New Phone & Broadband Provider Req'd...

Nemo

Currently my line rental is with BT with inclusive weekend calls. I don't use the phone much, probably only a couple of calls a week, at the weekend where convenient, otherwise using 18185. Broadband has just been transfered from Be Unlimited to Sky where I'm due to pay £12.50/m but I fully expect this to go up to £15/m as my Sky TV cancellation will complete at the weekend. I'm looking to move to one provider and have been looking at options but am struggling to decide where to go.

Sky is an option, but line rental saver has been removed and without TV, broadband would be £10/m. I'm also a bit annoyed that when I looked into adding my phone and broadband to my TV package they weren't interested in offering me a good deal despite being with them for 25 years, hence the cancellation.

Second option is Talktalk. On the plus side, broadband at a permanent £2.50/m is good, and the option to add fibre for £10 is good...but even though they do a line rental saver, there's no calls included at all, and 18185 etc appear to be blocked. The alternative appears to be to add anytime calls at £5.50 which seems like overkill when looking at the amount of calls I make. I wouldn't want to pay for the calls I do make by the minute though. Customer service appears to be poor from what I've read.

Then there's Plusnet. There are no calls included when taking line rental saver, but 18185 appears to be a unblocked. Anyone confirm that this is still the case? Broadband at £2.50/m for 12 months is good value, although it's not the cheapest when it then goes to £9.99/m. Fibre option is also quite expensive. There's currently (a non-guaranteed) cashback of £94.50 . How are Plusnet for negotiating discounts after contract minimum terms are up? Their broadband checker has estimated 3Mb. I presume they're just being conservative and I'd still get the 6.5Mb I get with Sky and Be Unlimited before them?

Then there's BT...expensive and Tesco...just doesn't feel right.

I think I'm leaning towards Plusnet, but any thoughts or recommendations?

Cheers!

brewerdave

Currently Plusnet still allow 18185 indirect access.
Can only speak for myself, but I negotiated a good discount on unlimited b/band last year when I renewed - used Sky LLU as the comparator when I spoke to their Customer Retention team!!

As to download speeds - depends whether your exchange has been upgraded to 21CN - Then PN can offer ADSL2+ which SHOULD be comparable with unbundled Sky.