Commitment Length and Available Services (Eir)

g0g

Looking for some quick advice on a dilemma that links the fours services. Current setup:
1) Eir Broadband older setup approx 10MB connection - good, but not fantastic - approx € 55-60/month but think due to go up a bit (€ 8?)?
2) TV service via combi Satellite/Saorview box - nice channel selection but recording is a bit clunky - no ongoing cost other than a TV licence
3) Phone package included with Eir and used a bit but not a whole lot.
4) Mobiles - we're both on Meteor 4G sim-free 30-day packages with lots of calls/texts and around 4/5GB data I think for € 25ish per month.
So currently costing approx € 100-110 per month

So Eir are offering that package for 24 months which for € 30 x 6 months and € 90 x 18 months (i.e. € 75 average) will now give us:
1) 30MB unlimited internet (incl new modem) - line was just upgraded last week
2) Eircom 54-channel package with recording
3) Unlimited phone service for Irish landlines and mobiles
4) One sim only package with lots of minutes/texts plus just 1GB of data

On one level it seems like a no-brainer when Eircom plus one mobile is currently costing me € 85, and now for € 75 I'll get TV too.

So my questions I'm looking for an opinion on:
1) Is 30MB broadband likely to be relevant in two years?
2) How likely are Eir to offer me upgrades if options become available?
3) How pricey (I can't find it anywhere!) are Eir on mobile data if you go over? My wife typically uses around 1GB per month, but the next level up of bundle above would add another € 15/month to package cost.
4) Am I better always excluding mobile from bundles? Data speeds/allowances seem to change so often that maybe I'm better with the 30-day notice flexibility for both of our phones?
5) In general if newer services come along are Eir good about letting you switch "upwards" provided you take a new contract?

The big attraction is that the combined bundle seems to be such a good price! Thanks for reading and any feedback/advice.

bk

Obviously it depends on what service you actually want, but it doesn't sound like you are too pushed about TV and you are moving down to more constraint mobiles packages. Instead I might recommend:

- Eir Broadband Only (30Mb/s) €45 per month
- Lyca mobile, unlimited calls, texts and 20GB data €15

or if you want to stay Metro (and want 4g):
- Meteor Unlimited calls and 15GB data €20

If you go with the deal you mention above you will be paying average of €100 per month (including second mobile).

With Lyca you will be paying €75, with Meteor €85

This gives you way more mobile data and way more calls on your mobile.

You won't get free landline calls, but does that matter when you have unlimited calls from a mobile?

Of course this won't give you TV either, but if you are happy with your current TV setup, why change?

The danger of going with Eir's mobile service is that you will get major charges if you go over the small 1GB cap.

bk

Alternatively if you do want the TV, then Eir has a package that offers:

- Eir Broadband
- Eir TV 55 channels
- Eir unlimited calls

for average €65 month.

Then either go to Lyca or Meteor separately for mobile.

Lyca would work out €5 per month cheaper, Metor would work out €5 a month more expensive, but both would offer you far more mobile minutes and data then bundling Eir mobile with the TV and broadband.

Basically I think taking Eir mobile as part of a bundle offers poor value for money.

g0g

Thank you VERY much, REALLY useful reply!

Unfortunately my wife is pretty convinced now about wanting the TV part but I see your point about the mobile. Maybe I should just exclude the mobiles, although I think the deal will work out expensive enough then.

Is that Meteor € 20 deal only available via PAYG or is there a bill pay version for the same price?

bk wrote: »

Obviously it depends on what service you actually want, but it doesn't sound like you are too pushed about TV and you are moving down to more constraint mobiles packages. Instead I might recommend:

- Eir Broadband Only (30Mb/s) €45 per month
- Lyca mobile, unlimited calls, texts and 20GB data €15

or if you want to stay Metro (and want 4g):
- Meteor Unlimited calls and 15GB data €20

If you go with the deal you mention above you will be paying average of €100 per month (including second mobile).

With Lyca you will be paying €75, with Meteor €85

This gives you way more mobile data and way more calls on your mobile.

You won't get free landline calls, but does that matter when you have unlimited calls from a mobile?

Of course this won't give you TV either, but if you are happy with your current TV setup, why change?

The danger of going with Eir's mobile service is that you will get major charges if you go over the small 1GB cap.

bk

Cross posts there, see my second post above for options with TV.

Also don't forget to check if you can get Virgin Media and Vodafone BB + TV is also an option.

For instance Vodafone Broadband + TV works out at €55 per month. Vodafone TV is better then Eir TV, though it doesn't include the 4 extra BT sports channels if that matters to you.

Yes, both the Lyca and Meteor deals are pay as you go, but they can easily be setup to act like a contract where the fee for them is automatically taken every month without you doing anything.

