Smart employee happy to answer questions on bb rollout

Moriarty

Dr Bolouswki wrote:

Can anyone anticipate/estimate what pings are likely on a service like this? I'm with IBB and the pings are up and down the whole time... a mate on NTL is consistantly sub 60ms..... will ADSL+2 likely give a good ping time? I gather its likely to be variable, but anyone know from the technology if pings are generally good?

It basically depends entirely on how smart configure their equipment in the exchanges. Garfield has said earlier on in this thread that they will probably be able to configure your line for lower latency if it's requsted, so it's entirely possible that it could ping significantly better than eircoms/iols/utvs/netsources/etc current dsl services.

lordluxor

Garfield,

Firstly I’d like to say well done Smart on this stunning offer. I have already signed up, just have to send in the DD! But I have a question… I have signed up under my own name but the phone line is in my Dads name. Will this cause a problem when the line is changed over?

Thanks,
lordluxor

WizZard

Aha, this is my problem aswell. Albeit with my landlord instead of Dad.

My landlord will give me permission to change his line (which I currently have with Esat broadband), to SMART, especially if he gets free line rental. But the broadband contract is in my name.
Would this work with SMART?
If not I would consider getting a separate line in for myself, and using that for SMART's service. However I don't want to commit to a new line now without being sure that when July/August comes around that SMART will have increased upload speeds.

GarfieldConnoll

OFDM wrote:

I assume this rules out the Balbriggan exchange (code: BRND) any time in the near future??

We don't have it on the build programme. The idea of having complete control of the fibre (not buying capacity from eircom/ EsatBT/ etc) is that we have complete control of the product. It also allows for easier network management.

I hope to write up a post on the network philosophy, topology and technology but that will take a while.

Garfield.

GarfieldConnoll

halenger wrote:

Personally I'd prefer a static IP but providing an auto-updated dynamic DNS would be a very very good idea. My old router (now only used for extra capacity for the network/wireless) didn't directly support it and my auto-update programs simply never worked. My current main router does, however, support DynDNS and I've found it to be invaluable. It's by no means a static IP but at least it's a way to connect to my home systems from college/elsewhere even after a disconnection.

Halenger,
Just to clarify the dynamic DNS issue. We won't provide dynamic DNS. But that won't stop you using someone else's dynamic DNS. I've used dyndns.org successfully in the past.

Garfield.

kaizersoze

I think for anyone living in major cities or close to big exchanges this offer sounds good but for all us mere mortals beyond that we will be left behind as usual. It will be the usual scenario for any new service, ie. Go into the biggest and handiest exchanges first and try to make some fast money before moving down the food chain.
I'm on the Ballinasloe exchange serving maybe 3-5000 households. It's a fairly big exchange (physically) near the main Dublin to Galway road and has fibre networks belonging to several telcos either running to it or close by but there is still no sign of it on the Smart rollout list. I won't be cancelling my UTV BB contract any time soon.
Upload speeds and ping times don't bother me but I work from home repairing computers and the 2MB download speed would definately appeal to me.
Just 2 other points to end my rant:
1. When all the free offers are over, the existing BB providers will be offering new deals (higher speeds, larger caps etc) to existing customers whose contracts are ending to keep them onboard.
2. Another criteria that Smart maybe using which hasn't been said yet is the current BB up take with existing providers in particular exchanges.

Garfield, it's good to see a rep. on the boards answering questions and I realise the goal of every business is to make a profit, but I think your selling a pipe dream to 90% of potential customers.

Kevin

Sponge Bob

You may have noticed that a rather stunned Eircom had an ad in the Times yesterday announcing further rollouts of their 256k+ RADSL product to a further 200 odd exchanges over the next 2 years or so, including a dozen or more in County Galway.

Smart can take that belated announcement as a compliment

Ro-76

Hi,

I'm with UTV and will be out of contract soon, but my exchange will not be smart enabled until august.

