Irish Broadband - Ripwave Downgraded!

krust

I have been a IBB user since arriving in Ireland. The service is atrocious most of the time, and I have seen better speeds on dial-up in Mozambique. No joke here.

However, I put up with them because of the lack of download limits. No, I do not download pirated material. I download video podcasts with HD quality. It takes forever to download btw, but at night it seems to pick up, so I leave the pc on.

Yesterday, I found out via a 3rd party, that their product line up has changed. My package seems to fall under the Ripwave Plus 10GB package, which has a 10GB download allowance. Instead of improving the service, they actually downgraded it, without any notification whatsoever (post, email, IBB website). I am afraid they may charge me for downloading well over the new limit.

This is it for me. IBB have absolutely nothing going on for them, except that a phone line is not required. I never agreed to these changes, and will be well pissed off if they started charging me differently, without ever notifying me.

I emailed them requesting an update on the status of my account, and demanded that a service manager contact me on my mobile (won´t happen, I know).

In short, on Monday I will begin the process of getting rid of them so I compiled a to do list (please feel free to add to it):

1) Go to AIB and cancel the direct debit from IBB
2) Call IBB to announce that I want the contract terminated within 30 days
4) Call BT and get them to install a phone line and provide broadband for me

Hopefully, the days of being broadband-impaired will be over soon.

watty

The quota will actually improve the service for everyone over the next month or two.

Generally people sign up to Ripwave either for the low cost / no phone line or nothing else is available. It's not inherently a very fast technology.

IBB fixed Wireless is about x10 faster and Digiweb from x5 faster up to x50 depending on which Digiweb system you get (Mobile, Fixed Wireless, Metro or Buisness Wireless).

BT don't install phone lines. Only eircom. Then it has to be tested for DSL, it may pass or fail.

Then you pay line rental (though it may be inside the overall charge). In a very limited number of Places you can get BT, Digiweb, Magnet or Smart LLU DSL which is higher speed & lower latency, otherwise any BT, Digiweb, Imagine/IBB, Perlico/Vodaphone, UTV etc DSL is eircom's DSL resold.

There is also the option of UPC cable broadband in some areas.

If BB is vital to you, then before you cancel make sure there is an alternative.

There is also 3, O2 or Vodaphone Mobile, but this is typically lower cap and slower to x4 faster than Ripwave and more expensive. Performance varys with location and number of users.

Jilm

Are you sure the 10GB DL limit isn't just for new costomers and not exisiting customers?

Have you phoned IBB about this before jumping to conclusions? You may want to put that at the top of your to do list

krust

I have emailed IBB demanding a status update. I will also call them on Monday and ask for a service manager to explain what is happening, and I will record the conversation.

What really pisses me off is that they basically downgraded the service. No benefits at all. Contention ratio increased, download limits... I mean, I have never seen anything like this. The best part is that they didn´t bother notifying any existing customer.

I already have O2 for mobility purposes, so it will do until something better comes up. I will not be tolerating a service if it is subject to these conditions.

We shall see on Monday... standby for an update.

krust

ok, I have just rang IBB and the agent confirmed that existing customers are not affected by these changes

now, I know better than to just sit back and take their word for it, so I went ahead and emailed them again requesting a confirmation

i feel for anyone that signs up for IBB now

dunworth1

its all imagines fault they bought ibb

jor el

krust wrote: »

4) Call BT and get them to install a phone line and provide broadband for me

Whatever you do, do NOT do this. If you think IBB are bad to deal with, you're in for a rude awakening if you start dealing with BT.

tullachBuí

Been a customer for almost 12 months now. Just logged on this evening and was welcomed by a screen notifying me that a cap was being introduced and that I could follow my usage on MyAccount page.

Is this for real!!

krust

Yes, it is real.

Called IBB yesterday. They confirmed my package became the Ripwave 10GB, despite what they had said just a couple of weeks ago. Yes, they lied to me about old customers maintaining their old package. Good show, IBB...

Again, I must stress this to old/new Ripwave customers: we are being ripped off big time! Essentially, the new package offers less at a higher price than anything else in the market.

I already canceled my account, and will drop off their modem at their premises. Also will cancel direct debit from IBB just to be sure. According to their Terms and Conditions, if I do not agree with their new offer I have the right to cancel the contract.

I now have to go out and find a real service provider. IBB´s current packages are a joke, considering what they have to offer now: a slow, unreliable service, neutered with download caps, and poor support.

If you are in the same position as me, I urge you to put the hurt on them, and cancel it today. I have never seen this before: an internet service provider actually degrading their service and increasing prices.

