Best broadband provider?: Motoring Computer Related forum

Computer Related > Best broadband provider?	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Manatee	Replies: 36

Tue 20 Mar 12 14:31

Best broadband provider? - Manatee

I currently have my phone with BT (last bill £72, including £26 of calls) and broadband with Virgin at £18 a month. I am aware that apathy is costing me money.

The final straw has arrived in the form of a £2 a month price hike from Virgin, which is a cheek when I get about 1Mbps most of the time.

Anybody found a good solution? If I can improve the speed at the same time as saving some money that would be a result.

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Tue 20 Mar 12 14:39

Best broadband provider? - Focusless

What sort of requirements eg. speed, unlimited downloads?

EDIT: are you on Virgin cable? Speed should be higher if you are.

Last edited by: Focus on Tue 20 Mar 12 at 14:40

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Tue 20 Mar 12 16:13

Best broadband provider? - Manatee

I'd like fast connection but I think I'm limited by the line/distance. No cable here. Unlimited I suppose, but on such a slow connection we're unlikley to bust any reasonable limit.

I currently pay £18.35 for "up to 8Mbps unlimited downloads" but the fastest I've measured is 1.7Mbps.

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Tue 20 Mar 12 14:49

Best broadband provider? - Dog

Take your pick (or open the box) www.ispreview.co.uk/

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Tue 20 Mar 12 14:55

Best broadband provider? - R.P.

My BT Vision, Unlimited Broadband, telephony package costs me 46 quid a month. This includes free evening and weekend calls, voicemail, caller ID and some other stuff I'm sure. When the Broadband service crashed here last month, customer service was very good. When numerous software switching failed - an engineer came out and replaced the master socket here. Try getting Virgin to do that ! Happy to stick with them for now.

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Tue 20 Mar 12 15:06

Best broadband provider? - Robbie34

I am with Virgin - cable broadband - and pay £35.40 per month for 30mbps broadband, and 'phone with unlimited calls. Very happy with it and been with them since they came here - about fifteen years.

Last edited by: Robbie34 on Tue 20 Mar 12 at 15:07

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Tue 20 Mar 12 15:21

Best broadband provider? - Roger.

TalkTalk are OK here! (Surprise!)
Bill around £33 per month including broadband, phone & unlimited free geographic calls and also free to Germany as an extra. Don't bother with any of their other upgrades as I can look after my own security !
Broadband speed is poor at around 2.5mb, but should get better in April as BT are upgrading local line infrastructure.

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Tue 20 Mar 12 15:47

Best broadband provider? - Clk Sec

>>TalkTalk are OK here! (Surprise!)

It won't last...
:)

Last edited by: Clk Sec on Tue 20 Mar 12 at 15:48

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Tue 20 Mar 12 16:13

Best broadband provider? - CGNorwich

To be honest they are all much of a muchness as far as speed is concerned unless you have access to cable. Speed really depends on how far you are from the exchange. Been with
Talk Talk for 3 years now and they are as good as any and cheaper than most. Don't know about customer service as have never had cause to ring them or any other supplier come to that.

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Tue 20 Mar 12 16:16

Best broadband provider? - Zero

I am with Talk Talk (ex tiscali)

I get 20mbs broadband (13-15meg in reality), no download limit, line rental, free uk and international calls to 10 countries (7x24) for 28 pounds a month. My last bill for the month was 32 quid as there were some calls to Mobiles and premium services.

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1

Wed 21 Mar 12 20:56

Best broadband provider? - Robin O'Reliant

>> I am with Talk Talk (ex tiscali)
>>
>> I get 20mbs broadband (13-15meg in reality), no download limit, line rental, free uk and
>> international calls to 10 countries (7x24) for 28 pounds a month. My last bill for
>> the month was 32 quid as there were some calls to Mobiles and premium services.
>>
+1.

I have been with Talk Talk since about '07, got the same package as Z. I should have been paying an extra £15 a month for broadband because my exchange hadn't been upgraded, but I kept moaning and they kept knocking off the broadband charge for three months at a time to begin with then six and then a year. I have never actually paid the extra at all, and it won't matter after the 27th as the exchange is finally being "unbundled?" with the promise of faster speeds to boot.

One thing I got from them recently was free 0845 and related national call numbers in exchange for giving up the internaltional calls which we never used anyway. I've never had problems with contacting them either, always friendly and helpful.

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1

Thu 22 Mar 12 05:29

Best broadband provider? - Pat

Same situation with me RR and I can't fault them now we have finally got it sorted out either.

