Which broadband companies are any good?

[ScabHunter]

Re: Which broadband companies are any good?

I've only just seen this thread, because it was started while I was having a bit of a break from the site due to the pressures of work and having to work 16 hours every day to meet deadlines.

The best broadband provider in the UK is Infinity Developments Network, although the standard isn't quite as high as it was in 2006-7 when they had a lot fewer customers and could provide the type of service which is unheard of from the big names. If you sent them an email in those days, you got a reply within five minutes from a technician, not somebody in an Indian call centre. I only ever had one problem with the service, and that was when I first signed up. It literally took less than ten minutes from sending the email to having the problem completely resolved by one of their senior engineers.

The only problem in those days was that IDNet didn't do telephone services, so you had to rent the telephone line from somewhere else. That is no longer the case, and you can get everything in one package. IDNet also offer one month contracts – none of this 12 or 18 month “we'll make you pay us even if we are so terrible you never have a service and your business goes bust because of it” crap. They are prepared to let people leave because nobody ever does. I pay a year in advance to get the discount, but you certainly don't have to.

I've no idea how it compares in price to the big companies because I haven't bothered to look – I'm not going to risk losing four figure work contracts just to save £12 a year in broadband fees. If the service goes down, I don't want to get incoherent replies from service centres in the Third World where English in a luxury. Never skimp on broadband or hosting, because they are your lifeblood.

Everybody has got their own experience of large companies, and their experience is not always the same. All I know is that when my father died in 2007, British TeleCON signed me up as a customer without my knowledge or consent, using my name and my late father's account number, and started sending me bills. I took it through every stage of the complaints procedure, and at every stage I was ignored completely. I never received any reply whatsoever from any level right up to the top, not even an acknowledgment that the complaint had been received.

I took the case to the Ombudsman, expecting them to be as useless as the Fobbing Off Service, but they actually dealt with the complaint properly and awarded me fair compensation. I can only speak from my own experience, but British TeleCON is the one company in Great Britain I wouldn't touch with a thousand foot barge pole.

I've had IDNet broadband for over six years with scarcely a problem. It took ten minutes to get the initial set up resolved, and then there was a slight problem when the service was upgraded to ADSL2. This wasn't IDNet's fault, it was just that my router was not compatible and had to be upgraded. Apart from that, the amount of downtime has been infinitesimally small, just an hour or so in the wee small hours when they are probably doing routine maintenance.

The other broadband connection I've got is a Vodafone dongle which connects through the cell phone network. As far as I know, Vodafone is the only service which doesn't charge a monthly fee, so I don't pay anything unless I actually use it. It is slow and extremely limited, but it lets me carry on the business when I'm not at home.

SH

[cymruambyth]

Re: Which broadband companies are any good?

Well, hopefully a final update!
I decided to stick with BT and go through a cash back site to try and recoup some of the money I was going to have to pay. They gave me a date in August for an engineer to visit even though there are 2 working BT lines! I phoned BT India to try and change the day.....that was fun. The assistant wasn't very clear and didn't know what she was doing and had to get help all the time.
I asked t speak to someone in England and got put through to a very helpful trainee in Truro. He explained that it was his fist day and that he would need help from his supervisor. After much discussion they came up with the suggestion that the phone line is transferred into my name. The bill can be paid from the executors estate however I wouldn't incur any cancellation charges AND the bonus is that although I will be paying for a higher spec package, it doesn't have long to go so I won't have high cancellation costs
I started off cursing a company that is supposed to specialise in communications and ended up with someone who actually wanted to help and with who with assistance thought though the problem.

[mgfboy]

Re: Which broadband companies are any good?

I'm with sky and they do seem to do some good packages and they often have cash back deals though quidco etc.

[Handyman]

Re: Which broadband companies are any good?

I used to have talk talk, and provided you have no issues (as happened with me) they are fantastic. However, if you have problems, they can be, and are, abhorrent.

Personally, I would recommend Sky (maybe get a package deal of some kind?)

Ditto all of the above Oscar, when it works they are fine. If you have a problem it's a nightmare getting something done. I have now moved to BT but it's proving to be more expensive as they sneak little extras in. I have land line with them as well and already I have issues with directory and premium rate calls we didn't make.

Regards, handy

[vossy]

Re: Which broadband companies are any good?

