Eircom to roll out 1Gb/s FTTH to 66 towns

PeadarB

Quite a lot of eircom efibre customers will now be coming to the end of their initial 18 month contracts. I was originally connected on 30th May 2013 and am delighted with the service to date despite some line problems.

I live in Letterkenny and according to the eircom blurbs the construction of the next phase to enable FTTH in Letterkenny commenced last November. Looking over some older posts of mine I was amused to see the frustration expressed by myself and others at the perceived delays in the initial rollout and connection.

I rang eircom today to see if I could record an expression of interest to connect to the new FTTH when available. I was directed to the eircom site to log my interest but can't for the life of me see where this can be done. If eircom want to stay ahead of the posse they need to facilitate potential customers for the new service.

KOR101

PeadarB wrote: »

Quite a lot of eircom efibre customers will now be coming to the end of their initial 18 month contracts.

All contracts can be terminated with 30 days notice because of the increased charges. Just switched, and did make a point of being careful that I was only signing for 12 months, because my town is on the ESB/Vodaphone list for FTTH.

bk

eNet brining Fiber (FTT Premises) to businesses in Kilkenny:

http://www.siliconrepublic.com/comms/item/40933-kilkenny-to-become-ireland/

It is moves like this by eNet and ESB that are spurring Eircom into doing FTTH too.

rob808

bk wrote: »

eNet brining Fiber (FTT Premises) to businesses in Kilkenny:

http://www.siliconrepublic.com/comms/item/40933-kilkenny-to-become-ireland/

It is moves like this by eNet and ESB that are spurring Eircom into doing FTTH too.

This seems pointless Kilkenny already on Eircom list guess eNet save Eircom some money:).I also notice a lot of towns Eircom doing so is ESB and vodafone example navan question is why are they building two networks in one location.

bk

rob808 wrote: »

This seems pointless Kilkenny already on Eircom list guess eNet save Eircom some money:).I also notice a lot of towns Eircom doing so is ESB and vodafone example navan question is why are they building two networks in one location.

Competition.

In this example, eNet is costing Eircom valuable business.

Business in relatively high density towns where Eircom has a monopoly is currently Eircoms bread and butter. If eNet or ESB move into these areas, then that is lost business and therefore revenue and profits for Eircom.

The real money is in owning the network. If you are just a reseller, then profit margins are very thin, not a very good business strategy.

PeadarB

bk wrote: »

Competition.

In this example, eNet is costing Eircom valuable business.

Business in relatively high density towns where Eircom has a monopoly is currently Eircoms bread and butter. If eNet or ESB move into these areas, then that is lost business and therefore revenue and profits for Eircom.

The real money is in owning the network. If you are just a reseller, then profit margins are very thin, not a very good business strategy.

Don't eNet run the MAN's? They have run dark fibre to many locations at taxpayer expense - €176m and counting. In Letterkenny for instance they have run fibre to all the main business, school and government office locations in town. The MAN fibre run appears to link back to the ESB co-location point at Lurgybrack about 5 km from the town. Their price list is interesting http://www.enet.ie/uploads/File/New%20Download%20Forms/3.%20Pricing%20Table.pdf
I suspect eircom and ESB/Vodafone have little to worry about here as eNet have been on the scene for 10 years and have done little or nothing for the ordinary internet end user.

godskitchen

PeadarB wrote: »

Don't eNet run the MAN's? They have run dark fibre to many locations at taxpayer expense - €176m and counting. In Letterkenny for instance they have run fibre to all the main business, school and government office locations in town. The MAN fibre run appears to link back to the ESB co-location point at Lurgybrack about 5 km from the town. Their price list is interesting http://www.enet.ie/uploads/File/New%20Download%20Forms/3.%20Pricing%20Table.pdf
I suspect eircom and ESB/Vodafone have little to worry about here as eNet have been on the scene for 10 years and have done little or nothing for the ordinary internet end user.

Enet are no competition, their pricing is not even in the same ball park. They have been charging so much for so long because they could, which would be fine if they were a non tax payer funder company.

Watch how quickly they manage to "restructure costs" once competition comes.

MBSnr

godskitchen wrote: »

Enet are no competition, their pricing is not even in the same ball park. They have been charging so much for so long because they could, which would be fine if they were a non tax payer funder company.

