Broadband Options - No DSL connection or 3G signal

MRBEAVER

I hope somebody might be able to advise what options I have to get a half way decent broadband connection.

My preference would be with Eircom through a landline. However the local exchange is not broadband enabled so this is not an option.

Tried the O2 Router for €129 plus monthly bill and it is really slow so will be returning it within cancellation period. no 3G signal anywhere in house. can get one bar of EDGE but it is as slow as dial up.

living in Cork City. Any advice would be much appreciated.

watty

No UPC?
No Digiweb Metro?
Try the FIXED wireless suppliers?

Try all the Mobile suppliers (though it's not broadband and if it's good now it might not be in 3 months). They don't all use same gear even if same mast and have different masts too.

Then two way satellite e.g. Tooway from Digiweb or SBI.

MRBEAVER

No UPC
no intention of getting cable TV so that is not an option

I assume that other fixed wireless suppliers piggyback off Eircom so they would be unablee to provide broadband either.

I assume that all the mobile dongles will be pretty useless as they depend in a 3G signal. No 3G signal on my Vodafone mobile phone or with the O2 router.

Will look in to Digiweb Metro as I live in a city if it doesn't depend on landline or 3G signal.

Assumed that satellite broadband would be pretty expensive.

watty

You don't need UPC's TV. The TV is optional. You can get the BB on its own. My Daughter has UPC BB and FTA satellite for TV.

No, Various fixed Wireless suppliers have different backhaul methods, some may use Eircom, but that is at their mast. You get an outdoor Radio unit connected to indoor box that can optionally have WiFi. No phone line.

Meteor, Vodafone, O2 and 3 all have each three separate channels. Lack of signal on O2 or Vodafone means nothing about 3 or Meteor. Though 3G is not Broadband and once you paid the install, satellite can be better and entry level is not too expensive per month.

Metro (nor any Fixed Wireless or UPC cable) doesn't depend on a phone line or 3G "dongle".

All types of connection (even satellite, 3G or Dialup/ISDN) can have a WiFi + router added if not included. Fixed Wireless is nothing to do with WiFi, phone lines or 3G.

jor el

MRBEAVER wrote: »

No UPC
no intention of getting cable TV so that is not an option

But if UPC broadband is available to you, you should pick that. TV not needed, but they do charge €7.50 extra as a kind of line rental if you have no TV service. Still well worth it.

MRBEAVER wrote: »

I assume that other fixed wireless suppliers piggyback off Eircom so they would be unablee to provide broadband either.

I assume that all the mobile dongles will be pretty useless as they depend in a 3G signal. No 3G signal on my Vodafone mobile phone or with the O2 router.

Failing UPC, check out Meteor, which has generally the best speeds at the moment (due to low customer number), but also very bad 3G coverage. Three is also an option, but results vary wildly with Three.

MRBEAVER wrote: »

Assumed that satellite broadband would be pretty expensive.

For good two way, yes, quite expensive.

MRBEAVER

Thanks Jor El and Matty for the info. I'm learning. Called Digiweb earlier. Agent confirmed that their masts are separate to 3G. They would send someone out to check signal and if I was they would put aeriel thingy on roof and drill hole in wall to bring it through to modem. I would have to buy router to get wireless. Cost would be €39.95 a month for Metro Home.

But now that I know that I don't have to get cable to get broadband wonder whether UPC might be a better option.

watty

You do need the UPC cable, just not the TV service on it

BEASTERLY

jor el wrote: »

Failing UPC, check out Meteor, which has generally the best speeds at the moment (due to low customer number), but also very bad 3G coverage. Three is also an option, but results vary wildly with Three.

It may also be due to the fact that they are running HSPA+ 14.4mbps. Funny thing is tough, if you can't get DSL you almost certainly can'y get meteor 3G, surely eircom would use meteor to deploy 3g where there is no DSL, market penetration and all that!

watty

No 3G operator makes much if anything at the minute out of 3G Data. They are playing Customer acquisition as the running costs for a €19.95 data dongle package are 150x to 300x the running costs for a €19.95 voice & SMS package.

So they put masts where they are going to sell lots of phone calls and need phone coverage. It's a Mobile phone system.

Thus the places that have UPC, Magnet, Smart, Digiweb and good DSL will get lots of phone masts and places that have no coverage of DSL, Metro, UPC cable or Magnet fibre will get very few masts. Even the NBS which is ultimately a tiny subsidy of a Mobile phone rollout has about 1/3rd to 1/6th the mast density needed for the performance that claim is the target. The Mast density suits phone calls fine and is profitable for that.

