Has anyone used Europa Network for internet and UK TV?

 As the title says, I'm looking for people with good or bad experiences of Europa Network internet providers, who include free UK TV (BBC 1 & 2, ITV, C4 & C5) through your computer, real time.  They also offer a box at about 120 euros to watch through your TV set.

It seems to me that the cost of their box is higher than others have paid for a box to view UK tv stations, or is it a reasonable price?

Also, I presume it would still be using the broadband to put TV through the telly, thus reducing the available broadband if someone is running a computer at the same time.

I went to them on the recommendation of someone who has had a really good experience of them (and she runs her own business from home so is very dependent on fast reliable internet).  I'd be really grateful for any good or bad experiences any of you have had of using Europa Network.

Thanks,

Tamara

We used europa tel a few years ago when we lived in estepona and we had no problems whatsoever. We only used their broadband service as we had just moved over and brought our sky boxes with us.

To be honest i´d still use them now if it wasnt for the fact the community we moved to still can´t get telefonica installed yet!

They gave us good service and were helpful in getting telefonica to connect the line at the house too (unlike the telefonica shop who just kept shrugging each week and telling us to wait!)

hope this helps

Ryan

 Yes, thanks Ryan.  They certainly claim to be able to get Telefonica to install very efficiently, and your reassurance that they managed that is useful.  I think I'll go with them.  That is unless somebody jumps in to tell a horror story about them!

Hi TamaraEssex, We use Europa network for our broadband and had no problems. When we started we did not have a landline. We had been told by Hits and by Telephonica that there were no lines available.

We contacted Europa on a Wednesday and they took all our detail and said they would deal with Telephonica. Next day (Thursday) we got a call on my mobile from Telephonica to say they could install the line on that Friday, which they did.

We then had to wait for the first bill from Telephonica to change to Europa. (You need certain details from the bill before Europa can take over the line). Within another 2 weeks we were with Europa. We have been with them for about 4 months now with no problems.

We don't use the TV part of the deal as we have satellite but, it does work quite well as I have connected it up to see how it works. We keep it as a back-up in case the satellite goes down. Then El Jefe won't miss her Eastenders, NCIS, CSI and others.

 Thanks Jack.

Yes I think I might wait before letting them sell me the 120euro box to watch UK TV.  There is a satellite dish on the house - can I get a cheaper box to connect to the dish?

You can use any DVB-S or DVBS-2 (HD) satellite receiver with the satellite dish.

Dish should be pointing to 28.2 east (if 19 or 23 degrees east - then may be a former German or other European previous owner).

Receiver - Price wise for buggy & budget €50 for a good standard definition box with option to record circa €90 - €100 & mid range HD with option to record & other internet channel, youtube & other multimedia features €150+

Europa's TV may not be there forever as they are on thin ice offering this with no licenses from the original broadcasters. Additionally bear in mind any streaming services are only reliable as the internet & speed. Peak times or overloading system may have the odd issue. Lose internet connection & the same will happen to the TV.   

 Thanks TVTechie - that's really useful info.

I'm mostly booking Europa Network because of reports that the internet is fast and reliable (it helps that I'm only 400 metres from the exchange).  Free UK tv through the computer is a bonus but not the main attraction.

What you've usefully clarified is that their box at about 120euros is too expensive to get UK tv to the TV - especially as it would be using half my available internet channel, rather than using the existing satellite dish.

So I'll go down to the electric store and buy a cheaper box - from what you're saying I can get one that will record, for under 100 euros.  No point wasting the existing dish!  And I'll take my compass up to the roof - but I think it's already facing the right way.

Thanks everyone for all the advice - hopefully this thread will be of use to some other folks too.

Tamara...

quote...

I'm mostly booking Europa Network because of reports that the internet is fast and reliable (it helps that I'm only 400 metres from the exchange)....

Their internet service wont be any faster than the Telefonica infrastructure it uses allows it to be...

Beware too, the small print ( as with all Internet suppliers) particularly in respect of the up to 3 Mbps / 10 Mbps.

