NTL broadband offer

mad m

got post today saying NTL have broadband in my area D.12 and the first 3months are free plus free install so i rang them and they said they would put in a point wherever my PC is but it said on brochure that its fitted by a thrid party installer now i dont want holes drilled everywhere in walls and house to get to my Pc,so im wondering if i just get the main whatever they install in my sitting room is it possible to get a wireless router/adsl modem..what would i need...

Now i know they are offering free modem as well but what do u think.....

thanks

maxheadroom

I have NTL broadband. They'll have to put an extra point in anyway, because they need to take a new cable drop from the front of your house for it. You might as well get the point put in beside the computer. The "third party crews" have been doing this stuff for years, its a company NTL have a contract with for all their installs (I think they do digital TV installs too). they were very clean and effecient when they did my install.

mad m

@maxheadroom

how u do find NTL in general with the broadband?....what package u go for yourself?
imagine 30gig a month ur allowed

Mutant_Fruit

or the unlimted downloads you could get with NTL... the 1gig "cap" is just a recommendation, not a rule.

maxheadroom

Originally posted by mad m
how u do find NTL in general with the broadband?....what package u go for yourself?
imagine 30gig a month ur allowed

I'm on the 600kbps package (the one that's about to be upgraded to 750kbsp), and its great. Pings are low (if you're into online gaming, I'm not), download speeds are constantly high. The only thing is the upload is low(128kbps), but it'd be the same on DSL, and you get 256 upload on the highest package.

The download "cap" is only a guide, they'll contact you and ask you to slow down a bit if you're constantly downloading more than 1 GB a day and its affecting performance on your network segment. I don't know if its actually happened in Ireland yet.

In general its great, some annoying niggles like the fact that email has been spotty for the past while, and you just have to wait for the techs in the UK to fix it.

For more details on speeds and pings, search some of my older posts to this board.

chabsey

Don't suppose this is available in the Dublin 3 area is it? Their website is out-of-date I think.

GavinKeller

Here is a link to NTL's broadband checker

http://www.ntl.com/locales/ie/en/sales/


P.S. Don't credit me for this. This link was posted by Gerard Keating at this link
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=173339

Sztraik

I've just tried with my account and no joy...
I live in Clontarf, Dublin 3

po0k

is this Dublin only?

GerardKeating

Originally posted by SyxPak
is this Dublin only?

Pretty much... but by all means try it anyway...

If they have half a brain, they will log the requests to get a falvour of the regional demand.

cheers

gandalf

They have no way of logging the demand as there is nothing to register interest in broadband if your in an area thats not enabled for it. The last phone muppet I rang in there said he took my number so I could get a call about it when its available but I won't hold my breathe.

spanner_head

Seems like they have changed their prices from the last time I looked at the site. The 750Kbps option was 30 yo yos and now its 35.

seamus

Originally posted by spanner_head
Seems like they have changed their prices from the last time I looked at the site. The 750Kbps option was 30 yo yos and now its 35.

Well they're upping the speeds, which is probably why the price is going up.
300kbps (up from 150?) for €25
750kbps (up from 600) for €35
1.5Mbps (up from 1-1.2?) for €50

Brilliantly spread out packages, nicely encompassing light, medium and heavy home users, at reasonable prices.
We got a letter in yesterday telling us it was available (when it wasn't 6 months ago), so I'm guessing this speed increase is probably something to do with either an upgrade in quality, or a lowering of requirements to get cable. And, yes, indeed I will be getting it \o/

daramullally

The prices are coming down not going up. I am in Lucan and when I got the service the 150K was €30 and the 600K was €40. Not sure what the 1MB was. So the speeds are going up and the prices are coming down.

Repli

Anyone know if its available in dublin 15 yet?

seamus

Originally posted by Repli
Anyone know if its available in dublin 15 yet?

If you have your account number handy, you can check availablility online.
Go to
http://www.ntl.com/locales/ie/en/sales/

I'm not sure how reliable or accurate that availability indicator is though.

oneweb

Originally posted by Repli
Anyone know if its available in dublin 15 yet?

