The Boards.ie Explainer: FTTH and You

20-05-2019 12:19pm

I put together a spreadsheet with some of the current offers. It might help someone. I'm still unsure of who to go with.

Marlow · 20-05-2019 4:04pm

ronoc wrote: »

I put together a spreadsheet with some of the current offers. It might help someone. I'm still unsure of who to go with.

You are missing quite a few there.

I don't see Airwire, Net1 nor Pure Telecom. Westnet I could understand you'd exclude, as they only service regionally, but at least all the national ones should be in there.

/M

Johnboy1951 · 20-05-2019 4:26pm

ronoc wrote: »

I put together a spreadsheet with some of the current offers. It might help someone. I'm still unsure of who to go with.

Eir charge different prices to new eir customers than they do to existing customers moving to FTTH.
Should that not be reflected in this?

Also what is included in these 'bundles'?
They are not all the same.

Marlow · 20-05-2019 4:27pm

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Eir charge different prices to new eir customers than they do to existing customers moving to FTTH.
Should that not be reflected in this?

Correct. I think it's 10 EUR more per month, if you're an existing customer.

The same with Vodafone. They won't give you the discounted 6 months, if you are an existing customer.

/M

20-05-2019 8:34pm

Marlow wrote: »

ronoc wrote: »

I put together a spreadsheet with some of the current offers. It might help someone. I'm still unsure of who to go with.

You are missing quite a few there.

I don't see Airwire, Net1 nor Pure Telecom. Westnet I could understand you'd exclude, as they only service regionally, but at least all the national ones should be in there.

/M

Feel free to contribute!

La_Ana · 21-05-2019 2:25pm

Charli Nice Spittoon wrote: »

eir 300K / NBP premises

If you are in a new build home within a covered area, but without an Eircode, you must first get an Eircode. You then can either try to contact a helpful ISP to get added or it may also be possible to contact fibrepower@openeir.ie to request addition to the APQ file (list of passed Eircodes). If you are getting nowhere with the above try emailing Broadband@DCCAE.gov.ie as the contract eir signed with the Government states that new build homes must be added in a timely fashion.

Thanks for all the info in this thread, it's really helpful.

I'm just wondering what is considered 'timely' in getting a new build added to the APQ file. After months of chasing Eircode/An Post, I finally got my Eircode in the last two weeks. But now I need OpenEir to add it to the APQ file. I've been in touch with them and they said their next update from Eircode is due in August and they can't do anything until then. I've sent them my Eircode, those of the neighbouring houses that have FTTH and the code on the DP, but to no avail.

Will contacting Broadband@DCCAE.gov.ie achieve anything, or is a three-month wait considered 'timely'?

tsue921i8wljb3 · 21-05-2019 2:41pm

La_Ana wrote: »

Thanks for all the info in this thread, it's really helpful.

I'm just wondering what is considered 'timely' in getting a new build added to the APQ file. After months of chasing Eircode/An Post, I finally got my Eircode in the last two weeks. But now I need OpenEir to add it to the APQ file. I've been in touch with them and they said their next update from Eircode is due in August and they can't do anything until then. I've sent them my Eircode, those of the neighbouring houses that have FTTH and the code on the DP, but to no avail.

Will contacting Broadband@DCCAE.gov.ie achieve anything, or is a three-month wait considered 'timely'?

Timely is not defined unfortunately. It couldn't hurt to email DCCAE to see what their opinion is. Also some people have had success by contacting smaller ISPs who may have contacts within open eir. Airwire, Digiweb and Westnet post here and give good service. It might be worth your while contacting them and explaining your situation to see if they can speed the process up. Best of luck!

theoneeyedman · 21-09-2019 7:38pm

Just discovered this thread, great stuff folks, interesting technical stuff too.

I've a question re: contracts/changing providers etc.
I'm with eir, on a 150 plan, out of my 18 mth contract soon, and starting to shop around. Have to get in touch with someone in eir during the week (they don't do weekends apparently), but Vodafone looks attractive, @25/50e per month (first6/last6) on a 12 month contract.

Anyone experience of changing? Any dip in performance? I've found eir very reliable, and have no reason to change apart from price (currently over 90e/mth). I even had a breakdown, where a neighbour hit and broke the cable, and they responded very quickly. What's Vodafone like in breakdowns?

