Comments on: Best broadband service in the UK? http://www.nevillehobson.com/2006/09/27/best-broadband-service-in-the-uk/ Business, Communication, Technology Fri, 21 Nov 2008 05:06:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Surreal disconnect at NevilleHobson.com http://www.nevillehobson.com/2006/09/27/best-broadband-service-in-the-uk/#comment-20701 Surreal disconnect at NevilleHobson.com Wed, 24 Jan 2007 16:37:42 +0000 http://www.nevillehobson.com/2006/09/27/best-broadband-service-in-the-uk/#comment-20701 [...] As I write these words at just before 2pm, there is still no net. That’s about six hours from when I reported the fault to my broadband service provider, NTL. Whatever anyone says about NTL support (and many people say pretty bad things), my experience in the very few times I’ve had to call them has generally been pretty good. [...] [...] As I write these words at just before 2pm, there is still no net. That’s about six hours from when I reported the fault to my broadband service provider, NTL. Whatever anyone says about NTL support (and many people say pretty bad things), my experience in the very few times I’ve had to call them has generally been pretty good. [...]

]]> By: Dick Cheney http://www.nevillehobson.com/2006/09/27/best-broadband-service-in-the-uk/#comment-13534 Dick Cheney Tue, 14 Nov 2006 16:33:14 +0000 http://www.nevillehobson.com/2006/09/27/best-broadband-service-in-the-uk/#comment-13534 I've been on internet since the early days of demon and have been through many ISPs, as have my friends. With the cheaper ISPs like Tiscali, you can be lucky and get a good service but if you have problems, you are stuffed - the customer service is often appalling. The 3 to look at for good service are Zen, Pipex and Demon. They cost a bit more but are rock solid and the customer service is excellent. Demon, for example, is moving all customers to 8 Mb/s service currently and there is a 10 day period while the connections stabilise. Pipex have an unlimited 8 Mb/s service available now with fixed IP for 25 quid/month. Zen are good but capped now - I am lucky to have an existing uncapped account with them. BT tends to be a bit overpriced and the service not so good - I avoid them on principle. I’ve been on internet since the early days of demon and have been through many ISPs, as have my friends. With the cheaper ISPs like Tiscali, you can be lucky and get a good service but if you have problems, you are stuffed - the customer service is often appalling. The 3 to look at for good service are Zen, Pipex and Demon. They cost a bit more but are rock solid and the customer service is excellent. Demon, for example, is moving all customers to 8 Mb/s service currently and there is a 10 day period while the connections stabilise. Pipex have an unlimited 8 Mb/s service available now with fixed IP for 25 quid/month. Zen are good but capped now - I am lucky to have an existing uncapped account with them. BT tends to be a bit overpriced and the service not so good - I avoid them on principle.

]]> By: Wolfeymole http://www.nevillehobson.com/2006/09/27/best-broadband-service-in-the-uk/#comment-13414 Wolfeymole Mon, 13 Nov 2006 18:01:51 +0000 http://www.nevillehobson.com/2006/09/27/best-broadband-service-in-the-uk/#comment-13414 I am with Pipex on a 4mb 2gb package and during the day it is superb but at night, well it's hell on earth. Disconnections happen on average every 30 minutes and as we spaek I am waiting for a call from them regarding this outrageous service. Apparently they have been in discussion with BT as to who's at fault, them or BT but I said how is it BT as it's ok during the day. I can appreciate traffic and a drop in speed perhaps but not cut offs every half hour. DON'T GET PIPEX. I am with Pipex on a 4mb 2gb package and during the day it is superb but at night, well it’s hell on earth.
Disconnections happen on average every 30 minutes and as we spaek I am waiting for a call from them regarding this outrageous service.
Apparently they have been in discussion with BT as to who’s at fault, them or BT but I said how is it BT as it’s ok during the day.
I can appreciate traffic and a drop in speed perhaps but not cut offs every half hour.
DON’T GET PIPEX.

]]> By: MHarrison http://www.nevillehobson.com/2006/09/27/best-broadband-service-in-the-uk/#comment-10402 MHarrison Tue, 24 Oct 2006 12:17:27 +0000 http://www.nevillehobson.com/2006/09/27/best-broadband-service-in-the-uk/#comment-10402 Don't use Tiscali under any circumstances. Tech support is awful. They throttled my bandwidth without telling me. After about 6 hours over 4 weeks where I was told 'its a problem with BT line' I finally managed to speak to an idiot who suggested the FUP. I am certain I hadn't exceeded it and I definitely did not receive the 3 warning e-mails their terms and conditions say you will get. They revoked the throttling on this basis and I did not use my broadband connection between 6-11pm ( the peak hours ). 5 days later I get 3 FUP e-mails in quick succession and now I have worse than dial up between 6-11pm despite not exceeding their policy. Calling tech support is worse than smashing your head against the wall and hitting it with a hammer at the same time. Avoid them like the plague !! Don’t use Tiscali under any circumstances.
Tech support is awful.
They throttled my bandwidth without telling me. After about 6 hours over 4 weeks where I was told ‘its a problem with BT line’ I finally managed to speak to an idiot who suggested the FUP. I am certain I hadn’t exceeded it and I definitely did not receive the 3 warning e-mails their terms and conditions say you will get. They revoked the throttling on this basis and I did not use my broadband connection between 6-11pm ( the peak hours ).
5 days later I get 3 FUP e-mails in quick succession and now I have worse than dial up between 6-11pm despite not exceeding their policy.
Calling tech support is worse than smashing your head against the wall and hitting it with a hammer at the same time.

Avoid them like the plague !!

