Broadband - No contract/no connection charges?

Wiggynut

anyone know of a broadband supplier that doesn't charge a activation charge (usually £40+).
I will be buying my own modem (I'm also worried about compatability issues if I buy my own???)

I don't want a 12 month contract as I might be moving within the year and I would like the freedom of moving to another supplier if the one I choose turn out to be a nightmare!

I've been surfing around and some sites say no activation fee but if you do not have broadband then BT charge £52.88 (ie ADSL24). My flatmate has a broadband modem with her orange mobile (rather unreliable and limited use) so does this mean that I don't have to pay for activiation... what exactly do they have to do for this money???

I'm confused! I just want broadband (fairly heavy use) paid monthly and no contract. (if free calls also good!)

any help would be appreciated and/or pointers to a website that explains such things to a newbie.

Andy_L

AFAIK there is nobody who provides monthy contracts with no activation charge (I had a good search around a couple of months ago).

Since the ISPs have to pay BT to set the line up they need to recover the cost either by charging you direct or adding it to your monthly charge & tying you in so they aren't out of pocket.

You could see if you can share a wireless connection your neighbour has, offering to share the cost.

opportunity_cost

Wiggynut wrote: »

My flatmate has a broadband modem with her orange mobile [...]

It sounds like:
1. The phone line in that property is already tied up with Orange ADSL broadband
2. Your flatmate has the Orange Broadband Starter package, i.e., free broadband

If the above assumptions are correct, unless you have a second phone line, that means you'd have to convince your flatmate to switch away from her free Orange broadband connection.

I hope you get on well with her, otherwise it's Goodnight Vienna!

motorguy

Try tiscali - as far as i know there is no connection charge with them

colin79666

Not sure about connction charges but I know Virgin and Be offer packages with no 12 or 18 month commitments.

Wiggynut

Tiscali is a 12 month contract. Virgin charge £25 installation charge - cheapest I've seen so far anyway.

I've just found out from my flatmate that it's not free! It's £17.99 for 8 hours a day and has a strict limit. It's very unreliable! I think there are better deals anyway... it doesn't include cheap calls - I don't really mind this as I don't make any calls but my flatmates do!

looking up this sort of stuff gets rather confusing... get some stuff with one but not another then there's all the small print! arrgghhh.... thanks for your help guys.

opportunity_cost

Andy_L wrote: »

AFAIK there is nobody who provides monthy contracts with no activation charge.

That's right. Freeola had a free activation offer with no ties until recently but they stopped doing that (probably cost moneysavers like us were milking the cow ). They still have the cheapest (£38) activation charge with no catches (i.e, no minimum term contract or surcharge if you cancel within x months) around though. Also, they have an introductory offer (first month charge is only £9.99) and there are no exit charges if you migrate to another ISP. There's the usual 30-day notice that kicks in when you ask for a MAC code, but that's the same with every ISP.

opportunity_cost

Wiggynut wrote: »

I've just found out from my flatmate that it's not free! It's £17.99 for 8 hours a day and has a strict limit.

It's not Goodnight Vienna then, lol. That package sounds like a right stinker, by the way. You won't have to pay any activation fee then. You can get a MAC code from Orange and migrate to another provider for free. The only caveat being, if Orange has LLU'ed that line, make sure you choose an ISP that accepts LLU MAC's.

Current known ISP's accepting LLU MAC's

Wiggynut

opportunity_cost wrote: »

It's not Goodnight Vienna then, lol. That package sounds like a right stinker, by the way. You won't have to pay any activation fee then. You can get a MAC code from Orange and migrate to another provider for free. The only caveat being, if Orange has LLU'ed that line, make sure you choose an ISP that accepts LLU MAC's.

Current known ISP's accepting LLU MAC's

Thanks
clicked on the link and noticed the 'worst ISP' by Which BBC Watchdog - Yep - sounds about right.

Donnie

There's always; https://www.bethere.co.uk/

Join before the 31st of May to get free connection.

Their Unlimited package is £24 per month and has a three month contract.

They had been very reliable and anyway have freephone technical support.

Rikki

Both zen and newnet are monthly contract. If you don't have broadband on your line already there will be an activation charge.
Advantages are you are not tied into a 12 month contract for a one off activation fee.