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eircom speed increases on the way download and upload speed increase

damien · 2005-11-22 14:12:47

By the power of 3. Heard this from 3 sources so it is almost unofficial confirmation. New entry level broadband product is 2mbps down 256kbps up. Highest speed product will be 5mbps down 512kbps up. Not the best upload speed at all. Speed increases start in January for all eircom and bistream resellers. I'm sure this is to…

22-11-2005 3:12pm

#1

damien

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By the power of 3. Heard this from 3 sources so it is almost unofficial confirmation.

New entry level broadband product is 2mbps down 256kbps up.

Highest speed product will be 5mbps down 512kbps up.

Not the best upload speed at all. Speed increases start in January for all eircom and bistream resellers.

I'm sure this is to directly challenge the Digiweb package and the Magnet 24mbps package. Dunno about prices yet.

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#2 22-11-2005 3:23pm

paulm17781

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Come on NTL!!!

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#3 22-11-2005 3:26pm

Cabaal

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I'm sure they can expect even more people to start using VoIP now that the upstream will be somewhat decent.

I doubt NTL will increase the upstream on their 3MB product but they might on their 2MB & 1MB products, I'd also imagine they'll bring out something better then 3MB

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#4 22-11-2005 3:53pm

HelterSkelter

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Cabaal wrote:

I'm sure they can expect even more people to start using VoIP now that the upstream will be somewhat decent.

Do you have problems with VOIP? I have 128kbps upload and it works fine for me (Skype) once I am not uploading anything else at the same time.

As an aside, is there any program that can be used allocate an amount of bandwidth for a particular program? For example if I want to allocate 80kbps for Skype and the remainder for everything else so as to ensure Skype will still run when I'm sending a large email, etc.

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#5 22-11-2005 3:54pm

Gonzo

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so is that 5mb for the current Homeplus customers who are currently on 2mb with a 16gig cap? any news on a cap increase?

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#6 22-11-2005 3:58pm

Slaanesh

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HelterSkelter wrote:

Do you have problems with VOIP? I have 128kbps upload and it works fine for me (Skype) once I am not uploading anything else at the same time.

As an aside, is there any program that can be used allocate an amount of bandwidth for a particular program? For example if I want to allocate 80kbps for Skype and the remainder for everything else so as to ensure Skype will still run when I'm sending a large email, etc.

On fancy smancy routers these days you can setups QoS(Quality Of Service) and prioritise packets going out a certain port. If I ever get broadband (12th of never) I would defo get a router capable of such a feat!

However, I'm sure there is something you can get that will do similar on your local computer.

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#7 22-11-2005 4:00pm

koneko

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I have my doubts. Eircom can't even provide me with the speed I'm paying for, how are they going to upgrade it? Don't trust that company as far as I can throw them, but we'll see. Would be nice to see half-way decent speeds.

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#8 22-11-2005 4:16pm

Blaster99

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If you can't get max speed now, you're not going to get it in the future either.

2Mbps to 5Mbps, that's a fairly narrow range.

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#9 22-11-2005 4:23pm

Sponge Bob

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Blaster99 wrote:

If you can't get max speed now, you're not going to get it in the future either.

The min speed never rose as the packages improved in the past year or so. You are guaranteed what they always guaranteed which is 256k down...no matter what your package is.

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#10 22-11-2005 4:39pm

LFCFan

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Sponge Bob wrote:

You are guaranteed what they always guaranteed which is 256k down...no matter what your package is.

Well that's bull for a start. My estate has had problems lately where sometimes we're lucky if we can get dialup speeds. They have told us there is a problem with the exchange but won't fix it till the new year but then still expect us to pay for full service. Assholes!

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#11 22-11-2005 4:44pm

Cabaal

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HelterSkelter wrote:

Do you have problems with VOIP? I have 128kbps upload and it works fine for me (Skype) once I am not uploading anything else at the same time.

Well I don't personally have a problem as I'm on a BT Business line

To be honest Skype will work on a 56K Dailup connection but then again its not *really* VoIP so I don't think its a fair test compared to the likes of Vonage, Blueface or Gizmo

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#12 22-11-2005 4:45pm

paulm17781

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My guess is NTL double their speeds. 6, 4, 2 mb.

