Fast4/V21/Biscit (merged threads)

try2save

Still paying £4.99 a month for a dialup service that hasnt worked since mid October :mad:

lotstolearn

oap wrote:

21.08 still here

Sounds daft but I'm not sure if I'm still connected or not. I'm on dial up just now as the 'computer I'm dialing into' wasn't answering but the modem is saying its connected and working.

ashby

lotstolearn wrote:

I'm on dial up just now as the 'computer I'm dialing into' wasn't answering but the modem is saying its connected and working.

That's what happened with me too so l guess we are now disconnected, my cease date was given on the BT site as yesterday though l remained connected late last night.

Capt_Slog

try2save wrote:

Still paying £4.99 a month for a dialup service that hasnt worked since mid October :mad:

If you haven't already..

Write to

DField@biscit.net

David Field seems to be the only one there that gets things sorted out on dialup.

Send him your customer number, username and password. and ask him to reset your connection.

This is how I got mine fixed, and I know others on here did the same.

GuessWho_2

lotstolearn wrote:

GuessWho you mentioned earlier in this thread that it would be a good idea to go with an ISP as opposed to a VISP. I wondered how you can find out which is which. Is it a 'sign' that someone is an ISP if they can check line status such as those you have mentioned above - does that imply they are more likely to be an ISP?

Sorry if this seems a silly question but I have not been able to find out who is who and I looked at Prodigy Network as a possible alternative ISP to sign up with along with EFH

Regarding the Visp comments, it's more important to know who you are signing up to with broadband because they control the phone line which has to be registered with BTWholesale.
But even with dialup, many people are turning up here thinking they had signed up to someone, only to find they were resellers of V21, and everything that goes with that.

Many VISPs are well known, but if you are uncertain, then ask them. VISPs don't have their own network, they can be resellers, or rebranding a product as supplied by another ISP or wholesale provider.

So joining an ISP that controls their own network is perhaps to be preferred.

However, just to judge ISP as *good* and Visp as *bad* would be unfair and incorrect, it isn't quite as simple as that of course.

There are some extremely poor ISPs, and some extremely good Visps

The trick is to find a good one of your choice

Kitz's site again gives some very useful info regarding ISPs:-

http://kitz.co.uk/adsl/ISP_marketshare.htm



Also there is a good list of ISPs over at ADSLGuide:-

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/isps.html

also able to compare ISPs:-

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/isp/compare.html



Their list of forums mainly includes ISPs at the moment but that could change

http://bbs.adslguide.org.uk/threads.php?Cat=

The e7even forum for instance. E7even were an ISP until the beginning of this year from when they then became a Visp, using Tiscali wholesale and Netservices. After e7's *walled garden* experience they were replaced by Ezeedsl (another Visp). Some members of Ezeedsl still occasionally use that forum.




Regarding the two ISPs mentioned, i don't really have too much info.


from the efhbroadband website:-

Free setup available when paying quarterly. If account is cancelled within 12 months, £47.00 cancellation fee applies for new installations and £12.93 for migrations.



Payment Terms
In order to keep costs low, payment is by automatic recurring credit or debit card transactions. If you would like to pay by cheque, this may be possible for accounts paid annually

Hmmm....is that such a good idea??

i couldn't find any reference to migrating out with a MAC (migrating in, but not out)

although, ADSLGuide say they do support inbound and outbound, but that would need checking

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/isp/efhbroadband.html




Prodigy:-

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/isp/prodigynetworks.html

probably the most popular line checker on the web

here again on their website not able to find any mention of outbound migration with a MAC (that's not to say that they don't offer MACs)




The ADSLGuide isp comparison (above) is very useful, but i also like to read their forums which are a very up to date guide of what's going on. But it can get a little confusing because all ISPs will have the odd problem from time to time, so you need to be able to decide if these are more or less *one-offs*, or systemic.

If there are no posts or extremely low activity in a particular forum, then that is also a guide to how popular that ISP is (at least with ADSLGuide users, who are, in the main, reasonably well clued up )

davidsonsl

What address did you send your letter to? mine was returned unsigned for. They owe me for 9 extra payments and i'm worried about cancelling the direct debit for fear of A) never getting my refund and them charging me for breach of contract, but how can I cancel the damn thing if I can't even write to them??

colinw

davidsonsl wrote:

What address did you send your letter to? mine was returned unsigned for. They owe me for 9 extra payments and i'm worried about cancelling the direct debit for fear of A) never getting my refund and them charging me for breach of contract, but how can I cancel the damn thing if I can't even write to them??

I sent a first class letter (not recordred delivery) to biscit at the Edgeware address which is

Berkeley House
18-24 High Street
Edgware
HA8 7RP

They have put a £8.99 credit on my credit card for the October overpayment and as I can no longer log onto the control panel I presume they have killed my account as requested. I quoted them my customer number when writing to them. perhaps they are finally sorting themselves out. What address have you been using?
I am now on good old Telewest broadband with £40 back off quidco, not a bad deal.

weaver33

This latest update from V21 site includes a rather interesting paragraph:

Happily, the very large majority of you refused to become a victim of this supplier's commercial practices. Our initiatives in raising public awareness of the supplier's antics as well as with Ofcom and various parliamentary committees then forced the supplier to restore your broadband service until the cease was placed on your line today. Clearly, we are seeking significant damages and you will receive a voucher in due course representing your share of the proceeds once the courts have processed our claim.

Interesting...:think:

lotstolearn

I can't thank you enough GuessWho for your very helpful and detailed response (post #838) re ISP's and VISP's especially with regard to EFHBroadband I missed that bit about the cancellation fee - don't know how, going cross-eyed I think! I'm off to have a look at all the links you sent now.

I very much appreciate the time you spent looking into and answering my question. Thank you. :T

spud17

I've not had a chance to get online all week until now-so only had a quick scan of this forum.

Some replies and observations.

Hats off to oap for persistance and perseverance .

Hana glad you got your money back -mine was taken around 20th Oct when things were in a real mess.I spent a week phoning eventually I was called back and told money would be back in my account by 3rd Nov-still waiting despite emails and more phone calls.

Carpy I received another callback (see above) -this asked to confirm my members number,user name and password, true to his word I was reconnected when I got home,but with no email.I used the DField link from this forum, again sending all my details I received a reply stating my email had been reinstated and to use the new password supplied.

Guess Who/Victor Delta Thanks for the info on useage I'm still not totally convinced I can justify the expense. If my phone's busy people who need to reach me use my mobile .

Nix & Guess Who My payments were taken using Switch and HBOS will only do something when I have a crime number ,I can then go ahead and fill in the forms to claim back the money.

I still can't get onto the members page .

Has anyone else noticed they keep changing the phone menus, this resulted in me being diverted back to the number I had just come from and all on 087 numbers.

Cheers for now ,off down the pub!:beer: