are other suppliers of flat-rate products that don't have too few ports, and that UTV did not state this shortcoming of the service (at least to me) when I signed up.

The UTV strategy is a strategy, but it's pretty sucky for someone who needs to connect first time, every time.

Mad Mike · 21-09-2003 8:01pm

I am still intrigued by those people who say that even the overflow number is engaged.

As I said before the FRIACO number is often engaged for me (especially in evening surprisingly enough) but the overflow 1890 number always works first time. Net result is that I can always connect albeit with a slight delay.

What time of the day and what locations are you finding the overflow number doesn't work?

RicardoSmith · 21-09-2003 8:33pm

Have to say I've had few problems after the inital week when it was a bit poor in fairness. Since then I have had the odd dropped line and I might have to use the dialler twice. That happens once or twice about every 20 connections. Thats about it. never takes more than a minute or two to get connected. Hpe its an isolated problem. You should hassle the support desk.

Our man in Havana · 21-09-2003 8:45pm

Originally posted by Mad Mike
I am still intrigued by those people who say that even the overflow number is engaged.

As I said before the FRIACO number is often engaged for me (especially in evening surprisingly enough) but the overflow 1890 number always works first time. Net result is that I can always connect albeit with a slight delay.

What time of the day and what locations are you finding the overflow number doesn't work?

Often around 9-11pm
It often could take 30mins to get connected. I am in south west laois Rathdowney area 0505 area

trap4 · 25-09-2003 3:11pm

I don't think it's an isolated problem. I'm in county Limerick and experiencing terrible problems with UTVip XL.

I've been waiting patiently for them to sort it out because there's no way I'm going back to either eircom or Esat (got thrown off no-limits) but now I'm loosing faith. Time to look at satellite options I think

Drella118 · 29-09-2003 7:41pm

Does all this apply only to the UTVXL service or are people talking about the flat rate (the one where you have 150 off peak hours p.m but no on peak) service too?

Because I've been using the flat rate service for a few months now and haven't had any problems at all. Sometimes it disconnects if its been idle for a few minutes and sometimes I might have to try to connect twice, but they're really the only problems. I have an ISDN line and the connection speed generally tends to be reasonably good, although I'm not all that computer literate so I couldn't tell you anything about ping rates or anything like that.

Am I just lucky or am I using a different service to other people here? I used to be on IOL No Limits and had appaling problems with them and eventually refused to pay.

piet · 02-10-2003 8:47am

There where connect problems again.
Had to use the overflow number again yesterday, funny enough the problem seems to be on wednesdays only!

Mad Mike · 02-10-2003 9:26am

I am based in Rathfarnham and for the last two weeks I have almost never got through on the 1893 number, perhaps only one time in 10. The dialler has never failed to get me through on the second attempt however so it hasn't inconvenienced me.

I amn't a particularly heavy user - no more than 2 hours a day spread between morning (peak time) and evening but given the cost to UTV of the overflow number I reckon they are making no money off me.

mike65 · 02-10-2003 6:19pm

Its happening again.....grrrrrr! The stand-by number is'nt much better, I get dropped after 5 mins....

Mike.

mike65 · 02-10-2003 9:46pm

Its still d-e-a-d. On indigo again and NOT happy. Has anyone sent utv this thread? I'm going to do it right now... :mad:

Mike.

sunbeam · 02-10-2003 11:11pm

I tend to roll over to the backup number most evenings after six and just did so ten minutes ago or so.

Can't say I've noticed many disconnects on it, though it sometimes does so after exactly an hour.

eirebhoy · 02-10-2003 11:16pm

Originally posted by sunbeam
I tend to roll over to the backup number most evenings after six and just did so ten minutes ago or so.

Can't say I've noticed many disconnects on it, though it sometimes does so after exactly an hour.

I'm always getting the engaged tone and sometimes it takes about half an hour and I never knew there was a backup number. Is there a dialler I can download with this number, if not could you tell me the number please?

Cheers.

Frank Grimes · 03-10-2003 6:53am

Originally posted by eireboy
I'm always getting the engaged tone and sometimes it takes about half an hour and I never knew there was a backup number. Is there a dialler I can download with this number, if not could you tell me the number please?

Cheers.

The link and the number are in this thread.

UTVip Constantly engaged

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