If I sign up now, will I be billed by smart from now, or from August?

Since It's actually a physical changeover of the line in the exchange independent of Eircom, can I just let my UTV sub run until the day that smart actually set up my line, and then cancel the UTV contract, obviously paying a further month's fee? This would eliminate downtime.

Ro

flamegrill

For Everyone's Info:

Eircom are doing free PSTN installs till March 31st. if you have failed the broadband test over the past few years because of a line issue, this could be a great opertunity to get DSL in the short term or Wait for Smart ;-).

On topic, static IP's are a must for teleworkers. Or for people who run their business from their home or work from home etc. Not quite residential you say, but the line is a res line in most cases. For example, I part own one of Irelands leading hosting companies. I have a netsource 512k line in my house and I have a /29 netblock routed down it. Without this I simply couldn't work from home. Even before i had DSL i had UTVip and had a static IP aswell.

Static IP's, netblocks should be provisioned for those who can justify them and can also make use of them.

In terms of Carlow, I can tell you now the MAN runs about 4 feet away from the eircom exchange. I saw it every step of the way as it passed our offices down by the garda station and down by the exchange.

Paul

GarfieldConnoll

Ro-76 wrote:

Hi,

I'm with UTV and will be out of contract soon, but my exchange will not be smart enabled until august.

If I sign up now, will I be billed by smart from now, or from August?
Ro

Ro,
If you sign up now, you won't be billed by Smart until the service goes live for you.

Ro-76 wrote:

Since It's actually a physical changeover of the line in the exchange independent of Eircom, can I just let my UTV sub run until the day that smart actually set up my line, and then cancel the UTV contract, obviously paying a further month's fee? This would eliminate downtime.
Ro

This has been a topic of conversation for quite a few posters. It will depend on the contract you have with UTV. From a technical perspective (as opposed to a retail contract one), that would make sense.

Garfield.

dub45

Ro-76 wrote:

Hi,

I'm with UTV and will be out of contract soon, but my exchange will not be smart enabled until august.

If I sign up now, will I be billed by smart from now, or from August?

Since It's actually a physical changeover of the line in the exchange independent of Eircom, can I just let my UTV sub run until the day that smart actually set up my line, and then cancel the UTV contract, obviously paying a further month's fee? This would eliminate downtime.

Ro

Ro until Smart can prove me wrong I will maintain yet again that they have givine absolutely no thought (at least until the problem was raised here of the huge issues generated by how people will switch over)

It has been a major problem in most cases before when people switched between isps. There has even been the odd horror story of lines failing the test after a person has had broadband. There have been stories of people without bb for up to four weeks after a change (They are all on here somewhere)

In most cases as far as I can see SMART when ready (or in anticipation of being ready) will have to say to their potential customer 'we can connect you on....' customer then has to give 30 days notice to his isp to disconnect (if hes in the middle of a contract thats a differnet story) ISP releases customer after 30 days - customer then has to inform smart I am now free please connect me. The other isps are not going to make it easy for smooth handovers so expect lots of problems.

Seems to me that Smart anticipated lots of new customers rather than switchers whereas I will be amazed if a huge proportion of their new customers are not switchers.

dub45

GarfieldConnoll wrote:

Ro,

This has been a topic of conversation for quite a few posters. It will depend on the contract you have with UTV. From a technical perspective (as opposed to a retail contract one), that would make sense.

Garfield.

I hate to be hard on you G but this is another meaningless reply from you on the question of Switching.

dub45

Ro-76 wrote:

Since It's actually a physical changeover of the line in the exchange independent of Eircom, can I just let my UTV sub run until the day that smart actually set up my line, and then cancel the UTV contract, obviously paying a further month's fee? This would eliminate downtime.

Ro

Firstly I am a non teccie so open to correction on this but here goes:

Eircom own the line at this stage even if you have your internet or calls from someone else so its not independent of Eircom.

