UPC B/B or Smart telecom

iba

Hi,

I currently have UPC package of 30MB broadband (had originally signed up for 15mb but UPC just keep increasing the speed and the price and I have no say in the matter) and Cable Digital Value TV pack. Broadband is costing me €37 p.c.m. and the TV pack is €25.50p.c.m. = total €62.50

Now I dont actually need the TV pack at all coz I have my own satelite set-up, so really Im just with UPC for the B/B, but I just kept the TV pack becuse UPC charge an extra €7.50 p.c.m. Anyway, therefore total cost with UPC just for B/B would be €44.50 p.c.m. (made up of the €37 and the €7.50) (and undoubtly UPC will just keep increasing speed and the price going forward)

Just came across Smart Telecom offering 24MB B/B with 350GB download limit p.c.m. for €29.95 Link here:

http://www.smarttelecom.ie/home_broadband/more_details/Home_Broadband_Phone.aspx

So I was thinking of getting rid of UPC altogether which would save me €390 per year.

Just wondering what do people think of Smart Telecom and would I be wise to switch or if Im missing anything.

If UPC didnt charge the extra €7.50 just for the B/B, Id probably just stay with them but alas.

All thoughts, comments very welcome.

Regards

Iba

JustAddWater

that's certainly a good offer

I pay just over €50 for 25MB broadband and yes I am very unhappy with the price changes at UPC

Most notably the €7.50 charge for just taking broadband. Not sure why or how they can even justify this charge. Broadband hardly costs more to UPC if I dont take their TV service

RangeR

UPC : Get the BB / Phone bundle. Still cheaper than BB alone.

bk

You would be better off switching to the following UPC broadband + phone package:

http://www.upc.ie/deals/broadbandandphone/fibrepower50Mb/

€44 gives you 50mb/5mb with a 500GB cap

Smart give you:
€30 24mb/1mb with a 350GB cap

Obviously if you don't need the extra speed or cap, then Smart will save you €14 per month and it certainly is the best value DSL package on the market.

However a few caveats:
1) Smart isn't available everywhere, only from Smart LLU exchanges, check before changing. If you still have an Eircom phone line then you can put your phone number in their checker to see if it is availabe (if it isn't it will say you can get their national product from digiweb, which is crap).

2) 24mb/1mb is the top theoretical speed, no one actually gets this. Max is likely to be about 16mb/600k, but could be as low as 1 or 2mb depending on the quality of your phone line and distance from the exchange.

On the other hand you will likely really get very close to 50mb/5mb from UPC.

BTW I have Smart myself and it works fine, nice and stable, but I would jump to UPC in a second if it was available in my apartment building.

iba

Actually Ive just spotted a ctach for me - I dont have a phone line at the moment so I guess that means on top of the Smart Price Id have to pay Eircom for a line

iba

JustAddWater wrote: »

that's certainly a good offer

I pay just over €50 for 25MB broadband and yes I am very unhappy with the price changes at UPC

Most notably the €7.50 charge for just taking broadband. Not sure why or how they can even justify this charge. Broadband hardly costs more to UPC if I dont take their TV service

Wondering why ur 25mb B/B is €50 and my 30mb b/b is €37

iba

bk wrote: »

You would be better off switching to the following UPC broadband + phone package:

http://www.upc.ie/deals/broadbandandphone/fibrepower50Mb/

€44 gives you 50mb/5mb with a 500GB cap

Smart give you:
€30 24mb/1mb with a 350GB cap

Obviously if you don't need the extra speed or cap, then Smart will save you €14 per month and it certainly is the best value DSL package on the market.

However a few caveats:
1) Smart isn't available everywhere, only from Smart LLU exchanges, check before changing. If you still have an Eircom phone line then you can put your phone number in their checker to see if it is availabe (if it isn't it will say you can get their national product from digiweb, which is crap).

2) 24mb/1mb is the top theoretical speed, no one actually gets this. Max is likely to be about 16mb/600k, but could be as low as 1 or 2mb depending on the quality of your phone line and distance from the exchange.

On the other hand you will likely really get very close to 50mb/5mb from UPC.

BTW I have Smart myself and it works fine, nice and stable, but I would jump to UPC in a second if it was available in my apartment building.

