Cheap(er) Broadband in The Back of Beyond?

Fenris

I've been having no end of problems with O2 and their awful "Home Access" package and have finally managed to get my MAC from them in order to escape. However, I live in West Norfolk and my exchange isn't scheduled for unbundling. There's no date at all for it. So I'm having major problems getting cheap broadband. Tried Talk Talk because we're currently using their phone package, but it's an extra £15 on top of the £11.25 line rental and the advertised £6.49 Broadband! It's a similar story with every provider I've tried; there's always an extra charge because of the exchange not being unbundled. I'm finding this extortion very frustrating and, frankly, I'm sick of being charged 3/4/5 times more for 1.5mb connection than people in cities who only pay £6.49 (in the case of Talk Talk) for 8/16/24mb packages. :mad:

I can't even get mobile Broadband! The next street can, but for some obscure reason this street isn't covered.

Just wondered if anyone else is having this problem of extreme overpricing because they're unfortunate enough to live in The Back of Beyond? And, if so, what have you done to find a decent provider for a fair price?

Regards,
Fenris the Frustrated!

deanos

Unfortunately thats the way it goes, the ISP's have to pay BT a fee, if they have there own equipment they dont so pass onthe savings.

Post office are £24.95 a month including line rental or £20.50 with a 5gb cap

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/jump2?catId=68600711&mediaId=58000695

Not sure if that is any good ?

Jemma-T

The only supplier I found for poorer exhanges who did a good deal was https://www.plusnet.com

Owned by BT but certainly different. Keep a copy of the T&Cs.

~Chameleon~

Have you looked at one of the Entanet resellers? Great packages, generous allowances and monthly contracts so you can leave at anytime.

emsywoo123

I am having the exact same problem at the mo!

macman

The problem is, as so often, one of economics. TT have more LLU exchanges than anyone else, but the total is still only 1,700 out of 5,600 exchanges. The breakpoint seems to be around 6,000 connections on an exchange; many smaller rural exchanges will be way below this and it's simply not economic for LLU operators to pay BT to rent the space, because they will never get enough subscribers to recoup the investment. The only way this will happen is is there is a reduction in the number of ISP's so that the remainder can build their subscription base.

emsywoo123

So is o2 access the only thing I can really have in order to get broadband?

Inactive

emsywoo123 wrote: »

So is o2 access the only thing I can really have in order to get broadband?

No you can choose any provider that is not LLU, there are some excellent smaller ISP's that only have a 30 day contract.

macman

emsywoo123 wrote: »

So is o2 access the only thing I can really have in order to get broadband?

If your exchange is non O2 LLU, the only O2 service you will get is Access.
But you can still get broadband from any other ISP you like, as they will use the BT Wholesale service (which will cost more).
Are there any other LLU operators on your exchange, as these will be the cheapest?

emsywoo123

Inactive wrote: »

No you can choose any provider that is not LLU, there are some excellent smaller ISP's that only have a 30 day contract.

Ooo who would you recommend?

macman

emsywoo123, are you saying that you can't get O2 LLU, or that you can't get any provider LLU? Please clarify.