(OT) Evaluating Broadband

Living in the U.K. (probably just as confusing elsewhere?), I would like to
get the best deal I can in migrating to a broadband connection from 56k
dialup.

As with many other things, there are so many potential providers, all trying
to attract your custom with half truths, ambiguous language, introductory
time limited offers, cashback schemes, capping half hidden in the (very)
small print etc, etc. I would like to stick with my current BT line, I don't
want to involve myself in changing the line or taking additional services as
part of a package.

Question.
Has anyone in the group an opinion regarding the better providers, so that I
can cut through the crap to the chase? I realise this is OT but thought it
possible someone might be able to point me in the right direction, perhaps
off-group. Many thanks.

Nunya Bizniss wrote:
> Living in the U.K.

<stuff deleted>

> Question.
> Has anyone in the group an opinion regarding the better providers,

I don't know if the reviews would be too useful (US-centric) but
dslreports.com is a broadband site w/a lot of tools for determining
throughput, etc.

At the very least you might find a good reference to a similar service
across the ponds.

regards,
Sparky

Nunya Bizniss wrote:
> Living in the U.K.

www.zen.co.uk
Consistently high in all aspects at http://www.adslguide.org.uk/
Not the cheapest, but you get what you pay for.

P.

Since I don't live in the UK, all I can offer are the criteria I have
developed for evaluating broadband providers here in Australia.

1. Do a google search for the provider name and the word "complaint".

2. Check consumer advice websites for any mention of problems with the ISP.

3. Visit a couple of local chat rooms somewhere like Yahoo to solicit user
comments.

4. Look for newsgroups related to the provider and have a read.

5. Calculate your usual (dialup) monthly usage and double it to get a rough
idea of how much usage you will probably use through broadband. Compare that
with the different plans offered by each provider.

6. Look for details of what happens when you exceed the usage limits. I have
seen everything from $1 per Mb to connections being restricted or "shaped"
to 22.8 kbit to access simply being blocked until the start of the next
billing period.

7. Look for fine print used to define "usage". is newsgroup access counted?
Sending Emails? Receiving Emails? Are there websites that aren't counted?
How useful to you are those websites?

8. What restrictions are in place on technical support? What charges?

Rating each of these as a score out of 12 gives a total rating out of 96 -
near enough to a percentage for my purposes. So the total rankings you
generate prioritise the different providers and their plans and let you pick
the ones most suitable to your expected usage. My brother takes this a step
further, dividing the score by the monthly cost so that he can choose which
gives him the best value for his buck - I prefer to pick the best three or
four options and analyse them seperately.

Mike Bourke

"Nunya Bizniss" <nunya@bizniss.com> wrote in message
news:dhvt30$vk7$1@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk...
> Living in the U.K. (probably just as confusing elsewhere?), I would like
to
> get the best deal I can in migrating to a broadband connection from 56k
> dialup.
>
> As with many other things, there are so many potential providers, all
trying
> to attract your custom with half truths, ambiguous language, introductory
> time limited offers, cashback schemes, capping half hidden in the (very)
> small print etc, etc. I would like to stick with my current BT line, I
don't
> want to involve myself in changing the line or taking additional services
as
> part of a package.
>
> Question.
> Has anyone in the group an opinion regarding the better providers, so that
I
> can cut through the crap to the chase? I realise this is OT but thought it
> possible someone might be able to point me in the right direction, perhaps
> off-group. Many thanks.
>
>

"Nunya Bizniss" <nunya@bizniss.com> wrote in message
news:dhvt30$vk7$1@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk...
> Question.
> Has anyone in the group an opinion regarding the better providers, so that
I
> can cut through the crap to the chase? I realise this is OT but thought it
> possible someone might be able to point me in the right direction, perhaps
> off-group. Many thanks.

PlusNet.... without a doubt.

www.plus.net

--
Regards

Steven Burn
Ur I.T. Mate Group
www.it-mate.co.uk

Keeping it FREE!

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Nunya Bizniss wrote:
> Living in the U.K. (probably just as confusing elsewhere?), I would like to
> get the best deal I can in migrating to a broadband connection from 56k
> dialup.
>
> As with many other things, there are so many potential providers, all trying
> to attract your custom with half truths, ambiguous language, introductory
> time limited offers, cashback schemes, capping half hidden in the (very)
> small print etc, etc. I would like to stick with my current BT line, I don't
> want to involve myself in changing the line or taking additional services as
> part of a package.
>
> Question.
> Has anyone in the group an opinion regarding the better providers, so that I
> can cut through the crap to the chase? I realise this is OT but thought it
> possible someone might be able to point me in the right direction, perhaps
> off-group. Many thanks.

