end of dialup - or just a con to sign up for broadband?

mindovermatter

Hi,
My mother-in-law has a laptop which she uses very occasionally to look at her emails (probably once a week at most).
Last week she tried to connect to the internet but the dialup wouldnt work.
She went down to our local shop (who sold the laptop) and they advised her that the dial up that she had been using was no longer available and gave her another number to use (they set it up for her on the laptop) but at the same time stated that ALL dialup (0845) numbers would soon (in less than a year) be ending due to low numbers of people using them and that she would have to choose to go onto broadband or not use the internet at all.
Is this a con to get her to sign up to £15 month or is this really the case??
Does anyone konw of a dialup that she could use that will be available to those very light internet users that dont want/cant justify the cost of broadband?
Best wishes and a happy new year to all
Mindovermatter

Sunnyday

Hi There,
I really don`t know if dial up will have dissappeared or not but i just found this site
http://www.lixxus.co.uk/products/home_user_broadband/364.asp

Hope it helps.
SD

spinybif_2

Why not swap her over to TalkTalk Option 2. Less than £6 pm and all off peak phone calls to geographic numbers are free (6pm to 6am). I know people slag off TalkTalk but I use them daily without too much stress - can be a delay when using 7.30 - 9.30 pm but none of my friends get any better with more expensive ISPs

Paul_Herring

mindovermatter wrote: »

but at the same time stated that ALL dialup (0845) numbers would soon (in less than a year) be ending due to low numbers of people using them and that she would have to choose to go onto broadband or not use the internet at all.
Is this a con to get her to sign up to £15 month or is this really the case??

If by "all dial up (0845) numbers" you(they) mean all that particular ISPs 0845 numbers, then it's entirely possible that that particular ISP is withdrawing from the dial-up market and they'll be removing all their 0845 numbers.

If they're trying to imply that all dial ups/0845 numbers will disappear, and the only way she'll be able to connect (via any ISP) is via broadband, then they're at best being disingenuous. At worst, lying.

Either way your best bet is to try and arrange for her to move ISPs.

mindovermatter

thanks for the replies so far - i know for a fact that MIL (mother-in-law) won't change to Talk Talk - she refuses to change gas from British Gas and still gets elect from SWEB and refuses to consider it......
If I knew of an ISP which will definitely continue with dial up then i will change her laptop for her as she will still be using an 0845 number.

GunJack

without trying to sound disrespectful, your mil needs educating about how much she could save with a few changes to suppliers for various things...most strange..

mindovermatter

I have tried on many occasions to advise the MIL that she can swop gas, electric, etc as we do....but she is very old fashioned and thinks that it is some kind of con!!
leaves all her money in one bank as she doesnt trust the others!
my wife says to stop trying to help as it is a pointless task

Inactive

mindovermatter wrote: »

thanks for the replies so far - i know for a fact that MIL (mother-in-law) won't change to Talk Talk - .

A very wise decision on her part.;)

saubryn

It sounds like the shop were just trying to get some commission from signing her up to broadband I think dial up ISPs will be around for a while yet - I travel a lot for trade shows, and meet lots of people who use dial up in their hotels, so there's still a market - even if it is smaller.

sealegs_2

Hello,Can i recommend fast4.net which i have been using for the last couple of months. I have an old pc so it is not really worth me using broadband.They provide pay as you go dial up or an unlimited package for £8.99 per month. It is easy to set up so this may be the best solution for your mother in law.Hope this helps!

superscaper

If she wouldn't change ISP to talktalk then what makes you think she'll change to any other? It'll be exactly the same process and result.