Useage policies & pretty new to broadband

housesitter

Hi All,

I'm hoping for a spot of advice please.
I've been in a fairly handy situation of having had essentially free internet access for the last few years due to the nature of my job. Consequently I'm out of the loop as far as deals and things go.
The last time I had to pay for a connection there was no talk of fair useage etc and generally everything was unlimited.
Now I'm moving so I'll loose my internet connection.
I'm looking at a BT line because there really isn't any other option.
Speed wise BT suggest 1Mb but the current occupiers get only 512Mb. I'm gutted to say the least but that's life.

Regards usage policies such as the BT package which gives you 10Gb, is this 10Gb 24/7 for the whole month or do they have an unmetered period? I know some companies do, but this information sems to be often squirreled away in their site, or like BT's website doesn't mention it at all.

I play some online games, download/upload quite large data files (no problem doing it off peak) regularly, and do a lot of remote desktop type connections.
So I guess an unlimited package might be best, or one which is unlimited from midnight to 6am.
The question is, and I'm sorry to ask, who is best to go with?


I'm technical so don't need good customer support to get me going. Don't need a "free" router.
Just a good service which isn't over subscribed and ideally quite cheap.

Does anyone do usenet feeds on home broadband these days?

fewleh

Hey, theres still quite a few that do unlimited - these guys are well talked about - (Plusnet) ...sorry can't post links, but do a search for them.

Don't go near Tiscali/talk talk...terrible. I've just joined sky, and I don't know if it's the router, or their network, but wireless doesn't work properly 90% of the time, and doesn't seem to go through walls, unlike any other wireless i've ever had.

Good luck, it's a minefield!

macman

What gives you the idea that BT are the only option? There are hundreds of other providers, whether LLU or non-LLU.
www.samknows.com

housesitter

Oh I don't think BT are the only people offering, I appreciate that there are lots.
But it seems unless your exchange has been unbundled then it's BT, Plus.net (who are owned by...) or... ?

Only TalkTalk are in my exchange. Their website is awful. The links take you to out dated info about their products. If a company can't even update information about 4 or so products then it doesn't look good for their service !!

I'd love to go with O2 as I'm a mobile customer of theirs. But they only offer the access service due to no LLU, and it's evident from the price that they'd rather you not take it.

Tesco only want to bundle with home phone and don't support my line either. Orange (I have an OVP Virgin sim or two) won't help either.
Seems to be the case for each provider I look at. Either they have crazy terms (UKOnline insist you purchase a Netgear router from them!) or daft prices.
If Andrews&Arnold weren't counting off peak downloads I'd be going with them, no contest. But they are, so it rules them out too.

Seems BT have me in a bit of a monopoly situation. I know LLU was supposed to aid competition, but it seems like a lot of other providers just aint interested in this exchange. I suppose that is a key point for competition
The predicted speeds are lousy. I'm certainly going to get involved with the community to see about bringing in some sort of community broadband. Be it wireless or someone like Rutland Telecom showing up BT.
1Mb estimated is shocking. I had more than that over ten years ago and I know it'll be less.

macman

If TT are your only LLU provider then you have the option of any one of dozens of non-LLU providers. Plusnet probably being the best known, but there are many more. Zen, IDNet are just two that come to mind. BT have no retail monopoly whatsoever.
The higher price charged for non-LLU connection simply reflects the extra cost incurred by the ISP in order to pay BT Wholesale, which is not incurred on an LLU connection.
If you are on a small rural exchange. then most ISP' s simply can't make the LLU figures work. because the potential customer base is too small to recoup the considerable upfront investment required. TT are currently the ISP with the biggest LLU coverage of the smaller exchanges, presumablyu because they are going all-out for market share, even if it's not very profitable.

brightonman123

who/what is this LLU ?

macman

Local Loop Unbundled.

brightonman123

i take it thats a good thing?
:eek:

macman

LLU means cheaper prices for broadband if that supplier has it enabled on your exchange.