This gives a faster than Eircon speed
A mid range (probably the same price as Eircon's low price one)
same as Eircon's low price one only cheaper.

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#13 22-11-2005 4:46pm

Sponge Bob

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LFCFan wrote:

Well that's bull for a start. My estate has had problems lately where sometimes we're lucky if we can get dialup speeds. They have told us there is a problem with the exchange but won't fix it till the new year but then still expect us to pay for full service.

You should pay pro rata the minimum 256k so if you connect at 50k you should only have to pay 20% of the BB charge or 0% seeing as it is not functioning at its floor guaranteed speed.

The 256k minimum is buried in the FAQ ....somewhere .

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#14 22-11-2005 4:53pm

Idbatterim

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hey guys just a few questions, if businesses have high broad band speeds why isnt voip being used if its cheaper? is it unreliable, unstable, not practicle or what? how much chepaer is it? and i only ever hear skype mentioned why is that? are they the dominant force or is everyone else useless or what? thaks for help

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#15 22-11-2005 5:00pm

koneko

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Blaster99 wrote:

If you can't get max speed now, you're not going to get it in the future either.

The problem isn't the lines, that they're too old or anything like that (it's a new estate and apparantly the lines are "as clear as I've ever seen on any line" quote Eircom rep), the problem is that Eircom have essentially overloaded the exchange and aren't interested in fixing it till January. My problem is that I have no faith in Eircom as a company as they've been screwing me/us around for far too long.
(I'm in the same area as LFCFan)

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#16 22-11-2005 5:02pm

dahamsta

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Cabaal wrote:

Well I don't personally have a problem as I'm on a BT Business line

Are they still doing the SDSL ULL product? How much?

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#17 22-11-2005 5:21pm

paulm17781

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Idbatterim wrote:

hey guys just a few questions, if businesses have high broad band speeds why isnt voip being used if its cheaper? is it unreliable, unstable, not practicle or what? how much chepaer is it? and i only ever hear skype mentioned why is that? are they the dominant force or is everyone else useless or what? thaks for help

Have a look at the VOIP forum http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=542. Skype were the first to get a name out but IMO they are far from the best VOIP provider.

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#18 22-11-2005 6:38pm

bk

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While this will be nice for all existing BB owners and specially for those interested in VoIP, what we really need is an always-on 512k or 1m entry level product for €20 per month for all those people who still haven't signed up for BB because it is too expensive at the moment.

A 512k/128k product for €20 would be perfect for the many people who just do dial up at the moment and it would finaly kill off ISDN.

These jumps in speed seem to be just a tactic by Eircom not to reduce the prices of their products, instead they keep them artifically high by uping the speed.

paulm17781 wrote:

My guess is NTL double their speeds. 6, 4, 2 mb.

That sounds very logical, however recent rumours have it that NTL:Ireland are preparing a 8Mbit/s service. So this might be 2, 4, 6, 8 or maybe 2, 4/5, 8.

It is fun to look at the speeds that are offered by UPC across europe:
http://www.lgi.com/europe.html

They typically have four products, ranging from €15 up, some highlights are Netherlands 384k/128k for €15, Netherlands and Sweden 1m/256k for €23 and €24, at the high end, Sweden 24m/8m for €49 and 24m/1m for €40 (that puts Magnet in their place), but that seems to be unusual, Netherlands 20/2 is €80 and Norway 26/1.5 is €126.

We will probably get something like:
2m/200k - €25
5m/500k - €35
8m/800k - €45

They might even have an entry level product, something like 512k/128k for €15, actually something like this already exists called NTL BB Starter, but NTL don't advertise it.

