BB without phone line

Repli

Hi guys - I recently moved into an apartment with no landline connection (well there is one there but its not connected, eircom just have to flick a switch or something and that costs €150 to do so?) anyway I was just wondering what are my options for broadband - I think satellite is out of the question because I really dont think the landlord will let me install a satellite dish onto the apartment - so that rules IBB out because I cant get ripwave here.
I was talking to IOL there a while ago and they said try and get eircom to connect the landline for free because "they need your business more than you need theirs"
Think this is worth a try and what other options do I have?
Thanks

eth0_

There's no WAY eircom will install a line for free!

You could go for esat business broadband, iirc they cover the cost of the line install to eircom, and then you don't have to pay eircom line rental ever again.

tman

might only cost you €24.99 to get the phone line connected - mine had never been used before and that's all it cost me.

try plugging a phone (if you have access to a spare) into the socket and dialing 199000, take down the number that is called out and call 1901.
talk to a sales rep, explain that you've tried this and then give him the phone number.

if no number is called out, you're ****ed.

if you do get it connected, call 1800503303 and explain that you want your line to pass the test post haste, imply that you're thinking of going with eircom...

my line passed the dsl test 10 days after being connected, ordered iol bb plus yesterday:)

Repli

Alright tman thanks ill try that 199000 when i get home,
I remember trying to dial a few numbers on it before (mobiles/landlines) and every time an eircom recording saying 'that mailbox number is invalid' or something like that

eth0:
esat business bb a little bit over my budget :P

Repli

Found out frm eircoms site that because the line is already there its only €25 connection fee which is cool. I think ill go with iol bb, had it at home and never had any problems really. Does the free trial only run up to 31st august?

tman

nope. it's 3 full months regardless of the date you join,
then a fourth month free if you decide to stay with them for a year.

http://www.iol.ie/broadbandplus/bb_offer.htm

can't wait till i get connected:)

Repli

Wow thats a really good offer - with eircoms one you have to stay with them for a year regardless.. I hope I dont pay to get the line connected and then fail the line test :dunno:

Repli

LOL that sucks - I dialled 199000 and it read out a phone number
I ring eircom to get connected and they said it costs €129 because
"Im the first person to be connected in that apartment" ??? and if
someone else had the phone line before me it would only cost €25

tman

****, that sucks for you.:(

my phone line had never been used, and i got assigned the number that was read out on 199000.
i thought that the general rule of thumb was; if 199000 reads out a number, you only have to pay €25.

i'd be happy to act as a reference if you want to try getting the phone line connected for €25...

Raskolnikov

Strange, a friend of mine had his line cancelled recently, an Eircom engineer drove up outside his house and fiddled around with something up front, his telephone service was cut but he can still connect to his broadband. . .

Repli

thanks tman

Im gonna keep ringing them and talk to different people because the guy on the phone just kept telling me "I have a code here that says your line was never connected" ?? a code? Hmmm I wonder can I sign up to iol bb and just give them the number that was read out without getting the line activated? (If what rask said works :P) Its worth a try considering iol bb is free atm

refused

tman wrote:

if you do get it connected, call 1800503303 and explain that you want your line to pass the test post haste, imply that you're thinking of going with eircom...

Are you serious?
I've just got my line connected with Eircom and the ADSL test fails, but I rung up Eircom and they say it passes (so they havn't sent out the updated database yet - aparantly happens every 3-4 weeks). So afaik, telling IOL that your going to eircom isn't going to speed up the process, seeing as though it's up to eircom to send out the updated list.
Of course, I could be making the fatal mistake of believing anything that is said by a sales drone.

ahh the joys of being a customer.

tman

Originally posted by refused
So afaik, telling IOL that your going to eircom isn't going to speed up the process, seeing as though it's up to eircom to send out the updated list.

that number is for eircom btw:rolleyes:

make eircom think that you're going to use them for broadband and you'll prolly save yourself a couple of days wait... that's my reckoning anyway:)
it took roughly 10 days for my line to pass any dsl tests.

refused

My mistake. I thought that was the IOL 1800 number (even though they look nothing alike). I'll ring Eircom again tomorrow, last time I rang they said ring back in a month. If it was possible to throw up on someone over the phone - that's what I would have done.

Cheers for the ray of hope

Ripwave

Originally posted by tman
make eircom think that you're going to use them for broadband and you'll prolly save yourself a couple of days wait... that's my reckoning anyway:)

If you're planning on getting BB from eircom, then by all means tell eircom that. If you're planning on getting BB from someone else, getting eircom involved will not save you a few days! The usual result of getting eircom to test your line in these circumstances is that your line is "assigned" to eircom broadband, and it might take 3 or 4 weeks before they "release it" to IOL or UTV, if that's who you want to get BB from.

refused

I was concered about that, the last thing I want is to be stuck with Eircom.
I think I'll just wait it out for the scheduled update from Eircom.
Cheers for the info guys - now to play to waiting game.

Repli

Following on from this I'm gonna go ahead and pay the 129 euro to get an eircom line connected unless anyone has any other ideas?
tman what do you mean by 'act as a reference'
Does anyone know is there a minimum 1 year contract for getting a phone line?

machalla

By the way you're making a bit of an assumption here that just getting a line will enable you to get broadband. This is not at all the case. You'd think it should be but there are no guarantees with this.

IBB seem to have extended Ripwave coverage to most of Dublin city now so it might be worth seeing if they can do anything for you. Theres a section to sign up for Ripwave on their website now that will try and tell you if your area is covered or not. Might be worth a look if you haven't already checked it out.

Best of luck with it.

Repli

?jesus didn't know ripwave was available in blanchardstown, (ballycoolin) when I click the link for the ballycoolin coverage map the link is broken. I wonder does it stretch to coolmine that would kick ass. And no installation fee for first 2000 customers. And no satellite etc to be installed? Is there any catches to ripwave? no contract or anything?

tman

Originally posted by Repli
tman what do you mean by 'act as a reference'

just that if they give you that "€129 connection fee for a previously unused line" stuff again, you can give them my name and number as proof that it isn't true.
this apartment is waaay older than a year, and the line had never been connected prior to me using it (or so the sales rep told me)
i got assigned the phone number that was read out after dialing 199000

then again, i could've just got lucky...

Ripwave

Originally posted by Repli
?jesus didn't know ripwave was available in blanchardstown, (ballycoolin) when I click the link for the ballycoolin coverage map the link is broken.

The page with the map has links to images called Ballycoolin-7x7.gif but the actual images on the server have a lower case b - ballycoolin-7x7.gif. And the server is case sensitive, so the map doesn't display properly.

I've "fixed" the ballycoolin page, and attached a copy of the map it displays.

MrNuked

Is it true that you need references to get a phone line installed?