There really isn't any benefit to locking yourself into a contract unless you are getting a "free" phone. They are almost always more expensive and obviously a lot less flexible.

g0g

bk wrote: »

Cross posts there, see my second post above for options with TV.

Also don't forget to check if you can get Virgin Media and Vodafone BB + TV is also an option.

For instance Vodafone Broadband + TV works out at €55 per month. Vodafone TV is better then Eir TV, though it doesn't include the 4 extra BT sports channels if that matters to you.

Yes, both the Lyca and Meteor deals are pay as you go, but they can easily be setup to act like a contract where the fee for them is automatically taken every month without you doing anything.

There really isn't any benefit to locking yourself into a contract unless you are getting a "free" phone. They are almost always more expensive and obviously a lot less flexible.

Thanks again! So ultimately the answer seems to be to keep the mobile separate in that case. Virgin not an option where I live, but I guess there's VF to consider too.

Just checked now and I could have broadband + PAYG on the landline + TV for € 50 x 6 months and € 65 x 12 months, so € 60 monthly average isn't bad over 18 months. Have heard mixed reviews about Vodafone service so would be more nervous about that for some reason...

bk

g0g wrote: »

Just checked now and I could have broadband + PAYG on the landline + TV for € 50 x 6 months and € 65 x 12 months, so € 60 monthly average isn't bad over 18 months. Have heard mixed reviews about Vodafone service so would be more nervous about that for some reason...

Vodafone are simply reselling Eir's landline, so there should be no difference for broadband. Vodafones TV service is far more modern and feature rich then Eir's. Worth considering.

bk

Actually now that I think of it, you mentioned that you will only be getting 30Mb/s broadband. That is pretty borderline for IPTV. I think Voddafone actually require minimum 40Mb/s for their TV service. So watch out for that.

g0g

Thanks bk, popped down to Eir and got what I think is a good enough deal. Posting details below for anyone else wondering what deals can be done.

PAYG Landline, Unlimited BB (currently 30MB but hopefully upgraded over time), Basic 55 station TV package. 18 months contract --> € 28 for the first 6 months and then € 67 for the next 12, so € 54 average over the contract. We rarely use the landline so this is pretty ideal. I'm already spending € 55-60 for slower broadband and no TV.

For the mobiles I'll probably move from SIM only Meteor to that € 20 deal with unlimited calls and 15GB. I think I'll be happier with that than Lyca as Meteor have some handy roaming bundles for the odd timeyou're away.

ED E

Have you played with Eir TV? Sounds like you arent big watchers but the experience with their Netgem STBs really leaves a lot to be desired.

Assuming its 30Mb RA your BB will be dropped to 24Mb when TV is applied and 16Mb when you turn on the TV itself.
Pop your line into here: http://business.digiweb.ie/linechecker/ and paste the results back to confirm.

guil

My father has Eir tv and says its brutal compared to Sky, box regularly freezes too.

g0g

ED E wrote: »

Have you played with Eir TV? Sounds like you arent big watchers but the experience with their Netgem STBs really leaves a lot to be desired.

Assuming its 30Mb RA your BB will be dropped to 24Mb when TV is applied and 16Mb when you turn on the TV itself.
Pop your line into here: http://business.digiweb.ie/linechecker/ and paste the results back to confirm.

No haven't used it at all! To be honest I'm happy with the Optimuss OS3+ myself. Main benefits of this hopefully will be that the recording is smoother plus also we gain a couple of kids channels we don't have on FTA!
I tried that link but it won't accept my number. I tried 01-XXXXXXX, 01XXXXXXX, XXXXXXX, 3531-XXXXXXX, 3531XXXXXXX but no luck yet! Any idea of the correct format for an 01 number!?

guil wrote: »

My father has Eir tv and says its brutal compared to Sky, box regularly freezes too.

Good to know thanks. If this is the case I'll be all over Eircom. If I'm gonna be paying for this it better be reasonable! Tougher to complain (and expect results!) about things like a clunky interface, but crashing I would say is unacceptable.

ED E

The format is 01-XXXXXXX unless youre standalone then its 8881/8883 instead of 01.

g0g

ED E wrote: »

The format is 01-XXXXXXX unless youre standalone then its 8881/8883 instead of 01.

Exchange Code:  Unknown
DSL Enabled:  Yes - 17 MB
NGB Enabled:  Yes - 17 MB
Fibre Enabled: Yes - 30 MB
LLU Enabled: No

ED E

Double checked the numbers.

Order BB, get 30Mb.
Order BB+TT Get 20Mb, then 12Mb when the TV is turned on. Their sales people have a habit of not explaining that bit.