Reply to: ISP Recommendations

[wurzel]

Well Freedom2Surf has now gone and been taken over by talktalkbusiness so broadband access has completely gone down the toilet. I can't even download itunes app updates.

I've taken a look at the various isp reviews but no comapny really jumps out at me so thought I'd ask my illustrious CUKkers for your recs (previous thread on this are a bit old).

Is Zen still a good option? Has Be recovered from it's appalling launch?

I'm looking for a package where I don't have to worry about spotify/iPlayer usage and am looking at the next generation of media players streaming iPlayer.

Any suggestions?

I was with Nildram who were taken over by TT 6 months ago. I've just had my connection blocked because they neglected to copy over my direct debit during the switch over & I'm now £130 in arrears.

I'm just going with BT as I want an all in one package - the only option out here in the sticks.

Good luck getting your MAC Id off Talk Talk!

[TimberWolf]

I'm with Virgin Media and have no complaints.

[Pondlife]

Just bumping this to include the current article from the beeb on actual download speed vs advertised.


AVERAGE DOWNLOAD SPEEDS

* BT 'up to' 8Mbps - 4.1 to 4.8Mbps
* Orange 'up to' 8Mbps - 3.3 to 4.3Mbps
* Plusnet 'up to' 8Mbps - 3.4 to 4.4Mbps
* Virgin Media 'up to' 10Mbps - 9.5 to 9.7Mbps
* BT 'up to' 20Mbps - 6.9 to 8.7Mbps
* O2/Be 'up to' 20Mbps - 9.9 to 11.6Mbps
* Sky 'up to' 20Mbps - 7.4 to 8.8Mbps
* TalkTalk 'up to' 24Mbps - 7.7 to 9.3Mbps
* Virgin Media 'up to' 20Mbps - 17.4 to 18.6Mbps
* BT 'up to' 40Mbps - 30.5 to 33.1Mbps
* Virgin Media 'up to' 50Mbps - 43.9 to 47.2Mbps

[stek]

I am with Andrews and Arnold, v good service, support is good and they know what they are talking about. They are very much the techie's choice, offering IPv6, static IPv4, no shaping or logging, IRC channel for support.

But VVVV expensive...

BE are the dogs gonads, no shaping, 21 quid a mo and no other charges for going over this or downloading to much of that, perfect.

I get 21mb cos I'm not far from exchange, download lots and lots of Linux Distros like we all do, yadda-yadda, etc, like.

http://www.bethere.co.uk

[portseven]

I am with Andrews and Arnold, v good service, support is good and they know what they are talking about. They are very much the techie's choice, offering IPv6, static IPv4, no shaping or logging, IRC channel for support.

[blacjac]

+2 for Plusnet (Owned by BT - just Cheaper)

I couldn't recommend them any more (and I have in the past), and I believe this is the reason.

Since BT took over their service has got steadily worse, and is now atrocious.
Their customer service staff don't call back when they say they will.
They continuously overcharge by 'mistakenly changing my product'
They keep changing my reverse DNS settings to point my IP to different users domains (I run my own email server so need this) and denying it ever happened despite me being able to prove it.

PlusNet - used to be very, very good but now a victim of customer service going down the pan as they have grown.

IMHO

[xchaotic]

BeUnlimited++

The only downside is they might not cover your are and that they still have to provide the service over a BT landline, other than excellent and the Pro package has a very nice upload speed too.

[tenpin]

+1 Sky

Been with Sky for many years now on their unlimited package. I'm not aware of any traffic shaping on that and I get great bandwidth too. Used to be with freedom2surf before that, great little company progressively swallowed by bigger fish over the years. Shame.

Sky Anytime is the thing someone was alluding to earlier, I believe. Access to all of Sky's TV/movie archive via broadband, plug your Sky TV box into your network and upload stuff to your Sky+ box. BUt you need to be a Sky broadband customer to access this (I believe).

[vetran]

Put me down for plusnet, pm me and you get 3 months free so do I!

On FTTC and speed is awesome!

[TheFaQQer]

Virgin Media are great

[yorkshireman]

+1 for PlusNet

+2 for Plusnet (Owned by BT - just Cheaper)

[~Craig~]

I'm with Andrews & Arnold aaisp.net

Very good service, customer services is based in somewhere like Reading and you always get through straight away. Excellent portal which allows you to view graphs, line speed an make changes yourself if you know what your doing. They also claim (i've not tested) to take on speed issues with BT rather than the usual "it's your line, phone BT" scenario.

I'm on the BE service (doesn't use BT's exchange equipment) but you can also choose between the BT 20CN, 21CN or FTTC depending on availability. Can't fault it at all!

[Pondlife]

O2

I hear from someone in the know that 02 is hugely undersubscribed and so their current customers enjoy performance better than other providers.

This may change as they get more take up.

[stek]

I have been with VISPA since about 1999 first with dial up, then ADSL and I am migrating to FTTC next Thursday. Their FTTC is quite pricey but their support is usually very, very good. They are based in Altrincham with no third party call centres to screw you around. I seriously recommend you look at them if service is more important than lowest cost. I had considered migrating over to O2 as I have a 3 x mobile phone business account with them, but alas, O2 do not do FTTC connections yet.

25 quid for 2gb?

Christ!

[Fred Bloggs]

I have been with VISPA since about 1999 first with dial up, then ADSL and I am migrating to FTTC next Thursday. Their FTTC is quite pricey but their support is usually very, very good. They are based in Altrincham with no third party call centres to screw you around. I seriously recommend you look at them if service is more important than lowest cost. I had considered migrating over to O2 as I have a 3 x mobile phone business account with them, but alas, O2 do not do FTTC connections yet.