Switching to UPC from Eircom...

Le King

Does anybody have any experience of this? My folks are currently with Eircom 3MB and have talk anytime Eircom phone package. They are looking at UPC, originally the plan was to switch TV from Sky to UPC but after all the hassle they were told about switching - cutting wires, dodgy menus etc.

They want a phone and broadband package. (15MB, I think, any phone deal would do)

But as far as costs go, is it much cheaper?

I have looked at the UPC website but would anybody be able to give me an insight into total billing costs etc.

Also is their any problems with the routers UPC provide, what's their BB service like etc?


And is it true you don't have to pay line rental with UPC? Or do you have to pay line rental, just not to UPC?

Sorry for all the questions but it's near impossible for me to get good solid information from the States.

I've been up all night trying to sort this out and it's 07-00 here so I need some serious sleep...

So if anybody would be so kind to help me out, I would be truly gracious.

celticbest

Osu wrote: »

Does anybody have any experience of this? My folks are currently with Eircom 3MB and have talk anytime Eircom phone package. They are looking at UPC, originally the plan was to switch TV from Sky to UPC but after all the hassle they were told about switching - cutting wires, dodgy menus etc.

I changed from BT to UPC a few months ago, all you do is cancel your broadband and leave your phone line active until UPC switch over your Phone Number.

Osu wrote: »

They want a phone and broadband package. (15MB, I think, any phone deal would do)

But as far as costs go, is it much cheaper?

I have looked at the UPC website but would anybody be able to give me an insight into total billing costs etc.

If you go for the following,

http://www.upc.ie/greatoffer/fibre15anytime/

They come in at around the same cost per month as the Eircom pack below but with UPC you get 15mb instead of 8mb with Eircom, there is no usage limit on your UPC broadband whereas there a 30gb on Eircom & you get free calls to 21 international countries at all times with UPC, you only get free local and national calls with Eircom

http://www.eircom.net/broadband/products/bundles/ngb/19/?

Osu wrote: »

Also is their any problems with the routers UPC provide, what's their BB service like etc?


And is it true you don't have to pay line rental with UPC? Or do you have to pay line rental, just not to UPC?

Sorry for all the questions but it's near impossible for me to get good solid information from the States.

I've been up all night trying to sort this out and it's 07-00 here so I need some serious sleep...

So if anybody would be so kind to help me out, I would be truly gracious.

As stated above I'm only with UPC a few months but have found there broadband to be good, I'm on 15mb and when I do a speed test the lowest I returned is 13.5mb.

Scram

ive the same question as the OP, how does the switching over work? will the phone line/net connection be down for a week? I assume you can keep your phone number?

Do technicians come out? or does it work the same as with eircom i just plug in something to the phone line in the house? How much hassle is involved?

Spear

Scram wrote: »

ive the same question as the OP, how does the switching over work? will the phone line/net connection be down for a week? I assume you can keep your phone number?

Do technicians come out? or does it work the same as with eircom i just plug in something to the phone line in the house? How much hassle is involved?

Why would you lose service? UPC and Eircom are completely separate systems, given that UPC is a cable modem service, and Eircom are on ADSL.

celticbest

Scram wrote: »

ive the same question as the OP, how does the switching over work? will the phone line/net connection be down for a week? I assume you can keep your phone number?

Do technicians come out? or does it work the same as with eircom i just plug in something to the phone line in the house? How much hassle is involved?

UPC can switch on there broadband at anytime once the technician comes out and connects your router & phone to the UPC line in your house, they do not use the Eircom line at all.

Your phone line is only down for about an hour when they carry out the switch. You can keep the same number, it wasn't a big hassle at all when I changed over, the UPC rep. walked me through what I had to do - basically UI had to cancel my broadband, sign a form to port my phone number, and they did the rest.


PS. Just incase you think I work for UPC - I have no affiliation to them apart from being a customer. When they were Chorus I found there service dismal but if has improved.

Scram

Spear wrote: »

Why would you lose service? UPC and Eircom are completely separate systems, given that UPC is a cable modem service, and Eircom are on ADSL.

ah ok i get it now, so they have to come and install something in your house?

atm ive a phone line cable running up the stairs from the phone line to my router for my internet. So what will happen if i go with UPC?

celticbest

Scram wrote: »

atm ive a phone line cable running up the stairs from the phone line to my router for my internet. So what will happen if i go with UPC?

It all depends on were the UPC connection points are in your house not were the Eircom points are.

thefishone

Nothing will happen to your phone cables,they will just be made redundant,if you don't have a UPC cable going to the house already,then one will have to be installed and this will carry BB,Phone and Tv,if you are getting all 3.In my own experience,the installers are willing,within reason,to put in an extra point somewhere else in the house.
Got the triple play in myself in January and apart from a few problems,quickly solved,in the first two weeks,it has been rock solid and would recommend it to anyone.

Georgio_77

There's one thing I don't understand - why subscribe to UPC's phone service, when you can get much better deal from other voip providers like Blueface, for example? All you need is a broadband connection and a compatible handset.

Karmafaerie

I've got UPC triple play myself.
I also arranged to transfer my parents to triple play, and my sister also, so I've a fair bit of experience on the matter.


You arrange an apt, and the UPC tech calls out.

UPC don't use Eircoms lines, so will have nothing to do with them.
If you are getting TV they will usually install the modem there also.
Any UPC point in the house can be used, and if there are none, one can be insalled on any outward facing wall.
However they would have to drill a hole in the wall.

I've never transfered from Sky to UPC, but I'm guessing the reason that cables are cut is so that the UPC cables can be placed through the same hole and save drilling a second hole in the wall.
If UPC didn't use the existing holes, you'd instead have people complaining about that instead.
It's the Irish way after all.
Ask the tech to do whichever you'd prefer, and I can't imagine there being a problem.

As for the transistion.
You fill out a form either with the tech, or post it in later.
The transfer takes about 2 weeks, during which time your old phone works as normal, and the UPC phone has a temporary number.
On the day of porting, both phones go down for about an hour, and then the UPC phone comes back with the old number, and the Eircom account closes automatically.

If the Eircom line is connected to your internal telephone wires, they'll all stop working.
You can however simply connect your UPC modem up to your internal wiring, and once you disconnect Eircom, then the UPC phone will work through the internal wiring in the same way as always.
That way you can keep on using your phone wall points.

As for the BB.
The wireless modem you recieve is basic, and has a few problems.
They are being slowly ironed out however, and with an hour or so of fine tuning you can get it sorted fairly quickly.



As for the service itself, it really depends on your area.
If the network is fully upgraded and not heavily contended in your area, it's amazing.
Rock solid, and very fast.
However, there are a few areas that seem to have repeat problems.

I'd advise asking people who live in the area what their service is like.


UPC are a lot better than Chorus or NTL were, but still have a lot of problems.
However they do offer the best product, at a good price, and they are only going to be getting better.
They're investing millions in new technology, and with services like "On Demand" TV rolling out next year, and 100MB+ Broadband speeds coming out, UPC service is only gonna get better IMO.
Now all they have to do is sort out some of the not so stellar customer services, and service technician practices.