Thinking of Going From Dial-up > Broadband - What's The Procedure????

Ripperoo

Thanks for that Blinky, some good info there.

Still none the wiser regarding time scale of setting up a BB connection and subsequent disconnection of existing dialup connection.

Basically:

1. I need to apply to new ISP (Plusnet).
2. I then need to wait for a onnection date.
3. Then inform existing ISP I want cancel my account (then serve notice period).


A few questions:

a) How long does it take for an ISP to set/actvate a new account?

b) Anyone know if there is a notice period with NTL for those that wanna cancel their account?

c) Any way to minimise any crossover point where I'd be paying for both services while any notice runs it's course?

Sorry for sounding a bit numb, but its years since I needed to worry about changing providers.
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Regards
Ripperoo

blinky

With Plusnet it depends how you want to pay.

If you pay direct debit they won't give the order to BTWholesale until the direct debit is set up. It's quicker if you pay either the first month by Debit / Credit Card or pay for it all on a card.

From what I remember it normally takes around 2 weeks to get activated. The first step is for BT to do an initial check that you line is suitable and take some readings. You'll get a confirmation at this stage of your activation date. However, it's not uncommon for the line to be activated before this date as BT often do the exchange work earlier. I don't know if Plusnet allow you to login before your activation date. Sometimes it can take longer in certain circumstances (e.g. if you have a DACS line but if your dial-up speeds are decent then you won't have a DACS line).

Note: your actual line speed depends on a number of factors including line length, noise on line. That's why it's advertised as up to 2Mb as not all lines are 2Mb capable (you could have 1Mb or 512Kb).

Plusnet say it normally takes 5 days but I would still say closer to a fortnight.

http://portal.plus.net/support/faq/contact_sales_faq.shtml#6 (the whole sales faq page if worth reading)

You would need to check the T&C's for your NTL account but I would guess it will be a 30 day notice period. I would try and allow a few days overlap of the services.

I've looked at the NTL site but the Terms and Conditions there are for all services and seem to generally aimed at the cable TV.

From the virgin site, which NTL now brand their £9.99 dial up package as, states the following:

1. If you wish to cancel your account ("Account Cancellation"), you must notify the Virgin.net cancellation team by telephone (the "Notification"). The telephone number for cancellations can be found at https://client.virgin.net/cancellation/number. To access the number you will need to log in using your Virgin.net email address and password.
2. You acknowledge that cancellation of your account shall only be valid if notified to Virgin.net in accordance with the above provisions. Except for cancellations made under clause G.1 above, any and all cancellations of accounts shall be effective on the Effective Cancellation Date. The "Effective Cancellation Date" shall be your next month's billing date following Notification. The Service will be available for your use from the Notification to the Effective Cancellation Date and no refunds will be given for the period between your Notification and the Effective Cancellation Date.
3. Effect of Account Cancellation
   
   You shall be responsible for all Charges relating to your account up until the Effective Cancellation Date.
4. On Account Cancellation, any email and webspace (Freespace) data, all email addresses (both primary and secondary email addresses) and any other features provided as part of the Service will be deleted and we regret that we will be unable to retrieve this data. We will not be able to reassign the same email address to you at a later date if you decide to re-register.

I would still check with NTL first.

The starter kit will come with a USB ADSL modem, software for the modem and two microfilters. Microfilters are required to filter out the ADSL signal from your telephone signal as there is some overlap. Therefore you need a microfilter for each socket which a phone is plugged into.

salthepal

Thanks Blinky for all that info. Most useful to me too. Incidentally I have found a freephone Ntlfreedom no. - customer services and account queries 0800 0522000 or another one is 0808 2000000 - doen't specify where that one goes.

salthepal

I've just looked on ebay for microfilters as I shall need to buy 2 more. How come they vary so much in price? Are some better than others?

gizmoleeds

salthepal wrote:

I've just looked on ebay for microfilters as I shall need to buy 2 more. How come they vary so much in price? Are some better than others?

Yes, but I can't say which are good and which are bad. We had to send at least 3 back to BT when we first got broadband as the phone wouldn't work. I suggest you buy them off Amazon or Dabs.com as you can read the comments of previous purchasers regarding how good they are (they're both good websites anyway).

Ripperoo

Well I've signed up with Plusnet!

Rang NTL CS and was told the disconnections dept were not available till Monday.

The guy I spoke to said he'd make a note that I wanted disconnected today tho', so hopefully I won't end up wasting those couple of days.

I get the impression I should've done it the other way around tho', to minimise the overlap.

Never mind. That's what I get doing thinngs while still half asleep.

Thanks for all the advice people.
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Regards
Ripperoo

blinky

I've always thought it's worth paying the extra for decent filters. Cheap filters can sometimes cause problems.

http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/Shop/ShopSearch.asp?CategoryID=24&ShopGroupID=40

http://www.adsl-filters.co.uk/

Ripperoo

blinky wrote:

Cheap filters can sometimes cause problems.

What about the filters that come with 'Speedtouch 330' ADSL modems?

Are considered good or bad?
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Regards
Ripperoo

blinky

Probably ok.