Telefonica or Movistar to give them there correct title, in our area provide up to 6Mbps but under their contract ,anything above 512Kbps is considered to be acceptable... In reality the best we can hope for is around 3Mbps and we are closer than you to a local centro de distribucion, less than 100 m infact.

The sad fact is that whoever you sign up with for ADSL, you will not be able to assess download and upload speeds until the installation is complete and up and running and by that time the supplier has you tied to a contract.

Also you have to ask the question do Europa actually have cover for ADSL installations in your area? The website implies that coverage is around Murcia and the Costa Blanca South. Certainly they dont have Wimax cover outside of thiat area.

Be careful.....

fb

 Thanks Foxbat.  Well it was somebody just up the hill from me (400metres further from the exchange) who said how fast and reliable it is, and she runs her business from her house and is highly dependent on a fast and reliable connection  She's very happy with them, so that was a major factor in my decision to go with them.  So they do cover the inland Malaga area and Colmenar in particular.  They arrange for Telefonica to install the line, so yes I realise it's still a Telefonica (Movistar) line, but it does seem to be reasonably fast in Colmenar.

They've booked Telefonica to come on Thursday - so the first test will be to see if that actually happens!  Then they'll send me the router etc and connect me up for internet.

I shall report back!

Good news then. Hope it all works out.

I would be very interested to hear just what speeds you do get when your system is up and running.

This is a link to Movistars own speed test system

http://www.movistar.es/particulares/test-de-velocidad/

For us, our area is becomes saturated and hence subject to speed drops between around 7pm and midnight when the local kids get online; Online streamed TV would be impossible during this period. Right at this moment its sitting at 1.5Mbps down and 547Kbps up which is about normal for this time of day!

fb

Tamara - If you buy a new satellite receiver & want to it to record - just make sure it has a USB PVR option. Many do now, but not the absolute budget models. Make sure its marked 'PVR' as some of the cheaper boxes just have this for software updating - rather than for a 'Personal Video recorder'. 

Purely from a technical point of view - we currently run 3 internet service providers, to get a reliable 24/7 internet connection.

For any microwave service, this working  via an antenna / dish on your property (& not landline). For phone calls,  this works off voip (voice over internet protocol) - like Skpe for example. Whilst quality can be o.k, it can also be variable, with drop outs & also robotic sounding voices if data packets struggle to get through.  

Because none of these microwave type of services are 100% - just need to be a  little cautious of this. We only use a land line for Telephone calls because of this potential isse - even though Telefonica gives us 1 meg of internet through there old fashioned twisted core copper cable network & exchange built in the dark ages, the call quality for phone calls is as you can imagine a priority for a business.

If you are in an areas where you can get a land line with reasonably fast internet attached to it, then this overall is likely to be the most stable, if not the cheapest option.

 Thanks TVTechie - yes I was gobsmacked when most people in the town said that Telefonica was the best bet.  But it was explained to me that internet through a landline was always going to be faster and more reliable, so I guess Telefonica needs to be involved somehow!   Europa Network's website had a link so I found out I live really near the exchange, which should help too.

Thanks for the tips about buying the satellite receiver / PVR.  Do I need a dual receiver if I want it to record one channel while I'm watching another?  

Dislike having to recommend Telefonica, but the fact remains they own the landlines - so whoever you go through it will be the same service. If you go to Jazztel, they just rent the line off Telefonica.  

The problems begin when you have a fault or service issue - the company that you are now using has to go through Telefonica, which at this point you may not be on Telefonicas top priority list, so things can take longer to resolve. We've tried this before twice & caused a problem or two  - a case of better the devil you know. Unfortunately.

Satellite receivers

If you want a twin tuner system - you'll need 2 cable feeds from the LNB for starters. Also you are stepping into premium equipment as generally they do not make cheap twin tuner receivers.

Recommended receiver for ease of use & 8 day program guide - Echostar Freesat HD (you'll need to order from UK). Or Humax freesat HDR. 

Sky+ HD, but only works if you have an active Sky subscription starting from £21 per month (otherwise won't record).

