Broadband options in Cork?

corkstudent

Just wondering what's available at the moment, preferably wireless.

I hear Chorus is quite good since they're cable. Unsure I can get that in though.

real_484

have been using novanetworks for the last few years and found them good, no contention and no caps.

Digiweb, amocon and another two that also supply wireless.

corkstudent

Are they all line of site? Is there anything like Ripwave but with better download speeds & download limit?

What would the situation be with landlords letting me mount something.

Magnet: Rory

To my knowledge the three fastest in Cork are UPC(Chorus/NTL), Magnet and Smart. Yes you need a phone line for Smart and Magnet and yes UPC is fixed broadband, but wireless really is always going to be the poorer cousin of DSL or Cable.

corkstudent

Just wondering how hard it would be to get chorus in....

Solair

Getting UPC Cable in in Cork city and most of the commuter belt around it is easy enough. The cables either run underground, or along the front of houses, you'll see them usually as a single or double thick coax running along just below the roof level and jumping house to house.

All they do is run a wire in to your house from there, typically through a window ledge.

Set top box / modem just plug in there.

Usually, you need to pay by Direct Debit, and there's a 12 month minimum contract. There's no installation fee though, if you book your installation via www.upc.ie

UPC can do phone service in many areas too. So, it's a good alternative to an eircom line.

Just remember, whatever package you subscribe to may be discounted for 3 months and after that you may have to pay the full price for the remainder of the 12 month minimum period (i.e. 9 months). So beware!

Their TV packages are VASTLY improved on what they were under the Chorus regime. There's a pretty decent channel line up and they offer a DVR (like Sky+) type box for a few quid extra.

If you can't get UPC Cable, DO NOT connect to their wireless MMDS TV service as it doesn't have any broadband or phone options.

To get Smart or Magnet, you need to first of all subscribe to eircom. They'll install the line quickly, but there's often a hefty installation fee if there's no line already present in the house, or if it's been switched off for years.

Check if you've got a phone socket anywhere in your house/apartment. Plug in a phone, if there's a dial tone dial 199000 and it will read back the number to you.
Then dial 1901 and speak to sales and it can be re-activated pretty much over the phone.

Basically eircom don't disconnect most phone lines when people move out / cease the service. Rather, they just block all the incomming and outgoing calls and assign the line a vacant number. When a new account's set up they can reactivate the line at the click of a mouse.

If there's no dial tone, then you'll have to get a full installation. Sometimes they have online offers, sometimes they don't. It can vary between free and about €150 !!

The other wonderful problem with DSL in Ireland is the fact that eircom can install a line and then you discover that the damn thing can't support DSL at all and you'll have no comeback as eircom will have just installed a working phone line for voice service.

In Cork City and suburbs, you really shouldn't have any issues, but if you're in a far flung spot you might want to get some local advice before committing to an installation. Also, have a word with the engineer on the day and tell him that you need the line for DSL and to ensure that there's a copper path right back to the exchange. He'll know what you're on about and to be fair, they're usually very helpful about these things. It's the call centre drones that are unable to help with most things!

Magnet: Rory

not that difficult, but its a bit of a lottery so ring all the providers you know of.

barnicles

Upc id pay are the best. Speeds upto 20mb. Pity im in the middle of nowhere

corkstudent

I'm just outside the City Centre, around Turners Cross(near UCC).

I'm just moving in to rented accommodation I got from randomly meeting an estate agent. I'm wondering about getting Chorus if there's a 12 month minimum contract - I may not be staying that long. And generally the wireless options require something be nailed to the side of the house. What's the cancelation fee like for Chorus? Do you think it'd be hard to reach an agreement to see if we can keep it for the room fter i move out?

She's friendly and I can talk it over but she's not very technically minded. I need to have my facts straight.

I have to sort it out soon though mind... I'm no good at surviving more than a few days at a time without internets.

DECEiFER

corkstudent wrote: »

I'm just outside the City Centre, around Turners Cross(near UCC).

I'm just moving in to rented accommodation I got from randomly meeting an estate agent. I'm wondering about getting Chorus if there's a 12 month minimum contract - I may not be staying that long. And generally the wireless options require something be nailed to the side of the house. What's the cancelation fee like for Chorus? Do you think it'd be hard to reach an agreement to see if we can keep it for the room fter i move out?

She's friendly and I can talk it over but she's not very technically minded. I need to have my facts straight.

I have to sort it out soon though mind... I'm no good at surviving more than a few days at a time without internets.

