Advice required re: Broadband choice

[stanski]

Hi folks

 

Reviewing my bills and trying to reduce costs this year so wondered what everyone elses uses?

 

Its costing me £24.99 with Pipex a month for 8 Meg and home calls included.

 

I am sure I can do better?

 

For example I am with O2 already for the wonderphone - they do a £10 a month package but think that is just broadband and does'nt include home calls.

 

Any advice gratefully received?

 

thanks

[AK350Z]

O2 is actually quite good Stan as they don't cap your bandwith in the evenings for "large" Downloading sessions

 

We don't really make any landline calls now.

[ATTAK Z]

I'm about the same with Tiscali (now Talk Talk) ..............I shall follow this thread with interest

[rtbiscuit]

i'm with O2, been the best broadband supplier i've had to date.

 

my area hasn't been unbundled yet so i only get their home edition but its still been good. and their modem routers have been the easiest and most reliable as well.

 

orange was crap and so was their routers.

[Chris`I]

O2 is actually quite good Stan as they don't cap your bandwith in the evenings for "large" Downloading sessions

 

We don't really make any landline calls now.

They do have a fair usage policy though, although a little birdie tells me they arent very good at inforcing it

 

I might go with O2 when I come out of my contract with PlusNet. They themselves are quite good, and I'm on an old deal which is quite good value for money.

 

Oh and TalkTalk are cack, even though they are really cheap.

[nixy]

i was with Talk Talk before - nightmare. With BT now which has been brilliant.

[AK350Z]

O2 is actually quite good Stan as they don't cap your bandwith in the evenings for "large" Downloading sessions

 

We don't really make any landline calls now.

They do have a fair usage policy though, although a little birdie tells me they arent very good at inforcing it

 

 

Yeah, if you arn't hammering it 24/7 i don't think they'll do anything. I just leave the odd big file downloading through the day while i'm at work. Maybe once or twice a week.

[Chris`I]

O2 is actually quite good Stan as they don't cap your bandwith in the evenings for "large" Downloading sessions

 

We don't really make any landline calls now.

They do have a fair usage policy though, although a little birdie tells me they arent very good at inforcing it

 

 

Yeah, if you arn't hammering it 24/7 i don't think they'll do anything. I just leave the odd big file downloading through the day while i'm at work. Maybe once or twice a week.

Wouldnt worry much, they dont have a way to tell if you are downloading lots, unless they have upgraded their systems recently

[stanski]

Thanks for the advice so far.

 

So O2 are sounding quite good at the moment then?

 

But what about home calls - is it worth going back to BT? (I have line rental cost only at the moment?)

[maxi-glasgow]

I started with Wanadoo who then changed to Orange but then I had a problem at the exchange which knocked out my broadband and took ages to get it fixed because they then need to go to BT to have it fixed etc

 

I decided to move back to BT, it's not the cheapest but you are guaranteed not to be pushed from pillar to post if you have an outage as they own the network.

 

The only other provider I used who always seem to get good scores for customer support etc is plus.net who start at 5.99 a month with NO contract so you can walk away at any time.

[Chris`I]

PlusNet are very good, although can be a bit restrictive depending on what you need. I have been with them for about 3yrs now and always make me happy when I threaten to leave.

 

Stan, depending on how long you want to hold out, O2 may be able to help out with the full home phone and broadband package soon. I forget when the go live is, I'll see what I can dig about at work tomorrow

[stanski]

PlusNet are very good, although can be a bit restrictive depending on what you need. I have been with them for about 3yrs now and always make me happy when I threaten to leave.

 

Stan, depending on how long you want to hold out, O2 may be able to help out with the full home phone and broadband package soon. I forget when the go live is, I'll see what I can dig about at work tomorrow

 

Thanks Chris - not desperate to move yet just in research phase at the moment

[Ebized]

PlusNet are very good, although can be a bit restrictive depending on what you need. I have been with them for about 3yrs now and always make me happy when I threaten to leave.

 

Stan, depending on how long you want to hold out, O2 may be able to help out with the full home phone and broadband package soon. I forget when the go live is, I'll see what I can dig about at work tomorrow

 

I would be interested in this too being with Pipex for far too long and putting up with indifferent customer support.

 

I also use 18866 to make cheaper landline calls - particularly when calling abroad. ie. 5p connection charge and then free chat time in UK, and 2p per minute chat time when phoning Oz.

[DoogyRev]

In my experience... I used to work in WAN technologies and had to deal with customers ISP's... the only ISP's I would now go with are either BT or Pipex !!!

 

All others have such bad customer support you will just end up pulling your hair out.

 

BT own the exchanges.. blah blah.. all other ISP's just rent the space from BT. If they have a problem they have to refer to to BT - Chinese wispers get involved then the customer i.e YOU get to pull out own hair out.