Ripwave is a ripoff. Stay away from Irish Broadband. You have been warned.

hoo

Can anyone here please tell me what exactly happens if one exceeds the limit (when on ripwave)? I am unable to find that information on IBB sites (is it there and I'm blind?). Do they cut you off? Send a warning? Contact you on the phone? Or simply charge you at the end of the month? thanks for answer

tullachBuí

Great. Without getting a phone line in I cannot get broadband from anyone else. €27 is a ripoff for what it is, and now this. Going from unlimited to 10GB cap! Seriously.

watty

Actually it's not really a rip off as the performance (latency and speed) will improve greatly if they implement any "over the limit" throttle properly (i.e. reduce speed on a rolling basis, though maybe all they can do is cut people off).

MYTOTE

is there any way of calling IBB to account?
What miffs me is that they have already taken cash from my bank account (direct debit)
I've been reading the rules and reg. Yes, they say the rules of the contract can be changed, something niggles me that direct debit agreements cannot be changed without prior notification.
I got the BBIBB testerday,, a couple of hours before I was notified That my D.D. was being processed.

MrVestek

watty wrote: »

Actually it's not really a rip off as the performance (latency and speed) will improve greatly if they implement any "over the limit" throttle properly (i.e. reduce speed on a rolling basis, though maybe all they can do is cut people off).

Yeah they have the capability to limit the bandwidth of certain customers who are taking the piss (and they already do, if they breach FUP they get limited to 10Kbps until their bill rolls around).

krust

Hello everyone,

Quick update:

So, I cancelled Irish Broadband. I was out of contract, so it was pretty easy, they actually send someone down to collect the modem.

The good news is, i got a phone line installed through eircom (156 euro :eek: ) and got BT broadband. I'm paying line rental + broadband for 46 euro a month. It took nearly a month to happen, but I used to work eircom support so I knew it would take a while.

I gotta say, so far so good. I am getting good speeds, and for 46 bucks a month, it is well worth it. It was literally plug and play. I got sync immediatelly and the speed diference from IB is not even comparable. I mean, it is fenomenal compared to Ripoff... I mean Ripwave.

I will be back if s**t hits the fan, so stay tuned

Dr_H_Lecter

Just thought you might like to know, IBB was down last night for the whole of dublin 15 and donegal (dont ask me) . Basically its the 2nd time in about 5 weeks, called their number, went through the options for tech support and there was an automated message saying that there was severe distruption. It pisses me off cause i only have a prepay credit phone, last time i spent 15 euro (2 or 3 calls) from being on hold etc.

krust

I'm sorry to hear that, mate.

Call them from a telephone booth, otherwise you will be wasting a boatload of cash over a mobile.

I did it that way and only spent a couple of euro.

I would not waste my time with emails, unless you want to make sure they have a record of your problems. An email automatically opens a service ticket on their system, but I never got a reply.

Muddles

krust wrote: »

ok, I have just rang IBB and the agent confirmed that existing customers are not affected by these changes

now, I know better than to just sit back and take their word for it, so I went ahead and emailed them again requesting a confirmation

i feel for anyone that signs up for IBB now

you know something your absolutely right, IBB are the biggest shower o' ****s on this island, i found out a few months after terminating a contract *take note now, i was living in GALWAY city, Where one of their HQ Deparments are and one of the Broadband masts* That IBB are owned by a nice big company in northern ireland, and guess what, they charge less for higher speeds on DSL broadband,and even lesser for FIXED WIRELESS, i had a problem with IBB when i decided i would attach a router to it, it worked alright but IBB would Detect the Router Firewall, Something Packet Inspection... and would change the "Fixed" IP address, making the router confused..

a few weeks later, we contacted them because we were moving outside the ripwave modem reception range, i emailed them as to arrange some sort of collection for the modem, they said "oh we'll pick it up" 1 month passed, and at that stage, it was in its box and bubbled wraped, what did they decide to do but to charge 80 Euros straight out the bank, in which we had cancelled Months beforehand,no notification, no email, no call, NO Communication...

I also noticed the downgrade some time ago, IBB used to be so H.Quality, it was actually worth investing broadband with them,

johnciall

1) way to drag up a 7 month old thread

2) "That IBB are owned by a nice big company in northern ireland,"
i'm pretty sure imagine is an irish company, and they own IBB

Muddles

lol i know, but seriously... i'm living in kildysart now, a supposed "broadband installed" area, all that is left, is for Eircom to get off their Fat-$%^&* and connect the exchange to a fibre-optic backbone/tunnel, two Days, is all it takes..
im on o2 Mobile at the moment, its quite sufficient for 20 a month, with the free modem, just to think that so many people are paying line rental just to have a landline in...i dont even use a phone, i own one just for the sake of being able to be contacted, it sucks!!!

*dontcha wish IBB did an offer like that, for old out of Production Modems*

_message to Broadband Companies_
Get off your lazy asses and improve the quality of service you provide us, because right now, IT is as SLOW AS A SNAIL ON SPEED!

-Internet SHOULD BE FREE-