Eir don't allow access to their infrastructure?

KaneToad

Hi all,

I had an Eir rep call to my house telling me that its now possible to get Fibre to my house. I've recently started an 18 mth contract with another Telco. I called them to see if they can get me the Fibre to the house. They tell me that it's not possible as its not live yet ?? Eir says otherwise.

I was under the impression that the infrastructure was there for all to use? It would seem this is untrue ? Do Eir have 'first dibs' on selling the product of Fibre to the house ?

I couldn't care less which Telco I use but I can't afford to break out of an 18mth contract to ensure I get fibre to the home. Will all Telcos, eventually, be allowed access to Eir's infrastructure to upgrade their customers to a Fibre product ?

shigllgetcha

Eir allows access but not all telcos want it

Who are you with vodafone by any chance?

KaneToad

Yep. Vodafone is the provider.

If they can't provide me with FTTH, I feel hard done by having to see out my contract with them for their inferior product. When joining them I was told that I would be updated to FTTH "when it's available".

shigllgetcha

Vodafone have siro so they dont want to access eir's ftth

Eir cant really block anyone.

Some providers say eir charges too much for access but others seem happy to pay it

Your grievance is with vodafone

KaneToad

I've learned a valuable lesson today! Don't sign up to Vodafone for a lengthy contract unless they have a FTTH option in your area.

I've spent a bit of time on Live Chat with a Vodafone rep. They told me: "Eir own the lines and Eir do not let Vodafone avail of the FTTH services unfortunately."

I'm taking this with a pinch of salt as a ComReg Live Chat tells me: "Eir are the universal service provider who supply the infrastructure, it is then up to the individual service provider to avail of this infrastructure at their own discretion."

I now have to see out my lengthy VF contract or pay huge cancellations fees before I can avail of FTTH.:(

shigllgetcha

Live chat is a waste of time

Do you have a cooling off period with a rep sale? are you over 14 days?

tsue921i8wljb3

eir are still running the promotion where they will pay your cancellation fee for another ISP (upto €200 in the form of bill credit). Although from what you're saying cancelling with Vodafone will cost a lot more than €200.

ED E

Become a pain in vodafones side. Like nightmare neighbour style. If you become more trouble than its worth for their contact centre they'll release you from contract.

PS: Salespeople for any large telco will say anything to get a sale, always do your own research.

tsue921i8wljb3

OP had you been with Vodafone before you signed the 18 month contract and if so did they make contact with you about the new deal or vice versa? I'm just wondering were you targeted by them knowing that FTTH was about to become available.

knipex

KaneToad wrote: »

I've learned a valuable lesson today! Don't sign up to Vodafone for a lengthy contract unless they have a FTTH option in your area.

I've spent a bit of time on Live Chat with a Vodafone rep. They told me: "Eir own the lines and Eir do not let Vodafone avail of the FTTH services unfortunately."

I'm taking this with a pinch of salt as a ComReg Live Chat tells me: "Eir are the universal service provider who supply the infrastructure, it is then up to the individual service provider to avail of this infrastructure at their own discretion."

I now have to see out my lengthy VF contract or pay huge cancellations fees before I can avail of FTTH.:(

Openeir own the network and are a wholesaler.

Eir are the retail business and buy access from openeir. Multiple others do similar, (digiweb, Pure among others). Openeir and eir happen to be part of the same company yes but from a technician point of vie they are two separate companies.

Vodafone caught my wife in a similar situation. She knew FTTH was coming and when she said it to them the promised her that when it became available they would deliver it to her. When eir made FTTH available she rang and asked to be connected. They told her it wasn't available.

I had many many long conversation with various people in Vodafone who first told me we already had fiber, we didn't, could get it from Vodafone, (we couldn't, turned out once our exchange was fiber enabled we were apparently getting fiber even if it was a crappy unstable 1 meg down), they no one could provide fiber direct to the home (sent them a picture of the fire lien outside my house and connecting to my neighbor), denied ever promising my wife anything, hung up on my, old me I was angry and aggressive (the absolutely only truthful statement they made in all our calls)

Once I asked for a copy of the recording of the call to my wife where they did not offer to provide FTTH when it was available, they allowed us to exit the contract.

Don't get me wrong Vodafone were a decent service provider, the sales people lie and their customer service when something like that happens is poor but Eir, are if anything, worse.

KaneToad

shigllgetcha wrote: »

Live chat is a waste of time

Do you have a cooling off period with a rep sale? are you over 14 days?

14 days have long passed, unfortunately. Live Chat is a bit hit and miss, I agree. Different answers depending on the agent.

Marlow

Have a look at this list: https://fibrerollout.ie/rollout-map/where-to-buy/

Everyone with the house logo offers FTTH on OpenEIRs network. 8 providers to choose from.
Everyone with the square logo offers VDSL (aka FTTC) on OpenEIRs network.

