is this good deal?

sam1970

I have been with AOL for the last 12 years and the service was ok (not brilliant). 14 months ago I started with them a new contract (broadband up to 8MB and unlimited landline calls any time not including 0845 and 0870 for £7.20) and continued paying £13.60 to BT for line rental.

I phoned AOL today to discuss my contract as I was considering virgin for faster internet and they offered me their platinum package for 18 months with 2 months free and starting next month (so I do not have to carry on with the current contract). I asked them to email me the details which they did (the first helpful AOL agent I spoke to in 12 years)...these are the details:

Platinum Plan £19.09 with 2 months free plan

This package is for customers that would include,
free UK Landline calls
Credit of £38.18 (2 months subscription)
free wireless router
Unlimited Broadband

Service includes free calls to 0870 and 0845 number are included in the telephone package
18 month contract
1 bill for all services
Line Rental

What do you think? shall I go for it and sign my life away for another 18 months? Can virgin beat this offer?

Mark_In_Hampshire

AOL are one of the worst rated ISPs in the country not least because of speed issues. In your post you mention moving to get faster speeds. So if you stay, I doubt you'll see much of the improvement you wanted and you'll be stuck with it for a year and a half. Are you sure you want that Perhaps not given your post....

Virgin cable can't be beat for broadband. Virgin National - which is to say ADSL via a phone line as opposed to part fibre-optic - doesn't have a particularly good reputation, though arguably it's better than AOL's.

Virgin seem to be more or less giving cable away and there are some good offers. While the broadband is likely to be a massive improvement on what you have now the telephony is more expensive. Believe they have introduced some inclusive 0845/0870 package just recently.

If you can't get a cable service, the scenario is different. I'd question why, of all the providers you could pick, you'd go with AOL or Virgin National. If price is the key factor then you could also look at Plusnet who have a good deal on too. It won't perform like cable and won't necessarily be any better than Virgin National, but might or might not be cheaper.

http://www.ispreview.co.uk/story/2011/06/18/uk-isp-plusnet-offers-9-months-half-price-value-broadband-and-calls-bundle.html

sam1970

thank you very much for your reply. The main reason i stayed with AOL all this time is the email. my email has been with AOL for 11 years and I am worried about the disruption and the chaos if i leave to another provider unless there is a way to use AOL email without being a customer !!!

Mark_In_Hampshire

That's one you'll have to ask them, unless some previous AOL customer in this situation can shed any light...

Generally yes you do lose your mailbox when you migrate away.

steveE2

No problem keeping the aol email address,I left them 5 years ago and it still works fine they're even advertising free email for life now

sam1970

steveE2 wrote: »

No problem keeping the aol email address,I left them 5 years ago and it still works fine they're even advertising free email for life now

thanks for that..how would you access it? do you keep your AOL user name?

steveE2

sam1970 wrote: »

thanks for that..how would you access it? do you keep your AOL user name?

Yes same username password as before you can access via webmail though I use Thunderbird with IMAP

macman

It takes a few minutes to set up a Gmail account and notify everyone in your address book. Your email is then ISP-independent forever.
How is that 'disruption and chaos'?

rwalton159

I have a very similar story to Sam1970's

I've been with AOL since 2003 and I am happy paying £7.20 for adsl and I get free calls to 01/02 numbers.

Yesterday AOL offered me a new contract which I pay £17.09 for unlimited adsl and calls and includes line rental. After 12mths this goes up to £19.09. I'm very tempted as this will save me a few quid and give me free access to the 0870 / 0845 numbers.

I currently pay BT £13 for line rental.

Just need to convince the wife