Issue with Magnet

visu9211

Hi All,

I ordered Broadband from Magnet who said that they can provide me with guaranteed 30Meg speeds as i live in FTTH (Fibre To The Home) area - Adamstown. They said this after taking my address and checking if I was able to receive connection.

I was with UPC before for last 2 years (Broadband, TV), but since magnet were giving me a really good deal, i agreed. I got UPC disconnected and got Sky installed for my TV services.

On the day of the installation, the engineer told me that he couldn't connect me as the Fiber line had not been laid to my house, although it is available in the area and to all houses around me. The Magnet hub is nearby and can be seen from my house. When i contacted the Customer service they said that since my house was built in 2009, just when the recession hit, Magnet had decided to not connect the 10 new houses that were being built. I asked them if they could connect me now, he said that it will take them 2-3 years to recover the cost of installation and that they will not be connecting my house.

I then spoke with the Customer Services Manager and explained the situation to him that I am without any internet at my household and with 1 year contract with Sky. If I go back to UPC, they will charge me 8 euros extra (on top of their expensive broadband connection compared to what magnet were offering). I requested him to conside connecting my house. I even said that if they continue to provide a good service (which they guarantee), why would i leave their service.

He said he would comeback to me tomorrow morning. When i didn't receive any call by the following noon, i called him back. I was told he was on another call and would call me back in 10 mins. Then I received an email and i quote part of it "unfortunately Magnet Networks are unable to provide services to your address; at the time of ordering Magnet staff were of the opinion that it was possible to provide the afore-mentioned service however when the engineer was sent out to install it became apparent that this would not be possible"

I emailed him back saying that my issue is the result of the failure on the part of Magnet to properly check if a connection was available. Now either I spend extra 24 euros per month then what i had planned or be without internet. He just simply restated what he had said previously saying he could do nothing.

The event has caused me lots of stress and pain and i want to ask if i have any recourse to any help in dealing with Magnet Networks. I want that either they connect my house or compensate for the stress and the extra financial burden that i have to shoulder each month.

Any suggestions will be appreciated...

Bohrio

What great deal was Magnet offering you?

I am afraid there is little you can do. This situaton is not only exclusive to Magnet, ie, eircom and UPC have similar problems. No matter how much you complain you will not get magnet to deliver fibre to your house and unlikely they will compensate you either, and if they do, it wont be for more than a reconnection cost etc... but I dont think I have ever seen an ISP compensating a customer like this, unless you stay with them for another service. But I could be wrong.

Best case scenario they might be able to provide you with some sort of DSL Eircom wholesale product (either LineSharing with I doubt or an Eircom Bitstream product).

Just as a tip for next time, much like a monkey does, dont let one branch go until you have grabbed the next one, this means in your case, dont cancel broadband with one ISP (UPC) until you have the other (Magnet) up and running.

I know sky will be providing BB soon, but of course, it might not be until xmas... so best of luck.