Pat

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Tue 20 Mar 12 16:39

Best broadband provider? - Dog

I pays under £10 for bb + phone with Plusnet, I gets 10 GB allowance - more if I bung em a few extra quid (£5)

I'm on the free eve. wknd call package www.plus.net/?home=hometop

I also get my line rental from them as well for £9.50 pm (payable yearly in advance)

Cheap calls? ~ www.18185.co.uk/index2.php

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Tue 20 Mar 12 17:00

Best broadband provider? - Duncan

A thread running a few months ago. I am (touch wood) still happy with Plusnet.

www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=8534&m=189380

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Tue 20 Mar 12 17:20

Best broadband provider? - Zero

.

Last edited by: Zero on Tue 20 Mar 12 at 17:20

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Tue 20 Mar 12 17:21

Best broadband provider? - Zero

So you pay 19.50 a month and pay for your phone calls?

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Tue 20 Mar 12 19:28

Best broadband provider? - Dog

>>So you pay 19.50 a month and pay for your phone calls?<<

I pay £19.12 for broadband, line rental, and free evening/weekend calls.

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Tue 20 Mar 12 18:02

Best broadband provider? - Manatee

Thanks all. Plusnet would be 6.49 for BB+evening+weekend calls + 9.50 line rental if paid in advance. 10GB, and unlimited between midnight & 8am. It seems they have different 'market areas' so the cost isn't the same everywhere.

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Tue 20 Mar 12 18:16

Best broadband provider? - John H

>> It seems they have different 'market areas' so the cost isn't the same everywhere. >>

No, I don't think that is so. Their prices (as with other ISPs) are the same nationwide, they all charge a higher price if you do not or cannot use the ISP's own LLU connection at the exchange.

What is the exchange that you are supplies fro? How far are you from it?

>> Plusnet would be 6.49 for BB+evening+weekend calls + 9.50 line rental if paid in advance. 10GB, and unlimited between midnight & 8am. >>

compare that with Talktalk equivalent pack sales.talktalk.co.uk/product/broadband/essentials

40GB downloads a month
Up to 24meg download speeds
3 monthsFREE, then £6.50 a month
Free connection worth £30.00
HomeSafe ™
Line rental from £9.50 a month
Inclusive evening and weekend calls to UK landlines
10% off 16 phone numbers you call most
12 months contract

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Tue 20 Mar 12 18:28

Best broadband provider? - rtj70

>> I currently have my phone with BT (last bill £72, including £26 of calls) and broadband with Virgin at £18 a month

I take it the BT bill at £72 was for 3 months? So you're paying about the same as I do for BT phone (unlimited UK calls so never pay for any), International call discount (brother lives in USA) and unlimited broadband.

I can't fault BT broadband in the almost 2 years I've had it. Customer service has been better than I had with Virgin.

I know I could get it even cheaper if I switch, e.g. to Sky ADSL, but if I want to keep the BT Openreach VDSL service (Infinity to BT customers) then I don't think I'd save by moving.

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Tue 20 Mar 12 20:22

Best broadband provider? - Manatee

>> >> It seems they have different 'market areas' so the cost isn't the same everywhere.
>> >>
>>
>> No, I don't think that is so. Their prices (as with other ISPs) are the
>> same nationwide, they all charge a higher price if you do not or cannot use
>> the ISP's own LLU connection at the exchange.

From the Plusnet website:

* Plusnet Value: If you live in a low cost area it costs £6.49 a month. If you live outside one of these areas it costs £6.49 a month for the first three months, then £12.99 a month thereafter. See how we compare on price in your area.

>>
>> What is the exchange that you are supplies fro? How far are you from it?

Cheddington. 1.8miles. Forecast speed 2Mb.

>> compare that with Talktalk equivalent pack sales.talktalk.co.uk/product/broadband/essentials
>>
>> 40GB downloads a month
>> Up to 24meg download speeds
>> 3 monthsFREE, then £6.50 a month
>> Free connection worth £30.00
>> HomeSafe ™
>> Line rental from £9.50 a month
>> Inclusive evening and weekend calls to UK landlines
>> 10% off 16 phone numbers you call most
>> 12 months contract

I'll have a look at that - I didn't see that permutation on the comparison site I put my postcode into.

