eircom say phone line isn't suitable - help!

jeff lebowski · 09-02-2005 11:27am #1

Hi,

I live in a broadband enabled area close enough to the enabled exchange. Eircom said I can't get broadband because the line isn't suitable.....they didn't go into detail saying why it isn't suitable.

Is there any way around this or any way to convince them to fix the line?

Thanks

f1refox · 09-02-2005 11:30am

Its there line tell them to fix it :rolleyes:

jimmycrackcorm · 09-02-2005 11:35am

plug your phone extension lead into a electric socket and fry their exchange. Then ring and complain about your phone not working.

jeff lebowski · 09-02-2005 11:38am

I tried that and they said, in summary - "we are only required by law to provide voice communications over a phone line.....your phoine line does that so f*ck off"

I was pretty much saying "here.....take my money! I want broadband" and they wouldn't sort it. Once I got through and they did "a more detailed check" and said the line passed, then when I had to call another number to order, the person on that call said it failed again!

toil · 09-02-2005 11:45am

I know a few people who this has happened to.
What is the story with it? Can they do anything?
Do Eircom have to upgrade their phone line?

jeff lebowski · 09-02-2005 11:49am

The lad on the phone said - off the record - that I could try getting a new phone line installed but there's no guarantee that would work either

yossarin · 09-02-2005 11:52am

jeff lebowski wrote:

The lad on the phone said - off the record - that I could try getting a new phone line installed but there's no guarantee that would work either

they all say that. its billox. hassle them relentlessly and you might get somewhere.

homah_7ft · 09-02-2005 12:02pm

I spent about a year and a half trying to get my line to pass. To make a long story short my neighbours line (next door) passed and mine always failed. Get rid of any caller id or anything but a standard phone. Ring the service line to complain about the crackle that you hear when you are making calls

. Do not mention broadband. That is important. You will have to give it a month after doing this for them to update their database and you may be lucky.

Orion · 09-02-2005 12:08pm

jeff lebowski wrote:

I tried that and they said, in summary - "we are only required by law to provide voice communications over a phone line.....your phoine line does that so f*ck off"

Isn't the customer service in Eircon great. It's good to see that they kept the old semi-state attitude of "f*ck the public - I've a job for life anyway" :mad:

ando · 09-02-2005 12:27pm

jeff lebowski wrote:

The lad on the phone said - off the record - that I could try getting a new phone line installed but there's no guarantee that would work either

i did that, didnt work. later my original line passed, the new line continued to fail ?

jeff lebowski · 09-02-2005 12:33pm

Does anyone know why a line passes or fails? The line is only a few years old and is in a new estate. Other people i know in the same estate have broadband, I can't work it out and eircom won't tell me.

I tried the "my line isn't working" without mentioning broadband. They said they came and tested it one day and it was fine

Mr_Man · 09-02-2005 1:22pm

In summary your line can fail because:

1) Distance from the exchange
2) Fault on the line (it may be capable of carry voice but fault prevents BB)
3) "Too much" gear connected to your line (e.g. fax, answerphone etc)
4) Splitter on the line
5) Your number was selected by Eircom's HAL computer as one to fail for no other reason than to annoy you

HTH

M.

jeff lebowski · 09-02-2005 1:49pm

Thanks Mr Man

1) We live close enough to the exchange
2) Would they not be required to fix it if there's a fault?
3) We only have a few connection points in the house (for modems) and 1 phone
4) what's a splitter? Is it just a cable to take the line to different connection points or something?
5) it's quite likely.....the bastards!

The Muppet · 09-02-2005 2:01pm

A mate of Mine had his calls with esat. When his exchange was enabled for broadband , he applied to eircome for it but his line failed. He badged the fro months but his line repeatedly failed . He eventually gave eircome back his calls and they retested his line and amazingly it passed.

There were numerouse phone calls and excuses that are that are too long winded to go into here but that the nub of the matter. I Know this This is 100% fact. I don't know if it applies in this instance but Eircome can act the mick if your calls are not with them.

d@rk l0rd · 09-02-2005 2:06pm

I have the same problem. Nothing else using the line. Rang Eircom - told me there was nothing they could do other than having the lines tested every month. I've been waiting months now and line still fails. Am near exchange and other people living near me can get BB.
Was told that even if I spent E130 on a new line, there's no guarantee that it would be BB compatible!

Only in Ireland!!!

tuxy · 09-02-2005 2:06pm

The Muppet wrote:

There were numerouse phone calls and excuses that are that are too long winded to go into here but that the nub of the matter. I Know this This is 100% fact. I don't know if it applies in this instance but Eircome can act the mick if your calls are not with them.

ya this is my experiance also
when i was having trouble with my line and was with esat
eircom hinted that things would move much faster if i switched back to eircom
i did and things worked out fine

Scruff · 09-02-2005 2:23pm

qick summary of my experience.

Line failed
Esat ring saying line has passed
line fails
ring eorcom complain etc...
ask are we on a line split
eircom no you're not
complain, comreg etc
month pass
eircom say we're still not on a line split.
request in writting signed by engineer that we are not on line split.
Eircom suddenly change tune and say they'll get engineer to check "one more time".
eircom ring up. yes you were on line split, fixed it so you're not anymore.
finally got bb to the apt but i had moved out at that stage

Sparky · 13-02-2005 2:07am

I got a new line in recently, its a straight connection to the pole, and has no telephone equipment attached to it (eircom man did'nt supply a phone) i checked eircom website FAILS, then just to see if theres light, I rang esatbt and amazingly it passes, so I said nothing and accepted then rang again to give my account number which i had to ring eircom for, then as I got back on to esat the man tells me that the line failed when he tested it again, I wonder why he tested it again? Anyway they should check the line there and then rather than relying on a 1 month old database, like I bet if you never intended to get broadband your line would pass, my neighbours line which is pre 80's and has crap voice quality due to crap wireing passes.

Only in Ireland, eircom probably know that this person is old so they pass the line because they think she'll never have broadband.

elvis2002 · 13-02-2005 2:19am

i actually think that if your dial up bill is expensive you wont get bb cuz eircom will make more money from you the way things stay the same.

frisket · 13-02-2005 1:02pm

jeff lebowski wrote:

Thanks Mr Man

1) We live close enough to the exchange
2) Would they not be required to fix it if there's a fault?
3) We only have a few connection points in the house (for modems) and 1 phone
4) what's a splitter? Is it just a cable to take the line to different connection points or something?
5) it's quite likely.....the bastards!

1. Not relevant if they decide they don't want to supply you.
2. Only if they agree there's a fault. Just reporting it is not enough.
3. Disconnect everything except the phone before testing.
4. What used to be known as a "party line". Lets two devices share the bandwidth.
Used in the even-worse-old-days when the Post Office couldn't even supply a
line, let alone a service.
5. Never attribute to malice what can adequately be explained by incompetence.

///Peter

eircom say phone line isn't suitable - help!

Comments