Ive just realised...

Tusky

...that I'm getting screwed by BT. Because of the slow speeds recently, I decided to take a look at the bill. I had always assumed we were on the 3mb package (called option 2 on their website). When I checked the bill, I found out that we were signed up, and paying for, option 3, which is 24mb.

Now theres no way we have been on anything near 24mb broadband. Ive checked and we are in an area in which it is available. So basically, we have been paying for 24mb but only receiving 3mb...and a crappy 3mb at that.

I rang BT and the guy seemed just as confused as me. Hes going to get back to me but I told him that I would be looking for a refund for being being charged for a service that I wasn't receiving. Depending on how the speed issue/renumeration is resolved, I may end up changing providers and am looking to find the best deal.

Currently, I am paying the following.

BT Broadband Option 3 + Total Talk (free landline callls) - 66.95 per month
NTL Digital select + 1 extra cable point - 29.50 per month

TOTAL : 96.50 per month (Broadband 3mb, Basic NTL digital, 1 extra cable socket & free landline calls anytime)

Anyone know of a better deal as that seems ludicrously expensive. I'm in D15.

Oiche_mhaith

I recently went with irish broadband breeze option - they stick an antena on your roof 2mb up and download and no problems (to date). I went with antenae because i didn't want to pay for a landline I don't need (I use my mobile for everything) Just in case I set up skype (I also have an irish skype phone number) - can't remember exactly how much I'm paying but think its about 40 lids... happy enough

pizzahead77

The 24Mb is actually "up to 24Mb" - you need to be sitting on top of the exchange to get the full 24Mb as speed is relative to the distance from the exchange.

It sounds as if your line isn't capable of anything more than 3Mb if even that.

Is UPC (NTL) broadband available to you? You could then ditch the phone line although

Tusky

Oiche_mhaith wrote: »

I recently went with irish broadband breeze option - they stick an antena on your roof 2mb up and download and no problems (to date). I went with antenae because i didn't want to pay for a landline I don't need (I use my mobile for everything) Just in case I set up skype (I also have an irish skype phone number) - can't remember exactly how much I'm paying but think its about 40 lids... happy enough

pizzahead77 wrote: »

The 24Mb is actually "up to 24Mb" - you need to be sitting on top of the exchange to get the full 24Mb as speed is relative to the distance from the exchange.

It sounds as if your line isn't capable of anything more than 3Mb if even that.

Is UPC (NTL) broadband available to you? You could then ditch the phone line although

Some people use the landline so ditching the home phone isnt an option. I did the online check and it says that 24mb is available on the Blanchardstown exchange. The wording on the website for option 3 says "up to 24mb broadband in certain areas. 7.6mb will apply in all other areas" Then there is a thing to click on to check your phone line. It tells me that we can use 24mb. So I'm not currently getting 24mb OR even 7.6!

The best option I can find seems to be the NTL Ultra bundle.

Go Digital Value TV pack with DVR, Broadband Ultra and our Phone Service with Anytime all half price for 2 months and FREE connection when you order online. 79.00 per month.

Does anyone know what phone service with anytime means ? Is it the same as BT, in that landline calls are free ?

Spear

Tusky wrote: »

Some people use the landline so ditching the home phone isnt an option. I did the online check and it says that 24mb is available on the Blanchardstown exchange. The wording on the website for option 3 says "up to 24mb broadband in certain areas. 7.6mb will apply in all other areas" Then there is a thing to click on to check your phone line. It tells me that we can use 24mb. So I'm not getting 24mb, im not even getting 7.6!

Post your lines stats from your router and we can see if 24megs was ever possible.

Tusky

Spear wrote: »

Post your lines stats from your router and we can see if 24megs was ever possible.

These ones ?

Statistics Downstream Upstream
Line Rate 2964 Kbps 507 Kbps

Spear

Tusky wrote: »

These ones ?

Statistics Downstream Upstream
Line Rate 2964 Kbps 507 Kbps

No, look for attenuation and SNR margin.

Tusky

Spear wrote: »

No, look for attenuation and SNR margin.

Noise Margin 15.6 dB 12.6 dB
Line Attenuation 52.5 dB 29.1 dB

Cant find SNR margin...

paulm17781

Tusky wrote: »

Some people use the landline so ditching the home phone isnt an option.

You could get UPC's phone service or a third party like http://www.blueface.ie you'll save a fortune over Eircom. I've used Blueface for over 3 years and wouldn't look back.

Spear

Tusky wrote: »

Noise Margin 15.6 dB 12.6 dB
Line Attenuation 52.5 dB 29.1 dB

Cant find SNR margin...

You'll get maybe 4 megs max from ADSL1, 4.5 from ADSL2. Do you know how far you are from your exchange?

Jonathan

Tusky wrote: »

Cant find SNR margin...

SNR and noise margin are the same thing.


Signal to Noise Ratio

Tusky

Spear wrote: »

You'll get maybe 4 megs max from ADSL1, 4.5 from ADSL2. Do you know how far you are from your exchange?

