Had Orange, BT.... who to next for an ISP?
#1
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In the last 6 months i've been with Orange, who left me without connection for days on end and had ridiculous customer service/tech help (anybody actually believe these people when they say hello my name is shaun
). So even at £5/month for 8mb and unlimited service i had to leave... so i thought i'd go back to BT (had there 2mb package a few years ago and never had a problem). For £26/month i thought their 8mb unlimited service would be better..... not a chance. After only two weeks i kept getting dropped connections at peak times (every few minutes). Took them over a month to sort it with engineer visits to the house, new home hubs etc. The connection is rock solid now but i get 0.5mb at peak times (5.5mb off peak). So that is useless to me. And their customer service/tech help in India is a waste of time... you may as well talk to a chimp. BT tell me the problem is just congestion at the exchange, but speed tests show it only affects port 80. So traffic shaping it is, congestion my ****.
So i now have a MAC code but no idea where to go. I want an unlimited service, and ideally UK only customer service/tech help (seems to be very rare!). Been looking at Be*, Bulldog or maybe even Sky (can't get Zen). Any other suggestions?
Tony.
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So i now have a MAC code but no idea where to go. I want an unlimited service, and ideally UK only customer service/tech help (seems to be very rare!). Been looking at Be*, Bulldog or maybe even Sky (can't get Zen). Any other suggestions?
Tony.
#2
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Tony, I'm looking at leaving BT as well because evening speeds are a joke.
Have a look at the link below from BBC Watchdog listing customer feedback from broadband suppliers, might give you an idea on who to select.
BBC - Consumer - TV and radio - Broadband providers
Rob.
Have a look at the link below from BBC Watchdog listing customer feedback from broadband suppliers, might give you an idea on who to select.
BBC - Consumer - TV and radio - Broadband providers
Rob.
#3
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if you are on ADSL you can always get ZEN, only the ZEN LLU you wouldn't be able to get, the main one you would
Broadband At Home
alternatively Newnet are also very good
Broadband
also the BT home Hub is utter sh*te, have you tried other routers in your house. Cables tidy and plugged into the master socket?
The slow speed may be congestion at the exchange, going on to an LLU may fix this.....but it may not
Broadband At Home
alternatively Newnet are also very good
Broadband
also the BT home Hub is utter sh*te, have you tried other routers in your house. Cables tidy and plugged into the master socket?
The slow speed may be congestion at the exchange, going on to an LLU may fix this.....but it may not
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The Broadband Resource
what can you get in your exchange, unlimited services are few and far between and if there are no LLU's in your exchange, you will pay £crazy for unlimited services
UK Free Software Network
might be a good bet for high useage
what can you get in your exchange, unlimited services are few and far between and if there are no LLU's in your exchange, you will pay £crazy for unlimited services
UK Free Software Network
might be a good bet for high useage
#5
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Hello
I also recommend Zen, although not unlimited (50gb/month). I am currently with Be* and apart from some initial hassle with signing up/modem everything else has been fine with good speed and reliable connection.
Steve
I also recommend Zen, although not unlimited (50gb/month). I am currently with Be* and apart from some initial hassle with signing up/modem everything else has been fine with good speed and reliable connection.
Steve
#6
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Would congestion at the exchange affect all ports, say 8095 AND port 80??? Only port 80 is slow.
Be* is looking favourite at the moment...
Tony.
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my connection was always dropping out
went back to an old voyager router and that stopped![Big Grin](https://www.scoobynet.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
although as bove, peak times have much slower speeds, i heard it was something to do with the "vision" customers
went back to an old voyager router and that stopped
![Big Grin](https://www.scoobynet.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
although as bove, peak times have much slower speeds, i heard it was something to do with the "vision" customers
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#9
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What ever you do DON'T go with Virgin Broadband - absolutely shocking speeds at peak times - dial up would be faster - no joke!
Heard good things about Nildram and Zen - i will be buying myself out of my Virgin BB contract soon as it is unusable!
Heard good things about Nildram and Zen - i will be buying myself out of my Virgin BB contract soon as it is unusable!
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Been with Zen 2 months now and no problems at all , fast stable connection all the time , not the cheapest but you get what you pay for ....
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Platinum 1. Highest, VOIP, time critical data
Gold 2. Internet and general browsing and games (UDP) traffic etc
Silver 3. Own news feeds, torrent, P2P etc
Bronze 4. 3rd party newsfeeds and stuff they REALLY hate
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ISP's with high budget and great networking staff will shape at layer 7 so changing ports and the like will make no difference, some will even dig into encrypted torrents and the like also
Lesser able or budgeted ISP's may only shape on port and transport protocol (TCP/UDP layer 4) but it all depends on what priorirtes they have. Talk talk even shape VPN traffic
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so for example on plusnet you can use VOIP fine and browse the web, but torrent would be slower
Last edited by mike1210; 29 May 2007 at 12:25 PM.