Don't opt to pay by Direct Debit. They will send you a paper bill that you can pay via Post Office. Then when you're ready to leave, call them up and tell them you'll be going and to cancel the service. If they refuse, just cut and run. They'll never find you.

I was living with two friends up to about March. I never used the TV, so it was up to my friends to foot the bill for their usage. They never paid Chorus a cent and they had us cut off in early March, just before they moved out. I stayed in the same house until the last week of May, bills coming in every month. I wasn't going to pay them, and seemingly nor were my friends. The total owing was €275. Turns out that, according to the friend that the account's name was under, he had done many cut and runs with Chorus in the past. Never has he been found out. No doubt he'll do the same again next time.

I should also mention that between the three of us, we owe BT Ireland over €700. We had 6 months of free 3Mb broadband, until they cut us off in March, too. When I'm rich and famous, I'll pay my third off. Luckily the account was also in that same friend's name. They didn't come knocking, and I doubt they'll find him anyhow.

I cut and ran from Irish Broadband in June. I had them paid off for what I used, but I was only 2 months into a 6 month contract on Ripwave Plus with them. They got their money for the 2 months that I used them for, and I did send them the modem back straight away, so that's all that matters to me. I cancelled my Debit Card and ordered a new one with a new number, so they couldn't charge me against my wishes. This is relevant to your dilemma.

I should let you know that if I was working full time, and was not a student who is getting no government funding, I'd have paid all my bills. It started out with good intentions. However, I would have no problem in leaving early from a contract, without paying a charge, if I had no other option.

Good luck!

corkstudent

Are there any companies that have shoter term contracts, i.e. 6 months or so? Also what's the cancelation fee?

DECEiFER

corkstudent wrote: »

Are there any companies that have shoter term contracts, i.e. 6 months or so? Also what's the cancelation fee?

Ripwave and many DSL operators do. There's not much good Broadband out there without getting a phone line in. That and cable are the most solid. Anything else is a much bigger gamble in terms of reliability.

To answer your second question:

UPC.ie wrote:

12 month contract applies. Variable cancellation fees will apply should you cancel the service during the first 12 months.

corkstudent

That doesn't say how much the cancellation fee is

DECEiFER

corkstudent wrote: »

That doesn't say how much the cancellation fee is

Freephone them on 1908 from any phone, including mobiles.

corkstudent

I'll see if I get a chance but I ned to sort it out with the agency first.

What exactly does getting Chorus entail? So I can explain exactly what happens. Are there any structural changes like nailing something to the house?

DECEiFER

corkstudent wrote: »

I'll see if I get a chance but I ned to sort it out with the agency first.

What exactly does getting Chorus entail? So I can explain exactly what happens. Are there any structural changes like nailing something to the house?

Just copper wire. Nothing will be nailed to the house. But if there's no cable line in the house, it will have to be brought in. I'm not totally sure, you'll have to call UPC so that you can find out from them.

Magnet: Rory

DECEiFER is right, the best thing you can do is call them......and mail them.....just incase they are too busy to answer the phone.

I would advise you to do it ASAP though, if you think about it too much you'll be left waiting. Ask a few providers and see who you trust most, have a look on boards to see what others are saying, but seriously do it fast otherwise youll be waiting.

corkstudent

I need to know exactly what it entails before i can go enquiring though.

Magnet: Rory

Not at all, they'll tell you everything over the phone or at least on a mail, honestly they have all the info at their fingertips.

Just say your calling for a quote, you dont have to buy. People on here will only be able to tell you so much, with broadband providers each case is different.

barnicles

Cable is irelands best bb

Magnet: Rory

barnicles have you ever heard of fibre optic?

DECEiFER

Rorser wrote: »

barnicles have you ever heard of fibre optic?

FTTH is a dream, unless you live in some new estates in Dublin and some other select locations. I doubt even 1,000 people are able to avail of it at the moment.

Magnet: Rory

11,000 (residential) and rising according to internet reports(through Magnet and Smart), even if you cant get fibre there are a lot of cases where ADSL2+ is superior to cable.

barnicles

Yes. And how many can get UPC compared to fiber

DECEiFER

Rorser wrote: »

11,000 (residential) and rising according to internet reports(through Magnet and Smart), even if you cant get fibre there are a lot of cases where ADSL2+ is superior to cable.

11,000? I wasn't aware those areas we so highly and densely populated. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. However, it's still quite a small number compared to people who can get UPC, or ADSL2+.

Rorser, given the choice, I'd go ADSL2+ over cable myself. Usually (except in Eircom's case), ADSL2+ is uncontented (1:1 contention ratio).

