North West Electronics/BlueBox

fooker! · 23-04-2017 11:13pm

Looks like Bluebox is getting a name change!

https://www.facebook.com/bluelightningie/
http://bluelightning.ie/

chris_ie · 23-04-2017 11:34pm

I like how the contention video on their Facebook shows the speed dropping to 26mb from 50mb. Would be a bit more realistic showing it down to 1mb!

Antoninus · 14-07-2017 3:19pm

Hello to all long suffering NW / Donegal broadband users!

Does anybody have experience of using Blue Box in the Tremone Bay area?

Thanks,
Antoninus

fooker! · 14-07-2017 7:00pm

If its using the mast in the Culdaff area like I'm on, then expect the usual bluebox experience unfortunately. Its been pretty bad since before christmas after having a couple of weeks where it was going ok. it is unbelievably slow at peak times for me, and that is EVERY evening not just now and again

Antoninus · 14-07-2017 8:47pm

Thanks for the feedback Fkr. What side of Culdaff are you?

We would need the service more during the day - if any is available.

I called Bluebox today and was told by a customer rep that there might be a signal in the Tremone Bay area, but they would need to arrange a line of site check, for which there would be no charge / no commitment, once I completed and signed an application form. After I received the application form, I called back and spoke to another customer rep to express my concerns that the "application form" was a binding 12 month contract, and was then told there is zero chance of a signal in that area!

I then called Beacon Broadband but they said they will not be rolling out their service to that area until the end of the summer.

NIMAN · 15-07-2017 7:35am

I'm waiting patiently on Beacon to arrive ... I had Bluebox out a few years back to do an install and the only transmitter they had line of sight to was full up.

I dodged a bullet there.

Antoninus · 15-07-2017 8:53am

The customer rep from Beacon was confident that their service would arrive by summer's end. Beacon's customer service contrasted favourably with Bluebox and that's putting it kindly. I would still like Bluebox to carry out the line of sight test for the €50 fee I was quoted, but I'm not prepared to sign a 12 month contract for the privilege!

Meanwhile, I see the Meteor coverage map shows good/excellent coverage in the whole Tremone Bay area. I'm wondering now, if there is a signal, if their €30 for 50GB MiFi / hotspot package might be the best option for now. We have Vodafone cell phones and thought we might tether, but we had no signal from Carrowmenagh to half way to Redford!

NIMAN · 15-07-2017 9:34am

That coverage map for Meteor shows me as having excellent 4G coverage.

Might look into it.

Is there a package I could ditch my VF home broadband for? Allow me to stream Netflix etc?

Antoninus · 15-07-2017 10:46am

We only looked at PAYG MiFi options Niman.
Meteor offer a PAYG package of 50GB for €30 over a 180 day period.
Technically there's nothing to stop you topping up whenever your 50GB is used up, whether that's on a monthly basis or not, but it if you're streaming a lot, limited data packages aren't likely to be economical.

Penfailed · 15-07-2017 1:28pm

Beacon called out to the house to do a line of sight test with us as the Eircode said we were all good...no joy. They have another mast coming online in the next few weeks so we should be good to go. Can't wait to get rid of Bluebox.

schizo1014 · 15-07-2017 1:32pm

I heard recently Bluebox are supposed to be putting a mast up on Barnesmore Gap, not far from me altogether but hopefully it speeds it up. Its been hit and miss with them for speeds lately with any thing between 1/2 mb to 5/6mb at times.

fooker! · 15-07-2017 5:29pm

Antoninus wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback Fkr. What side of Culdaff are you?

We would need the service more during the day - if any is available.

I called Bluebox today and was told by a customer rep that there might be a signal in the Tremone Bay area, but they would need to arrange a line of site check, for which there would be no charge / no commitment, once I completed and signed an application form. After I received the application form, I called back and spoke to another customer rep to express my concerns that the "application form" was a binding 12 month contract, and was then told there is zero chance of a signal in that area!

I then called Beacon Broadband but they said they will not be rolling out their service to that area until the end of the summer.

Im towards the Gleneely side, it might be ok for you if you only need it during the daytime!, I'm going to get Beacon Broadband in as soon as its available here to tide me over till fibre is comes at the end of next year!

NIMAN wrote: »

I'm waiting patiently on Beacon to arrive ... I had Bluebox out a few years back to do an install and the only transmitter they had line of sight to was full up.

I dodged a bullet there.

Waiting patiently on Beacon here too!, they seem to have great reviews so far!

NIMAN · 15-07-2017 5:55pm

Hopefully they will keep up the standard of service.