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Try having a look here:
DSL ZoneUK - ISP ratings
I went with newnet for a month by month contract so that I could change if i needed to.
DSL ZoneUK - ISP ratings
I went with newnet for a month by month contract so that I could change if i needed to.
#16
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I'll rephrase, Traffic shaping "may" only affect certain things, but it depends on how it's been setup. Some ISP's have QOS priorities (groups) i.e. like what plusnet used to have.
Platinum 1. Highest, VOIP, time critical data
Gold 2. Internet and general browsing and games (UDP) traffic etc
Silver 3. Own news feeds, torrent, P2P etc
Bronze 4. 3rd party newsfeeds and stuff they REALLY hate
ISP's with high budget and great networking staff will shape at layer 7 so changing ports and the like will make no difference, some will even dig into encrypted torrents and the like also
Lesser able or budgeted ISP's may only shape on port and transport protocol (TCP/UDP layer 4) but it all depends on what priorirtes they have. Talk talk even shape VPN traffic![Lol1](https://www.scoobynet.com/images/smilies/lol1.gif)
so for example on plusnet you can use VOIP fine and browse the web, but torrent would be slower
Platinum 1. Highest, VOIP, time critical data
Gold 2. Internet and general browsing and games (UDP) traffic etc
Silver 3. Own news feeds, torrent, P2P etc
Bronze 4. 3rd party newsfeeds and stuff they REALLY hate
![Big Grin](https://www.scoobynet.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
ISP's with high budget and great networking staff will shape at layer 7 so changing ports and the like will make no difference, some will even dig into encrypted torrents and the like also
Lesser able or budgeted ISP's may only shape on port and transport protocol (TCP/UDP layer 4) but it all depends on what priorirtes they have. Talk talk even shape VPN traffic
![Lol1](https://www.scoobynet.com/images/smilies/lol1.gif)
so for example on plusnet you can use VOIP fine and browse the web, but torrent would be slower
![Lol1](https://www.scoobynet.com/images/smilies/lol1.gif)
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I think people much prefer a cap than traffic shaping, unlimited can't really be done anymore as the backbones simply can't cope. With Zen I get no shaping but a strict cap, if you go over the cap you have to pay extra.
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Broadband Internet, Cheap line rental, free calls, and competitive international rates from Madasafish - The Friendly ISP
Like a wonderous new world after AOL for me.
Like a wonderous new world after AOL for me.
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#23
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We use eclipse at work. Can't say its been great as their email for a good few months was a complete and utter joke. Now its OK but still gives a few issues at peak times.
The net access has always been fine and I had no issue with torrents etc. Leave my machine on all weekend and no obvious affects to the line.
I've got Orange now and unlike others on here, I'm pretty happy with it. The livebox installation disc didn't work and one phone call later to an indian lady sorted it out.
My only issue now is with the torrents. I can DL torrents but I cant share which is affecting my ratio on certain share sites
and I can't seed. I think it has something to do with the IP address.
I did share once and I suspect I have to set up the IP address every time if I want to share/seed. I think its because the IP address for something (router maybe) changes.
The net access has always been fine and I had no issue with torrents etc. Leave my machine on all weekend and no obvious affects to the line.
I've got Orange now and unlike others on here, I'm pretty happy with it. The livebox installation disc didn't work and one phone call later to an indian lady sorted it out.
My only issue now is with the torrents. I can DL torrents but I cant share which is affecting my ratio on certain share sites
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I did share once and I suspect I have to set up the IP address every time if I want to share/seed. I think its because the IP address for something (router maybe) changes.
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My only issue now is with the torrents. I can DL torrents but I cant share which is affecting my ratio on certain share sites
and I can't seed. I think it has something to do with the IP address.
I did share once and I suspect I have to set up the IP address every time if I want to share/seed. I think its because the IP address for something (router maybe) changes.
![Wink](https://www.scoobynet.com/images/smilies/wink.gif)
![Wink](https://www.scoobynet.com/images/smilies/wink.gif)
I did share once and I suspect I have to set up the IP address every time if I want to share/seed. I think its because the IP address for something (router maybe) changes.
#25
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I recommend Zen if you're not bothered about having a cap. (20GB for £25 connection - pants!) There service/tech support is excellent.
If, like me, you can't do with 20GB limit then I recommend who I am with now - Be.
If, like me, you can't do with 20GB limit then I recommend who I am with now - Be.
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UK Free Software Network
check
#29
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I get a consistent 1.6mb/s now.
Steve
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Must just be where I live as I never notice speed issues and I get around 1.9mb consistently on a speed test (rarely differs, lowest I have seen is 1.1mb at the odd time).
And I am old fashioned BT Broadband, not uprgraded to Total yet that offers 5.5mb at my address (line test).
And I am old fashioned BT Broadband, not uprgraded to Total yet that offers 5.5mb at my address (line test).