Thanks in advance

tsue921i8wljb3 · 21-09-2019 9:21pm

I haven't switched but theoretically the fault fixing should be the same for all ISPs. It all goes to open eir who fix it themselves, use KN or another contractor.

theoneeyedman · 21-09-2019 9:44pm

Charli Nice Spittoon wrote: »

I haven't switched but theoretically the fault fixing should be the same for all ISPs. It all goes to open eir who fix it themselves, use KN or another contractor.

How does that work in practice? Kn did the installation, cowboys was my impression. 4 different crews for a straightforward survey and install, and 3 of them clueless, including one lad who kept talking about running a wire to the chimney, when they are not allowed climb onto roofs!!

tsue921i8wljb3 · 21-09-2019 10:13pm

theoneeyedman wrote: »

How does that work in practice? Kn did the installation, cowboys was my impression. 4 different crews for a straightforward survey and install, and 3 of them clueless, including one lad who kept talking about running a wire to the chimney, when they are not allowed climb onto roofs!!

I'm not sure how it works in practice. I've never had a fault, thankfully. I had no complaints with my KN installation. They were done within an hour. I'm sure, like any organisation, that there is good and bad among the staff.

Marlow · 21-09-2019 10:17pm

The access network belongs to OpenEIR. So the provider raises the fault with OpenEIR after they have done the diagnostics with the customer and as much diagnostics, as they can do on their own side and through the tools they are provided with.

And no .. it's not always KN, that fixed the problem. It really depends on what sort of a problem it is. OpenEIR makes the decision on what team to schedule based on the type of fault that it is and who is available.

Either way, form or shape: if you are on a product supplied through the OpenEIR network, it is OpenEIR that mends physical problems. Either them or their contractors.

Having said that .. a lot of the time, the engineers fixing issues as not the same as the ones installing broadband. Different training.

/M

ED E · 23-09-2019 6:56pm

Within 28 days of install KN have to do any repairs free for OE.

Some areas have no FST coverage and are entirely contracted out. Others are a mix like you say.

uck51js9zml2yt · 05-10-2019 7:38pm

whats the situation with the installation fee if you already have FTTH and are switching providers. Do you need to pay it again to the new provider?

tsue921i8wljb3 · 05-10-2019 7:47pm

Ty Sweet Starch wrote: »

whats the situation with the installation fee if you already have FTTH and are switching providers. Do you need to pay it again to the new provider?

It depends on whether you are on the open eir network or SIRO. Transfers between providers on open eir are more expensive to the ISP so they may choose to pass some of this on to the customer. Usually it is phrased as an "activation fee". You would need to clarify with the new ISP whether there is such a fee and if so what it is.

Johnboy1951 · 05-10-2019 9:44pm

Ty Sweet Starch wrote: »

whats the situation with the installation fee if you already have FTTH and are switching providers. Do you need to pay it again to the new provider?

€99 to switch to Airwire unless you go for an 18 month contract ...

[HTML]Provider move / Existing fibre line
6 months €99.00 From €95.00
12 months €99.00 Free router
18 months Free Free router[/HTML]

uck51js9zml2yt · 05-10-2019 10:18pm

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

€99 to switch to Airwire unless you go for an 18 month contract ... and yes I had already paid Eir for that ..... damn ComReg!

[HTML]Provider move / Existing fibre line
6 months €99.00 From €95.00
12 months €99.00 Free router
18 months Free Free router[/HTML]

Vodafone seem to be giving free installation on a 12 month.
My eir contract is up this month.

Never heard of airwire until looking here tonight.
Is there an additional charge for the router?

Edit:I see it's free on a 12 month contract

Johnboy1951 · 05-10-2019 10:28pm

Ty Sweet Starch wrote: »

Vodafone seem to be giving free installation on a 12 month.
My eir contract is up this month.

Never heard of airwire until looking here tonight.
Is there an additional charge for the router?

Edit:I see it's free on a 12 month contract

You need to check if that is FTTH or FTTC from Vodfone .....

Shougeki · 23-10-2019 11:53am

So I looked into getting Fibre last year, and was mailed back by someone who was lets say "less than helpful".

Short version. There is multiple cabinets within 5m walking distance of the house, all that are FTTC enabled. However he has told me I am being fed from a cabinet miles away in Dun Laoighre. He said anything over 1.5k mans the FTTC upgrade isnt applicable.

Anything I can do? Is it possible to get moved to a different cabinet? We currently dont use any phone line TBH.

Marlow · 23-10-2019 5:05pm

Shougeki wrote: »

Anything I can do? Is it possible to get moved to a different cabinet? We currently dont use any phone line TBH.