Andrews and Arnold
http://www.aaisp.net.uk/

Professional and friendly ISP with high standards be it reliability, speed,
customer service or R&D. I would not trust another ISP for all of my
customer's ADSL services.

No "three months free", "free connection" or "win a holiday". They also
have a quote "no bullshit support policy". They have always answered their
phones quicker than I do and are always friendly, knowledgable and
understanding.

The golden rule for broadband suppliers in the UK: You get what you pay for.

- --
Adam Piggott, Proprietor, Proactive Services (Computing).
http://www.proactiveservices.co.uk/

Please replace dot invalid with dot uk to email me.
Apply personally for PGP public key.
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.2 (MingW32)

iD8DBQFDQ56d7uRVdtPsXDkRAgVXAKCFU6JFORbZtRV3wbZlGZ75DvRDBQCgnoWE
l6irrBocWx9hgnPxFPjtXbs=
=5IsF
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

On Wed, 5 Oct 2005 07:50:55 +0100, "Nunya Bizniss" <nunya@bizniss.com>
wrote:

>Living in the U.K. (probably just as confusing elsewhere?), I would like to
>get the best deal I can in migrating to a broadband connection from 56k
>dialup.
>
>As with many other things, there are so many potential providers, all trying
>to attract your custom with half truths, ambiguous language, introductory
>time limited offers, cashback schemes, capping half hidden in the (very)
>small print etc, etc. I would like to stick with my current BT line, I don't
>want to involve myself in changing the line or taking additional services as
>part of a package.
>
>Question.
>Has anyone in the group an opinion regarding the better providers, so that I
>can cut through the crap to the chase? I realise this is OT but thought it
>possible someone might be able to point me in the right direction, perhaps
>off-group. Many thanks.
>

One word ZEN. Not the cheapest but certainly amongst the best.

--
Regards
David: NorthWest, England

"Nunya Bizniss" <nunya@bizniss.com> wrote in message news:dhvt30$vk7$1@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk...

> Question.
> Has anyone in the group an opinion regarding the better providers, so that I
> can cut through the crap to the chase? I realise this is OT but thought it
> possible someone might be able to point me in the right direction, perhaps
> off-group. Many thanks.
>

Check out the forums (especially the complaints forums) and reviews at the following sites:
www.ispreview.co.uk

www.adslguide.org.uk

Avoid V21 and the many virtual ISPs they run (look for any mention of ISPserve.co.uk
or 59 London Road, Blackwater, Camberley, Surrrey in the T&C's), reason -
£30 fee for Migration codes (MAC) and that's just for starters.

In fact it is probably best to avoid visps period.


Regards,

Mel.

Nunya Bizniss wrote:
> Living in the U.K. (probably just as confusing elsewhere?), I would like to
> get the best deal I can in migrating to a broadband connection from 56k
> dialup.
>
> As with many other things, there are so many potential providers, all trying
> to attract your custom with half truths, ambiguous language, introductory
> time limited offers, cashback schemes, capping half hidden in the (very)
> small print etc, etc. I would like to stick with my current BT line, I don't
> want to involve myself in changing the line or taking additional services as
> part of a package.
>
> Question.
> Has anyone in the group an opinion regarding the better providers, so that I
> can cut through the crap to the chase? I realise this is OT but thought it
> possible someone might be able to point me in the right direction, perhaps
> off-group. Many thanks.
>
>

ISP quality is not only about bandwidth, price, technology. It(s also
about service quality. Your line is off service - how many days (?) does
it get to have it restored ?
Here in France, the best source about service quality is the Regulator,
which is OFTEL in Britain. It regularly publishes the number of
complaints, a survey of the quality of the help online , etc.

Another source: consumer associations and their tests.

Regards,
Frank

In article <dhvt30$vk7$1@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk>, Nunya Bizniss says...
> Living in the U.K. (probably just as confusing elsewhere?), I would like to
> get the best deal I can in migrating to a broadband connection from 56k
> dialup.
>
> As with many other things, there are so many potential providers, all trying
> to attract your custom with half truths, ambiguous language, introductory
> time limited offers, cashback schemes, capping half hidden in the (very)
> small print etc, etc. I would like to stick with my current BT line, I don't
> want to involve myself in changing the line or taking additional services as
> part of a package.
>
www.adslguide.org.uk


--
Conor

"You're not married, you haven't got a girlfriend and you've never seen
Star Trek? Good Lord!" - Patrick Stewart, Extras.