Switching back to copper network from unbundled network

DoubleBogey

I am looking to switch broadband provider. I am currently with Magnet on their unbundled network. When I signed up this was a far superior service but the Eircom resellers have since caught up and it has made my deal look very expensive now.

I am looking for advice on how to go about switching back. My line is not testable by other providers as it is on the Magnet network. I've also been told there is mo deal in place with magnet to make a switch over. Has anyone successfully switched back to the copper network and if so how did you go about it? Do I simply have to cancel, have some downtime, sign back up to Eircom and then switch from their?

Surely there is an easier way?

lucernarian

What? Unbundled broadband still uses copper phone lines. I'm suprised that you can't order with another provider. Perhaps a call to ComReg is a good idea?

Otherwise cancelling and then lodging an order with eircom etc. is the only way to go. Many areas where Magnet is available have UPC broadband, if you could switch to them you can disconnect the Magnet connection the day UPC is installed.

DoubleBogey

That's what I thought, but it's only copper from the exchange to my house. The rest is Magnet. I need to get switched back on the exchange. I don't understand the problem to be honest, maybe I've been misinformed??

lucernarian

Just so you know, eircom and magnet would use the same (fibre-based) technologies for connecting to the exchange and the internet in the larger exchanges where Magnet have a presence.

If eircom say they cannot process an order on your line for example, then you'll have to call ComReg and find out if anything can be done. Number is 01 804 9668 or 1890 229668

dub45

Given all the complaints that there were about switching to an unbundled isp (particularly when Smart were getting off the ground) it is ironic to see a complaint now about the difficulties of going the other way!

jor el

Since the line is on Magnet's equipment, it is not in eircom's line test database. This is why no other operator can tell you whether you can get a service or not. You'd have to switch the line back to eircom, wait for it to be tested, then see if it passes. It should pass, but this could take a while. There is a chance that the eircom equipment could be at capacity too, meaning you wouldn't be able to get broadband from eircom or any of the resellers. This is happening at some exchanges right now, and you won't know until you try, and fail.

Unless there is a significant price saving, or Magnet is giving you severe problems, you shouldn't do this. See if there are new products at reduced prices from Magnet first.

There is also a 6 month contract on an eircom phone line, so this could prove an expensive waste of time if it doesn't work out.

roast

jor el wrote: »

Unless there is a significant price saving, or Magnet is giving you severe problems, you shouldn't do this.

I'll have to echo Jor El with this...

OP, what are your problems with the Magnet network?

DoubleBogey

roast wrote: »

I'll have to echo Jor El with this...

OP, what are your problems with the Magnet network?

Trying to get things sorted with Magnet as I usually find it to be quite a good service. The problem I have is speed, basically. Paying for 10mb Force 10 package but not seeing anything above 8mb. No point paying for something I'm not getting when I could just downgrade to an 8mb Eircom reseller. Well thats what I thought, as per usual when it comes to anything broadband it comes with a load of sh!te attached.

keno-daytrader

DoubleBogey wrote: »

Trying to get things sorted with Magnet as I usually find it to be quite a good service. The problem I have is speed, basically. Paying for 10mb Force 10 package but not seeing anything above 8mb. No point paying for something I'm not getting when I could just downgrade to an 8mb Eircom reseller. Well thats what I thought, as per usual when it comes to anything broadband it comes with a load of sh!te attached.

If you go with Eircom/reseller 8mb you will get about 6.5 meg speed, with dsl you will never get the full amount.

lucernarian

Getting 8 mbps instead of 10 is quite a minor reason to go through the hassle of changing from an LLU provider in fairness!

Either your line is too long for 10 mb or else it's a case that the overheads used with DSL are taking up the extra bit of speed. About 17% of eircom connections are taken up by the PPPoE and other packaging used in transferring data over DSL.

Either way, I doubt that you'll get an improvement in service and also eircom and the resellers only offer up to 8 mbps and won't offer the only ADSL2+ speed the have (24mbps) if your line can't handle at least 12 mbps.

Do you want to post your DSL line statistics so we can see if there is room for improvement with the connection and speed?

D'Peoples Voice

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

Do you want to post your DSL line statistics so we can see if there is room for improvement with the connection and speed?

I'm interested in how to get your line attenuation statistics.
I'm with Magnet, and have a telsey modem.
When i go to certain websites that check your line, they give a list of modems,
and a Telsey modem is never listed.
So how do i get my line statistics?

lucernarian

I don't have a clue, I've never used Magnet. Can you access the router's home page at e.g. 192.168.1.254 or 192.168.1.1 etc?

Just look around, there should be some option for WAN details, DSL connection stats, connection info etc.

DoubleBogey

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

Getting 8 mbps instead of 10 is quite a minor reason to go through the hassle of changing from an LLU provider in fairness!

Either your line is too long for 10 mb or else it's a case that the overheads used with DSL are taking up the extra bit of speed. About 17% of eircom connections are taken up by the PPPoE and other packaging used in transferring data over DSL.

Either way, I doubt that you'll get an improvement in service and also eircom and the resellers only offer up to 8 mbps and won't offer the only ADSL2+ speed the have (24mbps) if your line can't handle at least 12 mbps.

Do you want to post your DSL line statistics so we can see if there is room for improvement with the connection and speed?

There is no way of accessing the magnet modem.

I'm now down to a max of 6mb after they fixed stability problems.

The point is im paying for a product which my line can't handle. And I've only just now realized the hassle of switching. They make it easy to switch to them and impossible to get away. I have to cancel, setup with Eircom as a new customer (including 121 eur new line fee), sit out a 6 month contract with them and only then can even start to look at what my other options are!

Where's the regulator???

lucernarian

Eh I do believe I posted the numbers for ComReg, the communications sector regulator, a few posts up;)

Bohrio

DoubleBogey wrote: »

There is no way of accessing the magnet modem.

I'm now down to a max of 6mb after they fixed stability problems.

The point is im paying for a product which my line can't handle. And I've only just now realized the hassle of switching. They make it easy to switch to them and impossible to get away. I have to cancel, setup with Eircom as a new customer (including 121 eur new line fee), sit out a 6 month contract with them and only then can even start to look at what my other options are!

Where's the regulator???

If money is more important to you than quality then by all means move but that's just my opinion.

As you are moving from Line Sharing to Bitstream there is no way to transfer your DSL from one service to the other (there is but ISPs havent agree with Eircom quite yet how to do this) without downtime. But this is only for DSL not for the telephone. Even in the case they decide to cancel everything and reorder you should not pay 125 euro connection fee as your line is an in situ type, maximum 25 euro and that's it.

You can bring that part to comregs attention, but in regards the rest, I am afraid you wont have much luck