OpenEIR has no process in which you can be changed from one cabinet to another. Full stop.

They are also not going to chance anything, because they're not rolling FTTH out in the urban areas over the next couple years.

And yes .. 2km is max for VDSL, but it's basically crap at anything over 1.2km.

/M

pigletpetr · 06-12-2019 1:23pm

Has anyone used Sky as a provider for FTTH? According to the top post they use Sky Q. If someone already uses it can you tell if it uses PPPoE with username and password. Is it possible to get these details and replace Q it with your router? Or may be Sky Q is super good?

Truckermal · 09-12-2019 3:44pm

pigletpetr wrote: »

Has anyone used Sky as a provider for FTTH? According to the top post they use Sky Q. If someone already uses it can you tell if it uses PPPoE with username and password. Is it possible to get these details and replace Q it with your router? Or may be Sky Q is super good?

Interested in this also, how much are they charging including TV?

Andy From Sligo · 09-12-2019 4:22pm

well impressed that throughout the storm Atiyah our FTTH connection stayed working throughout - you know like it does make you wonder seeing all the fibre optic cables strung from post to post overground and blowing in the wind . I'm impressed.

Johnboy1951 · 09-12-2019 4:54pm

pigletpetr wrote: »

Has anyone used Sky as a provider for FTTH? According to the top post they use Sky Q. If someone already uses it can you tell if it uses PPPoE with username and password. Is it possible to get these details and replace Q it with your router? Or may be Sky Q is super good?

.... but what has Sky Q (a satellite channel provision system) got to do with FTTH?

tuxy · 09-12-2019 4:55pm

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

well impressed that throughout the storm Atiyah our FTTH connection stayed working throughout - you know like it does make you wonder seeing all the fibre optic cables strung from post to post overground and blowing in the wind . I'm impressed.

I'd say the new fibre is reinforced much better than older copper. But even my regular cable line that takes a longer route than my fibre one has lasted over 30 years without a problem. Maybe a slight degradation of signal over the years but that's because its copper.

Andy From Sligo · 09-12-2019 5:38pm

tuxy wrote: »

I'd say the new fibre is reinforced much better than older copper. But even my regular cable line that takes a longer route than my fibre one has lasted over 30 years without a problem. Maybe a slight degradation of signal over the years but that's because its copper.

what is the most damaging to copper, is it oxidisation is it? - and what is that light green corrosion you get around copper telephone lines?

CoBo55 · 09-12-2019 6:27pm

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

.... but what has Sky Q (a satellite channel provision system) got to do with FTTH?

They're reselling siro which is ftth.

Johnboy1951 · 09-12-2019 7:19pm

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

.... but what has Sky Q (a satellite channel provision system) got to do with FTTH?

CoBo55 wrote: »

They're reselling siro which is ftth.

Yes, Sky are selling service on fibre, but that has nothing to do with Sky Q their satellite channel service.

CoBo55 · 09-12-2019 11:33pm

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Yes, Sky are selling service on fibre, but that has nothing to do with Sky Q their satellite channel service.

Stop being so pedantic, someone with half a brain knows that they're enquiring whether the Q router can be replaced with a different router.

pigletpetr · 10-12-2019 2:47pm

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

.... but what has Sky Q (a satellite channel provision system) got to do with FTTH?

I called it Sky Q. I don't know what the name of their router (Sky Hub, Sky Q, Sky something).

Paul Tergat · 13-12-2019 6:13pm

Hi guys. Firstly this thread is full of useful info so thanks!

I have bought a new build home in Dundalk and I checked on the airewire availability checker which told me that at my address FTTH is available. The site clerk in the development told me that some of the people in the development had issues with FTTH - he wasn't too good with detail but said something about Eir not having installed the last wiring needed to be able to get FTTH. I pressed for more details but he didn't really seem to understand.

I suppose my question is how can I tell definitively if I can get it in my house or who do I need to talk to about the last bits of wiring needed? He said it wasnt the ISP providers issue but was for Eir but didnt really explain it well.

Thanks and hopefully in the correct thread? Mods, if not apologies and please move.

Marlow · 13-12-2019 7:02pm

First if all, it is OpenEir that runs and owns the network.

Eir is only retail and has to buy the services of OpenEir like any provider.

And the only way you are going to find out is by placing an order with a provider and wait what the engineer says on the day.

Alsi, when you say Airwire lists you for service .. what service does the site list you for ? VDSL ( with speeds mentioned or no speeds mentioned ) or rural FTTH.