Smart are most unlikely to be allowed set up a line while it is under the control of UTV Esat or someone else. And UTV have control of that line while you are paying subs to them. So unless Smart reach an agreement with UTV iol and so on they are most unlikely to be able to go near your line until you formally cancel your contract and get release.

Now if Smart dont realise this...........

GarfieldConnoll

dub45 wrote:

I hate to be hard on you G but this is another meaningless reply from you on the question of Switching.

Dub45,

I hate it too. It's not a meaningless reply. I've committed to answering the question. But I'm not doing it today. Smooth handovers require three seperate relationships to be managed:

1. The consumer's retail relationship with their ISP.
2. The ISP's wholesale bitstream relationship with eircom.
3. Smart's wholesale LLU relationship with eircom.

The above is a simplification. There are lots of permutations within these three.

Have we thought out every permutation? Doubt it. Have we given significant amounts of time to lots of the permutations? Yes.

If anyone out there wants to provide guidance around the best way(s) to manage changeovers, I am more than happy to listen.

We've already kicked off conversations internally based on feedback from boards.ie (I'm sure you can guess what conversations).

All help appreciated.

Garfield.

corepl

Garfield,

First let me say it is great to have you here. Not many companies would regognize web forum as good place for exchanging ideas with customers.
Keep it that way!

I got few Q:

You have reffered to the technology Smart uses as "ADSL2+". Does that mean I wont be able to use my current broadband modem? Is it compatible with plain old ADSL (stadards ITU-T G.992.1 (G.dmt) or G.992.2 (G.lite)) ?

Can you disclose which IP transit providers you use or plan to use (GBLX, Level 3, Tiscali, CW...) and links speed ?

Will it possible to use PPPoA on your network to avoid MTU problem PPPoE introduce ?

dub45

GarfieldConnoll wrote:

Dub45,

I hate it too. It's not a meaningless reply. I've committed to answering the question. But I'm not doing it today. Smooth handovers require three seperate relationships to be managed:

1. The consumer's retail relationship with their ISP.
2. The ISP's wholesale bitstream relationship with eircom.
3. Smart's wholesale LLU relationship with eircom.

The above is a simplification. There are lots of permutations within these three.

Have we thought out every permutation? Doubt it. Have we given significant amounts of time to lots of the permutations? Yes.

If anyone out there wants to provide guidance around the best way(s) to manage changeovers, I am more than happy to listen.

We've already kicked off conversations internally based on feedback from boards.ie (I'm sure you can guess what conversations).

All help appreciated.

Garfield.

You left out a very important fourth : Smart's communication/co-ordination with their new customer as presumably the whole switchover process will have to be initiated by that customer who will have to know when to do it.

GarfieldConnoll

corepl wrote:

Garfield,


I got two Q:

You have reffered to the technology Smart uses as "ADSL2+". Does that mean I wont be able to use my current broadband modem? Is it compatible with plain old ADSL (stadards ITU-T G.992.1 (G.dmt) or G.992.2 (G.lite)) ?

Can you disclose which IP transit providers you use or plan to use (GBLX, Level 3, Tiscali, CW...) and links speed ?

Will it possible to use PPPoA on your network to avoid MTU problem PPPoE introduce ?

Corepl,

That's three questions.
1. Is it ADSL compatible?
The DSLAM port will 'train' back to ADSL. Though at that point you won't be benefitting from the ADSL2+ we're providing. We're providing an ADSL2+ four port router as standard, so hopefully you'll be happy to use that.
2. Upstream providers?
I don't know (if I can disclose that). I'll find out and come back to you either way.
3. PPPoA?
I don't know the answer to that. I'll ask.
Just to reiterate, I'm the Programme Manager for the DSL network rollout. By no stretch of the imagination am I the tech guy. Or the ops guy for that matter. Add sales guy to that list too.

Garfield.

corepl

sure you're not. i wasnt expecting you will know that out of the hat

cheers

colin300

I know you have said that you will only go to exchanges permitting that you can get direct access with your fibre lines to give complete control or a MAN.