Moriarty

DECEiFER wrote: »

Rorser, given the choice, I'd go ADSL2+ over cable myself. Usually (except in Eircom's case), ADSL2+ is uncontented (1:1 contention ratio).

What? No it's not.

DECEiFER

Moriarty wrote: »

What? No it's not.

Smart and Magnet, they offer 1:1. Other operators around the world do similar. But there will be some who don't. That's what I've been saying all along about ADSL2+.

Moriarty

DECEiFER wrote: »

Smart and Magnet, they offer 1:1. Other operators around the world do similar. But there will be some who don't. That's what I've been saying all along about ADSL2+.

Smart and magnet don't offer 1:1 on their residential services. They say that they upgrade backhaul links as they approach saturation. That's not the same. 1:1 dsl (adsl, radsl, adsl2+ it matters not) is available here, but you'll pay through the nose for it.

The vast majority of dsl services that I've seen offered around the world have been specifically detailed as contended aswell. Certainly there's no where near >50% of dsl connections world wide being run under an uncontended setup. I'd be massively surprised if it was even reaching low single digits.

DECEiFER

Moriarty wrote: »

Smart and magnet don't offer 1:1 on their residential services. They say that they upgrade backhaul links as they approach saturation. That's not the same. 1:1 dsl (adsl, radsl, adsl2+ it matters not) is available here, but you'll pay through the nose for it.

The vast majority of dsl services that I've seen offered around the world have been specifically detailed as contended aswell.

That's it. I'm packing, and moving to Sweden. They say that for every person in Sweden, there's 1KM of Fibre Optics.

A guy I know has a 10MB up and down connection He's paying about €40 a month for it, he lives in an apartment block, and he's getting 1:1. I've known him since 2005 and he's had it since before then. He's a professional programmer and network administrator, and he uses his home connection to run game servers, among other small things. What kills me is that he is 100% legit and never uses P2P. He pays for everything! :P

Magnet: Rory

barnicles we are not talking numbers, its about what material/technology can provide a superior service, cable BB is not the best BB in Ireland.

barnicles

As i can see upc has the best in terms of coverage and speed put together

Magnet: Rory

thats really stretching it....but im not going to keep arguing this.....mainly because nobody knows what areas UPC cover except UPC (i have tried many times to get a map) and ADSL2+ is, in a huge amount of cases superior to a cable service.

There are around 100 variables at play here (contention, ping speeds, line quality, attainable speed etc.)and saying UPC bb is the best just doesn't add up.

corkstudent

So can anyone tell me exactly what getting cable in would entail?

Magnet: Rory

it depends 100% on the set up you have in your house. If its already wired your fine, if its not it'll be hassle. You have to ring them to find out, broadband might not even be available in that area with UPC.

corkstudent

So what would be the most likely thing I could get in? Does anyone have experience living in rented accomodation and getting stuff like this in?

corkstudent

I'm moving down tomorrow.

How long does it take to get ADSL if I have a telephone line(I doubt it)? How long could Cable take, and how long would wireless take?

admol

corkstudent wrote: »

I'm moving down tomorrow.

How long does it take to get ADSL if I have a telephone line(I doubt it)? How long could Cable take, and how long would wireless take?

When you get to the house try and see if the house is already cabled for chorus. You'll be looking for coaxial cable somewhere near where the tv would be. You could always ring them as already suggested here as they will know from your address. If it is not already cabled they would have to install a coaxial cable in the house and presumably you would need landlord permission for this. Best bet would be to ring them and find out what cabling the house entails. If they mention anything about an MMDS ariel this means they will not be able to supply you with broadband so be weary its via cable only into the house.

Failing that you could get the landline activated in your name and get either Eircom or UTV broadband (6 month contracts) and save yourself the hassle. While UTV would be cheaper in the long run it will take them longer to have broadband set up on your line compared with Eircom. If you do go with UTV you will first have to get Eircom to acvtivate the line for phone only and DO NOT mention to them that you are intending to get broadband from UTV as this may delay your order.

corkstudent

admol wrote: »

When you get to the house try and see if the house is already cabled for chorus. You'll be looking for coaxial cable somewhere near where the tv would be. You could always ring them as already suggested here as they will know from your address. If it is not already cabled they would have to install a coaxial cable in the house and presumably you would need landlord permission for this. Best bet would be to ring them and find out what cabling the house entails. If they mention anything about an MMDS ariel this means they will not be able to supply you with broadband so be weary its via cable only into the house.