Call them on 1800 234 234 and ask them. I can't get it... ...yet.

Repli

Dont have my a/c number handy ill ring them later today
oneweb where abouts are you living?

Emerson

Originally posted by seamus
...
We got a letter in yesterday telling us it was available (when it wasn't 6 months ago...

Are you in Lucan by any chance?
I rang about ~Dun Laoghaire and the girl admitted they had no information whatsoever about where's being upgraded so far (so eircom couldn't get any tips) and that the only way you'll find out you're upgraded at the moment is if you get a letter in the door.

Anyone know any insider info on what part of the city might be next? Or will it just expand street by street from Tallaght/Lucan?

celticfc

I've just ordered the 750kbps connection today & it's due for install in august on the 10th of August. (Tallaght D24 here)

Can't wait

seamus

Originally posted by Emerson
Are you in Lucan by any chance?

Technically yeah. In the part that Liam Lawlor had rezoned as Lucan instead of Clondalkin....so for a lot of our services, we get treated as being in Clondalkin.

I've just ordered the 750kbps connection today & it's due for install in august on the 10th of August. (Tallaght D24 here)

Is that the standard amount of time it takes, or just the only time you were available? Seems like a long time.

I put in an order online last night, and haven't heard anything, so if they don't ring tomorrow, I'm going to ring them. I'm dying to get it

celticfc

Originally posted by seamus
Is that the standard amount of time it takes, or just the only time you were available? Seems like a long time.

Not sure really, that was just the earliest date availbale (so the guy from sales said), he did say he'd call if there were any cancellations etc. to get me a quicker time though.

Lenny

I'm just after getting a letter from NTl there today. its quite confusing now.

"Dear mr x,
We have just compleate an audit on the accounts of thecustomers who subscribe to ntl's internet service. We have found that you are currently being billed for both ntl's dial-up and 'broadband' internet services, however you do not appear to have used the dial-up service since broadband was install for you. There for we assume you do not require this service and have arranged a credit on your ntl account of the €15 monthly charge associated with the dial-up service from the date broadban was installed.
The credit ammount due to you is €39, this has been applied to your account to offset against the ammount currently owed to ntl.


Now what I don't quite get is 1) the dial-up service was free because I was on the 2 way network I though.
2) I've have broadband for nearly 2 years now. but I upgraded the connection from 600k to 1meg about 2 months ago, would they be talking about this?

3) the 1meg connection now costs me less than the 600k connection(used to cost me 40month, now this costs me 35)

Now should I ring them up, see if I am entitled to all of my charge of €15 of the past 24 months of my cable? or should I stay quiet as I am being charged less now for the higher rate of bb

mad m

@lenny

oh i dont know lenny......same sorta thing happened with me but was the tax man...i said to wife dont ring them and ofcourse she didnt listen to me,so i ended up owing them over 200euro plus im down 14 euro in wages but wife ended up getting 60 more......conspiracy i hear u say about wife?...i totally agree with u.....if ur getting cheaper now they might cop it later on down the road and ull be billed for it,so it might be better to ring them....

goodluck

unkel

Originally posted by maxheadroom
The download "cap" is only a guide, they'll contact you and ask you to slow down a bit if you're constantly downloading more than 1 GB a day

What cap? No mention of a cap in the contract I signed over a year ago

Did a wee stress test at the time and downloaded 100GB in 5 weeks

Upgraded from 600kbps (€40/mth) to 1000kbps (€50/mth) as soon as it became available

The uptime and download speeds are excellent and contention... what contention? Always get the full speed

Having uttered all that praise, even though NTL offer a great service in this country compared to the competition, it is many years behind compared to countries not as backward as this third world country, like modern western countries like Tunesia :rolleyes:

mad m

Originally posted by unkel


Did a wee stress test at the time and downloaded 100GB in 5 weeks :

haha....well post from ntl i got and in the small print it said 30gig a month.....

seamus

Originally posted by mad m
haha....well post from ntl i got and in the small print it said 30gig a month.....

