So we've had Snap for over 2 years now and even moved house (from Halswell out to Lincoln).
First thing we did when we moved in was get UFB installed and apart from the lawn getting a little messed up, the install went very smoothly.
Over the last year we've got to know a lot of our neighbours and they have also swapped to UFB.
BUT, there appears to be 2 groups of UFB users:
(1) Happy UFB users
(2) Not-so-happy UFB users
The first group - the "Happy UFB users" - are the people that listened to me and swapped to using Snap internet.
The second group - the "not-so-happy UFB users" - didn't listen. If they went with Spark, they found that the solution really didn't offer much benefit over ADSL. And as for the Vodafone users - well, when they finally got properly connected (after a number of connectivity issues), they found the internet connection wasn't consistent and the phone system frequently failed.
Moral of the story: if you live in Christchurch and want a good quality internet link over UFB, go with Snap.
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Monday, March 25, 2013
Blending 2Talk with Snap UFB
Although we have a toll plan with Snap ($9.95/month giving us unlimited national tolls to landlines with a fair use policy), that doesn't really help if people want to call us.
So after a post to my favourite technology site (www.geekzone.co.nz), I found out about the VoIP services offered by 2Talk.co.nz. For only $6+GST per month, I now have a Dunedin phone number that friends and relatives in Dunedin can call at no charge since it's a "local" number - which rings our phone in Christchurch!
And even better - my wife and I can run an app on our smartphones (me on an Samsung S3, my wife on an iPhone 4) that allows us to receive calls anywhere we have a good internet connection (WiFi is preferable).
Steps to get this setup:
(1) Go to 2talk.co.nz and signup for the 2talk Go Free account (this costs nothing)
(2) Login and add-on a local ("Regional") number for the location you want.
You'll need to supply your credit card details to pay for this.
(3) Once this is setup, login to your FritzBox and add the new local/regional number to your configured telephone numbers.
If anybody would like a step-by-step guide, please let me know and I'll put something together.
So after a post to my favourite technology site (www.geekzone.co.nz), I found out about the VoIP services offered by 2Talk.co.nz. For only $6+GST per month, I now have a Dunedin phone number that friends and relatives in Dunedin can call at no charge since it's a "local" number - which rings our phone in Christchurch!
And even better - my wife and I can run an app on our smartphones (me on an Samsung S3, my wife on an iPhone 4) that allows us to receive calls anywhere we have a good internet connection (WiFi is preferable).
Steps to get this setup:
(1) Go to 2talk.co.nz and signup for the 2talk Go Free account (this costs nothing)
(2) Login and add-on a local ("Regional") number for the location you want.
You'll need to supply your credit card details to pay for this.
(3) Once this is setup, login to your FritzBox and add the new local/regional number to your configured telephone numbers.
If anybody would like a step-by-step guide, please let me know and I'll put something together.
Saturday, December 1, 2012
What I've learnt so far...
It's been over a month since I've swapped from Telecom to Snap with UFB.
What I've found so far:
Seriously, if you're happy paying MORE for LESS, continue to do so. But if you're like me and always want the biggest BANG for BUCK, then wander over to the signup page for Snap. You won't regret it.
What I've found so far:
- It's fast.
When downloading updates for my phones, it's so fast that you don't think it can possibly have done it. 10MB takes a second or two! Similarly, large updates for our laptops (eg 2-300MB) just come down in the time it takes to have a couple of mouthfuls of coffee. - We don't get the evening slow-down
With ADSL/ADSL2, we'd drop back to 1-2 Mbit/s (from 10-14 Mbit/s) in the evenings. This was still OK, but the load from other users definitely had an affect on speed. - The Fritz!Box is amazing
The Fritz!Box that Snap supply is amazing and has so many features.
My favourite feature (only discovered today) is the ability to BLOCK incoming callers!
Can't remember the last time a telemarketer ever called without blocking their number.
So with the call blocking feature, you can choose to send all with-held number calls directly to voicemail. This means if it's a legitimate call, you can get a message (sent to you via email of course). - I'm paying a lot less for more
So far (because of the 2 months free deal that Snap offer with a 24 month contract), I haven't had to pay for anything except tolls. And I've got a better internet and home network.
So if you're still using ADSL/ADSL2, I think it's appropriate to steal a line from Tourism Australia - "So where the bloody hell are you".
Seriously, if you're happy paying MORE for LESS, continue to do so. But if you're like me and always want the biggest BANG for BUCK, then wander over to the signup page for Snap. You won't regret it.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Install Complete!
It's installation day and I'm pleased to say everything went very smoothly.
Original install time was going to be 1pm, but got a phone call first thing this morning asking if they could do it this morning. Certainly wasn't going to turn down an earlier time!
Step 1 was to identify where everything was to be installed. I'd made their lives relatively easy, so this bit didn't take too long.
Step 2 involved getting a jackpoint (not much bigger than a standard Telecom style jackpoint) installed inside the house.
An optical connector goes from this box into an optical connection on the Huawei router.
Photos of this later.
Step 3 was to install another box on the outside of the house which is where the fibre comes into the house.
Step 4 - getting the fibre to the house - was the bit that took the longest. To do this, they had to wait until the van with the correct equipment was available. They went away to the cabinet and effectively "blew" the fibre from the cabinet all the way back to our house. They connected the fibre in the cabinet and then connected it to the box you can see in the picture above.
Step 5 - Enable networks is notified to activate the circuit.