The Meteor coverage is designed to meet their licence conditions and compete with O2, 3 and Vodafone, not primarily to complement the fixed service. In fact eircom have the problem that data users on Meteor are less profitable than the same data users on DSL, and same is probably true for voice, yet the Meteor prices have to compete with other Mobile. So while Meteor is very profitable, part of the customer base would make eircom more profit if on phone lines and DSL. They are cannibalising themselves!

BEASTERLY

watty wrote: »

No 3G operator makes much if anything at the minute out of 3G Data. They are playing Customer acquisition as the running costs for a €19.95 data dongle package are 150x to 300x the running costs for a €19.95 voice & SMS package.

So they put masts where they are going to sell lots of phone calls and need phone coverage. It's a Mobile phone system.

Thus the places that have UPC, Magnet, Smart, Digiweb and good DSL will get lots of phone masts and places that have no coverage of DSL, Metro, UPC cable or Magnet fibre will get very few masts. Even the NBS which is ultimately a tiny subsidy of a Mobile phone rollout has about 1/3rd to 1/6th the mast density needed for the performance that claim is the target. The Mast density suits phone calls fine and is profitable for that.

The Meteor coverage is designed to meet their licence conditions and compete with O2, 3 and Vodafone, not primarily to complement the fixed service. In fact eircom have the problem that data users on Meteor are less profitable than the same data users on DSL, and same is probably true for voice, yet the Meteor prices have to compete with other Mobile. So while Meteor is very profitable, part of the customer base would make eircom more profit if on phone lines and DSL. They are cannibalising themselves!

LOL, eircom need serious help!

I'll sell them a business succes strategy booklet. Inside it will read , ''INVEST IN LANDLINES''. They do this, then they will become succes story! Simples:)

MRBEAVER

Was thinking the same. That if Vodafone and O2 don't provide 3G coverage in my area then it is unlikely that Meteor or 3 will. Just called UPC and they said that they do not provide phone line or broadband coverage to my address so it seems my only realistic chance is Digiweb and not too hopeful there. A high density housing estate in Cork City with no DSL connection, no UPC connection and no 3G. so much for the smart economy.

jay93

Have you tried scanning for networks on your 3G mobile phone to see if meteor/3 have signal in your area as the other two don't you may be lucky enough to get meteor or 3 surely in cork city they have to have more 3G round??even here in a small enough village that i live in can get 3G from all networks o2.vf,3,meteor

MRBEAVER

jay93 wrote: »

surely in cork city they have to have more 3G round?

That was my assumption too. That the major cities would now have full 3G coverage but it appears that it is not so.Having checked my phone I don't think that I can check whether 3 or Meteor provide 3G to the estate on a Vodafone mobile. maybe could get dongles with cooling off period from those networks to check coverage.

On DSL was speaking to a neighbour last weekend and she said that the reason given to her by Eircom for inability to provide fixed line broadband was that they set up the exchange to service 100 broadband customers and then built 700 houses. Not sure whether this is something a call centre agent made up or whether it is the case. I was unable to get an explanation from them.

PS It took me 20 mins to read forum and post this on GPRS signal

MRBEAVER

So Digiweb called round and said they couldn't provide radio receiver due to lack of line of sight signal to mast. Went in to 3 store past signs proudly claiming 95% broadband coverage and best nationwide coverage. Agent checked and said that I was in one of the parts of Cork City to which they did not have 3G signal. looked in to satellite but it is expensive. €600 set up cost alone. Are there any other options that I haven't thought of?

MRBEAVER

Btw called Imagine. No wimax service in Cork City.

Sponge Bob

IrishBroadband ( they were bought by Imagine but different product) . Nova Networks and Ripplecom.

All FIXED Wireless Cork City area.

MRBEAVER

Thanks Spongebob. wil check them out and report back.

MRBEAVER

So contacted Irishboadband/Imagine. They have three options.
DSL - they piggyback off Eircom signal so no connection
Clearwire. - not available in Cork City
Wimax - not available in Cork City

Nova Networks. - sent out technician who said no broadband possible due to line if sight issues.

Ripplecom - they had received other calls from residents in area ai already had an answer They could not provide broadband due to line of sight issue.

went in to Meteor store. Agent was able to bring up 3G coverage map. Even un city was very sporatic no coverage in my area and no prospect if coverage in medium term.

So looks like as a Cork City resident I have exausted all broadband and midband possibilities and will have to make do with GPRS