NTL deploy cable-modem "broadband" in Dublin since Monday 4th Feb.

c0y0te

I just rang NTL to do the usual 'when, why, where' queries about deployment of broadband and always on access, and surprisingly I got a response regarding Dublin as follows:-


Since Monday 4th February, NTL are offering always on cable access in the following areas:-

Dublin 24
Dublin 22
Dublin 16
Dublin 6W

They say they have a plan to deploy to other areas over the next 12 months, which of course they won't divulge just yet. Not sure if this is old news or not, but thought it was worth mentioning for anyone in those areas above.

Prices quoted are

Always-On 512 €35.00 / £27.56 per month (unlimited)
Always-On 128 €25.00 / £19.69 per month (unlimited)

c0y0te

pete

Originally posted by c0y0te
Since Monday 4th February, NTL are offering always on cable access in the following areas:-

Dublin 24
Dublin 22
Dublin 16
Dublin 6W

Wait... isn't that tallaght, templeogue, ballinteer and clondalkin?

wasn't it always available in (parts of) these areas?

Saruman

Damn it i want it... I need Dublin 20

c0y0te

Pete,

I think it was 'trialling' in those areas for the longest time, but not commercially available. The key thing here is that they are saying its 'deployable' and therefore a commercial reality since Monday last.

At least that's what I'm hearing. That being the case it means they will be deploying it elsewhere, instead of just endlessly trialling.

Also - given that the franchise areas between Chorus and NTL are being broken in the next month or two, it's an ideal time for NTL to poach some Chorus clients on the internet side.

If they get the jump, and get cable-modems out there (in reality).. they will capture a huge chunk of the market who are just killing themselves waiting for ANY solution which gives them affordable, always on internet connection.

Given the prices above.. (and of course depending on the ratios of users to bandwidth).. this could be the first one through the gate.

c0y0te

SkepticOne

I live in Templeogue, Dublin 6W. I rang 1800 321 321. I selected the option 2 "Subscribe to new services".

Me: "I'm enquiring about cable modem Internet"

Sales person: "Where do you live?"

Me: "Dublin 6W"

SP: "I don't think it's available there. What's your address?"

Me: [gives specific address]

SP: "No, that area is not upgraded. It's only available in Dublin 24 as far as I know."

Me: "Just out of interest, how much of Dublin 24 is upgraded?"

SP: "A couple of thousand, as far as I know."

Me: "Thank you, bye"

SP: "Bye"

That is the conversation I've had just now.

<Edit: Just to add: I've had this same conversation many times before >

pete

skepticone - try ringing 1800 923 005 - that's that number on the NTL cable modem internet page


they might be better informed. possibly.

edit: apologies if that sounds condescending - it's not meant to be.

pete

a friend of mine from ballinteer just rang up and was told that the service would be available in his part of balinteer in two weeks time

_Kaiser_

AAH...and here was me getting all excited when I saw the title of the thread as I live in Coolock and it was/is? (supposedly) one of the areas to be upgraded in the next round

Oh well....seriously tho - I don't see any new areas being added till NTL Worldwide bail themselves out of their current financial difficulties.

SkepticOne

Thanks Pete. I phoned that number.

Here's a rough sketch of the conversation:

Me: I'm enquiring about cable modem Internet in the Dublin area.

NTL: The cable modem service is only available in Dublin 24, 22, 16 and 6W.

Me: I'm in 6W.

NTL: Can I have you're address please?

Me: [gives address]

NTL: Sorry, the cable modem service is only available in the two-way areas.

Me: When is my area likely to be upgraded?

NTL: In the next six months.

Me: Is that official or is that just a rumour?

NTL: That is official.

Me: Thanks, bye

E.o. conversation.

I'm still very skeptical about this. "Official" just means that that is the story the management are giving the call centre staff.

Lemming

Well .. I just rang the number.

Neither myself or Gandalf are eligible (since he lives VERY near me).

Had to endure some w*nker int he background laughing at the fact I couldn't have it, and being a smart a*rse pr*ck.

SkepticOne

Originally posted by Lemming
Had to endure some w*nker int he background laughing at the fact I couldn't have it, and being a smart a*rse pr*ck.

What he doesn't realise is that NTL will have Sky eroding their customer base for multichannel TV. NTL can either invest in new services or start laying off staff. Knowing NTL it will probably be the latter and our friend will find himself in a very different jobs market.

segadreamcast

Originally posted by c0y0te
Since Monday 4th February, NTL are offering always on cable access in the following areas:-

Dublin 24
Dublin 22
Dublin 16
Dublin 6W

All the numbers...reminds me somewhat of a lottery.

What he doesn't realise is that NTL will have Sky eroding their customer base for multichannel TV. NTL can either invest in new services or start laying off staff. Knowing NTL it will probably be the latter and our friend will find himself in a very different jobs market.

True...and NTL haven't exactly been getting much positive press in mainstream media this week regarding Eurosport and such...now would perhaps be the time to start getting a bit vocal about "where's our cable?" ?

Lucifer

thats good news for me i am in templeogue and my area is upgraded, i currently have the 2 way network, i should b getting it installed soon :):)

segadreamcast

Me being me of course, I had to chip in and make a call for myself regarding the Dublin 11 area...

She had "no exact date" (this company don't give out names unlike Eircom who throw them at you - and their immense waiting times make you feel bad about holding them up)

However :P I kept on going anyway asking "Do you have any rough dates?" "Do you mean any information? Because I really don't"

Almost defeated, I decided to ask the ultimate final question "Will it be available before the end of this year?" "Yeah, it definitely will"

Wonderful...but I really need some form of always-on by the summer...what are the odds now? I think I'll go ring eircom adsl again in desperation...