Failing that you could get the landline activated in your name and get either Eircom or UTV broadband (6 month contracts) and save yourself the hassle. While UTV would be cheaper in the long run it will take them longer to have broadband set up on your line compared with Eircom. If you do go with UTV you will first have to get Eircom to acvtivate the line for phone only and DO NOT mention to them that you are intending to get broadband from UTV as this may delay your order.

There isn't a TV in the house I don't think, at least not in the living room. Though it could still be wired for cable, just nobody watches TV outside of their room. Unsure if it has a phone, I'd imagine it might do. The Landlady/Agency person said people had gotten wireless internet in before. I'm unsure if that's ASDL with a wireless router or what, there's no mast/aerial on the roof.

admol

corkstudent wrote: »

There isn't a TV in the house I don't think, at least not in the living room. Though it could still be wired for cable, just nobody watches TV outside of their room. Unsure if it has a phone, I'd imagine it might do. The Landlady/Agency person said people had gotten wireless internet in before. I'm unsure if that's ASDL with a wireless router or what, there's no mast/aerial on the roof.

Well look in the front room where the tv would typically be and see if there is a coaxial adapter on the wall. Actually just ring chorus and ask them :rolleyes:

Remember you will be subject to a minimum 12 month contract with chorus and you will have to pay the remainder of the contract once you terminate. Contrary to the ill advice already given here i wouldn't recommend leaving a bill.

DECEiFER

Yeah, bad idea. I shouldn't have mentioned it. Just get a phoneline in and use ADSL. 6 month contract with BT.

Lead time can be up to a month for activating the line and getting broadband. I was lucky, got mine in 2 weeks last September. Line was in the house, and it wad dead. So BT activated it for a fee and 2 weeks later, 3Mb broadband was flowing in it.

corkstudent

admol wrote: »

Well look in the front room where the tv would typically be and see if there is a coaxial adapter on the wall. Actually just ring chorus and ask them :rolleyes:

Remember you will be subject to a minimum 12 month contract with chorus and you will have to pay the remainder of the contract once you terminate. Contrary to the ill advice already given here i wouldn't recommend leaving a bill.

Well, I'd most likely sort something out with the agency/landlord if that happened. I'll probably be keeping it for close to a year and I imagine other people will be using them.

I haven't been around during the day unfortunately so I haven't been able to ring. I looked where the Telly should be(gone at the moment), there'sablack cable coming out of the wall going into a white box, kind of the size of a lightswitch/power socket panel, reminds me a bit of the LAN sockets you see in college, with two aerial cable type thingies coming out of it.

Do you think this might be it? There's a lot of wires seemingly going into the house, but no phone line. I also didn't see an aerial, and there was a an indoors TV aerial there(presumably if it's cable, nobody pays for it).

If it isn't, would I be best off getting wireless? Or would that involve just as many wires as getting cable in anyway? I'm in the front room(though it's a large room and no power socket near the window) if that's any help.

DECEiFER

It seems that you already have a cable line going into your house. UPC wouldn't need to do much do make it theirs.

When you get a chance, 1908 is the number. Free call, even from mobiles.

jArgHA

Hi corkstudent

I have used Chorus (now UPC) in Cork city for the past 2 years or so for my broadband. They are by no means perfect (service has cut out a number of times during the past 2 years, and sometimes for up to 3 days), but generally I was happy enough with them.... until the merge happened between Chorus & NTL => UPC.

It seems that now UPC are trying to fleece their customers who avail of broadband only - I have no interest in subscribing to their TV service, I just want their broadband offering.

The first thing that happened after the merge was they rolled out a €3 per month charge for customers who do not pay by direct debit - I rather paying through my online banking, but now have to cough up an extra €3 per month for their b****** administration charges incurred. So that brought the package that I pay for up to €33 p/m.

The next thing that happened was just today when I got my latest bill - they have now thrown on an extra €6 / month for those customers who opt not to take the TV service. This is absolutely outrageous and is no doubt a sneaky ploy by UPC to try and get customers like myself to subscribe to TV services as well as just broadband. So that brought the original cost from €30 p/m up to the now crazy €39 p/m, and that is for a 1.5mbps cable package.

Doing a test on the actual speed of the connection more often than not shows that the speed is in fact sub 300kbps. I am now seriously considering switching to another provider, but choices are limited as I do not want to install a phone line and would rather not go with a wireless option which are generally more flaky.

Aaaaarghhh UPC are cowboys

edit: it looks like my package was upgraded to 10mbps without me even knowing - but having said this Irishisptest.com tells me my download speed is only 273kbps

DECEiFER

jArgHA wrote: »

Hi corkstudent

I have used Chorus (now UPC) in Cork city for the past 2 years or so for my broadband. They are by no means perfect (service has cut out a number of times during the past 2 years, and sometimes for up to 3 days), but generally I was happy enough with them.... until the merge happened between Chorus & NTL => UPC.

