Broadband from 2 providers simultaneously

none

Hi,

After moving to a new address and spending some time talking to both BT and Eircom, I now find myself being able to connect to the Internet using both.

Here's the details:

Old location
ADDRESS1, PHONE1

New location
ADDRESS2, PHONE2

PHONE2 at the new address was deactivated less than a month ago but BT were pretty slow with locating the line despite the fact that I gace them all the details and, moreover, that was them who served the previous tenant.
After a week of discussions with them I said I'm fed up and cancelling my contract which they seemed OK with. In less than an hour I went to Eircom site and ordered Broadband from them. Next day I got a confirmation email from Eircom and here's the twist, they assigned me a brand new number, PHONE3. I don't know why they did it as the previous number used at this address, PHONE2, is not used after the previous tenant left. So Eircom gave me PHONE3 which, I suppose, BT couldn't know about and I was able to go online almost immediately. Since my modem had BT settings, I was surprised to be allowed to go online. I checked my IP and it was from a BT range. Then I changed the Broadband password to the Eircom one (eircom/broadband1) and went online again. This time, my IP belonged to Eircom. How can this be explained?

Cheers

Moriarty

All bitstream dsl shares the same physical infrastructure. What determines which ISP you get your internet connection from is purely down to your username/domain, which the eircom gateway servers look at so as to determine which ISP to forward to for complete authentication (be that eircom.net, BT, digiweb, or anyone else that provides DSL over bitstream).

You could have an account with every bitstream ISP and just change the login detail on your modem any time you want to use your dsl connection with ISP Y instead of ISP X.

none

Thanks, Moriarty. I thought every Broadband connection is tied up with a particular phone line. So what you suggest is if I have a valid BT ADSL subscription at home, I can go to any flat with any ADSL-enabled line and connect to the Internet using my BT username/password?

Moriarty

Yup. Any bitstream-provided dsl will let any bitstream username work. If you remember your username and password, you can use your details anywhere around the country on an enabled line.

Marlow

Moriarty wrote: »

Yup. Any bitstream-provided dsl will let any bitstream username work. If you remember your username and password, you can use your details anywhere around the country on an enabled line.

Obviously, the phoneline has to be "dsl-enabled", so a dsl connection from some provider on it, otherwise it would not necessarily be connected to the dslam.

But yes, on bitstream products, the credentials can be used anywhere. The speed is tied to the line i believe, not the username/password.

/M

dub45

Is there a danger in this situation that the op will end up with bills from Eircom and BT?

Marlow

dub45 wrote: »

Is there a danger in this situation that the op will end up with bills from Eircom and BT?

In general, the op will always be billed for each "broadband account".

If you refer to the case, where he moved from one place, where he cancelled his broadband subscription and he's got a confirmation of that, the credentials however work after he cancelled the account and the account doesn't exist anymore, there isn't much they can do.

They don't match the credentials to a line. If the line is cancelled, they can't bill him.

On the other hand, he can not use the login-credentials on two lines at the same time.

/M

dub45

Given that he has accessed both bt and eircom from the same line will both of them not have the op recorded as having used their 'facilities' and regard themselves as entitled to bill him accordingly>

Surely if you access an isp's facilities by implication you accept their t&c's which would include payment surely?

Marlow

dub45 wrote: »

Given that he has accessed both bt and eircom from the same line will both of them not have the op recorded as having used their 'facilities' and regard themselves as entitled to bill him accordingly>

Surely if you access an isp's facilities by implication you accept their t&c's which would include payment surely?

That's not the way it works.

The way it works, is that you order broadband from a company for a line.

Surely, if you switch provider, maintaining the same phoneline, your approach is valid enough.

If you however take the credentials associated with another phoneline and use them on an entire different line, there is no automatic association, if that's what you think.

/M

dub45

Ok I believe you:) But I look forward to the forthcoming thread ''BB bills from two providers''

Moriarty

Marlow wrote: »

In general, the op will always be billed for each "broadband account".

If you refer to the case, where he moved from one place, where he cancelled his broadband subscription and he's got a confirmation of that, the credentials however work after he cancelled the account and the account doesn't exist anymore, there isn't much they can do.

They don't match the credentials to a line. If the line is cancelled, they can't bill him.

On the other hand, he can not use the login-credentials on two lines at the same time.

/M

I wouldn't bet on that. If they discover that a 'cancelled' account has been active and in use, they may very well decide to go looking for payment. After all, usage stats etc will all be tied into the PPP auth. It's probably unlikely, but yous takes your chances..

