Alternatives to UPC.

horusd

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So UPC are upping their charges but it seems they offer a good BB package, particularly with fibre connections. Looking around I've got Vodafone & Eircom offering "up to 100 MB" for €35 & €33 (increasing to €53 after six months), with contract periods of 18 months. Anyone got an opinion on Vodafone or Eircom BB vis a vis service? The 'up to 100 MB' has me wary, it mightn't be realised in practice, I also don't like long contracts. I currently have 60 MB BB and off-peak calls ( which I don't use) with UPC for €37.00. There isn't a lot in it cost-wise but I think these companies trade on an element of inertia in the market - a notion I like to disprove from time to time. ;0)
 
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If it's of any use, I was told by Vodafone I could avail of 'up to 100Mb'....I don't even get 1Mb :rolleyes:
 
So UPC are upping their charges but it seems they offer a good BB package, particularly with fibre connections. Looking around I've got Vodafone & Eircom offering "up to 100 MB" for €35 & €33 (increasing to €53 after six months), with contract periods of 18 months. Anyone got an opinion on Vodafone or Eircom BB vis a vis service? The 'up to 100 MB' has me wary, it mightn't be realised in practice, I also don't like long contracts. I currently have 60 MB BB and off-peak calls ( which I don't use) with UPC for €37.00. There isn't a lot in it cost-wise but I think these companies trade on an element of inertia in the market - a notion I like to disprove from time to time. ;0)

Do what I did and ring UPC customer loyalty on 061 272190..

Heres my post from another thread about UPC prices.


I decided to ring the customer loyalty number this afternoon and I got a nice lady on the phone.
I said I wasnt happy at only joining UPC last month and now being hit with a price increase of 7 euro a month.I said that I was told by the original sales agent that my price would be fixed for the 12 months and I wouldnt get any price increases.
After a bit of talking on the phone she offered me 120mb broadband with free anytime local,national and worldwide calls for 30 euro a month.

I was currently on 60mb broadband and free offpeak calls only for 37 euro a month,so Im happy with this new better deal now.

I just tested my BB speeds and it seems that Im only getting 93mb bb and not the full 120mb bb.This coulkd also be down to an aging home PC and a heap of stuff on it and also outdated software.But I cant complain after the disaster of a time I had with Eircom and all their lies.

Download Speed: 93509 kbps (11688.6 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 12015 kbps (1501.9 KB/sec transfer rate)
 
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Anyone got an opinion on Vodafone or Eircom BB vis a vis service?

Both (and now Sky also), use the same equipment, so the broadband service provided will be the same. I'm with Vodafone and have found their customer service better to deal with than Eircom on the rare occasions I've used it.

The 'up to 100 MB' has me wary, it mightn't be realised in practice, I also don't like long contracts.

The max speed will depend on the quality of the final cable coming to your house from the cabinet, and the connection within your master socket. Either Eircom or Vodafone will be able to remotely test your line and let you know what speed you're likely to see.
 
Do you get TV also for that €37 pm currently?
Nope,didnt ask for TV as I allready have hundreds of UK,European and Worldwide TV channels via a large satelite system in the back garden and IPTV boxes too.
 
Nope,didnt ask for TV as I allready have hundreds of UK,European and Worldwide TV channels via a large satelite system in the back garden and IPTV boxes too.

Any chance of more info on "hundreds of tv channels & "large satellite system"?

I want to dump UPC as well but do not want to spend €€ and end up with a poor replacement so experienced comment would be good.
Foe example, What Sat Box do you use? Best place to get it, etc.
 
Do you get TV also for that €37 pm currently?
You can split the signal and tune in 17 analogue channels.

What Sat Box do you use? Best place to get it, etc.
I have on old Sky dish to which I have connected a Walker satellite receiver (Powercity) to tune in free-to-air channels; many newer TVs have a built-in satellite tuner so no need for a box. I've no interest in most of the channels bar the UK channels, Film4 and a couple of kids channels.
 
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Any chance of more info on "hundreds of tv channels & "large satellite system"?

I want to dump UPC as well but do not want to spend €€ and end up with a poor replacement so experienced comment would be good.
Foe example, What Sat Box do you use? Best place to get it, etc.

100cm Technomate dish set up in the back garden,2 octo LNBs attached to the dish,one is for Uk and other is for European channels.Amiko set top boxes at each TV location around the house and also an IPTV box at each TV location too.So I can watch one thing,my wife can watch her soaps and my daughter can watch her kids channels or music channels.We are all happy this way and no fights over whats on TV.

