Discussion
Okay, i've been with Freeserve/wanadoo broadband for 3 years or so - just chatted with them about moving house, it'll cost £25 and take 20 days!! Oh, and if i want to upgrade to 1Mb or above, i get a download limit!
whereas, i can cancel straightaway - and most ISP's offer free setup etc nowadays...
UK Online look good and have no download limit 2Meg service for less than i pay today!
I was wondering if anyones used them and if they are any good?
whereas, i can cancel straightaway - and most ISP's offer free setup etc nowadays...
UK Online look good and have no download limit 2Meg service for less than i pay today!
I was wondering if anyones used them and if they are any good?
UKOnline look like a great company and I went to sign up with them. However, I kept having problems and they said I had to get BT to cleanse the line as broadband was still connected. After a week of going back and forth to UKOnline and BT I ended up called Plusnet and they connected me straightaway 
Plusnet also do a free transfer to a new property for you.
Only negative is they disconnect after X amount of time that you don't use the net, but then they're 15 quid or so for 2mb, so no complaints.
I would have gone to UKOnline if it wasn't for the issues with BT and their sales staff were awesome, just a shame they couldn't do whatever Plusnet did to connect me.
So in summary - go with UKOnline or Plusnet
Plusnet also do a free transfer to a new property for you.
Only negative is they disconnect after X amount of time that you don't use the net, but then they're 15 quid or so for 2mb, so no complaints.
I would have gone to UKOnline if it wasn't for the issues with BT and their sales staff were awesome, just a shame they couldn't do whatever Plusnet did to connect me.
So in summary - go with UKOnline or Plusnet
Another 
for plus.net - free* modem and setup, £15/mth for up to 2MB, and the package will automatically be upgraded to 4 then 8MB as it becomes available. Rather than a download limit, they have a fair usage policy, but unless you're using >100GB/month they're not worried. Got me up and running (having previously been on dial-up) in under a week - not including the weekend, it was about three working days.
*Not entirely free - you have to pay for connection, activation and modem if/when you cancel. The amount you pay diminishes every year until after 5 years there's no charge. At £15/mth with free upgrades I can't see myself going anywhere else in the next 5 years!
for plus.net - free* modem and setup, £15/mth for up to 2MB, and the package will automatically be upgraded to 4 then 8MB as it becomes available. Rather than a download limit, they have a fair usage policy, but unless you're using >100GB/month they're not worried. Got me up and running (having previously been on dial-up) in under a week - not including the weekend, it was about three working days. *Not entirely free - you have to pay for connection, activation and modem if/when you cancel. The amount you pay diminishes every year until after 5 years there's no charge. At £15/mth with free upgrades I can't see myself going anywhere else in the next 5 years!
Yep - UKOnline is the consumer arm of my company.
UKOL (as we like to call it) offers two different services.
The first is if you are connected to a BT exchange where Easynet has installed it's own broadband equipment using a process called LLU. You can tell if this is the case because the checker on the main page (www.ukonline.net) will tell you that you are "on our network", and it will offer you the £9.99 a month 1Mbps service amongst others.
The second service is if you aren't on there. For that, UKOL uses the BT DSL wholesale service. This is the same service that (almost) every other broadband provider uses (the only notable exception today being Homechoice and Bulldog who also use LLU). You can tell this as the checker will say "you are not on our network" and will offer you 1Mbps at £19.99 or 2Mbps at £24.99.
Without knowing the specifics therefore of the issue that rico had I can't tell what the issue was. If rico was in a LLU area then it is not as "simple" to move from the BT wholesale service as it is to move from one BT Wholesale provider to another (which is just a software change in the equipment in BT's exchange, whereas to move onto LLU actually requires BT to physcially move bit of copper cable around). A common problem can be that the previous broadband SP doesn't "play ball" with the BT systems and won't allow the move from BT wholesale to LLU to move.
If you have seen the press recently problems like this will be solved soon as soon as BT's "Open Reach" is setup and running, as then both BT Wholesale and LLU operators will use the same system. It's been coined "making BT eat its own vomit", and it will be interesting to see what BT Wholesale make of the same systems as we currently use.
However, it is worth perservering to get moved onto LLU!. Our first ADSL2+ trial customers are live, and 24Mbps has to be seen to be believed. How about an entire DIVX encoded DVD coming down in just 4 minutes, we have many customers now performing that trick.
Also, UKOL is just one of quite a few service providers who now use the Easynet "LLUStream" service. Freedom2Surf, OneTel and many others are now able to offer LLU based services to their customer base.
So, if you want to be in the fast lane, then ensure you are using a LLU service, and of course, UKOL is an excellent choice for that.
