Do I have to use Eircom?

rikerdonegal

I wanted to get broadband at home. Currently have nothing, not even a phone line. Friends suggested Sky Broadband so did a bit of reading, it seemed like a good deal so I gave them a call.

However...

Because there's no landline at the house they told me me to call Eircom first, and get back to them afterwards. We even left my application hanging in mid-stream for me to resume when I was ready.

I phoned Eircom, and they told me the'll only set up a landline if I agree to a 12 month contract! I was really surprised. Is this right? I can't get a phoneline unless I go with Eircom, even though I don't want to use them.

The guy at Sky Broadband assumed everything would be straight-forward and I could continue my SB application as soon as I had a landline.

Who is right? (I presume it's the Eircom person and I'm stuck with an Eircom gun to my head for 12 months. Sigh.)

pizzahead77

rikerdonegal wrote: »

I wanted to get broadband at home. Currently have nothing, not even a phone line. Friends suggested Sky Broadband so did a bit of reading, it seemed like a good deal so I gave them a call.

However...

Because there's no landline at the house they told me me to call Eircom first, and get back to them afterwards. We even left my application hanging in mid-stream for me to resume when I was ready.

I phoned Eircom, and they told me the'll only set up a landline if I agree to a 12 month contract! I was really surprised. Is this right? I can't get a phoneline unless I go with Eircom, even though I don't want to use them.

The guy at Sky Broadband assumed everything would be straight-forward and I could continue my SB application as soon as I had a landline.

Who is right? (I presume it's the Eircom person and I'm stuck with an Eircom gun to my head for 12 months. Sigh.)

No you don't have to go with eircom. If Sky refuse to organise getting the line installed for you then go elsewhere. Report them to comreg too.

All operators should be able to organise for a new phone line to be installed

Mr. G

pizzahead77 wrote: »

No you don't have to go with eircom. If Sky refuse to organise getting the line installed for you then go elsewhere. Report them to comreg too.

All operators should be able to organise for a new phone line to be installed

Reporting them to Comreg willnot do anything. There is no contract or legally binding agreement between the OP and Sky saying that Sky must install a line for the OP. I can't see why it would be against regulations.

You may be able to get a line installed and pay for it in full. You would need to ask around, but Sky don't have to get a new line in for you. They only port over or activate lines already installed afaik.

sawdoubters

try voderphone

or upc

http://www.moneyguideireland.com/cheapest-phone-and-broadband-package.html


http://www.callcosts.ie/broadband/Broadband_Calculator.175.LE.asp

rikerdonegal

Right, tomorrow I'll make a couple more phone calls and see what I can suss out. Maybe if i can just pay Eircom to install a new line and then... go away.

(There is a line in the house. And there used to be phone-line there with Smart. But it was ended back in 2012 to save money. I just assumed starting up again would be easy. Silly me.)

ED E

Sky are too cheap to pay the provisioning fees so they just aggressively steal other providers existing customers.

Go with vodafone, they'll get it done for ya.

White Heart Loon

It's Comregs fault, there is no competition in the fixed line dsl broadband market even though it's buttered up to make you to think there is. "X" amount of providers re-selling Eircom bitstream (and offering packages with mobile and TV) isn't competition and does nothing to help the consumer. More fudge

bealtine

rikerdonegal wrote: »

(There is a line in the house. And there used to be phone-line there with Smart. But it was ended back in 2012 to save money. I just assumed starting up again would be easy. Silly me.)

This is not a new line as such it's a reactivation and any provider should be able to arrange it

rikerdonegal

I phoned Sky again and spoke at length with someone who said they would try and get it sorted. She said leave it a week, and she'll call me back next Tuesday evening around the same time (5pm) and let me know if she can get the reactivation 'on the list'.

She was very reasonable, etc. But, still, it's a huge fuss over a very basic thing.

I suppose my only option, if this fails, is to go with Eircom and sign an 18-month contract. I phoned Eircom again (that's about four calls to them, now, and two to Sky) and they said I have a ten-day grace period, where I can cancel the service if I am not happy.

So, at least, I can probably cancel if it is a bad as I suspect/expect it to be and switch over to Sky at that stage.

Such a bloody saga over simply getting a phone line into a house.