Feel like a rant?

dahamsta

RTE have been on asking if we know of anyone who's had trouble getting internet access in Ireland. Our answer: Plenty. So who's willing to talk to them? I need extreme stories here, like the day Eircom made you cry on the telephone, and ComReg drove you to drink. Stories with accompanying pictures of crusty copper and potty pairgains win extra bonus points!

Don't be shy now, and get your skates on!

adam

sceptre

Originally posted by dahamsta
Don't be shy now, and get your skates on!

I vote this a Very Good Idea
(potentially and hopefully)

As Adam implies above, this isn't the ultimate outlet for a whinge about Company X or Y (particularly company X). I'm going to make a presumption that this is where he's going, so a willingness to talk to RTE is pretty much a must if you're going to post your justified whinge. I like the idea of being able to furnish RTE with a list of people willing to tell their horror stories.

I live in the city so apart from the typical complaint about Esat's billing department (no longer a problem since I left their billing department behind after going to another company) and Eircom taking a month to install a line four years ago, I've got nothing good enough

dahamsta

I've got plenty to give out about but I'm in bad shape for travelling atm, what with the AGM this month, London next month and the EGM the month after. We're trying to get Elana on the show instead of me - much better looking and she can rant with the best of 'em - but of course I'll go if necessary.

C'mon folks, you won't get an opportunity like this again. Don't let us down!!!

adam /prepares his contingency "hello mum" poster

PS. Elana, make sure you wear the Buck Fush badge somewhere discreet!

bealtine

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RTE have been on asking if we know of anyone who's had trouble getting internet access in Ireland. Our answer: Plenty.

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So who do we talk to then:)

mike65

What programme is covering this?

Check RTE Radio one from 7.30pm this eveing for Future Shock
which is covering BB in Ireland. Should be fun.....:dunno:

Mike.

dahamsta

Don't know the details yet Mike, I'll pass them on when I get them. It's later in the week anyway, late night news show.

Is someone running a book on Eircom turning up if Elana's in studio?

adam

ekehoe

Originally posted by bealtine
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So who do we talk to then:)

Me. Now. I have the woman's number, and she needs some names.

E

ekehoe

Originally posted by mike65
What programme is covering this?

Network 2 news tomorrow night, or the night after, if she has problems getting folks.

E

ekehoe

Originally posted by dahamsta
RTE have been on asking if we know of anyone who's had trouble getting internet access in Ireland.

If there's anyone in Dublin who would be available tomrrow afternoon, please let me know...that's exactly who we should be looking for.

I'm also wishing that Paul could hop a train and come over for this...

E

parasite

Originally posted by mike65
What programme is covering this?

Check RTE Radio one from 7.30pm this eveing for Future Shock
which is covering BB in Ireland. Should be fun.....:dunno:

Mike.

yeah, that was great, "what is broadband ?" ... :rolleyes:

bealtine

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If there's anyone in Dublin who would be available tomrrow afternoon, please let me know...that's exactly who we should be looking for.
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I might be available tomorrow, depending on how things go...

Also, I live near a broadband enabled exchange and can't get broadband due to the
crap cooper hotch potch that eircom have supplied...

oscarBravo

Originally posted by ekehoe
I'm also wishing that Paul could hop a train and come over for this...

Who, me? Tomorrow, not a hope. Thursday: hmm, maybe...

stereo_steve

I'm very interested in this, can someone record it and stick it on line? I'm out of the country at the moment.

Thanks

Our man in Havana

damn pity you cant ring in id be more than happy to spill my guts over the phone to a person willing to listen to my entire sad story


Shin

Our man in Havana

<

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Ok now thats quite strange whys my sig been changed to bond 007

Im shinzon

Shin

jwt

Cookies?

Last person to use the computer was bond-007?

Or maybe............you are 007 dum dum dummmmmmm

ekehoe

Originally posted by bealtine
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If there's anyone in Dublin who would be available tomrrow afternoon, please let me know...that's exactly who we should be looking for.
//

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I might be available tomorrow, depending on how things go...

Also, I live near a broadband enabled exchange and can't get broadband due to the
crap cooper hotch potch that eircom have supplied...

Please ring me...my mobile is out there if you google for me and IrelandOffline (one of the old press releases).

I need to give her names and numbers...

Our man in Havana

Originally posted by Bond-007
<

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Ok now thats quite strange whys my sig been changed to bond 007

Im shinzon

Shin

You are obivously in AOL!! Please Identify yourself!

cgarvey

I could have offered my story of ringing eircom every week for 4 weeks in a row to be told each time I'd "never be able to get DSL" on my line. So much so that an operator agreed with me that "never" was a strong term to use, but she didn't know the reason.

On the 5th week I ring ESat to enquire about my line being unbundled, and they said that their provisional test showed I could get their DSL, but that they'd have to check with eircom. They did, and rang me back mid way through the 5th week. All was OK. So I asked for the forms to be sent out. The only draw back was a 3 month waiting list (yes, 3 months).