Watch how quickly they manage to "restructure costs" once competition comes.

+1. eNet tend to charge the ISPs a flat rate for use of the fibre, so there is minimal price difference between them - Viatel/BT etc. Not sure if their pricing would might drop to a sensible level though in areas where the MAN already exists and FTTP may not happen through another provider. Can they use the existing ducts for their fibre product - not sure on that. If so then eNet should be worried....

Obviously the MAN has a better SLA (outages are incredibly rare in my experience) than perhaps is the case with Eircom's FTTP but you pay for it.... Business rates are in the region of 500-1000 Euro per month for 100MB/100MB dependant on location. UNREAL...

godskitchen

MBSnr wrote: »

+1. eNet tend to charge the ISPs a flat rate for use of the fibre, so there is minimal price difference between them - Viatel/BT etc. Not sure if their pricing would might drop to a sensible level though in areas where the MAN already exists and FTTP may not happen through another provider. Can they use the existing ducts for their fibre product - not sure on that. If so then eNet should be worried....

Obviously the MAN has a better SLA (outages are incredibly rare in my experience) than perhaps is the case with Eircom's FTTP but you pay for it.... Business rates are in the region of 500-1000 Euro per month for 100MB/100MB dependant on location. UNREAL...

I agree on the sla, however, I have over 10 customers on vdsl. Longest on is over 18 months. Not a single outage.

MBSnr

godskitchen wrote: »

I agree on the sla, however, I have over 10 customers on vdsl. Longest on is over 18 months. Not a single outage.

We run VDSL for guest wifi. Has been down a couple of times in the year. In that sense I wouldn't trust it for core connectivity with the nature of our business needing WAN links running VPNs 24/7. For a small business or one that didn't have such comms needs I'd say it would be fine.

ED E

VDSL is way safer for line faults (shorter loops) but significantly more susceptible to power outages. Exchanges have reserve power banks and are fed off core three phase, unlikely to loose power. VDSL cabs are fed by local pedestals like the homes around them and can lose power due to a local fault. If you're close to the cab you're likely in the dark too unless you have a generator, but longer loops might have the lights on but no internet.

godskitchen

MBSnr wrote: »

We run VDSL for guest wifi. Has been down a couple of times in the year. In that sense I wouldn't trust it for core connectivity with the nature of our business needing WAN links running VPNs 24/7. For a small business or one that didn't have such comms needs I'd say it would be fine.

I'm running vpn and rdp, the works, from a few vdsl sites and have no problems at all.

The only times I have come across vdsl problems are when it's an internal wiring issue.

That's not to say no one else doesn't experience problems but I have a pretty big sample audience and graphical area to draw experience from.

Now that I have said that, I bet I have a week of connectivity problems to look forward to!

godskitchen

ED E wrote: »

VDSL is way safer for line faults (shorter loops) but significantly more susceptible to power outages. Exchanges have reserve power banks and are fed off core three phase, unlikely to loose power. VDSL cabs are fed by local pedestals like the homes around them and can lose power due to a local fault. If you're close to the cab you're likely in the dark too unless you have a generator, but longer loops might have the lights on but no internet.

What are the batteries in the cabs for?

ED E

godskitchen wrote: »

What are the batteries in the cabs for?

PCP cabs? The PSTN system has always had batteries as part of it to maintain line voltage.

Looking at the Huawei units it seems they do have a reserve unit though. Not sure how much runtime they give though. Must have a gander. I know friends in sandyford lost service due to a power outage cab side not too long ago.

KeRbDoG

MajesticDonkey wrote: »

Look at the NBP thread. All the big telcos have said FTTH is the only solution for rural Ireland, so that's what they'll probably roll out should they win the contract.

Sorry, meant to have said they wouldn't pull down/out existing copper cabling but just add the fibre to the runs

rustalan

Will Eircom place a distance limit from the cabinets for FTTH? I mean in my case i'm connected to a fibre enabled cab but i'm 3.5k away but 1.2k as the crow flies. Will they be putting limits or maybe an install charge will be distance dependent.

Also if another cab is placed between the one you're connected to and goes along the same run of cables do you automatically get placed into the new one?

ED E

FTTC your cab is decided by legacy cabling, FTTH is a new run and will come from wherever is easiest for eircom.