]]> By: Hurrah! Broadband up! at NevilleHobson.com http://www.nevillehobson.com/2006/09/27/best-broadband-service-in-the-uk/#comment-9342 Hurrah! Broadband up! at NevilleHobson.com Fri, 13 Oct 2006 10:08:26 +0000 http://www.nevillehobson.com/2006/09/27/best-broadband-service-in-the-uk/#comment-9342 [...] So I became introduced to NTL’s (in)famous customer service and support system which involved a total of 35 minutes waiting (at 10p a minute call cost) and then speaking to three different support technicians. [...] [...] So I became introduced to NTL’s (in)famous customer service and support system which involved a total of 35 minutes waiting (at 10p a minute call cost) and then speaking to three different support technicians. [...]

]]> By: Manoj Solanki http://www.nevillehobson.com/2006/09/27/best-broadband-service-in-the-uk/#comment-9240 Manoj Solanki Tue, 10 Oct 2006 09:33:19 +0000 http://www.nevillehobson.com/2006/09/27/best-broadband-service-in-the-uk/#comment-9240 Neville, What you will find is probably some criticism about all the major service providers. I think a unanimous opinion would be lucky. You haven't specified what you will use your broadband for exactly? If you plan to use it for anything like peer to peer or high data transfer applications, you should be aware that many, if not most of the major providers use traffic management on their networks. Often when too much bandwidth is being used, the transfer rate is slowed down, or stopped. It depends on the provider. To be fair, many of them (like Plusnet) do explain that they use traffic management (google for more info) on their network. Just something to be aware of if it applies to you. If you do not plan to do much heavy downloading, then a package with a 2Gb limit would suffice (even if downloading a few songs). Good luck. Neville,

What you will find is probably some criticism about all the major service providers. I think a unanimous opinion would be lucky.

You haven’t specified what you will use your broadband for exactly? If you plan to use it for anything like peer to peer or high data transfer applications, you should be aware that many, if not most of the major providers use traffic management on their networks.

Often when too much bandwidth is being used, the transfer rate is slowed down, or stopped. It depends on the provider. To be fair, many of them (like Plusnet) do explain that they use traffic management (google for more info) on their network. Just something to be aware of if it applies to you. If you do not plan to do much heavy downloading, then a package with a 2Gb limit would suffice (even if downloading a few songs).

Good luck.

]]> By: Stress is good, kind of at NevilleHobson.com http://www.nevillehobson.com/2006/09/27/best-broadband-service-in-the-uk/#comment-8926 Stress is good, kind of at NevilleHobson.com Mon, 09 Oct 2006 08:01:19 +0000 http://www.nevillehobson.com/2006/09/27/best-broadband-service-in-the-uk/#comment-8926 [...] Best broadband service in the UK? [...] [...] Best broadband service in the UK? [...]

]]> By: Eric Eggertson http://www.nevillehobson.com/2006/09/27/best-broadband-service-in-the-uk/#comment-8835 Eric Eggertson Sun, 08 Oct 2006 16:26:26 +0000 http://www.nevillehobson.com/2006/09/27/best-broadband-service-in-the-uk/#comment-8835 Congrats on the move, Neville. I hope you and Laura get settled in quickly! Congrats on the move, Neville. I hope you and Laura get settled in quickly!

]]> By: Anna Farmery http://www.nevillehobson.com/2006/09/27/best-broadband-service-in-the-uk/#comment-8727 Anna Farmery Thu, 05 Oct 2006 17:40:44 +0000 http://www.nevillehobson.com/2006/09/27/best-broadband-service-in-the-uk/#comment-8727 As a NTL customer I would absolutely say avoid them - the customer service is dreadful, which begs that question of why I don't change - the hassle. One thing I would say is Virgin who are now a partner of NTL - Fantastic customer service, they normally sort out my NTL issues for me! But always check that Virgin provides the broadband engineering support I think they outsource it, a lot of the smaller companies do? Anyway, welcome home...good to have talent coming back to the UK. As a NTL customer I would absolutely say avoid them - the customer service is dreadful, which begs that question of why I don’t change - the hassle. One thing I would say is Virgin who are now a partner of NTL - Fantastic customer service, they normally sort out my NTL issues for me!
But always check that Virgin provides the broadband engineering support I think they outsource it, a lot of the smaller companies do?
Anyway, welcome home…good to have talent coming back to the UK.

]]> By: neville http://www.nevillehobson.com/2006/09/27/best-broadband-service-in-the-uk/#comment-8525 neville Fri, 29 Sep 2006 14:58:53 +0000 http://www.nevillehobson.com/2006/09/27/best-broadband-service-in-the-uk/#comment-8525 James, I haven't talked much about why the move back to the UK, only in general terms here a couple of times and in my podcast. New thinking, new ideas, new ventures. More soon. I've not had a chance yet to email everyone in Amsterdam re my move. Now in the final stages of completing the packing - the movers came yesterday and everything's gone - so I'm a bit on/offline from my hotel. Hope to get a chance to email everyone before Monday, otherwise it will be when I'm in the UK next week. Re the plugin, it's <a href="http://txfx.net/code/wordpress/subscribe-to-comments/" rel="nofollow">Subscribe to comments</a>. James, I haven’t talked much about why the move back to the UK, only in general terms here a couple of times and in my podcast.

New thinking, new ideas, new ventures. More soon.

I’ve not had a chance yet to email everyone in Amsterdam re my move. Now in the final stages of completing the packing - the movers came yesterday and everything’s gone - so I’m a bit on/offline from my hotel.

Hope to get a chance to email everyone before Monday, otherwise it will be when I’m in the UK next week.

Re the plugin, it’s Subscribe to comments.

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