/M

/M

Paul Tergat · 14-12-2019 8:47am

Marlow wrote: »

First if all, it is OpenEir that runs and owns the network.

Eir is only retail and has to buy the services of OpenEir like any provider.

And the only way you are going to find out is by placing an order with a provider and wait what the engineer says on the day.

Alsi, when you say Airwire lists you for service .. what service does the site list you for ? VDSL ( with speeds mentioned or no speeds mentioned ) or rural FTTH.

/M

/M

Thanks Marlow.

Yes makes sense that eir is the retail co and openeir so the infrastructure. It's really the latter that the site clerk told me have not put in some wiring needed and that I need to ask them to do so which sounds a bit mad. Do you know when an engineer comes out do they simply hook there network cable into the live system that open eir put in? From what the builders said they know already an engineer from a retail co cannot install due to open eir not having correctly finished off their part.

Both ftth and vdsl were down are available on the airwire checker.
Thanks again

Marlow · 14-12-2019 11:38am

Paul Tergat wrote: »

It's really the latter that the site clerk told me have not put in some wiring needed and that I need to ask them to do so which sounds a bit mad.

The site clerk probably is referring to VDSL (what Eir sells as eFibre). OpenEIR is not pulling any more copper into new estates. And yes .. if you order that and they arrive and find no copper in place ... they'll just fail the installation.

FTTH on the other hand only gets pulled in from the premise to the distribution point, when you actually order it. So as long as the ducting is in place, that should be no problem.

/M

mcbert · 15-12-2019 11:56am

Hi, what are people using to distribute the Internet through their homes?

I see powerline will get me maybe no more than 100-150Mb or a good router might get up to approx 500Mb if you aren't too far away from it.

Does that mean there is little point going higher than 500Mb unless you are wired with Cat5+, or if it's the 200Mb upload you are more interested? And even 500Mb needs a decent router, or multiple routers to go further...

Anyone got a mesh set up, working at 500Mb+ throughout their home? What hardware are you using?

Thanks.

KCross · 15-12-2019 12:11pm

mcbert wrote: »

Hi, what are people using to distribute the Internet through their homes?

I see powerline will get me maybe no more than 100-150Mb or a good router might get up to approx 500Mb if you aren't too far away from it.

Does that mean there is little point going higher than 500Mb unless you are wired with Cat5+, or if it's the 200Mb upload you are more interested? And even 500Mb needs a decent router, or multiple routers to go further...

Anyone got a mesh set up, working at 500Mb+ throughout their home? What hardware are you using?

Thanks.

The fritz box works fine for me:
https://en.avm.de/products/fritzbox/

Working in a mesh setup. Its seamless and hasnt given any issues. Reasonable user interface with good parental controls, VoIP etc.

I didnt signup to the 1Gb FTTH so I cant say I've tested that but it is rated for it. It has LAN Gigabit support and its wireless support is "1733 Mbit/s", so 500Mb should be easy enough!!

Airwire: MartinL · 15-12-2019 12:40pm

KCross wrote: »

I didnt signup to the 1Gb FTTH so I cant say I've tested that but it is rated for it. It has LAN Gigabit support and its wireless support is "1733 Mbit/s", so 500Mb should be easy enough!!

We lab tested the 7530, 7560, 7490 and 7590 with SIRO and they will achieve over 600 Mbit/s on 5 GHz 802.11ac and Gbit/s throughput on the cable without problems.

mcbert · 15-12-2019 12:47pm

Airwire: MartinL wrote: »

We lab tested the 7530, 7560, 7490 and 7590 with SIRO and they will achieve over 600 Mbit/s on 5 GHz 802.11ac and Gbit/s throughput on the cable without problems.

Thanks. Say I have 3 floors, concrete floor between ground and first, wood between 1st and 2nd, I want 500Mb or close to on top floor. Do I need a router on top floor? Can I set up a wireless mesh between all routers? Or do I need to wire the routers?

Thanks.

Airwire: MartinL · 15-12-2019 12:56pm

mcbert wrote: »

Thanks. Say I have 3 floors, concrete floor between ground and first, wood between 1st and 2nd, I want 500Mb or close to on top floor. Do I need a router on top floor? Can I set up a wireless mesh between all routers? Or do I need to wire the routers?

Yes, you will need a router on each floor, that you want to achieve that speed.

