Chorus

dahamsta

Got this from Chorus today:

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">
From: ****** ****** [*******@chorus.ie]
Sent: 27 June 2001 16.34
To: info@iewebs.com
Subject: FW: Chorus Broadband.

> To the IT Manager,
>
> Chorus have broadband services now available in your area. Attached some
> information for you.
>
> Please contact me if you have any questions or require pricing.
>
> Kind regards,
>
> Audrey.
>
> <<ChorusBB.exe>>
>
> ****** ******.
> Channel Sales Manager.
> Chorus Business Services.
> 061 ******(T)
> 061 ****** (F)
> 086 *******(M)
> www.chorus.ie
>
</font>

I have no idea why:

1. The message was sent as a Forward.
2. The original salesperson didn't contact me (resigned from frustration? sacked for being surplus to requirements?).
3. Anyone in their right mind would send a 584kb attachment designed to sell broadband services[1].

Anyway, I'll phone them tomorrow and report back. I presume they finally got the wireless yokey-bob up and running.

adam

[1] Get this - it was a Flash movie. Not even a very good one. Ironically, there was a story about this kind of idiocy on The Reg today. Obviously the Chorus rep didn't read it...

[I'll get it right eventually.]

[This message has been edited by dahamsta (edited 27-06-2001).]

LegacyUser

where do you live dahamsta? Limerick?

dahamsta

Cork. It's probably wireless, which has already been rolled out in Limerick. It was supposed to roll out in Cork in March, but apparently they had a fire in Limerick that stalled it (although how a fire in Limerick affects a wireless service in Cork is anybody's guess). What's curious about it that unless wireless licences are handed out on a national basis, Chorus shouldn't be able to roll out wireless in Cork, because their licence expired in March. I dunno, maybe they reapplied or summat. I doubt it's cable anyway, AFAIK the cable network hasn't been upgraded in this area.

My next problem, if it is in fact wireless, is line of sight. The salesman who called before said it shouldn't be a problem, but I get the impression he really didn't know and was just bluffing. Looks dodgy to me.

adam

LegacyUser

well at least you're more likely to be getting it sooner than me

and I always thought dublin came first

dahamsta

Isn't there a wireless service in Dublin? I know Formus kicked the bucket, but what about Chorus? Esat? (Esat have a wireless service in Cork, on the R&H Hall building down by the docks, but I ain't got line of sight on it.)

adam

LegacyUser

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by dahamsta:
Isn't there a wireless service in Dublin? I know Formus kicked the bucket, but what about Chorus? Esat? (Esat have a wireless service in Cork, on the R&H Hall building down by the docks, but I ain't got line of sight on it.)
adam</font>

south dublin have the chorus broadband in operation now, but north dublin (where i am) will be another month or two minimum.....

I was told in March that Powernet would be available here in July, but when i contacted them last month, they said there was no definate release dates for the Powernet service for north dublin yet

LegacyUser

Just wondering... But where can I find information regarding Esat's wireless services? I didn't even know they had any in operation, just that they won a license.

LegacyUser

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by dahamsta:
...My next problem, if it is in fact wireless, is line of sight...</font>

Not alone is it line of sight, but there's also a maximum distance that you can be from the transmitter - 20km.

I'm in Limerick, and I contacted Chorus on June 5th to enquire about PowerNet. I was to be sent the contract in the post - nothing yet. I checked out my distance from the transmitter, and I'm around 19.5km from it! Yet, the rep I was talking to never asked for the exact location of my house, just said that he would send out the contract. He did say, however, that engineers would do a signal test at the house. That seems to be putting the cart before the horse a little! Surely it would be better to test for a signal first, then send out a contract?

Anyway, I rang again last Monday week, to be told that new contracts were being organised and I would have one soon - still nothing.

Jeez, I'd hate to be depending on Chorus for mission-critical stuff!


Mike

dahamsta

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">where can I find information regarding Esat's wireless services?</font>

You'll have to ring them, they don't advertise it.

adam

dahamsta

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Yet, the rep I was talking to never asked for the exact location of my house, just said that he would send out the contract. He did say, however, that engineers would do a signal test at the house. That seems to be putting the cart before the horse a little! Surely it would be better to test for a signal first, then send out a contract?</font>

Indeed. You can bet the Chorus salesperson will be getting a list of terms before she opens her mouth tomorrow. (So to speak.)