Thanks for your input and your tip about getting the phone and B/B package - dont really need 50mb speeds, when I had 15mb speed it was perfectly good enough and even I dont d/l enough movies a month to reach 500gb not alone 350gb

iba

Hi Again,

A bit more info.

I rang eircom and the cost of a line from them a month is €25.36 and free installation at the moment.

However, if you connect through Smart they will pay the €25.36 to Eircom.

In other words, Smart are chatrging €29.95 p.c.m. of that they only keep €5 and €25 goes to Eircom.

If I understand everything correctly, its starting to sound like a very good deal now and Smart said they have a Fiber Optic cable going to my house.

Any thoughts

Regards

Iba

byronbay2

I switched from UPC to Smart about 6 months ago and am delighted with it. I was paying a fortune for TV/Phone/BB with UPC (€90pm approx) so got a satellite dish/saorview aerial and cancelled UPC. I now pay €35 pm approx for BB and Phone (which we use very little but still find handy), have far superior TV picture (especially RTE 2 HD) and find the BB just as good as UPC - about 16Meg. I thought at the time that it seemed too good to be true but have had no problems so far - thoroughly recommend you to switch!

Please note: Unlikely as it may seem, I have no connection whatsoever with Smart Telecom!:)

Crocked

The €29.95 from smart includes line rental, says it on the main page. I had smart a few years ago, and had no complaints at all. I switched to UPC as I was renting a room out so was getting upc installed for the tv in that room, and it made sense to also get BB through them. But with them constantly upping their prices for improvements they say are beyond their control! along with poor recent customer service from them, I was also looking at switching back to smart on their site yesterday. Haven't decided fully yet but reckon I'll go back to smart.

iba

byronbay2 wrote: »

I switched from UPC to Smart about 6 months ago and am delighted with it. I was paying a fortune for TV/Phone/BB with UPC (€90pm approx) so got a satellite dish/saorview aerial and cancelled UPC. I now pay €35 pm approx for BB and Phone (which we use very little but still find handy), have far superior TV picture (especially RTE 2 HD) and find the BB just as good as UPC - about 16Meg. I thought at the time that it seemed too good to be true but have had no problems so far - thoroughly recommend you to switch!

Please note: Unlikely as it may seem, I have no connection whatsoever with Smart Telecom!:)

Thanks 4 ur input.

You have me convinced - Im switching to Smart

Dont need the UPC TV, just need internet so at €30 a month Ill be saving a good deal of cash

Thanks 4 ur help guys

iba

Crocked wrote: »

The €29.95 from smart includes line rental, says it on the main page. I had smart a few years ago, and had no complaints at all. I switched to UPC as I was renting a room out so was getting upc installed for the tv in that room, and it made sense to also get BB through them. But with them constantly upping their prices for improvements they say are beyond their control! along with poor recent customer service from them, I was also looking at switching back to smart on their site yesterday. Haven't decided fully yet but reckon I'll go back to smart.

Well Ive made my decision - Im switching to Smart

Thanks 4 ur input

Regards

Iba

colm_mcm

iba wrote: »

However, if you connect through Smart they will pay the €25.36 to Eircom.


If I understand everything correctly, its starting to sound like a very good deal now and Smart said they have a Fiber Optic cable going to my house.

Any thoughts

If smart had a fibre cable going to your house why would you be paying line rental to eircom?

iba

colm_mcm wrote: »

If smart had a fibre cable going to your house why would you be paying line rental to eircom?

Eircom own the line - Smart rent the line from Eircom

colm_mcm

A phone line so, Not a fibre cable.

iba

colm_mcm wrote: »

A phone line so, Not a fibre cable.

Im no expert, but when I rang Smart Telecom today he said that there was a fiber optic cable going into my house

demanufactured

iba wrote: »

colm_mcm wrote: »

A phone line so, Not a fibre cable.

Im no expert, but when I rang Smart Telecom today he said that there was a fiber optic cable going into my house

They is lying to you .

EoghanConway

http://www.inlandfibre.ie/images/mapa.jpg

Smart own or part own the T50

http://www.smarttelecom.ie/Corporate/Coverage.aspx