Yeah, same here. Ordered today. The girl on the phone knew we had just received a letter saying we could get it, so obviously they're tracking the effectiveness of the notices and/or they in sales know who's just been upgraded.

Got an install date for 13th August, the last one available that week, so obviously there's huge interest, and they're barely keeping up with demand.

"The Irish people aren't interested in the Internet". Nice one eircom.

neokenzo

How are the pings like with NTL? Are they now avaible for Dublin City Centre?

asmith

Got an install date for 13th August, the last one available that week, so obviously there's huge interest, and they're barely keeping up with demand.

The uptake must be amazing. I ordered on the 12th of July and had it installed on the 17th.

Got the highest package (1.5Mb) but it's only running at 1Mb until the end of August. Still though, having used dialup for years, I'm finding all the spare time great. No more spending hours just to download a few meg. Pings are pretty good IMO (although I'm not a gamer). In or around an average of 38ms to www.boards.ie.

Wookie

neokenzo

I think this might be cover above in a sticky...

Anyway from memory (am in work right now)

20 - 40 to most UK game servers (jolt)
30 - 50 to Irish servers (boards)

I game most days, do a little P2P file sharing and Xbox Live, and NTL has worked perfectly.

I am very interest to see how the impending roleout will effect latency, contention and the NTL service in general. Up to now it has been great but they have been operating well under capacity...

Mercury_Tilt

This post has been deleted.

Ripwave

Originally posted by Mercury_Tilt
as the 1mb line is going up to 1.5mb..... is the price going up to?

Im on a 1mb at the mo and I cant remember what I am paying.

Just go to www.ntl.ie and click on that little "broadband internet" link at the bottom of the page.

neokenzo

Thats true Wookie. So far they have not been operating at full capacity. Would be interested to see the effects if they operate at full capacity.

gaui3d0pnbz86o

anyone who can get it count yourself lucky!

i live in lucan and decided to ring them , gave all my details, account number ect, and they say....... no

following is a transcript
me: why?
NTL: sure you get your tv through our mmds service, you know the ariel on your roof?
me:eh we havent had that in over 11 years, are you kidding me.
NTL:[confirms details] no no no you have an ariel on your roof, it says so on my computer
me:i think i know whats on my roof,there is no ariel also i have digital tv off you too which you cant get through mmds
NTL:hmm well you have an ariel
::click::

11 year old informaion well i never

maxheadroom

Originally posted by flameboy
anyone who can get it count yourself lucky!

i live in lucan and decided to ring them , gave all my details, account number ect, and they say....... no

following is a transcript
me: why?
NTL: sure you get your tv through our mmds service, you know the ariel on your roof?
me:eh we havent had that in over 11 years, are you kidding me.
NTL:[confirms details] no no no you have an ariel on your roof, it says so on my computer
me:i think i know whats on my roof,there is no ariel also i have digital tv off you too which you cant get through mmds
NTL:hmm well you have an ariel
::click::

11 year old informaion well i never

follow them up on this, have the information formally queried, get them to send an engineer out to physically check your availability (I had to do all of these things because they thought my house was somewhere else :rolleyes: )

gaui3d0pnbz86o

@maxheadroom

i know the feeling, it took a long time to even convince them i lived in lucan when we got the digital tv, they thought we were somewhere else compleatly,

sigh, why cant life be simple and without problems

Lenny

Originally posted by Mercury_Tilt
as the 1mb line is going up to 1.5mb..... is the price going up to?

Im on a 1mb at the mo and I cant remember what I am paying.

they're upgrading all their connections,
1meg becomes 1.5
600 becomes 750
150 becomes 300

prices are staying the same
the 1meg(1.5) costs 50 a month

dub45

Originally posted by maxheadroom
follow them up on this, have the information formally queried, get them to send an engineer out to physically check your availability (I had to do all of these things because they thought my house was somewhere else :rolleyes: )

It is always worth threatening them with Comreg.