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Tue 20 Mar 12 22:11

Best broadband provider? - John H

>> From the Plusnet website:

* Plusnet Value: If you live in a low cost area it costs £6.49 a month. If you live outside one of these areas it costs £6.49 a month for the first three months, then £12.99 a month thereafter. See how we compare on price in your area. >>

Yes, as I said, if your exchange is not have connected LLU by the ISP, then higher charges will apply. eg. Talktalk say

"Our broadband packages are subject to availability in your area and this covers 85% of UK households. If your home cannot be connected to the broadband service supplied with this package, you may still be able to get an alternative broadband service from TalkTalk at £15.32 extra per month."

But you need not worry, as Cheddington has LLU.

>> Cheddington. >>
www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange/SMCHN

LLU services: Yes

LLU operator presence
TalkTalk (CPW): Enabled as of 04/08/2010
Sky / Easynet: Enabled

p.s. Don't forget, as Martin Lewis would say, to use topcashback or quidco. ;-)

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Tue 20 Mar 12 18:26

Best broadband provider? - L'escargot

The thing which stops me changing my broadband provider is having to change my email address.

Last edited by: L'escargot on Tue 20 Mar 12 at 18:27

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Tue 20 Mar 12 18:29

Best broadband provider? - rtj70

>> The thing which stops me changing my broadband provider is having to change my email address.

When I first got Internet access at home I originally went with Demon (market leaders at the time) and took a Demon email address. This was in 1996. I kept that until about 2001 I think and then I got NTL cable. So I told everyone my new email address. And made sure it was not one tied to an ISP.

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Tue 20 Mar 12 19:16

Best broadband provider? - spamcan61

I'm still using my Freeserve email address from 1999, haven't used Freeserve/wanadoo/orange/whatever since about 2005. I do have to remember to go retro and connect to the 'net via their 0845 number for a few seconds once every 3 months to keep the account active though.

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Tue 20 Mar 12 20:53

Best broadband provider? - VxFan

>> I'm still using my Freeserve email address from 1999

Same here, well 1998 actually. Haven't been with them since they changed their name to Wandoo.

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Tue 20 Mar 12 19:19

Best broadband provider? - John H

>> The thing which stops me changing my broadband provider is having to change my email address. >>

Who are you with? ISP's love customers like you.

Four point plan:
1. Get with it, and change your email address to a free provider (gmail, hotmail, orange, ..... )
2. tell all your contacts of the change.
3. Give it 3 months or so to establish that they all have made the change.
4. Wave your current ISP goodbye and transfer to a new one.

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Wed 21 Mar 12 21:14

Best broadband provider? - Manatee

The deed is done. The full monty phone and broadband with Talk^2 is £14.50 + £9.50 line rental, all UK landline calls included, first 3 months free. I have to pay the line rental annually in advance, but that's no hardship. On the basis of my last phone bill and the £20 Virgin planned to charge me I'll save £20 a month, less the cost of any calls to mobiles (not many, and if it turns out be more than I thought there's a 'minutes' deal available for that at £3 a month).

It's unclear quite how the transfer will go. TT say "we'll handle everything" but then the order confirmation includes a reminder to cancel the existing broadband service. I'd planned to do that anyway, as the Virgin T&Cs say if you don't get the MAC they'll charge a disconnection fee! TT make no mention of a MAC.

I still haven't got through to Virgin. After 5 minutes of button pressing on an 0845 number, the recorded voice advised me they were shut. Any residual loyalty I might have had has now gone!

Why is nothing simple? Do these people do it deliberately, or have I just exhausted my supply of patience after only 58 and a bit years?

John H - I did use Quidco ;-)

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Wed 21 Mar 12 23:24

Best broadband provider? - John H

>> It's unclear quite how the transfer will go. TT say "we'll handle everything" >>

They do.

Recently helped friend transfer from BT to Talktalk. Informed BT just in case, but in the meantime had letter from BT saying Talktalk had contacted them about the transfer & MAC code request, and asking to contact BT if the Talktalk request was in error/un-intented.

It took 4 weeks (minimum notice required by BT) to transfer, all went as per progress updates from Talktalk.

Tip - register on talktalk's "myaccount" service (it is much better than BT's version) and use that to ensure you have all the services you need (ex-directory, voicemail, withheld number, marketing preferences, etc.).

p.s. I have been with Talktalk for years now and am very happy the service. Their member forum has dedicated staff interacting with customers and deals with most problems very effectively.

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Thu 22 Mar 12 00:00

Best broadband provider? - rtj70

>> Their member forum has dedicated staff interacting with customers and deals with most problems very effectively.

So does BT.

