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Other ProvidersDiscuss other Irish broadband providers. These include regional ISPs and wireless providers providing internet access solutions in rural areas.
The thread "Which broadband? BT 3Mbs or Digiweb Metro 3Mbps" has not received any replies for a month. It has been automatically closed as a result. You may start a new thread on the topic if the information in this thread is not sufficient.
Having suffered at the hands of Clearwires crap service I've had enough and its time to say goodbye and change.
Up till today I had more or less settled on BT's 3Mbps with either the talk or total talk option thinking it best to steer clear of wireless after the clearwire fiasco. But to confuse things I am after trying out a friends 1mbps Metro light connection with digiweb, which I found faster and generally much better than my 2Mbs clearwire.
So my options are:
BT 3mbps with talk: €50.00
BT 3mbps with total talk €63.00
Digiweb metro 3mbps €34.99
Digiweb metro with free calls €49.99
On the face of it digiweb seems like the better deal, but can wireless be as reliable as a phoneline based system? I'm in Dundalk if that makes any difference.
I don't have a phone line at the minute, which is why I am considering wireless again, but would I be better biting the bullet and getting a fixed line in for broadband?
Decisions...decisions! For what my opinion is worth - you need to analyse your telephone needs. If you intend making lots of local/national calls then abundled package which can save you money on those will be important for you. I live in Navan and am on BT's 2Mb package. I also get my line rental with them for €10 - so my bill every 2 months is about €80. I RARELY if ever make calls on my landline. I DO need it however for my monitored alarm. I consistently get 1.71Mbps down and 213kps up and make as many calls via VOIP as possible. I also of course have a mobile phone and I use my 'free' minutes on that as well
To be quite honest, you've presented us with a toughie. I'd normally say DSL is the best way to go. I've had little problems with it since getting in back in June 2004. I've been with 2 different ISP's, and each of them have given me the speeds I pay for. I'm with BT now, on their 3mbits package with Talk for €50. Some people are getting slop from BT, seemingly due to over-subscribed exchanges in their area. However, it's not BT that's causing it as such. Other DSL ISP's, even eircom themselves have been slandered for their slow service in some areas. Remember, all the DSL ISP's are merely reselling an eircom product. Even though I'm with BT, I'm still subject to eircom's maintenance of my line, and my local exchange; as BT have no access to the equipment. We're all at eircom's mercy!
That means, if you want to get DSL, you'll have to contact eircom first of all in order to get a phone line. Once done, you can proceed to contact Esat BT and have them get the ball rolling (by getting eircom to activate your line, etc.). It takes 15 working days or so to have your broadband go live after signing up with BT.
Wireless... I've heard more bad things than good. I've never tried it out, so I'm not going to go and tell you that you're 100% likely to be disappointed. Wireless can be quite erratic, apparently. I was told to steer clear from a few people down through this last year. I'm taking that advice. However, to re-iterate, I'm quite happy with the service I have at present.
There are a couple of notable differences though between BT's 3mbits package and Metro's 3mbits package. One is the contention ratio. BT has 24:1 and Metro has 36:1. Personally, I'd rather share my connection with as little people as possible. BT wins that round. The second is upload speed. BT gives 384kbits while Metro offers 512kbits. Metro wins round two! Lastly, with Metro you'd be able to avail of a free phone line. BUT, you'd have to pay €15 extra a month to get a talk package. While you've already stated this, you need to figure out what you need. Is going for the "false economy" the right decision in this situation? Maybe. The only problem with all this is that it's all down on paper. You won't know for sure what each service is like in your own home until you take the plunge. Really, it leaves you back at square one. But just weigh the options carefully. If you're not satisfied with whatever service you choose, you have 10 days I think to get your money back and have it disconnected.
im with digweb for nearly a year, and they have been ok, but u no longer get 30gig per month, dont believe what they say u can view it urself at mytraffic.digiweb.ie they now use a role over setup? meaning u never see 30gig.
I don't have a phone line at the minute, which is why I am considering wireless again, but would I be better biting the bullet and getting a fixed line in for broadband?
