Apartment with Internet Company in Place

Realex: Jonathan

Hi,

I recently moved into an apartment block in Dublin 6 which has an agreement with a Cable provider for Internet and TV. Does anyone know if there's any work around this set up as it seems bloody expensive and i just don't like the idea of having to take whatever they'll give me and not shop around. The fees they're charging are approx €70 a month for 4 meg broadband and basic digital tv channels.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

biko

When you signed the lease, was there a clause in it to say you'd also take the internet subscription?

bk

Nothing to say that you have to take them, the difficulty is that there might be no other good options available. Is there a standard Eircom phone line in place, then you can get most DSL operators.

Also wireless (preferably fixed) broadband maybe an option.

_Sidhe_

If the building managment have a deal with a cable provider, then other cable providers wouldn't be an option.
That wouldn't stop you getting other kinds of BB, as said above, like DSL, but probably would stop you getting other kinds of tv.

For instance if the buildings deal is with Magnet, you couldn't get UPC or visa versa.

Also they probably won't let you get Sky, through a satelite dish.

It all depends on the lease you signed.

Realex: Jonathan

I didn't sign a lease but as far as I know the previous tenant was signed up with the provider in place and cancelled it before moving out.
It's an apartment that my parents owned which i have now taken over the mortgage for. I'm sure there's some of that sort of documentation about but haven't seen it yet. The apartment has phone lines but I'm not sure if they're operated by the cable/bb provider. ideally i'd get sky digital and then a separate internet connection.
is it normally the case that other operators won't touch you if you are in a building signed up for another service? it just seems to fly in the face of reason that i have just one option for this and from trawling the boards here I can't find much cause for optimism with the level of service I'd get from them as a customer. the sales process was awful and that's before i sign up, gotta imagine it goes downhill from there.

_Sidhe_

realex_jonathan wrote: »

I didn't sign a lease but as far as I know the previous tenant was signed up with the provider in place and cancelled it before moving out.
It's an apartment that my parents owned which i have now taken over the mortgage for. I'm sure there's some of that sort of documentation about but haven't seen it yet. The apartment has phone lines but I'm not sure if they're operated by the cable/bb provider. ideally i'd get sky digital and then a separate internet connection.
is it normally the case that other operators won't touch you if you are in a building signed up for another service? it just seems to fly in the face of reason that i have just one option for this and from trawling the boards here I can't find much cause for optimism with the level of service I'd get from them as a customer. the sales process was awful and that's before i sign up, gotta imagine it goes downhill from there.

Service agreements are with the person, not the address.
Whatever accounts were active have nothing to do with you now.
It really depends on the building owners.
If you have a managment agreement then they may have a deal with a ompany.
If not then you're free to get whatever you want?

Realex: Jonathan

cheers for all the advice guys. I need to do a bit more prodding about with the agreements and how tied into the current company we are. when i moved in there was a sticker on the window saying "this apartment is enabled for X company" so i'd say i'm stuck with them. feck

_Sidhe_

realex_jonathan wrote: »

cheers for all the advice guys. I need to do a bit more prodding about with the agreements and how tied into the current company we are. when i moved in there was a sticker on the window saying "this apartment is enabled for X company" so i'd say i'm stuck with them. feck

Not neccesaraly.
That just means that the company has preinstalled cablepoints.
Nowadays all new developments have Cable and phone points preinstalled.

Lets use UPC as an example.

A new housing estate/apartment complex is built.
The builders install cable points in the varying rooms.
They then contact UPC, and UPC come out and switch all of these points on at the tap outside.
This frees all customers in the new development to have the UPC service switched on easily.
It simply means that they don't have to install new points for every customer, they just use the preinstalled ones.

This doesn't mean that you have to use them however.
Just that it's a lot easier for Yourself, and UPC if you want them.

The only thing that would stop you getting the service that you want, would be if the managment company of the building/estate (if you even have one) have an exclusitivity deal with a particular provider, or if the company you want simply don't supply service there.

Just because the building is compliant with the particular provider, doesn't mean that it's exclusive.

As long as you can get a phone line, no matter what, you'll be able to get Eircom for instance.

bk

_Sidhe_ wrote: »

Nowadays all new developments have Cable and phone points preinstalled.

I wish, many new apartment developments only have ethernet points in every room, for the likes of Smart and Magnet.

Making it hard to get any other supplier, as you can't even get Eircom.

Fortunately most developers and management companies are starting to come to the realisation that this is a really bad idea, particularly in todays market and are leaving Sky and UPC into such developments.

MunsterCycling

bk, all ethernet points are compatible with phone as they use CAT5 cables, its just the termination that needs to be sorted