Will count for nothing if they take on too many customers and their speeds drop off.

cushte · 03-09-2017 10:30pm

made the switch to beacon in april. constantly getting 8-10 mbps, on the 10 mbps plan.
It went down twice for about 1/2 hour in that 4 month. But heres the thing, they email you to let you know that its going down for maintenance! 1 time it was at 9 am for about 20 minutes. the other was after 1 am so it didnt bother me. so far so good.

fooker! · 03-09-2017 11:32pm

cushte wrote: »

made the switch to beacon in april. constantly getting 8-10 mbps, on the 10 mbps plan.
It went down twice for about 1/2 hour in that 4 month. But heres the thing, they email you to let you know that its going down for maintenance! 1 time it was at 9 am for about 20 minutes. the other was after 1 am so it didnt bother me. so far so good.

The reviews I've seen so far have been great!, bit slow with the roll out though unfortunately!:(

schizo1014 · 26-09-2017 5:51pm

Anyone elses Bluebox acting up the last few days? I'm on the mast in Barnes here and it's been off most of the day

thebo · 02-11-2017 8:22pm

Seems bluebox (blue lightning) are finally doing some upgrades. Getting decent consistent 8mb speeds for once.

Has anyone tried any IPTV streaming services with bluebox? How does it fair with HD services.

Wondering do they throttle on usage or anything?

Beacon getting good rave reviews maybe that's why bluebox had to step up their game.

fooker! · 11-11-2017 9:38pm

yeah I've seen downloads speeds are better but ping etc.. is stil pretty high!
Beacon sounds good so far but they are really slow at expanding their coverage!

fooker! · 24-11-2017 7:35pm

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-42079941

I wonder will we see advertised speeds changed in may

schizo1014 · 25-11-2017 12:22pm

fooker! wrote: »

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-42079941

I wonder will we see advertised speeds changed in may

Rather they just gave us actual advertised speeds. How have your speeds been recently? Mine have been inconsistent to say they least.

fooker! · 02-12-2017 5:17pm

Yeah same here. CRAP!

MuddyDog · 26-01-2018 1:30pm

In a valley in Lurgy Letterkenny and wondering what the best WiMax broadband option is? Bluebox, Imagine and Beacon are the only ones I've heard of (Beacon being the best for the price you pay it seems). Unless anyone else can point me in another direction?

thebo · 18-12-2018 11:12pm

Have speeds improved much with this company since?

Hamill92 · 18-12-2018 11:23pm

thebo wrote: »

Have speeds improved much with this company since?

No.

I’m a ex customer of Bluebox and their customer service is shocking.

Contact the company call Beacon.
Currently paying £25 for 10MB and that’s enough for us. Speed is never under 5Mb

TireeTerror · 18-12-2018 11:31pm

Beacon are very expensive for the speeds you get and absolutely are affected by congestion like every other service. They are better than Bluebox. 5G will be with us next year. Vodafone are trialling it in the South of the country right now and as always, 3 Ireland are about to do the same. 5G is where its at, you can be 100% assured that the NBP will be quashed as 5G fills that slot.

oscarBravo · 19-12-2018 9:17pm

TireeTerror wrote: »

5G is where its at, you can be 100% assured that the NBP will be quashed as 5G fills that slot.

No doubt about it: the laws of physics are no match for marketing hype.

TireeTerror · 20-12-2018 3:08am

oscarBravo wrote: »

No doubt about it: the laws of physics are no match for marketing hype.

You dont believe in 5G? I cannot wait for it. Im 300-400 metres from the 3 mast. FTTH stopped at my neighbours house which is not line of sight or Id be sorting something out there.

I tried Beacon and its fine for general web use, but no good for gaming. Packet loss and severe warping in game made it unplayable.

Its bad when Im having a better gaming experience tethered to 4G on my mobile over 3 network, but thats where I am at until 5G launches with low latency and faster speeds. Bring It On!

Marlow · 20-12-2018 10:26am

The potential of the current 4G rollout can't be maxed out, because..... they don't have the capacity at the mast to do so.

How do you think, that will change with 5G?

It won't.. there is still only the same capacity TO THE mast.

Need to bring fibre to the mast before that changes. 5G doesn't change a darn thing there.

It's like having a Ferrari, but only being able to drive it at half speed because you can't get the proper fuel for it.

/M

oscarBravo · 20-12-2018 1:02pm

TireeTerror wrote: »

You dont believe in 5G?

You make it sound like Santa Claus. It's not a question of belief; it's a question of hype.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. 3G was supposed to be the cure-all for rural broadband; it wasn't. 4G was supposed to be the cure-all for rural broadband; it wasn't. Now 5G is supposed to be the cure-all for rural broadband. I guess this time it's different.

TireeTerror · 20-12-2018 4:26pm

Maybe its hype, maybe it isnt. From what I have read 3g/4g was not designed as an alternative to landline broadband, whereas 5G is, and in many cases surpasses it.

Why would they need to send fibre to the mast? They would surely just send everything over the air.

It will be awesome for a good while as hardly anyone will have 5g enabled devices.

North West Electronics/BlueBox

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