Should I switch to Virgin broadband?

supersub_3

We get our broadband from Orange on a BT line and I'm fed up with how slow it is. I'm thinking of switching to Virgin for their fastest broadband + phone package, using their wireless router as we need to connect a pc and a laptop.
Anyone had any experience of this service? In theory, it should be a lot faster than down the phone line, but is it as fast as they say? I don't want to go through switching providers and changing email addresses (we've had freeserve addresses for nine years) etc only to find it is hardly better than what we have already...

Nilrem

Personally I am extremely happy with our Virgin cable (we've had it for about 8 years now, originally as NTL), and found it very reliable.

However, in some areas there are problems with the cable service, and by all accounts their ADSL service is pretty dire.

rdpro

In my area (Bristol) Virgin took over from NTL/Telewest, who had an awful reputation for service - the server would pack up on a friday night and wouldn't be fixed til the monday!
Since Virgin took over however, nothings changed.. Even friends around the country hate it, because it's so unreliable and renowned for poor latency (bad routing to web servers, online games, etc.)

ADSL2 (which I get thru O2/BE) is up to 24MB/s - my 16MB costs just under a tenner a month, because I have an O2 mobile phone. Excellent speeds if you use a Netgear router, and 100 days moneyback guarantee

Elliesmum

In my experience Virgin are very good in our area too (West Yorkshire) but again this is personal opinion!

We swapped from BT - took all our business away (phone, broadband and mobile) and gave it to Virgin, I haven't regretted the decision one bit! Saved money too!

HTH's

EM xx

Elliesmum

PS - posting to say we have wireless and run a laptop and PC!

spud17

12mths in and it's been totally reliable.
I've never lost connection, 99% of the time is over 2050Kib/s (2meg).
My only concern is them joining up with PHORM .

duchy

I know others have had issues but I'm very happy with the service and speed. I've been with them for years and found it very stable.
I currently work from home for their biggest competitor and could switch for a cheaper service but haven't bothered to do so as I'm that happy (eventually I'll probably have both but for now it isn't a priority)

tukki-tukki

don't go anywhere near virgin they are useless and there customer support team are thick

BexTech

rdpro wrote: »

In my area (Bristol) Virgin took over from NTL/Telewest, who had an awful reputation for service - the server would pack up on a friday night and wouldn't be fixed til the monday!
Since Virgin took over however, nothings changed.. Even friends around the country hate it, because it's so unreliable and renowned for poor latency (bad routing to web servers, online games, etc.)

ADSL2 (which I get thru O2/BE) is up to 24MB/s - my 16MB costs just under a tenner a month, because I have an O2 mobile phone. Excellent speeds if you use a Netgear router, and 100 days moneyback guarantee

Virgin didn't and haven't took over NTL : Telewest.

NTL and Telewest merged.

NTL : Telewest. then bought Virgin Mobile and Richard Branson became a 10.5% shareholder in Virgin Media an NTL : Telewest. company.

NTL : Telewest. now pay Virgin and annual sum to use the name Virgin Media.

LikeCapitol Music Group own Virgin Records and SMG plc own Virgin Radio.

So it's still NTL : Telewest., they just pay RB to use the Virgin name.

BexTech

tukki-tukki wrote: »

don't go anywhere near virgin they are useless and there customer support team are thick

They do have excellent support via their newsgroups. (Though currently only for cable customers).

xTelewest have always had this excellent support, a year or two back they were able to bring in support for the xNTL side, once the xTelewest guys (who run the support) had access to the xNTL system for diags and booking tech visits.

Just set your newsreader up for: text.news.virginmedia.com and look for the groups that begin virginmedia.

BexTech

At the moment I am happy with Virgin Media (xTelewest) though the STM can be a pain at times.

If you download too much (depends on your tier) then you get throttled for 5 hours, though they only check during the hours 16:00 - 21:00 outside these hours there is no checking and you can download full throttle.

See: http://abcde.co.uk/virginmedia/stm.html

However in Preston, Wigan, Blackpool, Camden, Dalston, Enfield and Haringey.

There is even harsher throttling, see: http://abcde.co.uk/virginmedia/stm-trial-statement.txt