Getting Broadband for elderly relative

WolfSong2000

Okay...my great aunt (97 and still going strong!) has decided to purchase a Smart TV (after visiting me and seeing mine). TV has been purchased, but I am still working on helping her to figure out what would be suitable from a broadband perspective.

She is currently with BT, so it may be easier to negotiate with them and do a Phone/Internet bundle, but having looked at a recent bill of hers from them, I am concerned they are overcharging her, and am also aware that they have a poor reputation for customer service.

My aunt is in full possession of all her faculties, but it was her late husband who used to deal with all things technology related, so the prospect of the internet (and all it entails!) as rather a revelation to her, and she is still working on getting her head around it.

She doesn't have a computer, so internet will just be for Smart TV. Is fibre necessary/recommended and which companies have a good reputation for customer service (I would prioritise this over cost).

Thanks in advance for your help and suggestions

diamonds

Fibre may be needed, depends on distance from exchange https://www.samknows.com will be useful.

I stream HD Netflix on ADSL2+ no problem as I am less than a mile from exchange.



Sky do a £8 bundle for calls including mobile if her call charges are expensive.

JJ_Egan

BT may not be overcharging but she may well have signed up to a more expensive service.

Is she still in contract is a key question .

Personally i find BT CS excellent if you use web chat or the BT Forum .

Browntoa

I've got fibre , much more stable than my ADSL ever was as it eliminates much of the copper from the exchange to the premises , look at a topcashback or quidco deal to offset the cost

diamonds

https://www.samknows.com will give info on her exchange and service availability, sorry forgot to add that up there^

thistledome

When I got an ISP for my Ma I wanted one with a UK call centre for support and chose Namesco, which was excellent. However, they sold the business to the Co-operative and this month we got a huge bill for broadband. Instead of the usual £15 it's £130!!

Whatever ISP you choose, make sure the data is unlimited. Learn from our mistake. There's no way my Ma has used all this data, but we can't prove it so it's unlimited all the way for us in future.

teddysmum

Broadband is expensive, if not taken with line rental.


As the lady won't be using the internet for anything other than catchup on tv, why not, instead, invest in a Humax box and record what she wants to watch in advance ?


She would be free to watch when she wants to and could record two programmes, while watching either a another recording or a live programme directly from the tv .

diamonds

thistledome wrote: »

When I got an ISP for my Ma I wanted one with a UK call centre for support and chose Namesco, which was excellent. However, they sold the business to the Co-operative and this month we got a huge bill for broadband. Instead of the usual £15 it's £130!!

Whatever ISP you choose, make sure the data is unlimited. Learn from our mistake. There's no way my Ma has used all this data, but we can't prove it so it's unlimited all the way for us in future.

How can that be ? I would make a complaint, that is absolutely crazy they let anyone with a limit to run up that bill, even the mobile networks are getting their house in order with warnings and capping.

Make sure they know you are making the complaint as to take it to alternative dispute resolution as per Ofcom regulation.

diamonds

teddysmum wrote: »

Broadband is expensive, if not taken with line rental.


As the lady won't be using the internet for anything other than catchup on tv, why not, instead, invest in a Humax box and record what she wants to watch in advance ?


She would be free to watch when she wants to and could record two programmes, while watching either a another recording or a live programme directly from the tv .

The TV model may have a internal hard drive or ability to usb a external hard drive to do such.


I have YouView, its the latest BT box, its a bit buggy though, the picture slows down at times ? Thankfully it was free!

teddysmum

diamonds wrote: »

The TV model may have a internal hard drive or ability to usb a external hard drive to do such.


I have YouView, its the latest BT box, its a bit buggy though, the picture slows down at times ? Thankfully it was free!

But if that was the case, would it be able to record two programmes, while you watched another live or recorded ?

WolfSong2000

She has a Samsing Smart TV and wants to use features such as YouTube, so I don't think the Humax Box is what is required at the moment, but thanks for the suggestions .

I will look into unlimited broadband...at the moment I am leaning towards suggesting she stay with BT for simplicity, but as I said before, am wary about their customer service. As she doesn't have a computer she won't be able to email them/use web chat - it will all be done via phone.