Home internet connections

[Mattt]

I'm potentially looking to set up internet in an apartment, and it seems it ranges from 1Mb (£50/month) to 16Mb (£100/month). I don't know which firm it is, but I'm guessing Etisalat in the block.

Is it worth shelling out the extra, is it a decent connection - or the usual slow with an awful ping time?

[Dan Friel]

Well I can confirm that the 1mb is dial up slow.. it's painful.. the neighbours is much quicker - but not sure of the speed that they pay for!

[Asterix]

The 8mb & 16mb lines require fibre optics to have been installed. Only in the commercial areas so far I was told last week.

I had to settle for a 4mb line as before which doesn't perform anything like that.

Etisalat rates its connection speeds on UAE servers only - the country's proxy server strangles everything else leaving and coming in but they don't care.

Oh, and the cost is simply daylight robbery.

Du is worse though for service. Don't you love monopolies.

I realised very early on that the consumer here is the last thing on a suppliers mind. It's insulting how we are treated.

Retailers are no better. The qualty of the staff in 99% of places are completely useless - not their fault at all - if I was paid pitance and not trained, I'd probably be the same.

[oilydan]

I recently upgraded from the Du 2Mbps line to the 12Mbps line as the 2Mbps was only connecting at 512Kbps.

Speedcheck.net now measures me at the full 12Mbps (after a bit of tinkering with Du's customer services) and it is lightning quick. I can download a full HD movie in about 10 minutes. Very happy as my company pays for it too!!

[Mattt]

Doubt I'll have the fastest option available - as I'm moving into a villa in Musaffah probably.

I'm starting to get seriously fd off with work pissing me about, you don't mind things changing in the office - but when it impacts your personal life - it gets very frustrating.

I must've been told about 10 different things about what is happening with me since I got here, including a promotion and payrise, nothing has materialised!! Last week I was being made redundant, now I'm needed, etc etc.

[oilydan]

I just spoke to DU and have found that the 12Mbps connection is no longer available so I am now on 24Mbps at the same cost - 749 dhs per month.

[Asterix]

oilydan said:

I just spoke to DU and have found that the 12Mbps connection is no longer available so I am now on 24Mbps at the same cost - 749 dhs per month.

24Mb package in Dubai = GBP 125.00
24Mb package in the UK = GBP 20.00 (Be - with unlimited download)

We get such awesome value for money here...

[oilydan]

Asterix said:

oilydan said:

I just spoke to DU and have found that the 12Mbps connection is no longer available so I am now on 24Mbps at the same cost - 749 dhs per month.

24Mb package in Dubai = GBP 125.00
24Mb package in the UK = GBP 20.00 (Be - with unlimited download)

We get such awesome value for money here...

Swings and roundabouts...

1 litre of petrol in Dubai = GBP 0.28
1 litre of Petrol in the UK = GBP 1.05?

But, yes. I do agree that paying 125 squids a month for something that only costs 20 squids elsewhere in the world is a little excessive.

[Asterix]

oilydan said:

Asterix said:

oilydan said:

I just spoke to DU and have found that the 12Mbps connection is no longer available so I am now on 24Mbps at the same cost - 749 dhs per month.

24Mb package in Dubai = GBP 125.00
24Mb package in the UK = GBP 20.00 (Be - with unlimited download)

We get such awesome value for money here...

Swings and roundabouts...

1 litre of petrol in Dubai = GBP 0.28
1 litre of Petrol in the UK = GBP 1.05?

But, yes. I do agree that paying 125 squids a month for something that only costs 20 squids elsewhere in the world is a little excessive.

Petrol in the UK sans tax? About 30p

Are the Telecoms 'taxing' us or simply abusing their special monopolised Government status - both Pooh & Etisalarse are owned by the TRA.

Anyway - no point in moaning about it as I can't go elsewhere for the services.