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Thu 22 Mar 12 08:59

Best broadband provider? - John H

>> >> Their member forum has dedicated staff interacting with customers and deals with most problems
>> very effectively.
>>
>> So does BT.
>>

Said friend left BT because of Indian call centre staff working from a strict "computer says" no script, and the help forum staff being unhelpful.

Looking at their help forums, to my mind's eye it appears that Talktalk staff do a far better job.

The icing on the cake is the amount of money that you save by ditching BT.

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Thu 22 Mar 12 09:30

Best broadband provider? - Focusless

I'm currently paying £20 for unlimited broadband (~14MBps) and line rental with O2, although that includes a £5 discount for being an O2 mobile customer.

But the current advertised price for my package appears to £23, or £28 if not an O2 mobile customer. If my bill goes up I might end up saving money overall by switching to TalkTalk broadband and a cheaper mobile provider.

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Thu 22 Mar 12 16:25

Best broadband provider? - Robin O'Reliant

Having cleared the loft recently and had a mass paper shred it was interesting looking at some BT phone bills from 1992. I am now paying less for phone and broadband than I was for the just the phone back then.

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Thu 22 Mar 12 18:53

Best broadband provider? - spamcan61

Yeah, mid 90s, thanks to SWMBO, I was paying 90 quid a month phone bill; now less than that per quarter for phone and BB.

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Thu 12 Apr 12 11:46

Best broadband provider? - Manatee

I am now up and running with Talk^2.

Because Virgin's T&Cs require you to tell them you are cancelling, to avoid a disconnection charge, I decided to do that even though TT told me I needn't.

Virgin's attitude to customer service seems shockingly bad, considering the values the brand was built on. Some time ago they removed the email support/customer service and substituted an 0845 number. It takes four minutes of button pressing to speak to anyone if you want to leave. No attempt is made to talk you out of it. I called them about 2 weeks before the disconnection date, and they told me I must call back 6 days before that date. I did, whereupon I was told that I should have called 6 working days before. If I wanted to be disconnected on the actual date, I must call back on that date, or I could give 6 working days notice and have the service for longer. I told them I didn't care what they did as long as they disconnected it (I was away from home anyway, and not due back until after the TT date).

I can't work out what they are up to. They are not cheap, their service seems designed to discourage contact, and they have just put the price up for bog standard broadband by £2 to £20 a month. I am paying TT £24 (after three months free) which includes the line rental and all UK landline calls, saving about £20 a month.

I had ultra low speed (600Kbps) for the first 3 days before a reboot upped the sync to 1522K and the download speed to 1200K, about where it was before. Apparently their Dynamic Line Management balances the noise margin against the error rate/dropouts to optimise the speed, so I hope I can eventually get nearer to the 2100K estimate. They can also manually set a 'profile' to work to a lower noise margin which might be worth experimenting with, and they seem prepared to do this looking at their support forum.

The TT Plus package includes caller ID and voicemail which I didn't have before so I am happy with that too.

The D-Link modem router they sent me set itself up - clearly things have moved on. All fairly painless and at least I feel as if I might be able to get some sense out of them if I have problems.

Thanks for the opinions.

Last edited by: Manatee on Thu 12 Apr 12 at 11:47

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Thu 12 Apr 12 12:30

Best broadband provider? - Zero

>> I can't work out what they are up to. They are not cheap, their service
>> seems designed to discourage contact, and they have just put the price up for bog
>> standard broadband by £2 to £20 a month. I am paying TT £24 (after three
>> months free) which includes the line rental and all UK landline calls, saving about £20
>> a month.

Virgin Media were loosing money for ages (they made their first profit last qtr) as was NTL and Nynex before them. The reasons were easy to see, it cost a lot to set up.

They have a defined business plan to loose low yield, low value customers, and push the customer base up the cash chain to high value TV, High speed BB. They have a policy of non retention for low value consumers.,

You were one of those, but its a business plan thats working for Virgin.

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Thu 12 Apr 12 18:33

Best broadband provider? - Manatee

Interesting, Zero - that makes sense up to a point. But people like me must be profitable at the margin, given we were paying £15+VAT anyway for bare broadband which can be bought standalone from various non-LLU providers for half that. I guess the balance is against the extra revenue from people who just cough up, or don't notice the price increase.

Perhaps many people just don't notice the price increases either, if they just use free webmail and don't forward mail from their ISP account.

The part where their business plan seems weak is the customer service. If you want to maintain premium pricing, it's no good jerking people around.

It seems to me a complex market. Plusnet is a non-LLU provider with sharp pricing. Turns out it's owned by BT, who don't!

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