You did choose poorly and went with a provider, that has decided not to sign a contract with OpenEIR to offer FTTH.

Had you signed with a provider, that offers both, you might have had a chance of changing.

Your grief is with Vodafone. Them telling you they don't have access to OpenEIRs FTTH network is correct. But the reason is NOT, that OpenEIR won't let them. The reason is, that they don't want to offer products on OpenEIRs FTTH network.

/M

KaneToad

Maliah Nutty Cliff wrote: »

eir are still running the promotion where they will pay your cancellation fee for another ISP (upto €200 in the form of bill credit). Although from what you're saying cancelling with Vodafone will cost a lot more than €200.

I spoke with Eir. They offered me the 200. But, as you say, it's only a fraction of my contract cost.

KaneToad

Maliah Nutty Cliff wrote: »

OP had you been with Vodafone before you signed the 18 month contract and if so did they make contact with you about the new deal or vice versa? I'm just wondering were you targeted by them knowing that FTTH was about to become available.

Ironically, I had been with Eir. My mistake was misinterpreting what VF meant when they told me they would update me to Fiber when it was available. I thought it was when the infrastructure was available. I understood the BB rollout in my area to be available for all Telcos to use. The error is mine.

Marlow

KaneToad wrote: »

I understood the BB rollout in my area to be available for all Telcos to use.

It is. If they sign the appropriate contracts. Vodafone has opted not to sign a contract for OpenEIR FTTH because they are invested in SIRO and use their FTTH platform instead.

You could always try and go on an approach, where you state, they mislead you. Because VDSL is not really fibre. It's FTTC .. fibre to the cabinet. But it's copper to your home.

/M

KaneToad

Marlow wrote: »

Have a look at this list: https://fibrerollout.ie/rollout-map/where-to-buy/

Everyone with the house logo offers FTTH on OpenEIRs network. 8 providers to choose from.
Everyone with the square logo offers VDSL (aka FTTC) on OpenEIRs network.

You did choose poorly and went with a provider, that has decided not to sign a contract with OpenEIR to offer FTTH.

Had you signed with a provider, that offers both, you might have had a chance of changing.

Your grief is with Vodafone. Them telling you they don't have access to OpenEIRs FTTH network is correct. But the reason is NOT, that OpenEIR won't let them. The reason is, that they don't want to offer products on OpenEIRs FTTH network.

/M

I agree, I chose poorly. I was uninformed...or maybe underinformed. To be honest I didn't think I would need to have such a thorough knowledge of the Telco market!

I am a bit miffed about VFs stance that Eir "won't let them" access the infrastructure. This is clearly a lie.

Live and learn. Now if I could figure out a way to break contract, I'd be laughing..

KaneToad

Marlow wrote: »

You could always try and go on an approach, where you state, they mislead you. Because VDSL is not really fibre. It's FTTC .. fibre to the cabinet. But it's copper to your home.

/M

I think I will pursue this. I was sold a product called Home Essentials Fibre. It explicitly states that this is: "Vodafone Broadband - Fibre". I naively thought this was/was going to be a fibre line to the house, when available.

I guess some fibres are more fibrey than others...

Poulgorm

I have Vodafone FTTC and my contract has expired. But I am staying with them on a month to month basis, as OpenEir FTTH will be available in my area fairly soon. Siro FTTH will never be available (I am out in the country).

Vodafone phone me about every 3 weeks, offering me another 18 month contract (with €5 off for the first 3 months). Every time they call, I reject their offer, explaining the FTTH situation. Every time I do, the Vodafone sales rep assures me that, as soon as FTTH becomes available, they will upgrade me to FTTH. They state that if Eir can offer FTTH, Vodafone also can.

This is blatantly false: I don't know how they get away with it. There should be a penalty for doing this. I suspect that this offer is made to all people in my situation.

Marlow

Poulgorm wrote: »

This is blatantly false: I don't know how they get away with it. There should be a penalty for doing this. I suspect that this offer is made to all people in my situation.

Your answer to that should be: "Theoretically.. Yes. But Vodafone management has not signed the appropriate contracts, so you can't."

/M

shigllgetcha

You can opt out of that on the website, theyll never call you again.

WildCardDoW

OP, confirm the costs for leaving the VF contract. It might be worth it.

You could also argue they misled you with the FTTH talk by not making it clear that it was SIRO FTTH and not eir's (as other's have discussed they commonly do!).

You don't typically pay the full remainder of the contract it's usually a set fee of €200 or €300.

Marlow

WildCardDoW wrote: »

You don't typically pay the full remainder of the contract it's usually a set fee of €200 or €300.

With Vodafone it's not a set fee. It's always the full remainder. So the only option is to force them into voiding the contract or to pay up.

/M

WildCardDoW

Oh wow, wasn't aware. I've never had a contract like that with any provider!