Step 6 - Gave Snap a call, at which point they checked everything for me and activated the cut-over from Telecom.
So by lunchtime, I was swapped over to a high speed link with my telephone working perfectly with my old "Telecom" phone number.
Some more photos
Original install time was going to be 1pm, but got a phone call first thing this morning asking if they could do it this morning. Certainly wasn't going to turn down an earlier time!
Step 1 was to identify where everything was to be installed. I'd made their lives relatively easy, so this bit didn't take too long.
Step 2 involved getting a jackpoint (not much bigger than a standard Telecom style jackpoint) installed inside the house.
An optical connector goes from this box into an optical connection on the Huawei router.
Photos of this later.
Step 3 was to install another box on the outside of the house which is where the fibre comes into the house.
Step 4 - getting the fibre to the house - was the bit that took the longest. To do this, they had to wait until the van with the correct equipment was available. They went away to the cabinet and effectively "blew" the fibre from the cabinet all the way back to our house. They connected the fibre in the cabinet and then connected it to the box you can see in the picture above.
Step 5 - Enable networks is notified to activate the circuit.
Step 6 - Gave Snap a call, at which point they checked everything for me and activated the cut-over from Telecom.
So by lunchtime, I was swapped over to a high speed link with my telephone working perfectly with my old "Telecom" phone number.
Some more photos
This is the Huawei router into which the optical link connects.
Optical link is on the far left, LAN1 connection is a standard ethernet (RJ45) link to the Fritz!Box.
Fritz!Box has a USB on the side.
Additional ports at rear of Fritz!Box.
Left hand cable (black) is an RJ6 that connects to the base station for my cordless phone.
LAN1 on Fritz!Box is connected back into the Huawei router.
Tip: Chances are your ADSL modem will be connected with an RJ6-RJ6 cable, so you can use it to connect your cordless phone to the Fritz!Box versus having to go and buy one 8-).
First Impressions
Internet link is very fast and isn't slowed down by the traffic you normally see in the evenings.
I'm finding that I get somewhere between 29-30Mb/s on www.speedtest.net.
Nice that I appear to be getting a bonus 9Mb/s tonight 8-).
Phone system is awesome.
Got teenagers? Then the phone system alone might be useful!
We can all make phone calls at the same time on our respective smart phones via the Fritz!Box.
Can also program it so only phone calls from people you want to talk to are routed to your respective "phone". I put "phone" in quotes, because while connected to the wireless network at home, my daughters iPod Touch is even a "phone".
Feel free to leave comments or questions.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Phase 2 Complete!
Came home tonight and noticed that part of the footpath (near to where the fiber pair are located at our property boundary) had been dug up.
Maybe they had done the tunneling and fiber pipe/conduit installation already?
They had talked about potentially doing an open-trench installation (ie they had the option of digging a ditch/trench all the way to the house), but there didn't appear to be anything visible.
Going through the gate and to the point near the house where the outside box will be placed confirmed that they had completed the installation of the "pipe" and would now be able to place an optical fiber down it to connect us up next Tuesday.
Congratulation Enable Networks / Downer Engineering (or whomever actually does the installation of this part). A very nice, tidy job totally well done 8-).
Maybe they had done the tunneling and fiber pipe/conduit installation already?
They had talked about potentially doing an open-trench installation (ie they had the option of digging a ditch/trench all the way to the house), but there didn't appear to be anything visible.
Going through the gate and to the point near the house where the outside box will be placed confirmed that they had completed the installation of the "pipe" and would now be able to place an optical fiber down it to connect us up next Tuesday.
Congratulation Enable Networks / Downer Engineering (or whomever actually does the installation of this part). A very nice, tidy job totally well done 8-).
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Planning Phase Complete
Had Downer engineering out yesterday to plan the installation of the fibre on my property.
This was a relatively simple task, as I had already decided that the best option was to tunnel from the right hand side of my property (versus the left where the existing services are).
Not everyone will have this choice, but luckily for us we've got 2 fibre pairs on either side of the property!
Sounds like it will be a relatively simple install so I'm crossing my fingers that everything will go smoothly next Tuesday.
In the mean time I've been doing more research on my Fritz box.
That thing is one serious device. Will post a summary of the new features that are coming out soon.
Oh - and still haven't heard from Orcon. Never mind.
This was a relatively simple task, as I had already decided that the best option was to tunnel from the right hand side of my property (versus the left where the existing services are).
Not everyone will have this choice, but luckily for us we've got 2 fibre pairs on either side of the property!
Sounds like it will be a relatively simple install so I'm crossing my fingers that everything will go smoothly next Tuesday.
In the mean time I've been doing more research on my Fritz box.
That thing is one serious device. Will post a summary of the new features that are coming out soon.
Oh - and still haven't heard from Orcon. Never mind.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
My swap to UFB
I officially signed up for Snap last Saturday (Sep 22) and eagerly awaited a call yesterday (Monday).
Sure enough, about 4pm I got a call from Enable to explain the process and book in for the install.
Anna (the Customer Services Representative) explained everything to me and it sounds like we'll be all ready for an install around October 9. Look forward to the next call from the team who will plan the install (eg how to tunnel to the house with the cabling etc).
Meanwhile, I did register my interest with Orcon mid last week as well (under no obligation though).
Haven't heard a thing from them - which does back up comments from a friend regarding customer support at Orcon. Not sure why my friend would want to touch them with a barge pole, but he was pretty clear he never would.
So although price is an important factor, customer service + support is what won my business for Snap.
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