In fact if you ring Comreg particularly with something as ridiculous as this you will find that they have someone there who liaises with NTL unofficially on various issues and that will get a response from NTL for you. I speak from experience and even though the matter was not strictly a comreg issue it worked for me and the girl in Comreg was exceptionally helpful.

NTL must have one of the worst customer services in the universe! :rolleyes:

vishal

what i don't understand is why they don't tell their customers when they will be upgraded to recieve cable bb? they say that it is to prevent eircom from promoting bb in those areas before they launch but as it is, they will only tell if you can receive it is by putting in your ntl a/c number in the form on their webpage or ringing up with it. i know not everybody has an a/c with ntl but this would be few.

Da Man

It's obviously bollocks because Eircom has already rolled out ADSL in every area NTL is going to cover. I suspect it's because NTL will rollout a lot slower than what they're marketing hype is implying, so they're hoping to keep people away from other choices. I can't think of any other logical reason, assuming NTL applies logic to anything they do.

seamus

Originally posted by Da Man
It's obviously bollocks because Eircom has already rolled out ADSL in every area NTL is going to cover. I suspect it's because NTL will rollout a lot slower than what they're marketing hype is implying, so they're hoping to keep people away from other choices. I can't think of any other logical reason, assuming NTL applies logic to anything they do.

Well, it may not be total bollox. NTL have the benefit that if their service is available in an area, then most if not all subscribers will be able to avail of it. Eircom have a disastrously high line failure rate, so NTL may be worried that if Eircom find out that a rollout is about to occur in an area, then eircom will go out of their way to begin passing lines (I originally spelt that "lies" - faux pas, or freudian slip? ) in order to sign people up.

Da Man

Probably not much point in speculating about it, but I could never really understand why Eircom don't just fix poor lines. If they don't fix lines, they can't sell services. It seems they have decided that it makes business sense to not sell services, so it's difficult to see what NTL's entry on the scene would do to change that attitude. It's also quite evident that eircom's line test is too stringent so if they really cared they could lower the critiera.

seamus

Originally posted by Da Man
Probably not much point in speculating about it, but I could never really understand why Eircom don't just fix poor lines.

They're still making handsome amounts on per-minute users, FRIACO users and ISDN users. Businesses in particular, if they can't get DSL, will either sign up for ISDN, or shock, horror get a leased line.
If ISDN is 4 times slower than DSL, then they must stay connected 4 times longer to get their business done (well, bit of a red herring since DSL is always-on, but the principle is sound).

Wait until they have their download cap billing set up and they've tweaked the charges to get the most money out of it. Then you'll see them signing up everyone and their uncle.

dub45

Originally posted by seamus
...
Wait until they have their download cap billing set up and they've tweaked the charges to get the most money out of it. Then you'll see them signing up everyone and their uncle.

I wonder though what percentage of people are actually big downloaders and would those who are big into downloading not head for isps with bigger caps?

Da Man

I would hazard a guess that packet switched data services are more profitable than circuit switched data services. If you can sell the same 512k bandwidth 48 times at €30 a month or whatever you're looking at some pretty healthy margins I would have thought. Otherwise telco's the world over wouldn't have invested in broadband technology.

johnjay

Originally posted by flameboy


i know the feeling, it took a long time to even convince them i lived in lucan when we got the digital tv, they thought we were somewhere else compleatly,

I know the feeling - an NTL Support person once told me that my house "did not exist”

“Number 35 and 37 exist sir, but 36 does not – are you sure you live in 36?”

does anyone know when Broadband is coming to Harolds X? I have UTV Clicksilver at the moment, but I would really, really love to ditch my Eircom line!

Ripwave

Originally posted by dub45
I wonder though what percentage of people are actually big downloaders and would those who are big into downloading not head for isps with bigger caps?

UTV claim that only about 2% of their users exceed their download allowance in any given month. (according to the letter that they sent out to their customers recently, that was posted here).