BT charge per meter, but eircom might not be doing the same, we don't know.

Hackery

ED E wrote: »

BT charge per meter, but eircom might not be doing the same, we don't know.

Eircom Wholesale will not be charging per metre it'll be a flat rate €150 To get FTTH installed. Customers on long lines from cabinets may get FTTH as the technology is not distance dependent.

ED E

Good to know, and much better for the nation in the long run.

_John C

Nice one ED E

bk

Hackery wrote: »

Eircom Wholesale will not be charging per metre it'll be a flat rate €150 To get FTTH installed. Customers on long lines from cabinets may get FTTH as the technology is not distance dependent.

But is that confirmed?

The Eircom wholesale docs do mention that the ONT install is €150, but it doesn't say anything about laying the cable. Are you assuming the €150 charge includes the laying of the cable or do you know it for fact?

Also I would assume there will be some limit on how far Eircom will lay cable?

ED E

The old USO rules state reasonable attempt, which translated to a cost of €7,000 max to provide a line IIRC. This wont be under that onus though unless COMREG and the gov decide to re-write the regs.

Hackery is "in the know" on these matters I suspect


How does 150 compare to the current in home works being performed by KNN and paid for by the operators? Haven't come across the fee for that.

bk

ED E wrote: »

How does 150 compare to the current in home works being performed by KNN and paid for by the operators? Have come across the fee for that.

From the Eircom wholesale docs:

NTU Installed by eircom (6): 27.50

Also from the same doc I'm guessing the following charge may apply to install FTTH:

Standalone NGA Non-Insitu Access connection (5): 92.39*

(5) Standalone Non-Insitu Access connection - Where all line work is not in place and there has been no previous service at the address.

(6) This charge applies when the NTU/ONT is installed by eircom for both POTS Based NGA services and Standalone NGA services. This charge is in addition to the charges above. The NTU/ONT charge will not apply when a Non insitu SB-WLR line is installed as part of the same order. The NTU/ONT charge will also not be applied where a Standalone NGA Non-Insitu Access connection charge occurs as part of the same order.

All of this isn't quiet clear and in fact I think there are some mistakes in these points.

Hackery

bk wrote: »

But is that confirmed?

The Eircom wholesale docs do mention that the ONT install is €150, but it doesn't say anything about laying the cable. Are you assuming the €150 charge includes the laying of the cable or do you know it for fact?

Also I would assume there will be some limit on how far Eircom will lay cable?

Under the current pricing regime the installation of an ONT is charged at €27.50 to line up with FTTC. This charge includes all the fibre build out and will continue to do so when seperated out from FTTC and increased to €150.

KeRbDoG

ED E wrote: »

FTTC your cab is decided by legacy cabling, FTTH is a new run and will come from wherever is easiest for eircom.

BT charge per meter, but eircom might not be doing the same, we don't know.

Might you know how much do BT charge per meter?

bk

KeRbDoG wrote: »

Might you know how much do BT charge per meter?

Lots:

http://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2014/01/bt-openreach-hike-price-already-expensive-330mbps-fibre-demand.html

* The monthly rental charge for the first three years will be increased to £99 per month (from the current £38 per month).

* The current one-off fixed connection charge will be increased to £750 (from the current £500).

* And the current one-off distance based charge (which varies according to the distance between the fibre aggregation node and the customer premise) will be increased to £3.50 per metre (from the current £2 per metre).

* As a result, we estimate that more than half of premises will face a total connection charge of between £1,100 and £2,500 (these premises would have incurred a total connection charge of between £700 and £1,500 under the original pricing).

ED E

That €90 is a landline provide BK, only charged when there isnt already a line present and they have to do a preliminary visit to get a DT and provide PSTN (or just POTS for Solo services).

KeRbDoG

Fingers crossed that whenever they start to roll out FTTH here its a flat rate so :eek:

KOR101

KeRbDoG wrote: »

Fingers crossed that whenever they start to roll out FTTH here its a flat rate so :eek:

Could well be flat but limited to those close to the cab.

bk

KOR101 wrote: »

Could well be flat but limited to those close to the cab.

Yes, I assume it will be limited to some distance from the cab.

The question is what distance?

Or it maybe more likely that they will decide to cover some area and you won't be able to get it outside of that area. I think this one is more likely.