House is wired with alot of CT100 co-ax and Cat6 cable and I have a small 12U comms cabinet installed in the attic which houses the likes or BB router,and the 1U patch panels for the co-ax and cat 6 cable.Diseqc switches are then used to recieve,send and split the signals at every TV location around the house.
I watch my live motorsport for free on Australian,Asian and UAE Free To Air TV via my IPTV boxes.All english speaking channels too so I get nice live commentary for my motorsport.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127582733@N07/15886202592/in/photostream/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127582733@N07/15886202762/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127582733@N07/15805342171/


I buy my equipment from Dave in TV Trade and also from Sam in Satworld.
Dave from TV Trade has a Youtube channel with hundreads of "how to" videos on satelite systems,cctv kits and also computer equipment.

Both are Irish companies with online shops and you can also buy from them in person in their shops too.

www.satworld.ie

www.tvtrade.ie

https://www.youtube.com/user/tvtradedave

I also buy some stuff from Poland too,as you can get good deals if you know exactly what you are looking for.:)




You can also pick up some good 2nd hand stuff on www.adverts.ie if you are on a tight budget and want it as cheap as possible.

But as with everything in life "you get what you pay for".

http://www.adverts.ie/for-sale/q_satelite dish/

http://www.adverts.ie/for-sale/q_set top box/
 
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Thx Flowerman for the detailed reply. Wondering, is your wiring hidden?

Yes its all hidden and the co-ax and Cat6 is kept well away from electrical wiring to reduce any possible interference issues to a minimum.
 
Thanks for all the replies. Given what Leo said re Vodafone, I'll give UPC a call, say I'm leaving for Vodafone for lower price, see if they'll match it or even up the BB speed, it is all to play for! Flowerman you back garden must look like NASA on Google earth what with all the dishes !
 
Thanks for all the replies. Given what Leo said re Vodafone, I'll give UPC a call, say I'm leaving for Vodafone for lower price, see if they'll match it or even up the BB speed, it is all to play for! Flowerman you back garden must look like NASA on Google earth what with all the dishes !


Theres only 1 dish and its a 100cm Technomate dish.But it has 2 octo LNBs on a quick release LNB bracket pointed at different angles to recieve UK and also European Channels.That gives me over 400 TV channels and then I have well over 1000 TV channels from around the world to select from through the IPTV boxes.


I would play Vodafone and UPC off of each other and see who gives you the best deal for the least money.UPC are quite willing to do a deal with you if you are willing to haggle with them.
Make them jump through hoops for your money and your business.;)
 
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Forgot to say that a cheap 12 euro Philex 48 Element aerial from Aldi placed up in the attic space provides the Saorview channels to each TV aswell.This signal is fed in via the diseqc switches so the 400 odd channels from the satalite dish and the saorview channels come in on the 1 co-ax and are then split out at the TV points.The 2nd co-ax at each TV point is for record function.The Cat6 cables are there to supply a hard wired broadband connection for the IPTV box and theres also a spare Cat6,just incase and for future proofing.
 
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Forgot to say that a cheap 12 euro Philex 48 Element aerial from Aldi placed up in the attic space provides the Saorview channels to each TV aswell.This signal is fed in via the diseqc switches so the 400 odd channels from the satalite dish and the saorview channels come in on the 1 co-ax and are then split out at the TV points.The 2nd co-ax at each TV point is for record function.The Cat6 cables are there to supply a hard wired broadband connection for the IPTV box and theres also a spare Cat6,just incase and for future proofing.
Crikey. Will you come up to my house and put one in place?
 
Crikey. Will you come up to my house and put one in place?

If you can access the space between your ceiling and floors then you could easily do it yourself.Its simple to do once you get the hang of it and have access to the likes of a screwgun,some drill bits,a 20mm auger bit and holesaw set.
Allways keep the co-ax and the Cat6 away from electrical cabling,as this will greatly reduce any chance of interference.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127582733@N07/16269637191/
 
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Bronco Lane, FLowerman couldn't possibly come to set-up yer telly, too much TV to catch-up on!
 
Just an update on this. Rang UPC, told em I was leaving for €35 100 MB Vodafone package, they offered me €20 discount (nett €12) for 4 months and then €32 for phone and 60 MB BB, 1 yr contract. Happy enough with that.
 
Just an update on this. Rang UPC, told em I was leaving for €35 100 MB Vodafone package, they offered me €20 discount (nett €12) for 4 months and then €32 for phone and 60 MB BB, 1 yr contract. Happy enough with that.


Well done.Its amazing what a phone call and the threat of leaving for another provider can do.
 
I am on the basic UPC analogue package for TV only. Phone and internet with Eircom. I pay UPC annually. I got my invoice to pay in early January. No mention anywhere of a coming price increase. My bill was the same as last years. I paid my annual bill early January. Today I get a letter stating that as from February my service will go up by €4.50 per month.
It looks to me that they waited until I paid my annual bill before writing to me to advise of a price increase. Why? Because most people after paying might not be inclined to shop around or cancel but might have done so if UPC had included a notification with their annual invoice that a price increase was due in February.Satellite here I come.
 
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