Technical questions on ditching VM in favour of BT.

LizEstelle

Hi guys. Can you help out a technodummy?

I suspect that Virgin Media has had me paying through the nose for some time now for its combined landline/broadband internet/tv package and I am thinking of taking one of the latest BT deals.

Questions:

1. Can I get Freeview through my old aerial now? It's lain dormant and unused for many years while I've had cable TV- but I'm told now that the digital signal has been boosted.

2. If not, will this BT 'Vision' thingummy substitute? I understand that it can supply what amounts to the freeview channels so long as I take up the BT internet option. Is that correct?

3. One thing I do like about VM is the internet speed. Is BT's standard service reasonably good? I wouldn't like to go back to the days of doing crosswords in between pages!

Any help at all greatly appreciated.

John_Gray

1. Possibly, but you may need a better aerial if you're some way from the transmitter. You will also need a FreeView TV or a Freeview digibox, or alternatively a FreeView PVR, if you don't have one of these already.
2. I know nothing about BT Vision, but I can't see why you would need it if you have a decent aerial and a FreeView 'something'. Other people will give better answers.
3. What data rate you can get depends mainly on how far you are from the exchange. There is a checker on the BT website into which you plug your postcode and/or landline number, and it gives an estimate. The SamKnows one is probably better.

If you ring up VM and tell them you're thinking of leaving, you'll probably be able to negotiate a payment reduction...

steve1980

1: Possibly, get a cheapy freeview box and try it out.

2: BT Vision uses the existing aerial. If it's not good enough to power a freeview box then you've got no chance with Vision. They should tell you on the website/phone if you will be able to receive all the channels

3: Check out SamKnows.

Personally I wouldn't touch BT with a bargepoll, they are expensive, customer service is horrendously poor, and 9 times out of 10 you'll get no where near what they offer.

I have TV, phone and broadband with Sky and have never had a problem. Would always recommend them. Also check out Quidco for cashback deals.

mp80

3. Cable modems (VM) will be generally faster due to the wiring being better (fibre optic), BT xDSL technology is at the mercy of two primary things:

Wire length to the exchange (closer the better)
Wire quality (some POTS wiring is decades old)

I am in the opposite boat, I am moving house to an area which doesn't have VM, and the best speed I can hope for on BT is approx. 4Mbit/sec due to my distance from the exchange. I will be annoyed to lose my VM 50mbit broadband which in all honesty has been excellent.

spike7451

mp80 wrote: »

3. Cable modems (VM) will be generally faster due to the wiring being better (fibre optic), BT xDSL technology is at the mercy of two primary things:

Wire length to the exchange (closer the better)
Wire quality (some POTS wiring is decades old)

I am in the opposite boat, I am moving house to an area which doesn't have VM, and the best speed I can hope for on BT is approx. 4Mbit/sec due to my distance from the exchange. I will be annoyed to lose my VM 50mbit broadband which in all honesty has been excellent.

Not entirely correct.VM is only fibre optic up to the MUX/DA (Multiplexer for phone/Distribution Amplifier for TV & BBand) after that it's copper to the street cabinets then to the home.
The MUX/DA can be up to 1/2 a mile from your home,but the signal is boosted once it reaches the street cabinet (DP-Distribution Point)