Finally, although everyone buys the same BT Wholesale product, clearly service is a large factor. UKOL, like some of the other guys (and PlusNet is a good example of a customer focused ISP) runs UK call centres, will go the extra mile, offers technical support on an "local call" 0845 number and has been providing ISP services for 11+ years.
Even if you don't choose UKOL, be aware that all ISPs are not the same, even if they use the same BT Wholesale service.
J
UKOL (as we like to call it) offers two different services.
The first is if you are connected to a BT exchange where Easynet has installed it's own broadband equipment using a process called LLU. You can tell if this is the case because the checker on the main page (www.ukonline.net) will tell you that you are "on our network", and it will offer you the £9.99 a month 1Mbps service amongst others.
The second service is if you aren't on there. For that, UKOL uses the BT DSL wholesale service. This is the same service that (almost) every other broadband provider uses (the only notable exception today being Homechoice and Bulldog who also use LLU). You can tell this as the checker will say "you are not on our network" and will offer you 1Mbps at £19.99 or 2Mbps at £24.99.
Without knowing the specifics therefore of the issue that rico had I can't tell what the issue was. If rico was in a LLU area then it is not as "simple" to move from the BT wholesale service as it is to move from one BT Wholesale provider to another (which is just a software change in the equipment in BT's exchange, whereas to move onto LLU actually requires BT to physcially move bit of copper cable around). A common problem can be that the previous broadband SP doesn't "play ball" with the BT systems and won't allow the move from BT wholesale to LLU to move.
If you have seen the press recently problems like this will be solved soon as soon as BT's "Open Reach" is setup and running, as then both BT Wholesale and LLU operators will use the same system. It's been coined "making BT eat its own vomit", and it will be interesting to see what BT Wholesale make of the same systems as we currently use.
However, it is worth perservering to get moved onto LLU!. Our first ADSL2+ trial customers are live, and 24Mbps has to be seen to be believed. How about an entire DIVX encoded DVD coming down in just 4 minutes, we have many customers now performing that trick.
Also, UKOL is just one of quite a few service providers who now use the Easynet "LLUStream" service. Freedom2Surf, OneTel and many others are now able to offer LLU based services to their customer base.
So, if you want to be in the fast lane, then ensure you are using a LLU service, and of course, UKOL is an excellent choice for that.
Finally, although everyone buys the same BT Wholesale product, clearly service is a large factor. UKOL, like some of the other guys (and PlusNet is a good example of a customer focused ISP) runs UK call centres, will go the extra mile, offers technical support on an "local call" 0845 number and has been providing ISP services for 11+ years.
Even if you don't choose UKOL, be aware that all ISPs are not the same, even if they use the same BT Wholesale service.
J
I'm pretty sure im in one of those areas where you have to use the BT...
My only concern with these 'fair usage' is the fact i work from home - so im online all day, doing mainly SMTP - but that involves attachements up to 10Meg..
I also talk to the missues in Brussels via Skype - so I do have fairly heavy usage - which is why i want uncapped service...
I dont honesty know my usage, but do you think this plus.net are likely to be bothered, as they seem to be pretty good!
My only concern with these 'fair usage' is the fact i work from home - so im online all day, doing mainly SMTP - but that involves attachements up to 10Meg..
I also talk to the missues in Brussels via Skype - so I do have fairly heavy usage - which is why i want uncapped service...
I dont honesty know my usage, but do you think this plus.net are likely to be bothered, as they seem to be pretty good!
Been with UKOL on their half meg (now upgraded to a meg) service for £9.99 for 4 or 5 months now, and can make the following comments:
Good points:
Connection is superb - always very fast according to various speed tests and I've probably had the line drop twice in all that time (I tend to stay connected 24/7)
Setup was simple to do and I was up and running within 15 minutes
No download limits
Bad Points:
Their DNS servers are notoriously unreliable. When connecting to the web, the IP addresses of the DNS servers suddenly stopped being downloaded to my laptop. I have had to hard-code the IPs into my setting in order to be able to connect to a website - no issue unless they move their servers.
Secondly, and this is a major point - their customer service is the most appalling I have experienced of any company, ever! As stated above, they do have a local rate number - but they are never able to answer your call. When I had the above problem, I called many times to try to report it, at all times of day and night, and was always on hold for at least 45 - 90 minutes before giving up. It took them 3 weeks to respond to my email and, when they did it was simply to ask if I'd sorted my problem out yet!
The only way I managed to resolve the above issue was with the excellent help I recieved from the forums at adslguide.org.uk.
In summary - if you never need technical support, UKOL are great (and cheap!). If you think you might need their help, look elsewhere!
I also recommend browsing adslguide.org.uk for some opinions and common issues...