2 or 3 hours later eircom rang me to thank me for my enquiry and they were happy to "confirm" my line was suitable, so I applied there and then. That person had no idea why I was told "never". That was around Christmas, so it was installed the first week in Jan. I rang the 2nd week (and about 4 or 5 times since) and have been told all bar once that I will never be able to get DSL. Each time I've advised I have it, and that the misinformation might point to a bigger problem. To which I've been fobbed off with something like "thank you. we'll let the engineers know".. the online test seems to be completely random ast to whether or not my line is suitable.

The story is old though (1.5 years), and not very beefy other than eircom being typically stupid, and ESat about as interested in competing as my last Cadbury's Mini Roll.

Maybe someone with a story of "Open status" on DSL application/transfer would make a better argument?

.cg

ai ing

Any update on when the show is going to be?

Ripwave

Is there anyone who gets really slow internet dialup speeds, and can't get anything done about it because of the Kafkaesque refusal of ComReg to define "Functional Internet Access", so that eircom can claim that they only have to support voice connections, even though the USO specifically says that they have to support a notional (and undefined) Functional Internet Access?

cgarvey

Originally posted by Ripwave
Is there anyone who gets really slow internet dialup speeds, and can't get anything done about it because of the Kafkaesque refusal of ComReg to define "Functional Internet Access", so that eircom can claim that they only have to support voice connections, even though the USO specifically says that they have to support a notional (and undefined) Functional Internet Access?

Everytime I go home I have to put up with 9.6- 12Kbps .. twice since Christmas I've got up to 16K. Shortly after Christmas it went down to 2.something, so I rang eircom to see what they'd say )already knowing about the wonderful USO), and before I finished my sentence she cut me off saying they were only obliged to provide a voice service on my line. She then went on (in such a way which made me feel like I should fell I'm lucky to have a phone line at all!) to suggest ISDN .. great said I "can I get it?" (knowing full well I couldn't), "oh no, sorry I couldn't be of more help", and hung up straight away.

.cg

Gadgie

Originally posted by Ripwave
Is there anyone who gets really slow internet dialup speeds, and can't get anything done about it because of the Kafkaesque refusal of ComReg to define "Functional Internet Access", so that eircom can claim that they only have to support voice connections, even though the USO specifically says that they have to support a notional (and undefined) Functional Internet Access?

Watty?

Ripwave

Originally posted by cgarvey
Everytime I go home I have to put up with 9.6- 12Kbps .. twice since Christmas I've got up to 16K. Shortly after Christmas it went down to 2.something, so I rang eircom to see what they'd say )already knowing about the wonderful USO), and before I finished my sentence she cut me off saying they were only obliged to provide a voice service on my line. She then went on (in such a way which made me feel like I should fell I'm lucky to have a phone line at all!) to suggest ISDN .. great said I "can I get it?" (knowing full well I couldn't), "oh no, sorry I couldn't be of more help", and hung up straight away.

.cg

Write this up and send it to Elana and see if it would be of interest to RTE.

daymobrew

I'm on for giving my sob story about not being able to get DSL even though the people across the road can.

Would one have to go to Donnybrook?

Damien.

cgarvey

Originally posted by Ripwave
Write this up and send it to Elana and see if it would be of interest to RTE.

Too late, presumably, but emailed to her IoffL address anyway.

.cg

cgarvey

Originally posted by cgarvey
Too late, presumably, but emailed to her IoffL address anyway.

Which bounced... (tried elana at ioffl .org/net .. where ioffl=irelandoffline .. beat that harvesters!!)

Surely this address should be on IoffL website? If "members" can't contact, how does media/interested parties!!

So I've tried zen.org address which doesn't seemed to have bounced yet.

.cg

eoinm1

Originally posted by Glenn
Watty?

You right Glenn
Watty has been off line for a while now due to his crappy network connection.

sceptre

Originally posted by cgarvey
So I've tried zen.org address which doesn't seemed to have bounced yet.

That one should be fine - zen.org is Brendan's (and Elana's) own domain AFAIK.

ekehoe

Originally posted by cgarvey
Which bounced... (tried elana at ioffl .org/net .. where ioffl=irelandoffline .. beat that harvesters!!)

I don't think I've had an Ioffl email in a long time...most folk just get me at zen.

So I've tried zen.org address which doesn't seemed to have bounced yet.

Got it, and have just passed your info on to RTE. Thanks!

ekehoe

RTE needs people who STILL don't have broadband....anyone out there? Please let me know!!!

Get me at zen, or ring my mobile: 087 699 7371

Dangger

Should a member mail shot be considered for this?

Gadgie

Originally posted by ekehoe
RTE needs people who STILL don't have broadband....anyone out there? Please let me know!!!

Try PMing Watty about the functional internet access thing. I think he is off-line at present due to his crappy connection, but I recall him saying that he could pick up his email at work - if he has email notification turned on he might get your message.

Try PMing shinzon about the broadband.

