Which Broadband ISP

AOL is a steaming pile of poo, and their software should be sent to prison.

Its very irresponsible to suggest anyone go with this ISP when so many better ones exist.

Once more for effect:

UKFSN

quote:

AOL gets lots of stick, but I've never had any serious problem with them.

Me neither, been with them eight years now!

quote:

Originally posted by Don Atkinson:
Which Broadband ISP

Freeview was bought by Orange who now want to close down their standard internet access and convert us all to broadband.

Time to take a look-see at what else is available and possibly better value, rather than simply accept the orange offer and sign up for 18 months

Which is the best broadband ISP currently available?

Cheers

Don

Don,
I certainly cant comment on overseas ISP providers, but when I upgraded to broadband, I looked at the best single deal for all my telecommunications needs.
This means I have 1 contact and invoice for:

• Std. phone land line rental
  
• Toll Calls
  
• Internet Access
  

not to mention a desire to be rid of Telecom

Hope this helps
Pete

quote:

Originally posted by garyi:
AOL is a steaming pile of poo, and their software should be sent to prison.

Its very irresponsible to suggest anyone go with this ISP when so many better ones exist.

Once more for effect:

UKFSN

Gary,
The people who slate AOL remind me of the football supporters who slate Manchester United. In time, their comments just become a habit. It doen't make those comments any more useful, though.
If you have a genuine grievance about AOL, then let's hear it. To describe it in your terms is not very constructive.
Ken

Hey Ken, its RUBBISH!

Hahaha.

We've been with Blueyonder for a while now with no real problems. In fact I'd say I'm very happy with it. If it's available for you I'd suggest you check it out.

quote:

Originally posted by KenM:

quote:

Originally posted by garyi:
AOL is a steaming pile of poo, and their software should be sent to prison.

Its very irresponsible to suggest anyone go with this ISP when so many better ones exist.

Once more for effect:

UKFSN

Gary,
The people who slate AOL remind me of the football supporters who slate Manchester United. In time, their comments just become a habit. It doen't make those comments any more useful, though.
If you have a genuine grievance about AOL, then let's hear it. To describe it in your terms is not very constructive.
Ken

Ken,
AOL was my first home ISP and I found it cumbersome, complicated, slow, and just unpleasant to use. I put it down to my being reasonably technically aware (I was an IT Manager at the time) but a few years on I'd agree that's it's just frankly, crap. I tried to find a more constructive way of putting it but couldn't.

AOL is for people who do not understand computers. I do not mean this disrespectfully. The adverts are directly towards people that do not have a clue.

Tehrefore the idea that this company will walk you through and looksy here is a pretty lady to talk you through it is very appealing.

As soon as you realise you don't need the hideous bloated piece of crap software they provide, and infact all you need is a user name, password and ADSL modem the realisation that AOL is terrible becomes clear.

Thankfully they pretty much abandoned Mac, which was a good thing.

UKFSN for instance offer 150meg online space with website services, 300 gigs off peak and 30gigs on peak allowance a month and emails, and no bullshit about fair usage for 19 quid.

for lower need users 3 gig is 16 quid a month.

With the news that iTunes store will now rent over 1000 movies, hundreds of which are in full DVD quality with 5.1 surround sound, the requirements for more and more download allowance will grow, AOL is just to restrictive.

quote:

AOL is for people who do not understand computers.

And have no need or desire to understand computers.

Also £19 a month for just a broadband connection seems pricey, I'm paying £9.99 for an 8meg connection plus free phone calls!

Just out of interest is there anyone who ACTUALLY gets 8 Meg on their up to 8 Meg BB ISP?

I think you need to live in the exchange server for 8 meg.

Basil you did not read my post, I have access to 330gigs of download a month.

quote:

Originally posted by KenM:
AOL gets lots of stick, but I've never had any serious problem with them. They have an offer on via Carphone Warehouse (I think that CW are the new owners) where you get a free laptop and a free router if you sign up for two years.
Ken

True Ken, but the offer only applies to new subscribers. Those who have been with them for years & want to renew, do not qualify. A kick in the teeth for loyal customers.
They have removed the internet radio facility for subscribers who have anything below their most expensive 'platinum' package, although they promised me I would contiue to enjoy it on my tariff.
The routers they so generously provide in exchange for an 18 month commitment are pretty useless. It took hours on the helpline to get it working in any way. My daughter can now get a wireless connection, but it's incompatible with my Dell laptop.
If you need support, you get the usual Indian call centres, who seem to try & keep you on the line for as long as poss.
I'm disenchanted with the AOL experience & am bailng shortly.
On a more helpful note, a friend of mine has recently signed to Namesco after having nightmare problems with Orange & raves about them, maybe they're worth a try.

quote:

Originally posted by munch:
Im on BT and dont get 8meg.