I only went with o2, as they were charging half price line installation £43 rather than BT charging £250 or so 1/2 price line & broadband unlimited (Traffic watch).......as i didn't have a Line in the home at the time (plus o2 was giving £30 cheque (which they sent me 2 £30 cheques instead , 12 month contract rather than 24 month plus after the 12 months, i get the next 12 months at the same price as this current 12 month contract 1/2 price again (i've checked all in the small print as well )

I currently pay £9.50 for unlimited BB because I have a contract mobile, line is still with BT though, I know BT do traffic shaping as do o2, mine is not shaped at all as I am on the old legacy contract and are no longer available, I keep getting asked if I would like a new plan but that would mean another three quid a month and traffic shaping - no thank you!

[5corpio]

Re: Which broadband companies are any good?

I am on o2 and have been since they started their BB, looking to switch now though and we have Sky so I may tell Sky I can't afford it and see if they will offer me free or half price stuff plus BB. Lots of deals about at the minute it is just picking the wheat from the chaff.

I only went with o2, as they were charging half price line installation £43 rather than BT charging £250 or so 1/2 price line & broadband unlimited (Traffic watch).......as i didn't have a Line in the home at the time (plus o2 was giving £30 cheque (which they sent me 2 £30 cheques instead , 12 month contract rather than 24 month plus after the 12 months, i get the next 12 months at the same price as this current 12 month contract 1/2 price again (i've checked all in the small print as well )

[philnicandamy]

Re: Which broadband companies are any good?

we've been with virgin a fair while now...while it advertises "unlimited" its not strictly true they do whats called "traffic shaping" we have a 10mb cable connection (due to be doubled soon for free) so if I go over whats allowed download wise our connection is cut in half for a few hours then back to 10mb later..

[vossy]

Re: Which broadband companies are any good?

I am on o2 and have been since they started their BB, looking to switch now though and we have Sky so I may tell Sky I can't afford it and see if they will offer me free or half price stuff plus BB. Lots of deals about at the minute it is just picking the wheat from the chaff.

[5corpio]

Re: Which broadband companies are any good?

if you have Sky and watch a lot, why not combine it all (Phone, phone line, Broadband, and Sky)

We use o2, and for o2 customers the phone line, unlimited broadband £15.00 p/mth (Phone calls extra £1.50 unlimited evening and weekends - but we use minutes on mobiles instead) - don't use Sky anymore - cancelled it for the sky dish so we can watch Freesat over a year ago

i would compare package prices like the Sky one.

Latest news Release today from Ofcom:

Ofcom sets caps on BT internet line prices

Telecoms regulator Ofcom may force BT to cut the price it charges firms to provide internet access outside London. In an effort to curb the cost of leasing capacity on BT's networks, the regulator outlined proposed price caps. It said these would lead to "real-terms price reductions" for internet service providers and other firms. As a result, companies such as O2, Vodafone or Plusnet would then be able to pass those savings on to their customers.....Read more here: BBC News - Ofcom sets caps on BT internet line prices

[The Tech Clerk]

Re: Which broadband companies are any good?

NONE

Although we are with BT no superfast in this area.

[Numpty Monkey]

Re: Which broadband companies are any good?

Have had a look on Sam Knows
SamKnows - Broadband Availability Checker
you can ckeck whats available and estimated speed

[MrsD]

Re: Which broadband companies are any good?

we've just been "upgraded" but from prehistoric to victorian so no infinity here, we can get sky but how do you tell the difference between packages? ie what's cheap??

[MrsD]

Re: Which broadband companies are any good?

not plusnet they have been woeful, cheap (not really) no foreign call centres (but a right collection of the most supercilious halfwits outside of a DCAs office on the planet)
I nearly had a stroke dealing with the last eejit, "swop the box that you're connected to the box we sent you two years ago in the main box" WTF!!!

Our exchange has just been upgraded and although not to superdooperness, we can't get cable so no Virgin, I've looked and I thought BT looked the best deal on Topcashback, I just want a decent speed we run at half a meg most of the time which is a bloody nightmare
does BT have foreign call centres?

[cymruambyth]

Re: Which broadband companies are any good?

Thanks for the replies; trouble with BT is that they are 18 month contracts. We will have limited occupancy and want to pay the least amount of compensation for cancellation.
As for Sky the area is one of those expensive BT areas where you can't have lots of the good deals.

[Riz]

Re: Which broadband companies are any good?

Can't say for others, but Sky is usually good, and the "unlimited" package really is unlimited.