And yes, you will need to wire the routers to each other, to achieve that sort of throughput. The good news is: the Fritz!Box routers do mesh on both wireless and cable, so you can still (and should) operate them as a mesh.

500 Mbit/s or close requires, that you are near enough to the router and also depends on how good the wireless card in your PC or device is.

mcbert · 15-12-2019 1:07pm

Airwire: MartinL wrote: »

you will need to wire the routers to each other... the Fritz!Box routers do mesh on both wireless and cable, so you can still (and should) operate them as a mesh.

Ok, that speed requires running cat5 to routers on each floor, but if I don't wire top floor and instead rely on wireless mesh to top floor router, I should still get, I'm going to guess, half that rate??

Thanks.

Airwire: MartinL · 15-12-2019 1:09pm

mcbert wrote: »

Ok, that speed requires running cat5 to routers on each floor, but if I don't wire top floor and instead rely on wireless mesh to top floor router, I should still get, I'm going to guess, half that rate??

The only way to find out, what you can achieve, is by testing it.

Every house is different.

mcbert · 15-12-2019 11:47pm

Best place to get a spool of Cat5E/6a/7 cable, to give some love to the upper floors? Thanks.

Marlow · 16-12-2019 12:05am

mcbert wrote: »

Best place to get a spool of Cat5E/6a/7 cable, to give some love to the upper floors? Thanks.

Go to your local electrical wholesale. CT Electric, Eastern Electric, etc.

/M

babi-hrse · 16-12-2019 6:34pm

ED E wrote: »

One possible config would be.

Room A:
Eir F2000
Google Wifi 1

Room B:
Google Wifi 2

Disable the wireless on the F2000 entirely, cable the Gwifi 1 to the F2000 and then let them do all of your wireless needs rather than trying to piggyback on a poor connection from the F2000.

They should use both bands and move clients around as appropriate. Room B should be half way between Room A and the furthest point from Room A.

They don't use the f2000 anymore it's a sagecom modem they call it an f3000 don't really know what it is under all that other than a sagecom

tuxy · 16-12-2019 6:44pm

We still need someone to take a F3000 apart and see what it is exactly.

babi-hrse · 16-12-2019 7:00pm

An interesting side note about routers the older fritzboxes pick up a lot of noise on VDSL connections. Think they were made for ftth and different networking protocols but I've seen copper lines that could only get 40mpbs end up only locking on when it's been dropped to 30 or so.
This was on the old caddilac model that had these upright fins on the edge. Maybe not inherent across the range but definitely the older one with fins I don't think it was made to operate with open eirs vdsl

Paul Tergat · 26-12-2019 10:30pm

Paul Tergat wrote: »

Hi guys. Firstly this thread is full of useful info so thanks!

I have bought a new build home in Dundalk and I checked on the airewire availability checker which told me that at my address FTTH is available. The site clerk in the development told me that some of the people in the development had issues with FTTH - he wasn't too good with detail but said something about Eir not having installed the last wiring needed to be able to get FTTH. I pressed for more details but he didn't really seem to understand.

I suppose my question is how can I tell definitively if I can get it in my house or who do I need to talk to about the last bits of wiring needed? He said it wasnt the ISP providers issue but was for Eir but didnt really explain it well.

Thanks and hopefully in the correct thread? Mods, if not apologies and please move.

So I have sky coming on the 2nd Jan to get my FTTH BB - I just went onto the airwire checker and entered in my eircode and it is now showing only VDSL whereas it showed FTTH as available only a couple of weeks ago. Is it possible to lose availability???

tuxy · 26-12-2019 10:35pm

Paul Tergat wrote: »

So I have sky coming on the 2nd Jan to get my FTTH BB - I just went onto the airwire checker and entered in my eircode and it is now showing only VDSL whereas it showed FTTH as available only a couple of weeks ago. Is it possible to lose availability???

I don't believe so, it is probably an error on the list that OpenEir supply to providers.
I don't know if it will delay the install but Sky should be able to flag the error.

Paul Tergat · 26-12-2019 10:38pm

tuxy wrote: »

I don't believe so, it is probably an error on the list that OpenEir supply to providers.
I don't know if it will delay the install but Sky should be able to flag the error.

Thanks. Do you know of a way to contact openeir?

tuxy · 26-12-2019 10:41pm

Paul Tergat wrote: »

Thanks. Do you know of a way to contact openeir?

They don't talk with the public, you contact your ISP and they contact Open Eir.

The Boards.ie Explainer: FTTH and You

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