Marlow

Moriarty wrote: »

I wouldn't bet on that. If they discover that a 'cancelled' account has been active and in use, they may very well decide to go looking for payment. After all, usage stats etc will all be tied into the PPP auth. It's probably unlikely, but yous takes your chances..

Depends on the ISP and how their billing system works.

Take BT, theirs is a mess anyhow. If you on the other side try this number with Digiweb, I guess they'll be after you immediatly.

But honestly, after you have a confirmed cancellation and they forget to disable your login, it is matter of fact their problem, not yours. You could just have forgotten to change them by accident (like re-using your old BT DSL modem on a new line).

/M

dub45

Marlow wrote: »

Depends on the ISP and how their billing system works.

Take BT, theirs is a mess anyhow. If you on the other side try this number with Digiweb, I guess they'll be after you immediatly.

But honestly, after you have a confirmed cancellation and they forget to disable your login, it is matter of fact their problem, not yours. You could just have forgotten to change them by accident (like re-using your old BT DSL modem on a new line).

/M

But as we know BT are notoriously bad at cancellations and if you log in after cancelling you are surely asking for a big dose of the BT billing system!

none

dub45 wrote: »

But as we know BT are notoriously bad at cancellations and if you log in after cancelling you are surely asking for a big dose of the BT billing system!

Well, I remember Esat gave me hard times when I wanted to cancel them in 2001 but I hope to avoid it with their current reincarnation BT :rolleyes: I realise they may still cause problems but I'm soon going to cancel their direct debit myself. My cancellation was over phone, then I tried it from my online account. Today I called to inquire but they said their system is down and they can't say anything but will try to call back (no calls, of course). I generally liked their products (BB & phone) but I have no patience to deal with their customer service so moving over to Eircom was the only quick alternative. And I have to praise Eircom as they setup my phone and BB in one day! I tried asking them not to send me their modem but I think they will pretend they didn't hear me Yes, and the information you guys provided on DSL authorisation/authentication is quite interesting, thanks a lot

dub45

none wrote: »

Well, I remember Esat gave me hard times when I wanted to cancel them in 2001 but I hope to avoid it with their current reincarnation BT :rolleyes: I realise they may still cause problems but I'm soon going to cancel their direct debit myself. My cancellation was over phone, then I tried it from my online account. Today I called to inquire but they said their system is down and they can't say anything but will try to call back (no calls, of course). I generally liked their products (BB & phone) but I have no patience to deal with their customer service so moving over to Eircom was the only quick alternative. And I have to praise Eircom as they setup my phone and BB in one day! I tried asking them not to send me their modem but I think they will pretend they didn't hear me Yes, and the information you guys provided on DSL authorisation/authentication is quite interesting, thanks a lot

I would strongly recommend writing to BT and registering the letter to confirm you cancellation - you just cannot be too careful with them.

whiterebel

dub45 wrote: »

I would strongly recommend writing to BT and registering the letter to confirm you cancellation - you just cannot be too careful with them.

Totally agree. I was still getting billed 6 months after I cancelled them.

none

I didn't send them any letter, did everything over the phone so far. An experiment, if you wish;) The broadband login is disabled and the phone line seems deactivated. I didn't cancel the direct debit yet and a bit interested to see if they try to charge me again. Actually, their last bill was just two weeks before the cancellation so I somehow suspect it's rather them who has to pay. Don't really expect a refund but curious if anybody got?

none

I did have to call them and ask politely for a refund and, voila, in a few months I got EUR 70 back They're not as bad as some say.

jor el

none wrote: »

They're not as bad as some say.

Wow, it only took 4 months for them to give you the money that was rightfully yours? BT are every bit as bad as they say, but in this case, slightly less bad.

none

Well, to be honest, they gave it one month after I called. But before that, I did wait a few months for them to initiate a refund They didn't, so I had to call. But that's it, I didn't send any registered letters or anything like that. Probably, because I didn't take it too seriously and didn't believe getting anything back after reading reviews here. Anyway, I just wanted to say that I managed to get my money back without much effort

dub45

none wrote: »

Well, to be honest, they gave it one month after I called. But before that, I did wait a few months for them to initiate a refund They didn't, so I had to call. But that's it, I didn't send any registered letters or anything like that. Probably, because I didn't take it too seriously and didn't believe getting anything back after reading reviews here. Anyway, I just wanted to say that I managed to get my money back without much effort

Isn't it extraordinary that getting your money back from a so called reputable company after several months means that they are not as bad as some say!!!! Surely any reputable company would have an automatic refund when an overpayment is detected on a cancelled account? Its hardly rocket science?

What lousy standards we have to put up with!!!!!:rolleyes: