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Anyone with QSat?

2456

Comments

  • #32
    watty
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,461 ✭✭✭✭watty


    Note that 200,000 Customers is a contention of over 1000:1 maybe 4000:1 !


  • #33
    pat13wx
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 296 ✭✭pat13wx


    watty wrote: »
    Note that 200,000 Customers is a contention of over 1000:1 maybe 4000:1 !

    Good heavens!


  • #34
    BorderGap
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 45 ✭BorderGap


    The install and equipment price quoted by http://www.toowaysatellitebroadband.ie/purchase/
    is almost twice the price of Digiweb's offer
    http://www.digiweb.ie/home/tooway/packages/index.php
    I'm not sure why you'd sign up to pay more?:confused:


  • #35
    Dr. Nick
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,437 ✭✭✭Dr. Nick


    T42 wrote: »
    Installation was 250e, 12 month contract, I recommended 2 friends so I got 2 months free airtime. I know it was a bit costly to install, but after years of rubbish service I was happy to pay this if it worked ok, since I cancelled my landline with Eircom, this saved me 250e so the cost balanced out and I had 14days cooling off period, so as I still have it, it worked as I had hoped. One bill of 66.00e per month for BB and voice has helped big time.

    Using your existing phoneline for voice calls or skype-type service?


  • #36
    fergus1001
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,625 ✭✭✭fergus1001


    There con men getting people into 24 month contracts

    Not cool man

    +1 who ever said avoid like the plague


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  • #37
    board member
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18 ✭board member


    qsat:
    aka Alphasat
    aka ABB
    aka NBB
    aka Cross Country Broadband


  • #38
    pat13wx
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 296 ✭✭pat13wx


    T42 wrote: »
    ToowaySat price is 289.00 hardware/install, 35.00e per month, 12 months
    Digiweb price is 249.00 hardware / install, 39.95e per month, 24 months

    so i think its a better price.

    Going by that, definitely Toowaysat.ie is the better option and the one I’d chose if deciding between the two. It is just a shame, however, the download allowance - from both providers mentioned - isn't yet comparable or even close to the likes of UPC, or even 3, who, for €29.99 a month advertise a generous 60 Gigs download a month! Granted they are not Satellite, and are not as readily available as companies that provide Tooway, but they are certainly an option in those areas where offered.


  • #39
    watty
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,461 ✭✭✭✭watty


    board member wrote: »
    qsat:
    aka Alphasat
    aka ABB
    aka NBB
    aka Cross Country Broadband

    Really?


  • #40
    Evil_little_me
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20 ✭Evil_little_me


    Rang vodafone to see if I could cancel my contract for the slow as feck mobile broadband and found out it was up anyway so I bit the bullet and ordered Q-Sat a few hours ago.

    €99 up front for installation, then €59.95 per month for the Gold package (8mb down / 2mb up), sounds alright. Anything's gotta be better than that bloody mobile broadband :mad:

    The only downside is I'll be waiting 4-6 weeks for installation thanks to the waiting list.


  • #41
    pat13wx
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 296 ✭✭pat13wx


    Evil_little_me wrote: »
    Rang vodafone to see if I could cancel my contract for the slow as feck mobile broadband and found out it was up anyway so I bit the bullet and ordered Q-Sat a few hours ago.

    €99 up front for installation, then €59.95 per month for the Gold package (8mb down / 2mb up), sounds alright. Anything's gotta be better than that bloody mobile broadband :mad:

    The only downside is I'll be waiting 4-6 weeks for installation thanks to the waiting list.

    I'd be interested to hear how it goes for you. Did they give you an installation date? And how do you feel about the 2 Gig download allowance per month? Mind you, they give you unlimited from 11pm to 6am.


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  • #42
    Sponge Bob
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭Sponge Bob


    board member wrote: »
    qsat:
    aka Alphasat
    aka ABB
    aka NBB
    aka Cross Country Broadband

    Poor Niall Quinn, he will never see a penny of his money again if he is fronting that lot. I hope he realises what he has gotten himself into.

    The people behind those companies listed above were complete chancers who double charged their customers regularly and then shut down more or less every year as soon as they had the next phoenix company on the go leaving everybody out of pocket.

    This time they seem to have burnt their bridges with Astra and gone to Hylas.....who won't see a penny of their money either given how this lot carry on.

    Plenty of other threads on IrishIsptest and on Boards about the companies listed by Board Member. Grim and Grimmer the lot of them.


  • #43
    Evil_little_me
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20 ✭Evil_little_me


    pat13wx wrote: »
    I'd be interested to hear how it goes for you. Did they give you an installation date? And how do you feel about the 2 Gig download allowance per month? Mind you, they give you unlimited from 11pm to 6am.

    They haven't given me a date yet, but they'll be phoning me back tomorrow for bank details and such so I suppose they might have some sort of date or week in mind.

    I don't mind the download limit to be honest, cause the only thing I download is music so it shouldn't be much of a problem. The lady who took the order did say though that if I found I had a lot of stuff to download one particular day, there was an option to buy an extra Gig off their site for €14.95.

    I'm excited about it, tbh, cause the only broadband available to me was the Vodafone mobile broadband which was painfully slow. I'll be giving feedback anyway, what ever the result.


  • #44
    pat13wx
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 296 ✭✭pat13wx


    Evil_little_me wrote: »
    They haven't given me a date yet, but they'll be phoning me back tomorrow for bank details and such so I suppose they might have some sort of date or week in mind.

    I don't mind the download limit to be honest, cause the only thing I download is music so it shouldn't be much of a problem. The lady who took the order did say though that if I found I had a lot of stuff to download one particular day, there was an option to buy an extra Gig off their site for €14.95.

    I'm excited about it, tbh, cause the only broadband available to me was the Vodafone mobile broadband which was painfully slow. I'll be giving feedback anyway, what ever the result.

    Thanks for that.

    When I called them last Friday I was told there was a 4-6 week wait for installation, but that things would speed up as they got busier, perhaps it means they'd employ more installers.

    The €14.95 for an extra Gig a month seems particularly excessive, but perhaps you won't need it if you're a light user as you say.

    Anyhow, good luck with that and please do keep us informed.


  • #45
    pat13wx
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 296 ✭✭pat13wx


    Sponge Bob wrote: »
    Poor Niall Quinn, he will never see a penny of his money again if he is fronting that lot. I hope he realises what he has gotten himself into.

    The people behind those companies listed above were complete chancers who double charged their customers regularly and then shut down more or less every year as soon as they had the next phoenix company on the go leaving everybody out of pocket.

    This time they seem to have burnt their bridges with Astra and gone to Hylas.....who won't see a penny of their money either given how this lot carry on.

    Plenty of other threads on IrishIsptest and on Boards about the companies listed by Board Member. Grim and Grimmer the lot of them.

    In fairness, we might be jumping the gun here. Niall Quinn might have done his home work and his company is totally legit and above board and not in any way associated with the other chancers mentioned. But it will be interesting to see how it all unfolds.


  • #46
    Evil_little_me
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20 ✭Evil_little_me


    pat13wx wrote: »
    Thanks for that.

    When I called them last Friday I was told there was a 4-6 week wait for installation, but that things would speed up as they got busier, perhaps it means they'd employ more installers.

    The €14.95 for an extra Gig a month seems particularly excessive, but perhaps you won't need it if you're a light user as you say.

    Anyhow, good luck with that and please do keep us informed.

    In reply to speeding up the waiting time for installation, she told me the same thing. She said that at the moment that was the time scale, but that they were trying to get to people as fast as possible.

    There also seems to be quite an interest in the product as she told me that the reason she couldn't take my payment information was because of back logged calls and someone would have to get back to be tomorrow.


  • #47
    BorderGap
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 45 ✭BorderGap


    T42 wrote: »
    ToowaySat price is 289.00 hardware/install, 35.00e per month, 12 months
    Digiweb price is 249.00 hardware / install, 39.95e per month, 24 months

    so i think its a better price.

    Digiweb are offering the first 3 months at half price and as stated because two of us ordered we got an extra €25 off the install each.


  • #48
    Sean_Ludawg
    Closed Accounts Posts: 90 ✭✭Sean_Ludawg


    pat13wx wrote: »

    Download allowance is 2 gig pm regardless of package

    Hey guys, before I state this I must say I'm not an expert on the advanced internals of this company or of the services they are providing. I do however happen to be able to get into touch with a senior member of the sales department. I did so because the above information just didn't make sense.

    As it stands there has, it would seem, been a monumental ***k up in the call center where I have been told false information has been given out, an issue which should be rectified shortly. I don't have an explanation for this. I do however have a revised list of bandwidth allowances for the various packages and it is as follows:

    2mb 2Gb
    4mb 3Gb
    6mb 4Gb
    8mb 5Gb

    The 'nightsaver' option still stands, as does the option to purchase an extra Gb of bandwidth allowance.

    Hope this helps.


  • #49
    watty
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,461 ✭✭✭✭watty


    15Gbyte to 20Gbyte is a minimum useful broadband bandband package.

    Most decent packages are 30G to 240G.

    The fact is that satellite has horrifically high contention and low capacity (the entire capacity available to Ireland on ALL services added together is less than one fibre!) so caps are very low and tightly controlled.

    Also can't have less than 650ms latency, typically 700ms to 900ms. Real Broadband is 8ms to 60ms latency!

    Many applications won't even work on Satellite.

    Satellite is for people with no alternative. It's the fault of policy of successive Governments, the Civil Service and Comreg that so many people (should be no more than about 450 total) have to consider it.


  • #50
    KELTICKNIGHTT
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,799 ✭✭✭KELTICKNIGHTT


    i sent them a question on ping rates as most ping rates on sat are well over 300 ,if seeing what the gb package allowance are correct,then they not offering much


  • #51
    pat13wx
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 296 ✭✭pat13wx


    Sean_Ludawg wrote: »
    Hey guys, before I state this I must say I'm not an expert on the advanced internals of this company or of the services they are providing. I do however happen to be able to get into touch with a senior member of the sales department. I did so because the above information just didn't make sense.

    As it stands there has, it would seem, been a monumental ***k up in the call center where I have been told false information has been given out, an issue which should be rectified shortly. I don't have an explanation for this. I do however have a revised list of bandwidth allowances for the various packages and it is as follows:

    2mb 2Gb
    4mb 3Gb
    6mb 4Gb
    8mb 5Gb

    The 'nightsaver' option still stands, as does the option to purchase an extra Gb of bandwidth allowance.

    Hope this helps.

    Thanks Sean for this much needed clarification. It is certainly much better than what I was told last Friday, but still, it is not great. Even the 5 Gig allowance would be soon used up with light users I know. If there was around 20 Gig for the top package it would be worth considering.

    Do you know anything more about the 11pm to 6am deal, is it for example restricted to only those websites QSat direct you to. I am hoping this too was an error and if it was and customers could use whatever sites they felt comfortable with, then I would be very interested.

    Thanks in advance.


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  • #52
    Sean_Ludawg
    Closed Accounts Posts: 90 ✭✭Sean_Ludawg


    pat13wx wrote: »
    Do you know anything more about the 11pm to 6am deal, is it for example restricted to only those websites QSat direct you to.

    No problem what so ever I'm happy to help. I have been assured that with the 'nightsaver' add-on purchased, between 11p.m and 6a.m, you do not have any bandwidth restrictions on any site. The sites which they recommend are given in an attempt to combat torrents and illegal downloads. I would agree that 5Gb is quite slim and as a steam user I was dubious. I would see the nightsaver as a saving grace of these bandwidth limits.


  • #53
    ruffmut
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 266 ✭✭ruffmut


    What bugs me about satellite broadband is that I am supposed to have 10Gb download and 1Gb upload anytime per month with tooway, provided through 3 who in turn subcontracted to Onwave on the NBS.

    Streaming, web content and skype is classified as a download so youtube and the likes are out. If you watch a few clips, download a few albums your speed will get throttled right back and dial up wood be faster.

    It you read the terms and conditions of the package from Onwave, your monthly allowance is broken down to a monthly, weekly, daily and then hourly allowance. So 10Gb is impossible to achieve even though it is supposed to be anytime from 3.

    But I am stuck with this as I have nothing else available to me.


  • #54
    pat13wx
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 296 ✭✭pat13wx


    Sean_Ludawg wrote: »
    No problem what so ever I'm happy to help. I have been assured that with the 'nightsaver' add-on purchased, between 11p.m and 6a.m, you do not have any bandwidth restrictions on any site. The sites which they recommend are given in an attempt to combat torrents and illegal downloads. I would agree that 5Gb is quite slim and as a steam user I was dubious. I would see the nightsaver as a saving grace of these bandwidth limits.

    Thank you Sean for that helpful reply. The fact that the night saver does not restrict you to specific websites - as I was previously informed - makes things very different.


  • #55
    watty
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,461 ✭✭✭✭watty


    ruffmut wrote: »
    ... you read the terms and conditions of the package from Onwave, your monthly allowance is broken down to a monthly, weekly, daily and then hourly allowance. So 10Gb is impossible to achieve even though it is supposed to be anytime from 3.

    Complain to DCNER. That contravenes the "3" NBS agreement with Government.

    "3" are saving money by using ordinary retail package instead of the spec laid down by contract.


  • #56
    tails_naf
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 862 ✭✭✭tails_naf


    I hope my sums are wrong here - but taking the 2Mbit /2 GB cap package - I think this means:

    2 GB = 2000 Megs = approx 66Meg allowed per day.
    2Mbit sustained = 0.25Meg/second, or 15Megs per minute.
    66Meg / 15 = 4.4

    So in 4.4 minutes of using the full bandwith, each day, I'd hit the cap.
    Not great really. If the cap was raised to 10GB, it would be workable, but I can't see 2GB cutting it.

    Does anyone know what happens when you exceed the cap - is the connection off / throttled, or do you get a huge bill?