 

I am with pipex at the moment, if I was going to change I would go to BT - Just cos someone is offering ADSL at less money does not mean its a better deal !!!!

[Chris`I]

You should just use VoIP (skype etc) to Oz Colin, its completely free then My mate Ben uses a VoIP and landline integrated phone to call his brother in the US, says it works very well. Think its a Netgear phone.

[AndWood]

I'm with Virgin and have 50mb broadband it's super quick and reliable

[Ebized]

You should just use VoIP (skype etc) to Oz Colin, its completely free then My mate Ben uses a VoIP and landline integrated phone to call his brother in the US, says it works very well. Think its a Netgear phone.

 

Fraid my 89 year old dad in Oz is from the pre-computer era and with my limited IT knowledge we would get in a right old mess

[ATTAK Z]

I'm with Virgin and have 50mb broadband it's super quick and reliable

Some of us countryfolk don't have access to cable unfortunately

[ATTAK Z]

You should just use VoIP (skype etc) to Oz Colin, its completely free then My mate Ben uses a VoIP and landline integrated phone to call his brother in the US, says it works very well. Think its a Netgear phone.

I was onto to Oz nearly all day everyday over the holiday ......... even got to see some of the fireworks in Sydney ............ cost? ........ a big fat ZERO

[ChrisS]

I have been with http://adsl24.co.uk/ for the last 3 years.One month rolling contract,which is good.

Very happy with them their forum has a 'Shout Box' which is moniterd inTelford.

 

Worth a look for your research matey.

 

Have fun............

[stanski]

Some good info there folks thanks

 

I know my mate has Zen which he always recommends as the best support etc but its very pricey - but he's a proper computer and gaming geek so he lives on 'tinternet!

[SunGodRA]

IMHO - Virgin cable is the best (providing you are in their area) - pretty much uncontended share ratio because it uses fibre rather than copper. I pay for 20mb - and I get 20mb any time of the day. Customer service is okay, better than most, and for the most part is UK based.

[Beavis]

IMHO - Virgin cable is the best (providing you are in their area) - pretty much uncontended share ratio because it uses fibre rather than copper. I pay for 20mb - and I get 20mb any time of the day. Customer service is okay, better than most, and for the most part is UK based.

 

 

+1 Though i am going to try and upgrade to the 50mb service for less money

[stanski]

Well looks like a fair bit if bedtime Reading to do. Thanks again folks anymore for anymore?

[chris84]

In my experience... I used to work in WAN technologies and had to deal with customers ISP's... the only ISP's I would now go with are either BT or Pipex !!!

 

All others have such bad customer support you will just end up pulling your hair out.

 

BT own the exchanges.. blah blah.. all other ISP's just rent the space from BT. If they have a problem they have to refer to to BT - Chinese wispers get involved then the customer i.e YOU get to pull out own hair out.

 

I am with pipex at the moment, if I was going to change I would go to BT - Just cos someone is offering ADSL at less money does not mean its a better deal !!!!

 

funny that because Pipex was bought by Cable&Wireless then sold to Tiscali UK who is now owned by TalkTalk. You're with TalkTalk now who have the worst customer service. Any how customer good or bad doesn't make a difference if the service is good meaning you never need to ring them.

 

BT own the exchanges but you can look on http://www.samknows.com and do an exchange search based on your postcode to find out which companies have their own LLU in the exchange. Broadband providers are now able to install their own equipment into the Exchange, this equipment is owned and maintained by the broadband company and not BT. BT have no involvement if there is a problem with this equipment unless they are contracted in to help. This means if you move to say 'BE' for your internet, the other end of your telephone line in the exchange will be disconnected from BTs equipment and plugged into the 'BE' LLU.

 

Check the website for your exchange and see which providers are connected. If a provider isn't connected to your exchange then they are just reselling BT internet. Competition rules means BT has to provide wholesale internet to other companies so they can resell it. Companies that usually have LLUs in the exchange are Demon(owned by Thus which is owned by Cable&Wireless), Sky, Orange, TalkTalk, Tiscali(owned by TalkTalk but they still have their own LLUs at the moment) and finally BE(owned by O2).

 

I personnally use Tiscali because they have never performed any kind of traffic shaping to stop me downloading which I do a lot. As they have their own LLU in the exchange I am no longer on BTs network so I don't pay line rental, instead I pay £14.99 per month for 8Mb unlimited internet plus free calls anytime to landlines and free line rental. Yes they are now owned by TalkTalk but there packages still stand and more importantly in the past 18 months I haven't had to call them for anything.

 

I still work in WAN technologies, maintaining the infrastructure for many tier 3 ISPs. Hope this info helps and I haven't ranted too much, tried to be unbiased by only mentioning the company I work for twice even though we only sell internet to other ISPs and not to the general public.

 

 

Chris