HTH
Good points:
Connection is superb - always very fast according to various speed tests and I've probably had the line drop twice in all that time (I tend to stay connected 24/7)
Setup was simple to do and I was up and running within 15 minutes
No download limits
Bad Points:
Their DNS servers are notoriously unreliable. When connecting to the web, the IP addresses of the DNS servers suddenly stopped being downloaded to my laptop. I have had to hard-code the IPs into my setting in order to be able to connect to a website - no issue unless they move their servers.
Secondly, and this is a major point - their customer service is the most appalling I have experienced of any company, ever! As stated above, they do have a local rate number - but they are never able to answer your call. When I had the above problem, I called many times to try to report it, at all times of day and night, and was always on hold for at least 45 - 90 minutes before giving up. It took them 3 weeks to respond to my email and, when they did it was simply to ask if I'd sorted my problem out yet!
The only way I managed to resolve the above issue was with the excellent help I recieved from the forums at adslguide.org.uk.
In summary - if you never need technical support, UKOL are great (and cheap!). If you think you might need their help, look elsewhere!
I also recommend browsing adslguide.org.uk for some opinions and common issues...
HTH
I've been using their up to 8Mbps service since January. Transfer from my old ISP was quick and easy and the service has been been fast and reliable, to the extent I've never had to use their tech support and so have no idea how good or bad it is.
Just looking forward to ADSL2+ now... Any idea how the trials are going Joust?
Just looking forward to ADSL2+ now... Any idea how the trials are going Joust?
d-man said:
I've been using their up to 8Mbps service since January. Transfer from my old ISP was quick and easy and the service has been been fast and reliable, to the extent I've never had to use their tech support and so have no idea how good or bad it is.
Just looking forward to ADSL2+ now... Any idea how the trials are going Joust?
If you like classical music, give them a call... you can listen to it uninterrupted for hours!
I'm sorry that some people have had problems getting through to customer services.
Unfortunatly, we received some unprecidented demand following some unexpected and unrequested magazine editorial recommending the service. It was a shock to us, and totally unplanned, and caused us an "interesting" few weeks whilst we tried to sort things out.
However, we have added significant additional capacity, and off-peak (our peak hours our early morning, lunchtime and between 6-10) you shouldn't have to wait more than 5-10 minutes worse case.
Support is one of those things that when you get it right, no-one thanks you, but when things go slightly wrong everyone likes to complain, even if the reson the problem is there had absolutly nothing to do with your plans.
Our general feeling after speaking to customers, and taking the anecdotal views from places such as adslguide is that it has significantly improved since we managed to train up further staff, but if you are having a different experience than that then please feel free to email me directly through my profile as I'll be interested in what number you are dialling (some customers we found have been dialing the wrong number) and at what times (we have, like most places, good and bad times during the day).
On the specifics. The DNS problem is almost certainly that you have the wrong DNS servers set. Either visit the support site for the correct ones, or email me the ones you are using and I'll dig out the correct ones for you.
Also, please always remember that email (I appreciate that is no good if you don't have any connectivity) is a good way to gain support if you don't like listening to music.
As to the trials, the results are very good. Remember we have been in technical trials since April, and hence you can be rest assured that the service will be up to the same quality as our other services when it goes on general availability.
J
Unfortunatly, we received some unprecidented demand following some unexpected and unrequested magazine editorial recommending the service. It was a shock to us, and totally unplanned, and caused us an "interesting" few weeks whilst we tried to sort things out.
However, we have added significant additional capacity, and off-peak (our peak hours our early morning, lunchtime and between 6-10) you shouldn't have to wait more than 5-10 minutes worse case.
Support is one of those things that when you get it right, no-one thanks you, but when things go slightly wrong everyone likes to complain, even if the reson the problem is there had absolutly nothing to do with your plans.
Our general feeling after speaking to customers, and taking the anecdotal views from places such as adslguide is that it has significantly improved since we managed to train up further staff, but if you are having a different experience than that then please feel free to email me directly through my profile as I'll be interested in what number you are dialling (some customers we found have been dialing the wrong number) and at what times (we have, like most places, good and bad times during the day).
On the specifics. The DNS problem is almost certainly that you have the wrong DNS servers set. Either visit the support site for the correct ones, or email me the ones you are using and I'll dig out the correct ones for you.
Also, please always remember that email (I appreciate that is no good if you don't have any connectivity) is a good way to gain support if you don't like listening to music.
As to the trials, the results are very good. Remember we have been in technical trials since April, and hence you can be rest assured that the service will be up to the same quality as our other services when it goes on general availability.
J
TheExcession said:
And they are about to roll out a sub £30 24mb service which is getting near DSL nirvana.
That is justinsane - can you imagine your response if some one had told you that down the pub three years ago.
I'd have used some expletives and perhaps proferred that fibre to the door is a bigger possibility.
Aint technology great...
Joust any chance of extending your offer
, my MAC code seems to be very difficult to get hold of - the swines...Gassing Station | Computers, Gadgets & Stuff | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff