BT Broadband - Whats it like?

Dr Zoidberg

Dr Zoidberg

Dr Zoidberg

Associate
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
710
Location
Somerset
After receiving the last email from BT about there broadband packages i am very interested in there Anywhere package with the HTC phone included, after looking at the hotspot map there are plenty of hotspots in my area so coverage with the phone should be ok,
The price, compared with my current ISP and mobile phone options would be good as well.

The actual home broadband is what was me concerned.
I know you only see things when people are having trouble and not when it is all running OK but it seems to me that from posts on here and different places BT are not the best when it comes to ISP's.
Is this right or are there lots of happy BT broadband customers?

Also the option 3 which is part of the package is classed as unlimited, but as with most i would assume there is a fair use limit on that some where, but i cant find it for looking.
Can any one tell me what the fair use limit is on BT Option 3 unlimited?

Thanks
 
Whatever you do don't get BT Broadband, it works but barely. I would describe it as stable but slow.

Overall very slow compared to the Sky, O2 or Be. Plus they traffic shape and the router they give you is utter *****.
 
Phorm, although im not in favour of it, i am not over worried about it.

As for the traffic shaping, they have a fair bit about that on the web site,
As far as the p2p throttling that's during peek hours, not to much of a worry,
I do run a few peb pages from home for family and friends use so not heavy, i do from time to time run a game server for a small number (4 or 5) of use to use.

Is general use really that slow compared to other ISP's? why is BT broadband in such a state? you would think it would be easier for them to run a good service than for most.

As i said cost wise for the package it is very tempting but it really does hinge on what the home connection would be like.
 
Poor value compaired to the LLU providers, lower speeds then LLU, poor ping, PHORM, off-peak times from 00:00-08:00, randomly throttling streaming services and finaly **** poor customer service.

The only reason I am with them is because my dad is a dinosaur who cant count or stand being corrected...
 
This is not a dig by any sorts but it always amuses me when the BT broadband suggestions comes up; BT are the worst value for moneny & traffic shape you to death, not even talktalk can match their support.

If I were you and your thinking ah BT ah their network well its a shame copz I used to think the same & BT should always be a last resort.

LLU suppliers like 02/be or sky/ukonline
entanet suppliers (despite their recent upset with capping times)
talktalk (value for money but not great)


check and see what you can get as BT is your worst option.
http://www.samknows.com/broadband/search.php
 
most users who use it everyday do complain about it same as with sky lowest pings i could get was 50+ on uk servers :/ if you dont care much about trafic shaping at peak times get vm... been with them for quite long now and never had a single problem pings on uk servers are 5-20 which is extremely low.. oh.. and check that you have cable avalable in your area :)
 
I'm pleased with my BT Broadband - but then I would be cos as a BT employee I get it for free!

But seriously, I was with Eclipse before and then IDNET and this is better than ever in terms of consistant speeds.
 
If i had cable in the area i would be using it, i don't think the town knows what cable is.

Im currently with F2S which was fine, but now owned by Tiscali and i hate them with a passion because of lies and stealing by them back in the days before broadband, i got fed lie after lie about what they could provide on ISDN when they eventually admitted they could not do what i had asked them before i signed up they refused to give any money back and continued to charge for a couple of months (which i did get back)

Having done some more reading around the place over the afternoon i ran a few tests to compare my current results with unhappy BT customers.
Latest result came back with a ping of 163 :eek::eek:

There are ways of blocking Phorm from what i have been reading?
Im sure Tiscali must be traffic shaping as well?

For about £5 a month more than what i am currently paying for BB i would also get the HTC mobile, im currently using a very old Nokia on pay as you go so cost wise it will work out good.

We may also be interested in BT vision, which you can only get if you are on BT broadband?

So although it might not be as good as the ISP's some of you are with, can it be much different to what Tiscali dish out?
 
BT Broadband and all other similar companys are all crap IMO. They all use call centres and when you want to cancel your contract, it's a nightmare.

When you phone up for help they don't know anything, it's a joke.

Get fast.co.uk, amazing service, no caps, and they always sort your problems out straight away.
 
I was with BT for years but left about 18 months ago. The speeds were awful, especially weekends and evenings. My broadband was traffic shaped for exceeding 30GB.

The customer service was appauling - Indian call centres (which obviously are not free) who all read off a script. It was like talking to a brick wall sometimes.

AFAIK it is also an 18month contract which is a very long time - some ISPs offer just a 1 month contract.

02, IDNet or Zen are all worth considering if you can't get Be LLU.
 
Constant 500kb/sec HTTP and I download about 60gb a month. I can't complain at all about BT.
 
re

BT are overated and well over priced...even virgin is so much better and they are expensive but so much better than BT..BT are the last provider i would go wit...i would rather go with talk talk for my internet than BT
 
To the OP in general browsing Sky Broadband and Zen beat BT hands down.

Just a service to avoid if your really care about your internet connection and the way you want to use it.
 
Thanks for all the replies.

Am not looking for any other ISP, I was looking at BT for the option of the HTC mobile and adding BT Vision.

But if they are really that bad i will just stick with what i have, even though i don't like Tiscali owning the company.
 
BT's FUP information

I loved comment:

Remember the answer is from a helpdesk that usually can't tell it's [censored] from it's elbow
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_________

Seriously though, there are people whom claim to be heavy downloaders and aren't throttled. With this in mind, I wonder if BT have congested exchanges or are very close to being congested & rather than spend the money upgrading them decided to throttle down these users instead.. Knowing BT it wouldn't surprise me.
Click to expand...

As I said "The traffic management does not need you to have downloaded anything before it will affect you"
Click to expand...

I never download more than 50-55meg in a month, BT denied throttling but it started at six and finished at midnight.
Click to expand...

Some extent is having nothing but web page use in the evenings. I can not get anything to work in youtube, they are blocking streaming content. I do around 50GB a month. My torrents at the moment are running at 3KB/S, i am so fed up with this shower. I am counting the months until i can get rid of this company who clearly false advertise.

I am on unlimited and its not fit for purpose, my broadband experience with BT is addismall
Click to expand...
 
I've been with my girlfriend for a good 3 years now, due to where we live and her parents' opinion that "only BT works" I can't get them to switch.

The connection is fantastic, when it works. Sadly it seems to spend most of it's time stuck on a slow profile. I can get 6.5, maybe even 7MBit on a good day, but heavy rain and/or wind will cause the profile to reset to 1MBit (go figure!).

When I phone them up, I get shunted to Delhi with someone who doesn't even know what internet is; I get a pre-recorded script read in my face and they don't seem to have a clue how to help.

It's been good recently as last time I got stuffed on a 1MBit profile and it wouldn't budge. After 2 weeks I phoned and told them that i'd be taking money off the bill for every day i'm under 4MBit. Since then, a solid 6.5MBit.

I don't seem to get traffic shaped though. I think BT's idea of a "FUP" is to stick you on a low profile if your exchange is busy. I'm not a heavy downloader - I grab the odd demo or patch but i'm no warez user.

Overall I wouldn't bother - from talking to friends, BT aren't the worst, but they're far from being the best as well.
 
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