For free to air receiver which will work worldwide & pick up all different satellites, VU+ duo is probably one of the best, if not the simplest to use. This type of equipment you need a specialist shop or online for - most general electronics retailers do not carry much if any of a range.

One alternative which may be worth considering (and cheaper). If you purchase 2 of the exact same type of receiver, place one in the lounge, the other e.g in the bedroom - you can record on one device (via usb memory key or external hard drive) then play back on the other device (or the other way around).  This would give reception in 2 main rooms as well as the flexibility of recording & playback in either room. Not quite as slick, but more flexible & cheaper. 

It can get a little confusing as there not only are different systems, but not all satellite receivers function quite the same way - some receivers for the UK do work in Spain, but function a little differently.  If you want to review more information on satellite receivers in Spain - free to air, Sky, Freesat, recording, functionality & issues specific to useage in Spain.

http://tvtech.sharepoint.com/Pages/satellitereceiverguidecostablancacalida.aspx

Gotta be coincidence right......?

Just 24 hrs after posting my comment about Movistar / Europa / et al Internet services I get a sales call from guess who... Europa!

Talk about the twilight zone! 

 Oooooooh - maybe they read Eye on Spain???

May not be a coincendence - many of these companies monitor local forums.  Part of my job is to offer technical support in the telecomms field, advise & blog locally - though we are not a service provider, but an engineering solutions & installation firm.

The difference is whenever there seems to be a service complaint against one or other of these 'expatriate' companies, you usually find someone who's not posted for a while on a forum then appears with a glowing report of how great the company is. Of course sometimes it is genuine, though having spent much of my work looking at this type of thing, many it appears could not be.

I suspect these companies do have their own posters on forums, so take a few opinions on board - also perhaps review more than one information resource or forum.

tt quote...

someone who's not posted for a while on a forum then appears with a glowing report of how great the company is. unquote

...Something I know only too well since I moderate / admin on another forum. I've seen many examples of such SPAM postings and delete the posts (and occasionally respondees making double posts using different usernames. It becomes quite apparent who they are from the IP addresses which are displayed to forum moderators. Under these circumstances I apply a permanent ban to the usernames and the associated IP addresses. We operate a very strict NO SPAM policy.

To be able to get my phone number however the caller this morning must have had access to my IP address and been able to link it to a specific phone number... not something I can do on the other forum, nor the average punter on EOS!

I am fairly sure such actions would fall well outside the Data Protection Act both here and in the UK...

fb

Quote ' I am fairly sure such actions would fall well outside the Data Protection Act both here and in the UK...'

Yes they would and this type of information is sold. Not saying this is the case with the instance below, but we have had our phone & bank details found in the hands of companies they should not be, nothing stolen or hacked?  Funnily enough seen it happen a few times with telecomms companies? Now is that a coincendence? 

As you know, if you are the owner of a website its just a matter of checking ones stats to otain a visitors IP address. With the use of an IP to location program one can then get an approximation of the visitors location. I use one as a matter of course when checking posts on the other forum. (Since most of our Spam posts originates in China, India, Pakistan, Cameroon and the Philipines we have imposed a blanket ban on all posts from these countries).

It's the fact that some telecomms companies can apparently take this a stage further by tying an IP addys to phone numbers that I find mildly disturbing...

Hi folks - thought I'd report back :-)

Europa Network booked Movistar to come and connect my landline, and that was really efficient, happened within 48 hours, and Movistar (Telefonica) arrived exactly when they said.

The router took a bit longer to arrive from Europa - the line was in last Tuesday and the router finally arrived this morning (8 days later) but never mind, it's here now.  Connecting it up was easy, and it was pre-loaded with its codes and security etc.

I ran the speed test (www.speedtest.net) both with cable to router, and wirelessly.  I'm paying for 3MB as Europa promised it was more that adequate, including for watching UK tv online.  Speedtest while cabled:  Download 2.61, upload 0.26.  Speedtest wirelessly:  Download 2.59, upload 0.25.

Seems adequate so far, but haven't yet tried uploading photos or playing games etc.

And at under 20euros a month, I'll give them a thumbs up.