So am i - I've just run some tests.

I'm using a Power-Mac Dual 2GHx PowerPC G5 running OS X 10.4.11 (Tiger) with Safari and I have 100 Mb/s connection to a Cisco 837 DSL router into my broadband connection.

My download is 4193 Kb/s
My upload is 365 Kb/s

I'm 50 miles from the test server and my round trip delay is 48 milliseconds. The exchange (DSLAM) is about 1.5 miles from where I live.

Repeated this on another test and got

18/01/08 19:43:09
Speed Down 3755.46 Kbps (3.7 Mbps )
Speed Up 332.45 Kbps (0.3 Mbps )

On test of a download from New York gave me 3627 Kbps down and 361 Kbps up

So no - it's not 8 Mbps.

ATB Rotf

quote:

Originally posted by garyi:
I think you need to live in the exchange server for 8 meg.

Basil you did not read my post, I have access to 330gigs of download a month.

I always thought the closer you were to a Telephone exchange the stronger your broadband signal. I am with Tesco and have been since day one and never ever had any problems whatsoever. Speed ain't fantastic but it is there regular as clockwork.

My nearest telephone exchange is about 150 yards away.

Mind you who the hell wants to go through all that hassle of changing ISP's, email adds etc. That is what they are banking on.

Decided to go with Waitrose, so signed up today for their wireless broadband. Fingers crossed.

Also looked very closely at Zen and basically had to flip a coin to decide. Waitrose won.

Every ISP I contacted ran a check on the potential speed and everyone was exactly yhe same - 6.5 MB. I presume its the BT exchange and the cable/distance between exchange and house that determins the speed, rather than the ISP. Assuming they are all offering "up to 8 MB"

Cheers

Don

quote:

I presume its the BT exchange and the cable/distance between exchange and house that determins the speed, rather than the ISP.

and the contention ratio - you are not alone - you have to share the line with others

Major Tom,
You are quite wrong when you say that the AOL free laptop offer is only for new subscribers. Existing subscribers can change their contracts for new ones and so qualify.
Ken

quote:

Originally posted by garyi:
I think you need to live in the exchange server for 8 meg.

Basil you did not read my post, I have access to 330gigs of download a month.

I'm about a mile from the exchange and get between 6.5 and 7.0Mb.

How do you find the time to watch or listen to 300gigs worth of various media a month?

For what it's worth, in the 8 years I've been with AOL, I've never had any warnings about exceeding down-load limits.

quote:

Originally posted by KenM:
Major Tom,
You are quite wrong when you say that the AOL free laptop offer is only for new subscribers. Existing subscribers can change their contracts for new ones and so qualify.
Ken

Ken
Surely by ending one contract & taking out a completely new one,you become a new subsciber, with all the change of email address etc.that entails, which is exactly what I was trying to avoid. My point was that the CP Warehouse refused me this offer if I simply renewed for the same two year period.

Major Tom,
If you still want this offer, try again at CPW on Market Street in Manchester.
Last week, my wife went in and was told that the offer was open to existing subscribers. Early this week, I went in and signed up. My account has been changed already but if I had not specifically checked, I would not have known.. No changes were made to my email addresses. In fact, no hassle at all.
Ken

quote:

Originally posted by KenM:
Major Tom,
If you still want this offer, try again at CPW on Market Street in Manchester.
Last week, my wife went in and was told that the offer was open to existing subscribers. Early this week, I went in and signed up. My account has been changed already but if I had not specifically checked, I would not have known.. No changes were made to my email addresses. In fact, no hassle at all.
Ken

Thanks very much for that info. Ken. Both CPW stores in Stockport told me the exact opposite.

Major Tom,
If it's any help, the man I dealt with in the Market Street branch was Chris Davison.
I live closer to the Stockport branches than central Manchester but being old and decrepit, I get a free train and Metro to within about 100 yards from the shop.
Cheers,
Ken

According to my stats I have on average used 90 gigs a month. I am willing to bet any money AOL would not have that.

Gary,
What do you do to get up to 90Gb/month? Do you download lots of music or films, and do you play games over the Internet?

In Oz, ISP's offer their "top" plans with limits of 30Gb/month. In the UK,

http://www.broadband-guide.org.uk/download-limits.html

regards 30Gb/month as suitable for someone working from home.

Ken

Lots of stuff Ken, I am sort of addicted

Lots of gaming, although this is not to bandwidth intensive, a bit of torrenting etc.

Thing is when apple fire up this renting service for films, well they are a gig a pop. In the uk an average home broadband service starts capping at 2 gig. So thats 2 films to the average punter.

All I am saying is people need to check more than just the price.