It seems that now UPC are trying to fleece their customers who avail of broadband only - I have no interest in subscribing to their TV service, I just want their broadband offering.

The first thing that happened after the merge was they rolled out a €3 per month charge for customers who do not pay by direct debit - I rather paying through my online banking, but now have to cough up an extra €3 per month for their b****** administration charges incurred. So that brought the package that I pay for up to €33 p/m.

The next thing that happened was just today when I got my latest bill - they have now thrown on an extra €6 / month for those customers who opt not to take the TV service. This is absolutely outrageous and is no doubt a sneaky ploy by UPC to try and get customers like myself to subscribe to TV services as well as just broadband. So that brought the original cost from €30 p/m up to the now crazy €39 p/m, and that is for a 1.5mbps cable package.

Doing a test on the actual speed of the connection more often than not shows that the speed is in fact sub 300kbps. I am now seriously considering switching to another provider, but choices are limited as I do not want to install a phone line and would rather not go with a wireless option which are generally more flaky.

Aaaaarghhh UPC are cowboys

edit: it looks like my package was upgraded to 10mbps without me even knowing - but having said this Irishisptest.com tells me my download speed is only 273kbps

The €6 extra has been there for quite a while, late 2007 at least. Don't know about the €3 for the non-dd payments. I used to get bills in the post for normal post office payments, and saw no €3 admin charge. That said, it was for TV, not broadband.

If your speed is being reported as being as slow as it is, call 1908 and have them look into it. Otherwise, just try different configurations (such as taking the router out of the equation, or putting one into the equation). Also, try using a different PC. Do a speedtest when you try something different. If it's the same, call UPC.

jArgHA

DECEiFER wrote: »

The €6 extra has been there for quite a while, late 2007 at least.

Nope, the €6 charge only started in June 2008 - the most recent bill today outlined the change in billing structure (apparently they had sent some letter out about it a month back which I never got). It is a damn sneaky ploy, plus they are charging me for the broadband express service (supposed to be 10mbps) but I just tried speedtest.net and I'm fairly certain now that I'm still on the 3mbps (broadband value package) which should only be €20 p/m.

Can anyone tell me when the speed increases came in?

DECEiFER

jArgHA wrote: »

Nope, the €6 charge only started in June 2008 - the most recent bill today outlined the change in billing structure (apparently they had sent some letter out about it a month back which I never got). It is a damn sneaky ploy, plus they are charging me for the broadband express service (supposed to be 10mbps) but I just tried speedtest.net and I'm fairly certain now that I'm still on the 3mbps (broadband value package) which should only be €20 p/m.

Can anyone tell me when the speed increases came in?

The newest increases, the 10Mb speed for you, came in July. Before that it was 6Mb, and it depended on whether you contacted UPC and asked for it (which is odd, and a bit useless).

As bad as you might think that €6 charge is, it is clearly marked on the site for potential new customers. However, existing customers should be treated better.

Freddie59

Rorser wrote: »

thats really stretching it....but im not going to keep arguing this.....mainly because nobody knows what areas UPC cover except UPC (i have tried many times to get a map) and ADSL2+ is, in a huge amount of cases superior to a cable service.

There are around 100 variables at play here (contention, ping speeds, line quality, attainable speed etc.)and saying UPC bb is the best just doesn't add up.

I think what Barnicles is trying to say is that the existing phone networks won't support widespread ADSL2+ because of the condition of much of the phone system (I stand corrected if wrong). Whereas I beieve the majority of the UPC network now supports BB?

corkstudent

DECEiFER wrote: »

It seems that you already have a cable line going into your house. UPC wouldn't need to do much do make it theirs.

When you get a chance, 1908 is the number. Free call, even from mobiles.

It won't let me do it without an account number, at least not from a mobile.

DECEiFER

corkstudent wrote: »

It won't let me do it without an account number, at least not from a mobile.

It will if you wait it out. Wait a moment and then it will move on to options. At least, that's how it worked for me when I rang not too long ago.

corkstudent

Yeah, was being impatient.

Very helpful, they're coming around to do it friday. Getting the wireless router too.

Can't wait. Never had a decent connection outside of college before. I'll be able to play TF2 and buy Steam games all I like!

KY

I always found Chorus to be quite good. i am moving to <snip> next month. does any one know of a good cheap wireless provider for there. do you know if o2 or 3g works there. i dont want to get a phone line. any feedback appreciated.