Ok lads, you've really been outstanding with all my questions so far, so I've got another one for ya. This one I've looked into a bit, but I want some personal opinions from ya. TV service ... what do I need to know? Of course you know I want footie, so that means I'll need Sky right? Do I need a dish? What kind of box to I need? Is it digital or analog? (fyi I'm not going to be getting HD for now) Broadband ... I use cable here @ 6 Mbps ... I've seend some options available to me, but what is the best in your opinion.
Hi This first part is easy * Sky Digital via Satellite is the best service, in terms of sound & picture but gets a bit pricy. Let me know if you want to be referred btw, we both get something out if it as I recall - Sky Sports & Setanta are now competiting, both show different packages of Premiership / other league football, so if cash is no object then you want both mate - Liverpool TV is part of the Setanta Network, so you'e to subscribe to the Setanta channels (€20 per month) to get it. * NTL / Coras are the principal cable operator in Dublin and surrounding areas, not available everywhere so depends on where you go to live. To be honest, Digital service seems OK, older system is crap. Service in general tends to be hit & miss, but a bit cheaper than Sky Digital via the dish. There are "naughty" boxes out there which can permit you to see the NTL channels without paying the full price, but no one on this site would ever use one or discuss them, as they'd not want the website to get taken to court by NTL / Coras etc In addition to some of the above / or as an alternative, there are various websites which broadcast the footie live, they're linked elsewhere on this site for you to have a quick look at if you wish. Others here are probably better at discussing the Broadband question than I would be, so I'll ask them to take over now
broasband over here is crap and expensive Not sure about prices, but yo have to pay line rental then your broadband fee ( usual speeds around 1mb - 3mb line) so say good bye to your fast speeds.
As already mentioned is crap over here,possibly slowly getting better but still crap. Not all Broadband companies are available in different areas,I use Eircom have 3mb,never had a problem with it,probably more expensive then others but still the most reliable company I have experienced for Broadband.
If you can get Smart Broadband in your area I'd highly recommend them. They have no contention ratios and no upload or download limits unlike almost every other dsl supplier out there. I work in an internet shop with a direct link to Smart Telecoms fibre line. I also have Smart Broadband at home and wouldn't change it for love nor money. It's an absolutely fantastic package. Having said that though, their customer service isn't great by any stretch. However if (like 99% of the people I know on Smart (and I know a lot)) you have no problems (bad phone line into the house is the main problem) as I said it's a superb service.
Hi mate Am I not right in saying, Smart Telecom almost went belly up and had to be taken off the AIM stock exchange etc within the past 12-18 months etc ? - long term, are they going to be around ?
Yeah that is true and yes they will be here for a long time more. They were fully restructured after those troubles they had. They are in fact the only telecoms company to have their own fibre line in Ireland (not even eircom have that) and are leasing it out to many many internet service providers so chances are if you have internet at home you're in fact using Smart Broadband already. Just not directly