Is it neccessary to travel for the interview or can it be done over the phone or by a crew from the regional news team?

cgarvey

Anna (I think) rang from RTE, but was only interested in stories about Dubs who still can't get BB.

The point I was trying to make earlier was that Elana should have an IoffL address (or any publshed address), and, more importantly, that contact details for IoffL should be included on the website.

.cg

Dangger

Contact details have been up on the site for years (mine then Christian's). Since the AGM Christian's number has been removed. I'm sure the acting committee can get a number up there.

The issue here is not contact being made. Contact has been made.

The issue is people coming forward with their stories. RTE want to highlight the fact that Eircm say broadband is available throughout Dublin, yet they know there are many who cannot get it. They also know there are many outside Dublin who can't get it, but for *this* news item the focus is Dublin.

Could I suggest that the thread title be changed to something more explanatory as most of the people come here for a rant any way!

Adam I am compiling your list with my right hand as I type this, you will have it tonight.

dahamsta

The email address is available on this page on the site. If you want a phone number, email us and we'll send it on.

adam

Ciaran500

Double Post

Ciaran500

So, if we get through do we have to appear on TV or do we just tell them our story to RTE

Cork

I am personally so tired of the slow roll out of broadband. My area will not get broadband for years.

Still, I am subjected to TV ads proclaiming the benefits of broadband.

daymobrew

Anna from RTE rang me last night and we had a good chat.
She didn't know when an interview might happen (no guarantees that I would be chosen) - could be as early as next week or as late as the end of the month.
She is interested in getting shots of my letters to Dermot Ahern and and Philip Nolan. I'll dig out the one from Feb 2002 where I asked him to sort out the stuff with ComReg to allow the rollout of i-stream.

swiss

My family home is in the sticks and as such can't get any DSL product. When I move back I have a choice between 56k (which is more like 40k even on a good connection) and wireless if I'm especially nice to a few people in Irishwan. I haven't even bothered to deal with Eircon or Comwreck because I know it would be about as productive as sticking my head in a blender, with approximately the same level of stress.

I don't know if this case is good enough to warrant any kind of interview, but I hate Eircom for their anti-competitive practices, and I know a few people around my area with similar complaints.

Personally, I think it would be preferable that the interviewee should have some personal experience with Eircon's inept customer service and engineering departments. It would be ironic if we couldn't get Watty to complain about his poor connection because of his poor connection.

zynaps

When I was living in my last place in Finglas, I initially investigated IBB as a broadband provider (better/cheaper/not eircom) but they were absolutely atrocious (called me back once, sent me out forms including a DD form I filled in and sent back, then didn't get back to me until I called them about 2 months later and said "WELL?"), then called eircom for a line test for DSL (intending to use another provider, either utv, (then) netsource or esat).

They said no, but they weren't sure, so I called back about a week later and was told the line passed and I could set up an install whenever, to which I said "I'll consider it, thanks bye (yeahright)".
A few days later, they called back at about 8pm one evening, got my ma on the phone and told her someone had enquired about the service and did we want it installed or what, to which she (assuming I did) said "yeah go ahead", and put the phone down just as I sprinted in mouthing "NO!!!".
So I called them straight back and asked them to cancel the order that had just been placed, because we didn't actually want it, and thanks anyway.

All good, right?

Anyway, a few weeks later, I called utv and went about setting things up with them, since they were then the cheapest and had a less-laughable bandwidth cap.

A few weeks later again, I called back to ask what the story was, and was told eircom had returned their order saying there was another order 'pending' on the line.
Thus began a two week process of calling eircom and utv every morning repeatedly to ask them what the problem was, having eircom DSL sales tell me the order was confirmed as cancelled, yada yada, while utv kept telling me "eircom wholesale" were saying that there was a slot in some exchange reserved for me which was stopping my order.
At the same time, eircom complaints refused to take my complaint about the issue as they said it was utv's responsibility (and presumably, not my right), and also refused to give me any way of directly getting in touch with eircom wholesale (who also weren't responding to utv's emails, according to utv).

Basically, some flustered manager at eircom ended up giving me the number of a mysterious engineer who wanted to help, but didn't get much of a chance as soon after, out of frustration, I called Comreg anyway and told them the story.
A day or two after calling Comreg, a friendly chap from eircom called me to explain that everything was sorted and sorry bout that, dunno how it could have happened. Comreg also called back a few days later to confirm that the issue had been resolved. Sometimes their bark is enough, I guess.

Ironically, and unfortunately for utv, IBB had finally come through and started communicating just before eircom had sorted themselves out, and offered me a free install for having been fobbed off for so long.
Soo... basically utv lost out because eircom messed something up that went unfixed for something like two months, and only then because I complained to Comreg.

Anyway, sorry that was so rambly, it was a long and annoying story (wish I'd kept notes now).

zynaps

damien

Zynaps,
I'd like to use your "experience" as one of the Broadband Horror stories. Any chance you could email this story again to research@irelandoffline.org and include your full name. Also, if you want to make it less rambly it'd be appreciated but I can use it as is here.

Damien.