    Will the ping really be in the 600+ region? If so, I can imagine it will hurt most non-gaming things like skype, etc..


  • #57
    watty
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,461 ✭✭✭✭watty


    The ping has to travel the more than 36,000km distance to / from satellite FOUR times!

    Send:
    You -> Up -> Satellite -> Down-> Earth station -> fibre -> node -> "internet" -> server

    Reply:
    server -> "internet" -> node -> fibre -> Earth station -> Up -> Satellite -> Down-> You

    You get throttled to nearly nothing or cut off depending on supplier. The capacity doesn't exist to have higher cap.

    Gaming and many "Ajax" applications are impossible. "Google Docs" and other "Cloud" applications would be "interesting".

    Basically Satellite is "last resort" and SO MANY resellers have gone bust leaving people with no connection that it's madness to go with other than long established major companies that have other businesses.


    Internet traffic can also involve ARP and DNS such that latency can easily mount to over 1200mS (1.2 seconds) per application transaction.

    They use ARP and DNS caching and replace TCP /IP over the link with alternate protocol and spoof packet acknowledgements. VPN traffic is invisible to these "acceleration" techniques so performance of it is terrible unless the Earth Station is providing custom VPN remote client. (Corporate packages, not usually domestic).


  • #58
    watty
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,461 ✭✭✭✭watty


    Sean_Ludawg wrote: »
    I would see the nightsaver as a saving grace of these bandwidth limits.

    Only if you are an unemployed "creature of the night". Not for most normal people, which is why it can be offered on virtually all satellite packages from most resellers. Of course they don't need traffic management at times that almost no-one in Ireland wants to use the Internet.

    It's easy to offer an extra that costs nothing and almost no-one wants.


  • #59
    pat13wx
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 296 ✭✭pat13wx


    watty wrote: »
    Only if you are an unemployed "creature of the night". Not for most normal people, which is why it can be offered on virtually all satellite packages from most resellers. Of course they don't need traffic management at times that almost no-one in Ireland wants to use the Internet.

    It's easy to offer an extra that costs nothing and almost no-one wants.

    Indeed. But there is always the option for those using nightsavers to use a download manager, many of which are freely available on the net. With a download manager you can set up torrents etc to down load at certain times....you can even set them to stop downloading at pre set times too, and to even turn your laptop off.

    An example can be found here:

    http://www.freedownloadmanager.org


  • #60
    tails_naf
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 862 ✭✭✭tails_naf


    watty wrote: »
    The ping has to travel the more than 36,000km distance to / from satellite FOUR times!

    Send:
    You -> Up -> Satellite -> Down-> Earth station -> fibre -> node -> "internet" -> server

    Reply:
    server -> "internet" -> node -> fibre -> Earth station -> Up -> Satellite -> Down-> You

    You get throttled to nearly nothing or cut off depending on supplier. The capacity doesn't exist to have higher cap.

    Gaming and many "Ajax" applications are impossible. "Google Docs" and other "Cloud" applications would be "interesting".

    Basically Satellite is "last resort" and SO MANY resellers have gone bust leaving people with no connection that it's madness to go with other than long established major companies that have other businesses.


    Internet traffic can also involve ARP and DNS such that latency can easily mount to over 1200mS (1.2 seconds) per application transaction.

    They use ARP and DNS caching and replace TCP /IP over the link with alternate protocol and spoof packet acknowledgements. VPN traffic is invisible to these "acceleration" techniques so performance of it is terrible unless the Earth Station is providing custom VPN remote client. (Corporate packages, not usually domestic).

    Thanks for the info - it's a shame - I was actually hoping to use this to work remotely 1 day a week - via VPN. For my job, I sometimes have to remote login to interactive sessions on work computers - so anything above 500ms would be pretty painful (and even that is probably a stretch!). I guess satellite is not an option for me.

    Yet another downside of our spotty rural broadband coverage - those who commute, don't really have an option of working at home, even partially.

    Thing is - I'm not really that rural. 1/2 hour drive outside cork doesn't sound too crazy to me..

    I wonder how much it would cost the government to roll out wi-max, or antenna based internet to the rurual locations. i.e. how many of these setups would the 150 million they gave to three buy us?

    Does anyone know how many area there is no coverage from basic dsl - and what area in terms of square miles these are?


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  • #61
    D1stant
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,806 ✭✭✭D1stant


    Satelite Broadband is an oxymoron

    I'd like to see Ireland do something like this

    http://www.mobilenewscwp.co.uk/2010/12/vodafone-germany-intros-lte-service-and-pricing/

    In Germany the Goverment gave VF cheap LTE spectrum under the condition that they service rural areas with it. 7/21/50Mb services all over Germany


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