Good broadband ISPs?

liam_h

Hi,
new to the forums and have a question about who people think are possibly the best ISP to go with. I'm a student but would need more than the basic packages as I play on Xbox Live, and also have a 'job' which revolves around the internet and involves a lot of emails and downloading and uploading of pictures.
I work for an ISP my self but am leaving soon so know a lot about download allowances etc, but don't know anything about the market at the moment, as I haven't needed to!
Anyone that can help would be great!
Cheers!

Mike_by_the_Sea

Hi liam

If you are looking for unlimited downloads.......

From a completely biased perspective, you can get unlimited downloads, up to 16mg (depending on your local exchange) and a wireless router and USB adaptor from Utility Warehouse for £22.99 a month (not including £1.76 monthly membership fee).

Alternatively, you can have the Broadcallplus package which includes all of the above apart from an 8mg limit, home phone line and free weekend calls for £24.99 a month - £32.99 if your local exchange is not currently LLU. (not including £1.76 monthly membership fee).

If you take one additional service you get free evening calls as well.
If you take two additional services you get free calls 24/7.

Both of the above have no minimum contract period (A disconnection charge of £50 will be applied if the contract is terminated within the first 12 months).

These compare very favourably with other offers in the marketplace at the moment.

Link: (unaffiliated) https://www.utilitywarehouse.co.uk/store/index.taf?

Edinburghlass_2

Why are you not including the £1.76 monthly membership fee when you have to pay it

Also how much do the free 24/7 calls cost?

bbb_uk

Mike_by_the_Sea wrote:

If you take one additional service you get free evening calls as well.
If you take two additional services you get free calls 24/7.

That's weird because UW's website reads:-

Take any 2 services and receive unlimited free Weekend Calls to any UK landline number

Take any 3 Services and receive unlimited free Evening and Weekend Calls to any UK landline number

Take any 4 Services and receive unlimited free Calls to any UK landline number All day, Every day!

So to get your so-called free 24/7 calls, you actually have to take 4 services which I assume means - phone, broadband, mobile and energy (gas/electricity). That is near enough all their packages.

As mentioned by Edinburghlass, you have to pay £1.76 extra per month for the ability to have all these services on one bill. They should be paying us or at least a reduction for being such a good customer and taking all their services.

Note: The £1.76 extra per month is mandatory no matter what service you take with them.

Mike by the Sea - you are deliberately misleading any customers you want to sign up for this service by, I assume, "forgetting" to mention the mandatory £1.76 extra per month charge.

Mike_by_the_Sea

Hi Edinburghlass

I mentioned the membership fee for clarity as it isn't always immediately obvious when the headline cost is viewed (ducks as the shooting starts ), although this is a fixed fee irrespective of the number of services taken.

As for the free 24/7 calls - they are included if 4 services are taken for no additional charge to the customer.

bbb_uk

Liam,

It depends on how much you think you will download and whether P2P access without being throttled/capped is important for you.

I'm uncertain about which port XBox works by so some ISPs may, if they impose restrictions/caps/FUP, actually not allow gaming - only basic web access, FTP, and email access.

The problem with broadband via a BT line (ADSL) is the fact that there are a lot of limitations that determine the speed you may get because it depends on the distance from the exchange and how good/bad the quality of the cabling is, how many other people share the bandwidth with you, etc.

Broadband via cable medium is generally accepted better as it doesn't use cabling that's probably older than you or parents. Cable broadband uses highspeed/qood quality cable.

For example, I'm only nearly 2km away from the exchange and according to BT's website (we have a BT line) if I had ADSL broadband whether its with them, TalkTalk, Primus, AOL, etc I'm only going to get upto 2mb. 1mb is guaranteed but the 2mb is only a guess from their point.

Whereas, with Telewest broadband all this doesn't really matter as much as it does with ADSL broadband. With TW you can get 2mb unlimited (without caps/traffic shaping, etc) for £15 for the first year. You can, and I only recommend, taking their broadband and not their telephone or TV.

I use it now and get on every test I do, 2mb download speed all the time and there are rumours of TW increasing this in the future.

I have heard some bad things about NTL though concerning their broadband speeds and customer services.

Of course with cable broadband you need to be in their area - otherwise you're stuck with ADSL broadband.

hurrah

But the calls are not free as the ASA ruled on a previous occassion or have you conveniently forgotten. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=275088&highlight=telecom+plus+asa

Plus to get inclusive calls included in your package you have to pay your high energy charges

Then theirs the matter of the new expensive 0871 customer service number with long q,s .:eek: A backward step if ever their was one.

Quentin

Mike_by_the_Sea wrote:

As for the free 24/7 calls - they are included if 4 services are taken for no additional charge to the customer.

Just for clarity, of course, but if you have to take 3 more overpriced services and pay £1.76 extra a month, they can't possibly be "free" calls - they are paid for through all the other service charges.

Mike, give up, there are no more gullible ones left here.

You have a better chance cherry picking for gullibles outside supermarkets!

hurrah

Quentin wrote:

You have a better chance cherry picking for gullibles outside supermarkets!

:T


Or having a stall in a small town country market,and bull shiteing gullible punters. (I dont mean you personaly Mike, but your distributors do get up to these tricks)

I listened to a couple of them the other day they, made these claims.(One of them drove one of those Yellow Company Minis. )

1.Our line rental is cheaper then BT .(False).
2.We give you free calls. (False).
3.We are Britains cheapest energy supplier. (False).

(Some even still make statement 3 on their personal websites.EG http://www.imperialbusinessconsultants.com/ )

Mike_by_the_Sea

Thanks to you all for your suggestions of new avenues to explore. :rotfl:

One last try......

bbb_uk - The broadcall package counts as two services and gas/ electicity would also count as two.

Mike by the Sea - you are deliberately misleading any customers you want to sign up for this service by, I assume, "forgetting" to mention the mandatory £1.76 extra per month charge.

Not me - in spite of views to the contrary, I play by the rules. (no offence taken )

Hurrah & Quentin - The inclusive calls are included for no additional charge, rather than free. ok?

Hurrah - It's very sad when this type of thing still happens. As I have mentioned before in other posts, the company is very clear about its position vis a vis this type of "selling". As for the website, what can I say, it must be at least 18 months out of date.

bendtoy_2

Mike By the Sea.

Dont you ever give up

I will give you your due your a trier,but dont you ever think your banging your head against a brick wall.

Are you a Director yet.:D