Is switching broadband providers problematic?

UserX

I am currently using BT for my landline & broadband and am a bit jaded about ropey service and paying over the odds for it. My contract with them is coming to an end, just in time for their price increases to kick in :eek:

I have started looking at other options and it seems to me that many providers offer competitive deals over the course of a 12/18 month period and then put prices up. So to be ahead of the game one would need to shop around towards the end of each contract.

I have no objection to this EXCEPT that I work from home and need to know I have Internet access which is reliable and that I won't be having to change phone numbers or risk ending up with no Internet each time I switch provider.

Can't get Virgin Media where I am, and have no interest in a Sky package.

Is BT the only real option I have?

Alternatively, is there another provider which has consistently offered reasonably competitive pricing and good service, as I might otherwise consider making a one-off switch and sticking with them. (Clearly I realise there is obviously no guarantee they would remain competitive, but as BT are expensive anyway I figure it might just be worth taking a punt on another provider!)

Finally - I will of course try to negotiate a better package with BT before I leave but I'm sceptical about whether it works with them. Would be interested to know what other people have experienced. It's my mission for December to have a cheaper but reliable package set up for January when my current contract ends :T

penrhyn

Your choices are exchange specific. Do an exchange search on Samknows, if you have LLU availablbility these will be your cheapest options.
If you need BB for work then maybe you should consider a business broadband contract with a service level guarantee, most domestic suppliers exclude business use.

JJ_Egan

Never had a problem changing any domestic ISP . Longest off-line has been a couple of hours .

macman

If you don't like the LLU options, then you can still choose from dozens of BT resellers, Plusnet being the best known. BT are certainly not the only option-and few would describe their service as reliable.

poggs

I change every year. Most times I have no BB for 3 days as my changes always seem to happen on a Friday and when they do, openreach always foul up in someway and I have to wait for Monday for them to fix it.


Then when the year is up, I forget about the hassle of the previous year and low and behold, no Broadband for three days......

UserX

penrhyn wrote: »

Your choices are exchange specific. Do an exchange search on Samknows, if you have LLU availablbility these will be your cheapest options.
If you need BB for work then maybe you should consider a business broadband contract with a service level guarantee, most domestic suppliers exclude business use.

Thanks Penrhyn - I had no idea what LLU meant but googled it! In my area I'd be looking at TalkTalk as there are no other LLU operators. I think I'll give them a miss though

UserX

macman wrote: »

If you don't like the LLU options, then you can still choose from dozens of BT resellers, Plusnet being the best known. BT are certainly not the only option-and few would describe their service as reliable.

Thanks Macman - Plusnet seem to have good feedback. I'll have a look at them.

forgotmyname

PlusNet is BT but maybe cheaper and UK call centres. Not someone with a poor grasp of english that told me my wireless router had the wrong coloured wire.

Greg270805

I applied with bt online to switch phone and broadband. An email confirmation said both will be activated on the 31/12. The following day (14/12) my broadband was disconnected. I called plusnet who said bt had requested to take it so was now with bt wholesale, and there is now nothing they can do as bt now own it.

I called bt and they say that plusnet still own it and nothing they can do.

So no one owns my broadband line and no one can do anything. I have my own business and need to be online ASAP.

Has anyone been in this situation. If so what can I do???

I would appreciate any advice

Thanks

Greg

BT_company_representative

Hi Greg270805,

I'm really sorry about that, please use the contact details which can be found in my profile to send over your order details and we'll be happy to help you with this.

Thanks

Neil