Advice on changing ISP

tedsui

After an 18 months contract with BT Total Broadband I looked around for a new provider as I was paying £17.99 to them for a 512 Kb service, and wanted to get the same for cheaper. After reading several surveys and reviews I settled on Pipex, £9.99 a month with a £20.00 connection charge, big mistake! I started BB with them on 6 Mar 08 and I also transferred my phone calls to them. I have received a very "intermittent" BB service from them, due in part to the distance I am located from the exchange, and am still undergoing "technical support" as and when I can get through to them. I now understand that they have been taken over by Tiscali, who were the other company I was considering going with originally, but Pipex beat them by getting better reviews. I also have found out that I am being "charged" for using my e-mail account and surfing the web, and if I go over a set figure, then that is extra and I pay more for this. This was never pointed out to me by their Sales people, who asked me what I would use the Internet for and I replied e-mails and surfing and was told that was the right package to be on. When I was with BT I never had any extra charges heaped on me so I wonder how I stand contractually as I have never signed anything to stay with them for a year, or any set period, everything was done on the phone. Can I contact Tiscali and ask to go onto one of their packages, maybe paying a bit more, but at least not being charged everytime I use the internet?

mrJ_5

are you ure that the didn't tell you that the account came with XGB usage (X probably being 1GB for the amount you pay)

You probably use over 1GB a month, hense the extra charges - regardless if you use Pipex or Tiscali (the parent company) they will charge you if you go over what ever the package limit is - but they should be able to upgrade you yes, but that may reset any contract with them to 12/18 months time

I believe you made a verbal agreement to join, which would tie you in unfortunately.

lic

If they are owned by Tiscali I would leave them. Tiscali are not a very good ISP. They are a nightmare when you want to leave them, and their CS is pathetic.
I use Plus net and have had no problems with them.

DatabaseError

where did you go to read good reviews of pipex/tiscali? was it the companies own website?
Best bet is to stick it out to the end of the contract (if soon) or upgrade to a higher allowance, which will start another 12 month contract. In future you may be advised to seek reviews from a wider audience, the sites i trust are thinkbroadband and dslzoneuk, both of which rate the companies rather badly (user votes)
your connection problems are either going to a max (up to 8 meg) product on a very long line, or, if you are really unlucky (i suspect giving your phone service to them you may be) your on their llu kit, so leaving when the contract is over will incur a large charge

tedsui

Hi tonyhague
This is my first time on this forum so I might get this wrong, but here goes. Thanks for your response, I can't recall where I read the reviews, but obviously they were heavily loaded in Pipex's favour. I only started with them in February, I get pushed from pillar to post, when I phone up and my service has been on and off more times than I care to mention! I was going to approach Tiscali and appeal to them, but from what has posted elsewhere that might also be a lost cause. When I originally started the sales person asked what I wanted to use and I said e-mails and surfing. He recommended the mini package £9.99 a month but said nothing about extra charges for downloads etc. (I wouldn't mind if I downloaded films, music etc., but I don't!) I am now afraid to surf the net incase I am going over my usage (which I knew nothing about). I have thought about cancelling my direct debit and then perhaps I would get to speak to someone important, the only prob would be they refusing to give me a MAC code and losing my phone line! Shades of disappearing up ones own --- come to mind!

tedsui

Forgot to ask what is llu kit? I am paying them for daytime calls, but my evening and weekend calls are free.

DatabaseError

do you pay line rental to BT still, if yes you are ok for the future, do not entertain any special offers to give the line rental to pipex/tiscali (or any other telco ideally)
kitz have instructions on retrieving the stats from your modem/router, follow the instructions and post the stats here, downstream connection speed, SNR and ATTenuation. You are not, as stated in another thread, paying for 8 meg, you are paying for 'up to' 8 meg, it is quite possible, even likely considering the previous connection was fixed 512kbs, that you are a long way from the exchange, and nothing much can make things better. ADSL Max (which you and I have) has more stability issues over long lines than the fixed speed product, if the stats which you post suggest a long line, getting interleaving turned on (if off) may help, or regrading to a fixed speed product, 512k, 1meg or 2 meg, depending on line conditions, whether tiscali/pipex would entertain the idea is another question.
They cannot refuse you a MAC, but they can insist that you pay the rest of the contract term

tedsui

Hi Tony,
Couldn't reply earlier, BB down!! Yes, my line rental is still with BT, thank heavens for small mercies. So I can contact Pipex, ask for a MAC code and pay what they ask for early termination of contract and leave? Is that your advice? Ok, who then would you advise I sign up with? I am about 6/7 miles from the exchange which is why I only get 512 KB service, but I think the BT connection has an intermittent fault which is why the system keeps dropping out! Thanks for your help. Also Pipex tell me how much they are taking each month from my DD before I can look at the bill, surely that cannot be right?

Plusnet_company_representative

Hi Ted,

I believe it comes under part of the direct debit guarantee, but they have to notify you of how much you are being charged before they actually take payment.

Good luck with getting your MAC Code and I hope the next step works out much better than what you've seen so far.

Inactive

tedsui wrote: »

Hi Tony,
Couldn't reply earlier, BB down!! Yes, my line rental is still with BT, thank heavens for small mercies. So I can contact Pipex, ask for a MAC code and pay what they ask for early termination of contract and leave? Is that your advice? Ok, who then would you advise I sign up with? I am about 6/7 miles from the exchange which is why I only get 512 KB service, but I think the BT connection has an intermittent fault which is why the system keeps dropping out! Thanks for your help. Also Pipex tell me how much they are taking each month from my DD before I can look at the bill, surely that cannot be right?

Choose an ISP with a one month contract, usually the smaller and better ISP's offer this service.

Go to ThinkBroadband and do a comparison of customer reviews on ISP's.

I am with IDNet, fantastic ISP, remember you get what you pay for.

Good luck.

tedsui

Thanks to James and Inactive.
I was actually weighing up Plusnet and Pipex at the same time. The surveys I read put Pipex above Plusnet which is why I went with them, wrong! Also I think Plusnet only offered 1 GB whereas Pipex is 2 (however) I am still being charged extra for "downloads" that I don't do! I am going to speak to customer services later, (after a stiff drink) and see what I can do. Thanks for the advice re the bill, I will challenge this also. It is frustrating to think that I might have to return to BT (and their multi-cultural call centre) but if needs must ----