ISPs - know any good ones?
Discussion
Having grief with ISPs, and have done for a while. Can anyone recommend a good one?
Basically I want -
- Unmetered access;
- To get a line quickly whenever I want it (I can accept rare unavailability, but not 50% of tries failing);
- To keep the line for as long as I want it once I've got it. I could accept a pre-timed chuck out - eg one I'm with just now chucks out after 2 hours, only problem is they're just as likely to do it after 2 minutes, or even 20 seconds;
- Access actually at 56 thingmys, not the 33 I usually end up with;
- Err, that's about it.
I don't think I'm asking for much, but the two I have accounts with just now (Clara and UKStamp) signally fail to deliver any (except unmetered lack-of-access) consistently.
Any suggestions or recommendations?
Actually what I really want is broadband, but with no cable or ADSL in my back-of-beyond area I'm on a hiding to nothing there, unless anyone's got any other bright ideas?
Basically I want -
- Unmetered access;
- To get a line quickly whenever I want it (I can accept rare unavailability, but not 50% of tries failing);
- To keep the line for as long as I want it once I've got it. I could accept a pre-timed chuck out - eg one I'm with just now chucks out after 2 hours, only problem is they're just as likely to do it after 2 minutes, or even 20 seconds;
- Access actually at 56 thingmys, not the 33 I usually end up with;
- Err, that's about it.
I don't think I'm asking for much, but the two I have accounts with just now (Clara and UKStamp) signally fail to deliver any (except unmetered lack-of-access) consistently.
Any suggestions or recommendations?
Actually what I really want is broadband, but with no cable or ADSL in my back-of-beyond area I'm on a hiding to nothing there, unless anyone's got any other bright ideas?
I'm probably going to get shouted at this by the IT pros on the site but i'm with AOL at the moment and have had no problems. It connects first time, is reasonably fast (for dial-up) and a doddle to set up. You can also use the same account on several computers. The only thing that annoys me is that you have to dial up using their software but you can open IE once you are connected.
Take a look at www.theregister.co.uk/content/22/27446.html for the full story.
The basic info is "UK to get Sat broadband for £30
Two companies are to launch one-way broadband satellite services for prices that come close to the cost of ADSL. More importantly, the service would be accessible from almost anywhere in the UK.
Full details have yet to be released but Leeds-based ISP Everywhere Broadband claims its service will start at around £20 a month for a metered service, with a full unmetered service costing around £30 month. Installation costs are understood to be more than £200.
This service is based on Eutelsat's Opensky service, which provides downloads via satellite of speeds up to 1.5 Mbps. Information is uploaded via a standard phone line. "
The basic info is "UK to get Sat broadband for £30
Two companies are to launch one-way broadband satellite services for prices that come close to the cost of ADSL. More importantly, the service would be accessible from almost anywhere in the UK.
Full details have yet to be released but Leeds-based ISP Everywhere Broadband claims its service will start at around £20 a month for a metered service, with a full unmetered service costing around £30 month. Installation costs are understood to be more than £200.
This service is based on Eutelsat's Opensky service, which provides downloads via satellite of speeds up to 1.5 Mbps. Information is uploaded via a standard phone line. "
If you want a nice friendly flat rate ISP that has been around for ages and gives great service look at www.ukonline.co.uk
You might even win £10,000 just for signing up and using it...
J
You might even win £10,000 just for signing up and using it...
J
I never had problems with Demon when I was with them. Always connected first time, and quickly - unmetered weekend and evening access thanks to BT's surf time offering, and no cut off that I ever encountered. £10 plus VAT per month though, so you'd probably do just as well to get broadband for £25/month from one of the many ISP's offering it.
For dialup ISPs, this might be of help: www.ispreview.co.uk/top10.shtml
Dan
For dialup ISPs, this might be of help: www.ispreview.co.uk/top10.shtml
Dan
I've been using UUNET Pipex for about 6 or 7 years. Very reliable, connects first time almost all of the time, and backed by one of the largest backbone providers in the UK (ie. UUNET).
They are also completely up-front about what you are buying on their "unmetered" service, what the modem contention ration is, and what your limits are.
You can even have a 1:1 truly unlimited always-on dialup if you want, but be prepared to pay for it!