I'm on the Digiweb metro product (1mbs) for over a year in Dublin. Occasional email/web/ssh usage from a data perspective - I've had no problems on that front.
However the quality of the phone service has been so poor as to have me now considering moving back to a DSL based product. Poor sound quality and occasions when the phone simply will not connect i.e. you dial the number and ...... nothing. (Any other Digiweb Metro customers having the same problems - I'd be interested to hear)
It'll break my heart to give Eircom or BT a cent but it may come to that.
Last edited by PaschalNee; 14th August 2007 at 06:22 PM.
You could stay with Digiweb and sign-up for their DSL product. Besides, no matter who you pay to get DSL, you'll be helping to line eircom's pockets. Right now, all DSL sellers are actually resellers (an eircom product rebranded).
Remember, these are ISP's from within the UK. BT and BT Ireland are totally different. However, you're not wrong. I think every goddamn ISP in this country has clear imperfections, and BT Ireland are no exception.
EDIT: BT Ireland are probably the cheapest. Combine your line rental and broadband with them, and you can get...say...3mbps Broadband for €56 a month. Everyone else is charging €40 or more for the same speed, excluding the €25 euro line rental charge that eircom stacks on top of it all. I went with BT because they were the most affordable, and thus far, I have not being let down by them. My speed is within spec, and their billing department (often under a controversial light in the past) have done their job properly where my account has been concerned. It's also worth noting that I've been a customer since February 2006.
To be quite honest, you've presented us with a toughie. I'd normally say DSL is the best way to go. I've had little problems with it since getting in back in June 2004. I've been with 2 different ISP's, and each of them have given me the speeds I pay for. I'm with BT now, on their 3mbits package with Talk for €50. Some people are getting slop from BT, seemingly due to over-subscribed exchanges in their area. However, it's not BT that's causing it as such. Other DSL ISP's, even eircom themselves have been slandered for their slow service in some areas. Remember, all the DSL ISP's are merely reselling an eircom product. Even though I'm with BT, I'm still subject to eircom's maintenance of my line, and my local exchange; as BT have no access to the equipment. We're all at eircom's mercy!
That means, if you want to get DSL, you'll have to contact eircom first of all in order to get a phone line. Once done, you can proceed to contact Esat BT and have them get the ball rolling (by getting eircom to activate your line, etc.). It takes 15 working days or so to have your broadband go live after signing up with BT.
Wireless... I've heard more bad things than good. I've never tried it out, so I'm not going to go and tell you that you're 100% likely to be disappointed. Wireless can be quite erratic, apparently. I was told to steer clear from a few people down through this last year. I'm taking that advice. However, to re-iterate, I'm quite happy with the service I have at present.
There are a couple of notable differences though between BT's 3mbits package and Metro's 3mbits package. One is the contention ratio. BT has 24:1 and Metro has 36:1. Personally, I'd rather share my connection with as little people as possible. BT wins that round. The second is upload speed. BT gives 384kbits while Metro offers 512kbits. Metro wins round two! Lastly, with Metro you'd be able to avail of a free phone line. BUT, you'd have to pay €15 extra a month to get a talk package. While you've already stated this, you need to figure out what you need. Is going for the "false economy" the right decision in this situation? Maybe. The only problem with all this is that it's all down on paper. You won't know for sure what each service is like in your own home until you take the plunge. Really, it leaves you back at square one. But just weigh the options carefully. If you're not satisfied with whatever service you choose, you have 10 days I think to get your money back and have it disconnected.
Seifer.
hi i'm with irishbroad wireless i have 3mb to me i have none i have a friend that is with eircom he can download 3 times faster then me to down 700mb file takes me 2/3 dayes to him 8/14hrs buy the way he is on 1 mb you tell me who has the best ?????
The thread "Which broadband? BT 3Mbs or Digiweb Metro 3Mbps" has not received any replies for a month. It has been automatically closed as a result. You may start a new thread on the topic if the information in this thread is not sufficient.
Which broadband? BT 3Mbs or Digiweb Metro 3Mbps 
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