Choosing the right internet usage allowance

Beatlefan

Hi. We've had Tiscali as our broadband provider for the past three years and the service has been okay for most of that time. But since they were taken over by Talk Talk, the service has gone downhill - constantly disconnecting, lack of service, etc. We're so fed up that we're planning to leave ASAP.

I wanted to ask for help please in deciding which usage allowance I should choose with my new provider. Thanks in advance. :A

I currently have a Belkin router and run my home PC off it as well as my work laptop, which runs on a VPN network. I basically log in and access the work server remotely - so don't save stuff on the laptop itself, I save stuff straight onto the work server. Because of security, I'm not allowed to use wireless for my work laptop (it's set up not to accept it anyway).

My son's got a PC in his bedroom, so we use an Ethernet plug, linked up to the Belkin router.

I've checked with BT and their system will support the laptop running on a VPN network. They've said I can connect my laptop via a cable to the BT Home Hub that comes with their package and that I can connect the Ethernet plug to the home hub too.

I wanted to ask what monthly usage allowance I should go with when I join BT?

I'm a huge music fan, so I use Spotify a fair bit, watch music vids on You Tube and do download songs off i-tunes - probably around 20 a month. I occasionally download music vids off You Tube, like live performances off the TV, etc. I also listen to radio online sometimes and listen back to live sessions, etc, on the BBC's listen-again feature. Absolute Radio also have some good music sessions on their site that I check out when I've got time. I also check out music on artists' Myspace pages occasionally.

My son occasionally watches episodes of Doctor Who on BBC i-player, but that's only a few hours a month. We all like watching movies on the TV from the comfort of the sofa, so never download movies or TV programmes.

Both our sons love playing the on-line ARG game "Runescape", but not sure if that's classed as streaming media or "downloads"?

Can anyone let me know what usage allowance I should go with, based on the things listed above. When I spoke to BT, they didn't think my usage would be too high as we don't watch or download whole movies, but wanted to be sure.

Presumably there's nothing to tell you if you go over your limit each month - you only find out in your next bill!

Thanks again. :T

EDIT: I should add that we currently have our phone service provided by Sky, although it was originally a BT line. I need to check if we're still under contract with Sky Talk for the calls or line rental or whether we could move back to BT (if it works out cheaper of course).

Hammyman

DO NOT GO WITH BT. Go with Plusnet instead. They do a 60GB package called Plusnet Extra from £11.99 a month and that'll be more than enough, especially when the allowance only applies to internet activity from 8am-midnight so your son could schedule large downloads from midnight ot 8am without it coming off the 60GB.

Spank

Install & run http://www.thinkbroadband.com/tbbmeter.html to tell you what your usage is (displays day/week/month) & choose you usage package afterwards

tronator

Just to add, your VPN will work with any ISP since you're connecting to the VPN at work. What BT advertises is a VPN to the BT Home Hub which you could use if you're away from home and want to access your home network securely.

What is your current allowance and how much are you paying for it? Based on that people could recommend the right package to you, which most certainly will not be BT

Spank wrote: »

Install & run http://www.thinkbroadband.com/tbbmeter.html to tell you what your usage is (displays day/week/month) & choose you usage package afterwards

This will need to be installed on every PC at home as it only measures the usage of the PC it is installed on. Might be a problem with the work laptop though...

Beatlefan

Thanks for that. You're right the VPN is at work, so I just need an ISP that can connect to it. Presumably Plusnet can do that? Work's also got a security/encryption system/software, but as I can access all that okay via Tiscali now, then I should be able to with Plusnet too, I guess. The only thing I do on my laptop is synchronise my work e-mails, so I can work on them on the train, but I don't save any documents - they're all on the work system.

I'll download the software and check our usage thanks.

Apart from Runescape and accessing various education programmes, my older son doesn't do much downloading on his PC. It's mainly me and my music downstairs and occasionally my younger son watching i-player.

Plusnet sounds attractive - that's less than we're paying Tiscali at the moment and less than BT quoted me.

Thanks guys. I'll also check my current usage agreement with Tiscali. I'll be glad to be shot of them. The connection is just awful. It's not slow broadband speeds - when it works, it's an okay speed - it's just that the connection fails a lot - drops out. Occasionally it's because the router's got stuck, but mostly it's just lack of service from Tiscali. Really poor since Talk Talk took them over. It's disconnected several times tonight while I've been on MSE. Connection was fine yesterday, but dreadful the day before - no consistency or logic to it, so I'm off!

S0litaire

First thing you should do is see what's available at your exchange:
(stick in your Postcode or phone number to get your exchange details)

http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange_search

Then look for either "cable" providers or "LLU" providers.

You can then use this info to see what's the best ISP is in your area...

Beatlefan

S0litaire wrote: »

First thing you should do is see what's available at your exchange:
(stick in your Postcode or phone number to get your exchange details)

http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange_search

Then look for either "cable" providers or "LLU" providers.

You can then use this info to see what's the best ISP is in your area...

Thanks for that. It says we have ADSL & ADSL Max status, but no wireless broadband availability, no cable broadband availability and no LLU operator presence.

diable

I have been with Plus.Net for years and can rate them.

spud17

Beatlefan wrote: »

Thanks for that. It says we have ADSL & ADSL Max status, but no wireless broadband availability, no cable broadband availability and no LLU operator presence.

So unfortunately, you won't get the very cheap deals others are posting, because they are generally only available with LLU, (the isp uses their own equipment in the exchange).

tronator

Beatlefan wrote: »

..., but no wireless broadband availability, ...

Don't be fooled by the marketing of some ISPs. They often use the term "wireless Internet" and mean that they give you a wireless router. With your existing wireless router you can have "wireless Internet" with any ADSL provider.

Beatlefan

spud17 wrote: »

So unfortunately, you won't get the very cheap deals others are posting, because they are generally only available with LLU, (the isp uses their own equipment in the exchange).

Thanks Spud, so am I stuck with the likes of BT rather than Plusnet then?