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Ozzy38
Ozzy38
Join Date 05/2007
+6

UK users: Which ISP should I use?

April 9, 2011 8:48:24 AM from Sins of a Solar Empire ForumsSins of a Solar Empire Forums

Topic ended I think.

I asked Sky and their Random Indian and got some pricing info. Before I got to contacting BE, I found a couple of speed tests/comparisons.

After doing that, it appears BT absolutely rapes every other company's speed. I mean fingers in the nostrils, arm across the throat rapes these guys. EXCLUDING their fibre optic speeds.

Such is the state of broadband in the UK, that it appears I will renew my contract with a company of Indian call centres that completely ignores customers who wish to renew and has British staff that spell worse than the Indians.

Such is its state, that I may actually spend a bit more on a longer contract with them than I have done (for fibre optic).

Sigh.

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Ozzy38
Stackoverflow13
Join Date 07/2005
+3
Reply #1 April 9, 2011 9:57:02 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

I'd say sky  (as long as your close enough to the exchange, I get 4.5 Mb/s) since they are the only real unlimited ISP left in the UK. Virgin are good, as long as you don't download more the 3gb in a day, after which they use throttling which drops it down to about 2.5 Mb/s regardless of what package your on. .  I've been with both Sky is the best if IMHO.

I tried most of them, since I run an IT consultancy, and for home use you can't really go wrong. But don't get the phone package. I use a post office phone line for the rental only, as I use IP telephone for calls.  Works out about £17 /pm total.

hope that helps.

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Ozzy38
Pupetier
Join Date 10/2009
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Reply #2 April 9, 2011 11:53:00 AM
from Sins of a Solar Empire ForumsSins of a Solar Empire Forums

I have Virgin and they are awesome. I'm with them for 2.5 years now. 

After I upgraded to 50MB service and while i had some problems and had to call 3 times to customer service first day after install they knocked off 10£ for problems I had.

Even though more than cancellation period passed (some people that shared internet with me moved out) they brought me back down to 30MB without extra charges although they could force me to pay for 50MB internet for a whole year.  

I cannot say same for a certain LA Fitness gym i'm member of. They are terrible.....

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Ozzy38
BoXXi
Join Date 03/2001
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Reply #3 April 9, 2011 1:28:28 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

I'd go with Virgin.........

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Ozzy38
Ozzy38
Join Date 05/2007
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Reply #4 April 22, 2011 8:03:15 PM
from Sins of a Solar Empire ForumsSins of a Solar Empire Forums

Sky has a good majority everywhere I ask, with BeThere getting several mentions.

Virgin is no longer an option. The throttling is bad enough, but their links to Phorm is a good reason too.

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Ozzy38
BoXXi
Join Date 03/2001
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Reply #5 April 23, 2011 5:30:36 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Virgin NEVER throttled my connection. BT do it on a regular basis. It's VERY annoying!

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Ozzy38
Mebion
Join Date 12/2003
0
Reply #6 April 23, 2011 7:01:04 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

I would put in a good word for Zen.  Unlike BT, they tell you what is happening and, I don't know why, but since moving from BT my speed has doubled.  I moved from BT because when my speed dropped below dial-up the assumption was that the "fault" was at my end.  It turned out to be faulty equipment at the exchange but unless you complain they leave it.

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Ozzy38
Pupetier
Join Date 10/2009
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Reply #7 April 23, 2011 8:23:29 AM
from Sins of a Solar Empire ForumsSins of a Solar Empire Forums

Yes Virgin throtles but on my dl never becomes less tha 3MB ps. And so far i have never had problems with Phorm.

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Ozzy38
the_Monk
Join Date 01/2008
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Reply #8 April 23, 2011 11:55:47 PM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

 

I'm not from the UK (Canada here) but I remember helping some people getting set up to host for MP gaming a while ago who were in the UK and it turned out that SKY was doing some pretty restrictive "NAT filtering" at the ISP end without even telling the client.  I only found out because I actually called SKY on behalf of these people and when talking to their CS they finally admitted what they were doing.  Once the filtering was turned OFF the people were able to host fine with the appropriate ports for the game forwarded.

Just something to consider if thinking about going with SKY.

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Ozzy38
Ozzy38
Join Date 05/2007
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Reply #9 April 28, 2011 7:13:24 AM
from Sins of a Solar Empire ForumsSins of a Solar Empire Forums

Quoting the_Monk,
reply 8
 

I'm not from the UK (Canada here) but I remember helping some people getting set up to host for MP gaming a while ago who were in the UK and it turned out that SKY was doing some pretty restrictive "NAT filtering" at the ISP end without even telling the client.  I only found out because I actually called SKY on behalf of these people and when talking to their CS they finally admitted what they were doing.  Once the filtering was turned OFF the people were able to host fine with the appropriate ports for the game forwarded.

Just something to consider if thinking about going with SKY.

Ah FFS.

Maybe I'll just stay with BT uncontracted and save the risk.

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Ozzy38
davyandjane
Join Date 09/2004
+18
Reply #10 April 28, 2011 9:10:41 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Go virgin,you get what you pay for.I pay for 10mb and get 9.70 and pretty reliable.

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Ozzy38
alaknebs
Join Date 08/2010
+12
Reply #11 May 10, 2011 2:24:26 AM
from Elemental ForumsElemental Forums

tried looking at sites like

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/

 

?

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Ozzy38
Ozzy38
Join Date 05/2007
+6
Reply #12 May 21, 2011 9:50:23 PM
from Sins of a Solar Empire ForumsSins of a Solar Empire Forums

Quoting alaknebs,
reply 11
tried looking at sites like

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/

 

?

Just checked that site out. According to the ISP search, if I moved to the cheapest option all I'd be doing is moving to a company of the same rating for a higher price.

Still gonna wait and see what happens when my bill comes in June. While principle says I should leave them, I'm not stupid enough to hurt myself just so I can pretend I beat The Man, especially when I already have them at their lowest price and may even be uncontracted so can leave at any time.

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Ozzy38
Ozzy38
Join Date 05/2007
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Reply #13 June 3, 2011 2:40:28 PM
from Sins of a Solar Empire ForumsSins of a Solar Empire Forums

Well the bill came today, and they've applied my discount only until the end of my contract (a week's time), where they expect me to pay full price for the rest of the time.

I've sent them a message pointing out all the embarrassing failures and lack of contact on their part, ending with "by your hand, all I require now is my MAC code or a discount of massive proportions".

If I'm moving ISP then, I will only pay until 9th June (end of my contract), and then they can cut my service until I join Sky.

(Plus, I gave an obviously fake alternate contact number, so the Indians will have to email me rather than make no sense and answer unasked questions on the phone)

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Ozzy38
Ozzy38
Join Date 05/2007
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Reply #14 June 6, 2011 12:21:49 PM
from Sins of a Solar Empire ForumsSins of a Solar Empire Forums

I asked Sky and their Random Indian and got some pricing info. Before I got to contacting BE, I found a couple of speed tests/comparisons.

After doing that, it appears BT absolutely rapes every other company's speed. I mean fingers in the nostrils, arm across the throat rapes these guys. EXCLUDING their fibre optic speeds.

Such is the state of broadband in the UK, that it appears I will renew my contract with a company of Indian call centres that completely ignores customers who wish to renew and has British staff that spell worse than the Indians.

Such is its state, that I may actually spend a bit more on a longer contract with them than I have done (for fibre optic).

Sigh.

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