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Jeez, I'd hate to be depending on Chorus for mission-critical stuff!</font>

Ditto, but needs musten.

adam

dahamsta

Fuhgeddaboudit, it's guff.

It's wireless, yes, but it's fixed leased lines they're talking about. As soon as she said £1000 for installation, I pretty much switched off, but I asked about Powernet and caught something like "the equipment for Powernet is in storage, and since Tony O'Reilly bought Eircom they [the management I guess] won't sign off on it."

Like I said, guff.

aam

LegacyUser

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by dahamsta:
but I asked about Powernet and caught something like "the equipment for Powernet is in storage, and since Tony O'Reilly bought Eircom they [the management I guess] won't sign off on it."
</font>

Did she really say that? I'm sure the Competition authorities would be interested to hear about Chorus plans in the future.

LegacyUser

I would forget about Chorus for the time being. I corresponded with someone working on their cable internet "roll out" for nearly two years, he eventually left the company because he had "nothing to sell" and there would be nothing for *5 Years*.

And I just talked to a Chorus TV sales guy. He said most of the sales organisation has left (he is jumping to Sky himself), the company is in bits. It has two owners -- the O'Reilly crowd and Liberty Media in the US. The two don't get along, and the two are also very publicly stating they are thinking about selling. Ergo, nothing gets done. Chorus is screwed since TV was its main business and it is being decimated by Sky Digital.

dahamsta

Yes hmmm, she really said that and I agree that it appears anti-competitive (although I'm not 100% sure it's true - does TOR actually *own* Eircom now? I thought the offer was just approved by the board?). I'll be contacting the Competition Authority with a query about Eircom this evening or tomorrow, so I may ask them about that too.

MyPerfectCousin, she also said something related to your comments - "our company has been for sale for six months".

adam

LegacyUser

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by MyPerfectCousin:
...And I just talked to a Chorus TV sales guy. He said most of the sales organisation has left (he is jumping to Sky himself), the company is in bits. It has two owners -- the O'Reilly crowd and Liberty Media in the US. The two don't get along, and the two are also very publicly stating they are thinking about selling. Ergo, nothing gets done. Chorus is screwed since TV was its main business and it is being decimated by Sky Digital. </font>

Hmm, maybe that might explain why I haven't heard anything from them in 3 weeks, despite promises of contracts in thre post, etc, etc...

Methinks it's time to get the ODTR to get off it's ass and do some ass-kickin'.

Mike

LegacyUser

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by dahamsta:
- does TOR actually *own* Eircom now? I thought the offer was just approved by the board?). I'll be contacting the Competition Authority with a query about Eircom this evening or tomorrow, so I may ask them about that too.</font>

Well if you were TOR, would you let Chorus spend a fortune to create an infrastructure that would potentially compete with a 2nd Telecoms supplier you are 90% certain to own shortly. It would make sense for him, it wouldn't make sense for the consumer - which is why we have the competition authority

LegacyUser

Its funny though, I just got in The Chorus Digital tv (the wireless version not the cable one) about 3 weeks ago... and I've seen quite a few people around Limerick doing the same. so they seem to be all guns blazing at the moment... they have also left all us newbies with all the channels including the payperview channels which is kinda fun (until it stops of course)

LegacyUser

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by kendragon:
Its funny though, I just got in The Chorus Digital tv (the wireless version not the cable one) about 3 weeks ago... and I've seen quite a few people around Limerick doing the same. so they seem to be all guns blazing at the moment... they have also left all us newbies with all the channels including the payperview channels which is kinda fun (until it stops of course)</font>

Does it involve a change to the antenna? Is the telephone service now available? Broadband?

Ronan|Raven

Hmm maybe this explains why after a promise 6 months ago and several phone calls and promises earlier why I havent got the free change over to the digital service like all us existing customers were promised.

LegacyUser

The anologue service done by chorus is sub standard 12 channels 2 of them arent viewable and they have the nerve of charging 40quid for it.
Screw u chorus im geting sky digital!!!!!

sceptre

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Rebel18:
The anologue service done by chorus is sub standard 12 channels 2 of them arent viewable and they have the nerve of charging 40quid for it.
Screw u chorus im geting sky digital!!!!!</font>

Aaagh, last post went into ether - anyway - my basic cable charge from Chorus is £13.54 incl vat before adding on those little extras like the cartoon and movie channels

LegacyUser

ialso got sky sports one and premier as well no free sky sports 3 and a crappy mmds box that is not worth the money.
+ im not geting digital and when i heard that i got rid of chorus