I know you might not have a straight answer as of yet to it but could u enlighten me do you's even have a plan for further expanding or will it solely be decided on the success and smooth upgrading of exchanges and the uptake from customers?

I hope this is not the case because this is exactly what has happened with NTL although they have no reason to not spread apart from laziness and maybe money.

GarfieldConnoll

colin300 wrote:

I know you have said that you will only go to exchanges permitting that you can get direct access with your fibre lines to give complete control or a MAN.

I know you might not have a straight answer as of yet to it but could u enlighten me do you's even have a plan for further expanding or will it solely be decided on the success and smooth upgrading of exchanges and the uptake from customers?

I hope this is not the case because this is exactly what has happened with NTL although they have no reason to not spread apart from laziness and maybe money.

There are 19 MANs almost complete. We have control of the Broadband Communications network in Dublin. There are another 88-89 MANs in planning/ started. If a MAN addresses an exchange and the MAN has national backhaul (ESB typically), then we'll be there at some point. There's also other infrastructure out there and we'll look at that.

Success is important. We won't just extend the network just for the sake of it. Sorry if that's blunt, but there has to be a commercial return for us. I can promise that laziness won't be an issue.

Garfield.

Sponge Bob

Garfield.

Can your kit support Bonded Pair ADSL2+ Variants ?

Ta

WizZard

Garfield, if I sign up now and get a new line in the meantime (ie. a new number) can I switch the contract to that new number, as long as it's at the same address?

elmer

GarfieldConnoll wrote:

2. Free trials? Not a chance. This is 2MB broadband for €35 less €24 line rental. €11 for 2MB. What's not to like? If we can't deliver the service, you can invalidate the contract.

Garfield.

forgive me if i'm wrong but isn't the ulmp charge more like €15 now or am i misunderstanding and your comparing line rental to what eircom charges the customer

still a great deal

Nige

GarfieldConnoll

elmer wrote:

forgive me if i'm wrong but isn't the ulmp charge more like €15 now or am i misunderstanding and your comparing line rental to what eircom charges the customer

still a great deal

Nige

The description is that of the end user retail experience. You're right. ULMP monthly line rental is €14.65.

Garfield.

GarfieldConnoll

WizZard wrote:

Garfield, if I sign up now and get a new line in the meantime (ie. a new number) can I switch the contract to that new number, as long as it's at the same address?

WizZard,

Not sure, can't see why not though. Don't understand how it might occur.

Garfield.

WizZard

The current line is my landlords. In case he may not be entirely happy switching to smart i would get a new line. That's how it would happen!

popinfresh

Jesus GarfieldConnoll, u need a break. Have a kit-kat

dub45

popinfresh wrote:

Jesus GarfieldConnoll, u need a break. Have a kit-kat

You think hes busy now? Wait until the real problems start: bad pings; slow speeds, not getting connected, modems not delivered, Eircom and other isps not releasing people and thats only the first day of service!

Slutmonkey57b

Ok - I second the questions about why Bray has no BB given the number of industries etc, however a lot of posters have missed out on another resource Bray has: Scumbags that chop people up with samurai swords. They don't use broadband, but they are for hire. My question is, how many CEO's would we have to kidnap to get SOMEONE to roll out BB to this godforsaken hellhole?*

*What I mean is godammit why am I reading another thread about a service i'll never be able to get. But thanks for the feedback Garfield - nice to see a company learning from UTV's rollout strategy a couple of years back.

OFDM

GarfieldConnoll wrote:

We don't have it (Balbriggan exchange) on the build programme. The idea of having complete control of the fibre (not buying capacity from eircom/ EsatBT/ etc) is that we have complete control of the product. It also allows for easier network management.

Looks like I'm unfortunately stuck with utv for the foreseeable future...

Will the free line rental forever continue if someone moves house after signing up?