Dustaz

Originally posted by NoelRock
"Will it be available before the end of this year?" "Yeah, it definitely will"

This is a complete lie.

They really are being complete c*nts about this whole thing. How many times are they going to 'launch' this service in the same areas just to drum up some publicity.

gandalf

Well I rang the cable internet number. Got the spiel "Oh no thats not available in your area, its only available in upgraded areas in D24". The girl I got on to was really nice but she had not heard a sausage about this. I won't believe this until I have a NTL email or letter in my hand from a suit in there or I'm surfing the net thru my nice shiney new 512K connection.

I did however get the name of the manager over the broadband project. I will send him in aletter to try and clarify the situation.

I am currently re-evaluting using NTl for my TV Channels and probably switching to Sky. If they do bring out Cable Internet then I will stay with them and I will go digital with them as well.

Gandalf.

(PS anyone know what the standard format for NTL email addresses is?)

the_corpo

did anyone by any chance call asking about blackrock today?

JTMan

Blackrock? Yeah, They said we would be upgraded soon. Phone the number. I bet they use interest levels for each area to decide which area to upgrade next.

pete

Is there any chance IOFFL could get in touch with NTL to officially find out what's going on?

I've dealt with their press office in relation to another matter before and found them most helpful.

Yurmasyurda

Originally posted by pete
Is there any chance IOFFL could get in touch with NTL to officially find out what's going on?

I've dealt with their press office in relation to another matter before and found them most helpful.

Good idea pete and also the idea of lots of peeps ringing them and saying ADSL ding ding ding

SantaHoe

Originally posted by NoelRock
Almost defeated, I decided to ask the ultimate final question "Will it be available before the end of this year?" "Yeah, it definitely will"

Pfft, that's what they said last year, and the year before it I'm sure.
Like Gandalf said, I'll believe it when I'm downloading Mandrake 10 at 60KB/s... until then, it's all bullshít.

In general, the people in call centers just want you off the phone so they can resume their little chat with the person beside them, and so will fobb you off with some general estimate just to get rid of you, so there's really no point in pressing them into telling you what you want to hear.
I really think most of the call center staff at NTL know as much about NTL's plans for cable internet as we do... which is nothing... so we just have to sit and wait 'till 2015.

Renton

I live in marley grange in dublin 16, Still on a 1-way network according to the wan at the other end of the phone

Oh well...

Renton

Lemming

Originally posted by Renton
I live in marley grange in dublin 16, Still on a 1-way network according to the wan at the other end of the phone

Oh well...

Renton

Hmmm .. I wonder just "how much" of Dublin 16 is actually 2-way capable. I'm at the other end in Ludford (near-ish Wesley college), and I got fed something to the same effect Renton.

gandalf

I have sent in an email into NTL asking for a clarification on this situation (yes it is a working email address). This person got back to me fairly quickly before. I will post the reply up here, when I get it.

I was fairly blunt with them as I'm still pissed off over Eurosport been dropped and I have told them that I am getting ready to switch to Sky Digital, but if they are going to launch Cable Internet I will not have to make this decision. Lets see what we get in writing.

Gandalf.

Lemming

Originally posted by gandalf
I have sent in an email into NTL asking for a clarification on this situation (yes it is a working email address). This person got back to me fairly quickly before. I will post the reply up here, when I get it.

I was fairly blunt with them as I'm still pissed off over Eurosport been dropped and I have told them that I am getting ready to switch to Sky Digital, but if they are going to launch Cable Internet I will not have to make this decision. Lets see what we get in writing.

Gandalf.

*sits back and cracks knuckles* Now .. where are my 3D glasses Can I get a ringside seat when/if you tell them you're dropping them??

gandalf

Its not when if. I am dropping them probably in a month or so. However if they are introducing Cable Internet in Ballinteer I will reverse this decision.

Lets see what the response is. TBH I'm not holding out much hope, the probability is I'll get the usual marketing drone reply, but at least when their been bollixed over losing customers they can produce some reasons on paper

Gandalf.

Shred

Well I rang this morning to enquire about the D7 area and was talking to a rather nice chap

He reckoned, although nothing definite, that this area was due to be upgraded within the next 6-7 months

Hopefully this is true

gandalf

Sorry shred they have been saying that about my area for 3 years. The people on the front line phones imho do not actually know what is going on, given that various different individuals here have been given vastly different stories from people based in the same premises. They are telling people what they want to hear to get them off the phones, just take alook at the queues they always have.

Gandalf.

pete

Originally posted by gandalf
They are telling people what they want to hear to get them off the phones, just take alook at the queues they always have.

Gandalf.

While I'm still waiting for the digital cable that NTL told me i could have "before christmas", if it wasn't for the fact that the person i spoke to ran through a cable modem sales pitch after confirming my address I'd agree.

(Yes, I realise i'm clutching at straws here but i'm too far from the exchange for DSL and two way satellite is still too expensive.)

Mixie

Not available in D3 at the moment either. Not that I believe them, but they said it would be definately available here within 6 months.

Saruman

Originally posted by gandalf
I have sent in an email into NTL asking for a clarification on this situation (yes it is a working email address). This person got back to me fairly quickly before. I will post the reply up here, when I get it.
Gandalf.

I also emailed them.. still waiting.. sent it about 2 weeks ago.. and as you last time i emailed them (last yeat i think) it was a quick "no its not available in your area yet" even though my friend had been testing it for ages before it was released!