dazzled by broadband options

bjd

i live in carrigaline in cork. I have a new house and refuse point blank to let eircom put a line in as i have a mobile and dont need or want to pay line rental costs for a landline phone i wouldnt use.

I am trying to get broadband but even though i am 8 miles only from cork city, there seems to be nothing available at reasonable cost.

What i would use broadband for is booking the aul concert tickets, the holidays and downloading music.

Digiweb told me they are 4/5 months away from providing coverage in this area and all other options seems expensive.

any thoughts? i went into callcosts.ie which was impressive in the way it laid out the various options but its hugely frustrating in a) i cant get broadband b) i cant get it at reasonable cost c) the govt do a broadband awareness campaign to REMIND us that we still cannot get broadband

any thoughts/help

i71jskz5xu42pb

bjd wrote:

i live in carrigaline in cork. I have a new house and refuse point blank to let eircom put a line in as i have a mobile and dont need or want to pay line rental costs for a landline phone i wouldnt use.

I am trying to get broadband but even though i am 8 miles only from cork city, there seems to be nothing available at reasonable cost.

What i would use broadband for is booking the aul concert tickets, the holidays and downloading music.

Digiweb told me they are 4/5 months away from providing coverage in this area and all other options seems expensive.

any thoughts? i went into callcosts.ie which was impressive in the way it laid out the various options but its hugely frustrating in a) i cant get broadband b) i cant get it at reasonable cost c) the govt do a broadband awareness campaign to REMIND us that we still cannot get broadband

any thoughts/help

Depends on what you mean by reasonable

If you are covered here
http://www.vodafone.ie/live/3g/how/cover/map.jsp

You could try this http://www.vodafone.ie/corporate/mailonthemove/3Gasmodem/index.jsp
or one of these
http://www.vodafone.ie/corporate/mailonthemove/laptopconnectivity/3grouter/index.jsp

I'm pretty sure there's an unlimited plan for 50 a month but there may also be something with your existing phone plan.

Foxwood

PaschalNee wrote:

Depends on what you mean by reasonable

If you are covered here
http://www.vodafone.ie/live/3g/how/cover/map.jsp

You could try this http://www.vodafone.ie/corporate/mailonthemove/3Gasmodem/index.jsp
or one of these
http://www.vodafone.ie/corporate/mailonthemove/laptopconnectivity/3grouter/index.jsp

I'm pretty sure there's an unlimited plan for 50 a month but there may also be something with your existing phone plan.

Given that you can get DSL for €35/month, including Line Rental, the Vodafone package is only a good option if you can't get DSL - it's cheaper to get the phone line in and pay for line rental if it's likely that DSL will be available in your location.

You'd want to be very principled to pay Vodfone an extra €15 because the notion of paying line rental sticks in your craw :-).

Urban Weigl

It's only €14 extra compared to the BT offer, but anyway, if you have a laptop, I think it's worth it because of the portability: you have access to the Internet anywhere your laptop goes. The same cannot be said for xDSL.

Of course it depends on what you want/need.

Foxwood

Urban Weigl wrote:

Of course it depends on what you want/need.

Well, the original poster did say

What i would use broadband for is booking the aul concert tickets, the holidays and downloading music.

Urban Weigl

He did not say weather he would see any value in being able to take his internet connection "on the road" with him.

For instance, he might want to book a concert ticket while on the train, or while visiting relatives who don't have the internet. On the other hand, he may not get any benefit, especially if he doesn't have a laptop and doesn't plan to get one... We don't know, hence my statement.

Blaster99

You can't really compare Vodafone's 3G service with ADSL. ADSL is vastly superior in every way (except mobility of course). You'd put up with Vodafone's 3G service if mobility is a key feature, otherwise it's pathetic in the greater scheme of things.

Urban Weigl

Like I said, it all depends on what you want to do with the service. In many cases, xDSL will be vastly superior, in others 3G will be (especially now that 1.8mbps+ speeds are only months away).

Urban Weigl

I should add, assuming portability isn't hugely important to you, and you have a good chance of getting ADSL (I assume you should be able to get it, given you're near Cork), the absolute best offer you can get is from BT Ireland: €35 a month for line rental + ADSL.

What you'd do is order the phone line from Eircom. Once they've installed it, it may take a few days (it no longer takes up to a month, does it?) for it to either pass or fail the line test. If it passes, get onto BT for their €35 bundle. If it fails, you might be able to get something done under the "amber" program. Worst case you'll have to cancel it again and you'll be down the installation fee and first month line rental.

Engineer

Try www.getbroadband.ie for services available in your area.There are a few there I think.I am in Ballygarvan village where we have a Smart Telecom wireless system but customer service is non-existent and outages are frequent, not recommended.

bjd

cheers for the info lads and ENGINEER i checked up that getbroadband.ie site, helpful enough in fairness, looks like BT for €35 per month is the best option but I still would prefer not to have to get a land line which BT needs. IRish broadband is mentioned in the list but carrigaline isnt shown as being covered in Irish broadbands coverage map. some other web forum was giving out about them so if anyone uses them and its grand, let me know.

OTherwise looks like I will be hanging on for Digiweb

Fitzee

If you want to go with Wireless, there is Irish Broadband, who you already know about. Also www.novanetworks.ie - www.voiceireland.ie/homeinternet.html - www.amocom.com

All of the above have coverage in your area but may or may not be able to offer you broadband. They need line-of-sight visibility to their high-site, so it's literally hit or miss, but if they cannot give you service, they don't charge you an install (worth confirming that with them).

If it's eircom you have the problem with, let them install the line and then transfer over to BT/Imagine/UTV including your line rental. Then you won't have to deal with eircom any more