Couldnt be too far. Im not exactly sure where in Blanchardstown it is though.

Is it up to BT or the customer to work out if the line can take the 24mb broadband ? For example, do I have a leg to stand on in complaining to them charging me for 7.6 mb/24mb package when my line can only take 4 - 4.5mb ?

Spear

Tusky wrote: »

Couldnt be too far. Im not exactly sure where in Blanchardstown it is though.

Is it up to BT or the customer to work out if the line can take the 24mb broadband ? For example, do I have a leg to stand on in complaining to them charging me for 7.6 mb/24mb package when my line can only take 4 - 4.5mb ?

It depends on the line conditions. In your case you have an attenuation level of 55 dB out of a max of 63.5. If you're physically close to the exchange you may have something interfering with the line. Try unplugging other phones, faxes, long cables, with and without filters, and see if the sync rate improves.

IsThatSo?

Tusky wrote: »

Does anyone know what phone service with anytime means ? Is it the same as BT, in that landline calls are free ?

Yep. I have the anytime calls, it costs €10 pm for all landline calls in Ireland anytime of the day. Mobile calls etc are extra. I also pay €4 "line rental". So its €14 pm for my phone service as opposed to €26 line rental plus calls or bundle price with Eircon/reseller.

The quality of the calls is good, I have had no problems with it at all. The phoneset they give is rubbish, well ours was, held its charge for less than an hour so I just hooked up some cordless phones we had been using prior to NTL installation and all was well. Might have gotten lucky with that one so someone more technically minded might have some advice there.

Our BB was out on Sunday evening and our phone line also, that was the first time for either to be down in 5 months, but it was inconvenient. Others who posted about their BB being down did have the use of their phones apparently.

IsThatSo?

lmimmfn

ive an attenuation of 52 and my line can only manage 4mb download, they should have known your line wasnt capable

Tusky

Cheers for the replies guys. If they are charging me for the 24mb service but my line can only take 4mb, Im definitely pushing for a refund of the difference in price between the packages.

smellslikeshoes

Honestly you don't have a leg to stand on, the 24mbit you're paying for is the equivalent package of the 7.6mbit in exchanges that BT haven't unbundled which up to very recently was 3mbit. What has happened is the package you are on has been upgraded in speed and not price, you are still on the same package. If you contacted them about it they would be happy enough to reduce the package you're on but you won't be getting a refund because you were paying for a package your line couldn't handle.

cyburger

I'd agree with smellslikeshoes, how long ago did you order it? was it before they had the LLU in Blanch? if not then you would have been on the "up to 8mb" and if you were getting 4 then, you might have been better off on one of the lower ones alright, but because they say "up to" and it's not just the speed that defines the package (there's also the higher download limit and better (!) contention ratio), some people might accept the slower speed for the other parts.

Tusky

smellslikeshoes wrote: »

Honestly you don't have a leg to stand on, the 24mbit you're paying for is the equivalent package of the 7.6mbit in exchanges that BT haven't unbundled which up to very recently was 3mbit. What has happened is the package you are on has been upgraded in speed and not price, you are still on the same package. If you contacted them about it they would be happy enough to reduce the package you're on but you won't be getting a refund because you were paying for a package your line couldn't handle.

cyburger wrote: »

I'd agree with smellslikeshoes, how long ago did you order it? was it before they had the LLU in Blanch? if not then you would have been on the "up to 8mb" and if you were getting 4 then, you might have been better off on one of the lower ones alright, but because they say "up to" and it's not just the speed that defines the package (there's also the higher download limit and better (!) contention ratio), some people might accept the slower speed for the other parts.

I'm not sure as I wasnt the one who ordered it. Ive only recently moved back into the house and noone else here is in any way tech savy. If its a case that the lines were upgraded for free, fair enough. I thought that maybe they had allowed us to sign up to a package that our line couldnt handle. If that was the case, its a bit sneaky.

I'm pretty sure the 'up to 24mb' & 'up to 6mb' packages have the same download allowance/contention ratio.

cyburger

Tusky wrote: »

I'm pretty sure the 'up to 24mb' & 'up to 6mb' packages have the same download allowance/contention ratio.

According to the website, the 24mb one is "unlimited" download but the cap seems to be around 100gb among users, the 6mb one is 30gb, the contentions are 24:1 and 48:1 IIRC... but if you're just a casual user, I'd imagine you're better off on the cheaper one?

Bohrio

Tusky wrote: »

Couldnt be too far. Im not exactly sure where in Blanchardstown it is though.

Is it up to BT or the customer to work out if the line can take the 24mb broadband ? For example, do I have a leg to stand on in complaining to them charging me for 7.6 mb/24mb package when my line can only take 4 - 4.5mb ?

Well remember that option 3 is up to 7.6 or up to 24 mb depending of your exchange. In your case is up to 24 mb. You line cant cope with more than ~4 mb so my advice is to downgrade your package to option 2 (up to 6 mb).

Dont think BT have been pulling your leg all this time as on option 3 contention is 24:1 while on option 2 is 48:1.