fast4.net?

oldagetraveller

I am currently using Onetel for dial up access. Paying £6.99/month for daytime use including weekends. I am considering moving to fast4.net which offers anytime dial up access for the same monthly cost.
Just wondered if anyone has used/uses this ISP and can comment on the service.
Thanks.

Eliza252

I presume you have to pay for the time spent online with onetel and the 6.99 is not for unlimited usage then?
I was with fast4.net (6.99 unlimited usage) for a while until I transferred to broadband. Its a good service if you dont need to use the internet heavily, just to check emails and look the odd thing up. I found it was too slow for me as I spend a couple of hours or so at least a day online, its very poor if you need to open complicated web pages or download hightec web pages. Take note, there is a 3 month minimum contract when you first sign up (which I failed to notice - doh!).
That said, you cant beat the price so if you have the patience it might be worth it! (oh, and they seemed very nice on the phone)

oldagetraveller

Sorry, I was not too clear with the Onetel £6.99. That is a pay monthly for use between 8am and 6pm 7 days/week. 1p/minute (not the 1.5p charged for casual access) outwith those times. I don't normally use the internet evenings but there is always the possibility. I failed to spot the 3 month bit, thanks for pointing that out although their website does seem to indicate that it is pay monthly without any "tie in" period.
Although fast4 have an e-mail based tech. help the premium rate (50p/min.) 'phone tech. help does concern me a bit.

alared

Take a look at this link about fast4
Scroll back and look at all 7 pages to give you an idea both good and bad.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=415750#post415750

Eliza252

yea, I forgot the telephone line was a bit expensive (I phone from work heh heh) - nb. you have to phone this line if you want to cancel your contract - which I thought was a bit cheeky and I did tell them so when I called them but they were so charming I didnt manage to make my point very well. :rolleyes:
If you dont use the internet during peak times it probably does make quite alot of difference - I guess it might also depend how fast your current service is. I am personally a bit scared of pay as you go internet services cus I know I get a bit too absorbed once am online and it makes it EXTRA annoying if its a slow service.

Leedor

Hi everyone,

My first post here and I searched around for Fast4 info, but only one person mentioned the 3 month contract and since then, the newsletter contained the unfortunately incorrect (from my experience) line:

Yet it can be immediately cancelled, so the worst scenario if it doesn’t meet your requirements is the loss of a one month £6.99 subscription.

So I thought I'd let everyone know my experience.

I trialled it for a month and was just too frustrated being unable to connect at peak times. So a couple of days before 1 month was up I joined a new ISP (24-7, also mentioned in the newsletter, and much happier with it), with the aim of cancelling fast4 next day during business hours.

I was told that it was IMPOSSIBLE for them to cancel my account since I had not yet reached the 3 month period. I looked over the site and I think its misleading to say the least, with numerous mentions of 'month-by-month' and 'monthly basis' as well as mentioning how easy it is to cancel (see faq 4 particularly).

So beware, all is not as it seems. I've complained to them, but have not heard back in the 2 days since then and the 2nd month has since been billed to me.

Thanks for letting me rant :mad: !

Lee

jonathonjordan

Ive been with fast4 for 16 months now and never once have i had a problem with them.

I did need to ring them once when my system had a major crash and they were really helpful.

Occassionaly there are times when you just cant connect but thats only when they are upgrading their lines.

I say go for it girl - what have you got to lose ?
I didnt have a minimum 3 month contract and also you can sign up for the service monthly, quarterly or annual

It cheaper for annual too !!!!

vernall

wonder what they would do if THEY cancelled your account after the first month due to too much use(like they did to me),are they still going to take another 2 months sub

HonestJohn

Once you have paid the first month by card switch to direct debit so if they kick you off you can cancel the dd before they take the other two months money. Beware they seem to be kicking more and more people off. I was removed for using it a lot at the weekend even though during the week my usage was light.

alared

I`ve been with Fast4 for nearly two years and have never ever had a problem with them.
I clock at least 40 hours a week and the only time I needed to contact them they were most helpful.

GeoThermal

If you are anything other than a low internet user then I would avoid them.

All their claims about unrestricted use are misleading. They have the cheek to say:

"Unlike our competitors we won't restrict your internet time on either platform"

"*Unlimited means no weekly time restrictions"

"You are entitled to access the Internet for a period of no more than 168 hours per week" (That's 24x7)

That is not true, in fact they seem quite aggressive in the way they kick users off, without so much as an email.

One tip to anyone using the service, do not set dial up networking to redial when disconnected. The CS guy said the system classes that as unattended use. I did have it set to do that but only when I am at the PC. It was certainly not unattended use.

For low use though it would be fine. I had very few problems connecting even in the evening.