Only two caveats
1) They're pricey.
2) Technical support is totally crap at the moment. But then again, what Call Centre isn't these days?
Click here for more info
They are also completely up-front about what you are buying on their "unmetered" service, what the modem contention ration is, and what your limits are.
You can even have a 1:1 truly unlimited always-on dialup if you want, but be prepared to pay for it!
Only two caveats
1) They're pricey.
2) Technical support is totally crap at the moment. But then again, what Call Centre isn't these days?
Click here for more info
quote:I'm with FreeServe Anytime and have found them vastly superior to BTInternet and UUNet-Pipex.
Shoot me if you want, but ..
Freeserve??
£14 a month for unrestricted access, 2 hour limit before chuck-out time, never really fails to log-in first time, only other chuck outs caused by dirty phone line.....
(BTInternet terminated my anytime acount for 'overuse', so I went to Freeserve, got the exact same service for £2 a month less and have had no problems whatsoever).
I use www.plus.net - Currently for broadband (cheapest in UK and you get 250MB of webspace free) and previously just for dial up.
100% service to date (7 months)
100% service to date (7 months)
If you didn't have to use the crappy software, I would say AOL, use Pipex dial up at work, very good, but not cheapest, best all rounder seems to be freeserve.
Satellite will be good but rember it is only one way (i.e downstream) so you will have to pay for a dial up connection as well (if they don't include one in the price) and any data sent (e-mails, uploads etc) will take the same time as on a normal dial up, at least its progress though
Satellite will be good but rember it is only one way (i.e downstream) so you will have to pay for a dial up connection as well (if they don't include one in the price) and any data sent (e-mails, uploads etc) will take the same time as on a normal dial up, at least its progress though
I think that BT offer satellite but it's bloody expensive. However,didn't I read somewhere that you only need thirty people in an area to express an interest in ADSL and BT will upgrade the xchange?
If you can get it sorted, do. I'm using ADSL from BT and it works fine - I think that this is unusual as a lot of people seem to have problems with BT - but perhaps that's because there are a lot of us about and there's more likely to be more complaints. 25 squid a month, as fast as you like and no cut off times. I loove it!
I have a Freeola account as well, which is metered - so I don't use it for dial up - see above, but great for hosting (unlimited web space with every Domain and only £25 for two years worth of dot com...)
I also have a Pipex account which is fine, too, but don't forget, DIAL, owned by PIPEX, owned by UUNET, owned by WORLDCOM... need I say more?
>> Edited by Bruce Fielding on Thursday 10th October 22:54
If you can get it sorted, do. I'm using ADSL from BT and it works fine - I think that this is unusual as a lot of people seem to have problems with BT - but perhaps that's because there are a lot of us about and there's more likely to be more complaints. 25 squid a month, as fast as you like and no cut off times. I loove it!
I have a Freeola account as well, which is metered - so I don't use it for dial up - see above, but great for hosting (unlimited web space with every Domain and only £25 for two years worth of dot com...)
I also have a Pipex account which is fine, too, but don't forget, DIAL, owned by PIPEX, owned by UUNET, owned by WORLDCOM... need I say more?
>> Edited by Bruce Fielding on Thursday 10th October 22:54
quote:Yes it does. You're confusing the phrases "any time" and "all the time". They're not the same. "Any time" means you can use it any time you want up to a maximum of 5 hours a day.
My BT Internet anytime account has just been dropped to 5 hours max usage a day???
figure that one out, anytime does not equal 5 hours/day.
Seems fair enough to me.
Bruce Fielding said :I think that BT offer satellite but it's bloody expensive. However,didn't I read somewhere that you only need thirty people in an area to express an interest in ADSL and BT will upgrade the xchange?
Unfortunatly that's not quite correct.
BT set limits for each exchange based on the cost of enabling it. This usually means around 700-800 pre registrations have to occur. There is no differentiation between consumers and businesses in that number.
After that, the ISP's that supplied those pre-registrations then have a short time (6 weeks) to turn those pre-registrations into firm orders. If this doesn't happen (which it isn't at the moment - see www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/27541.html) then it's no go for the upgrade.
The 30 figure is the number of business customers that Easynet (the largest LLU DSL player in the UK) needs to upgrade an exchange - rather less than BT's
J
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