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#19 22-11-2005 6:38pm

^pt^

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HelterSkelter wrote:

As an aside, is there any program that can be used allocate an amount of bandwidth for a particular program?

http://www.netlimiter.com/

Personally I'm very happy with an upload increase. Unfortunately it's still only 256k instead of 512k like most other places with 2mbit :rolleyes:

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#20 22-11-2005 6:39pm

damien

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Old 1Mb Downstream / 128k Upstream
New 2Mb Downstream / 256k Upstream

Old 2Mb Downstream / 128k Upstream
New 3Mb Downstream / 384k Upstream

Old 3Mb Downstream / 256k Upstream
New 4Mb Downstream / 384k Upstream

Old 4Mb Downstream / 256k Upstream
New 5Mb Downstream / 512k Upstream

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#21 22-11-2005 6:59pm

bk

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Thanks Damien, nothing majorily exciting there, nice for people interested in VoIP (but sort of unnecessary as you will still have to pay Eircom line rental and UTV give free local and national calls in the evenings and weekends).

It is a pity they don't have an entry level 512k product, but then that would eat into their dail-up and ISDN money pots.

Hopefully this will push NTL, Smart and the others into a round of much better upgrades.

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#22 22-11-2005 7:23pm

Gonzo

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hmm, nice to have a moderate increase in the upload but the download increase is very small, not much difference between 2mb and 3mb, the 3mb on eircom still wont be as fast as ntls 3mb due to overheads etc.

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#23 22-11-2005 7:32pm

Cabaal

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Ken Shabby wrote:

Are they still doing the SDSL ULL product? How much?

Not sure about SDSL lines tbh, I have a LLU ADSL line which is FINALLY being unbundled so I won't be paying eircom a penny....many many months of BT lieing

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#24 22-11-2005 8:12pm

RobertFoster

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Oh great. The last upgrade caused nothing but problems for me. Something (the line, I'm guessing) couldn't handle the 2Mb and I couldn't stay connected. I had to drop to 1Mb. I won't be able to drop this time

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#25 23-11-2005 1:36am

rogue-entity

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So after christmas, I can look forward to a 2M/256 service as opposed to my current 1M/128k service. This will be very nice. While the speed increases are advertised for eircom, BT customers will also get these speed increases as they are reselling eircoms BitStream product

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#26 23-11-2005 10:29am

ednwireland

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i have a client who wants to run vpns as well as voip, hosting, remote access he has the top level package from eircom guess what wireless is coming and he can get 4mb up and down wonder what we'll go for. the "business" level package even with these upgrades its pathetic. the problem is when people get broadband they start using it amazing. most clients i've dealt with in the north go for sdsl now they dont even touch adsl
eircom hasn't got a clue as to what customers want.

My weather
https://www.ecowitt.net/home/share?authorize=96CT1F

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#27 23-11-2005 10:53am

RangeR

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ednwireland wrote:

iwireless is coming and he can get 4mb up and down wonder what we'll go for.

That sounds terribly familiar. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

HelterSkelter, care to add?

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#28 23-11-2005 10:58am

Sponge Bob

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Gonzo wrote:

hmm, nice to have a moderate increase in the upload but the download increase is very small, not much difference between 2mb and 3mb, the 3mb on eircom still wont be as fast as ntls 3mb due to overheads etc.

Or Smart. The PPPOe overhead (packets used to control data) is calculated separately by Smart . I would hope that Magnet are the same as Smart of course. I suspect they are .

An Eircom 2048 (2Mb) could include about 128k of overhead in the stream meaning that the efective max is c. 1920 k . A Smart 2048 is 2048 + the 128k on top.

Put another way, Smart have a good advertising standards case against Eircom.

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#29 23-11-2005 11:55am

skywalker

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Good to see any increases. Any word on whether caps will be increased also?

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#30 23-11-2005 11:57am

LFCFan

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skywalker wrote:

Good to see any increases. Any word on whether caps will be increased also?

with a 5Mbit connection, you'd have to have a cap increase or you'd get through it way too quick. I reckon we should see another doubling of caps. Would be a nice addtion to to the packages!

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#31 23-11-2005 12:03pm

Willymuncher

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skywalker wrote:

Good to see any increases. Any word on whether caps will be increased also?

Hopefully, but in fairness the cap is not really enforced anyway, so we're still pretty safe.

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