FTTP now in my area, can finally escape Virgins clutches - hoorah - Giganet?

Gimpymoo · 11 Jul 2022 at 12:24

It now feels like the world is my oyster having Virgin as the only "real" broadband provider in my area for over 20 years.

Most likely looking to switch to Giganet, I know they do not do 1GB but they seem a good bunch and offer static IP.

Are they a good shout before I pull the trigger?

Thanks.

ChrisD. · 11 Jul 2022 at 13:51

Have you looked at their google reviews?

Gimpymoo · 11 Jul 2022 at 14:06

ChrisD. said:
Have you looked at their google reviews?

Yes, when I drilled down through them, nothing stood out as being major, most of the things relating to installs etc are not really their fault as installs are not carried out by ISP's, I think.

Everything else is nothing to put me off.

Caged · 11 Jul 2022 at 14:20

I've emailed them a couple of times and they seem really competent, when FTTP arrives with me they are going to be who I go with. If the service is no good then that's standard breach of contract stuff and you can leave.

ChrisD. · 11 Jul 2022 at 14:37

Who do they use for backhaul?

Gimpymoo · 11 Jul 2022 at 14:39

Caged said:
I've emailed them a couple of times and they seem really competent, when FTTP arrives with me they are going to be who I go with. If the service is no good then that's standard breach of contract stuff and you can leave.

30 days notice period at anytime so a win win.

BT want to sign me up for two years

ChrisD. · 11 Jul 2022 at 14:42

Quite a few decent providers are doing 12 month contracts now, and some 30 days.

Gimpymoo · 11 Jul 2022 at 14:43

ChrisD. said:
Quite a few decent providers are doing 12 month contracts now, and some 30 days.

Giganet and Cuckoo are the ones I have seen offering 30 days, definitely not tying myself into one provider for 2 years.

Infact Cuckoo offer 900Mb+ unlike Giganet, no idea if Cuckoo are any good though.

Caged · 11 Jul 2022 at 15:05

Where did you see Giganet doing 30 days? Their website says "flexible contracts" but when you progress to order it says 12 months. I guess flexible is available if you pay more but I've not seen the price.

Gimpymoo · 11 Jul 2022 at 16:04

Caged said:
Where did you see Giganet doing 30 days? Their website says "flexible contracts" but when you progress to order it says 12 months. I guess flexible is available if you pay more but I've not seen the price.

My bad, apologies. I was reading about the 30 day notice when they up their prices. You are right, is 12 month minimum.

Cuckoo are 30 day rolling, if you pay the £60 activation fee.

ChrisD. · 11 Jul 2022 at 16:19

Gimpymoo said:
Infact Cuckoo offer 900Mb+ unlike Giganet, no idea if Cuckoo are any good though.

They review well and replied to my emails under a day generally, just make sure to pay the £1 a month for the static IP address otherwise you'll be on CGNAT. I did read that they use TT Business for backhaul which is excellent, but then I've also read BTW too, largely it should matter between those two as long as they don't use Zen which are having some issues of late. Also take a look at Aquiss.

Gimpymoo · 11 Jul 2022 at 16:23

ChrisD. said:
They review well and replied to my emails under a day generally, just make sure to pay the £1 a month for the static IP address otherwise you'll be on CGNAT. I did read that they use TT Business for backhaul which is excellent, but then I've also read BTW too, largely it should matter between those two as long as they don't use Zen which are having some issues of late. Also take a look at Aquiss.

Thanks.

I want static IP anyway... crikey, CGNAT on a home ISP?

Will check out Aquiss.

Caged · 11 Jul 2022 at 18:00

Every new entrant to the market will default to CGNAT, there literally aren't enough addresses to go around. Unfortunately some providers like Cuckoo will use CGNAT while also not doing IPv6 at all, whereas at least ISPs like Hyperoptic are CGNAT but also native IPv6.

Leased line providers used to default to a /29 or sometimes a /28 if you could justify it, now anything more than a single IP is going to cost you extra.

BUDFORCE · 11 Jul 2022 at 18:56

Just get Zen if you can.

Caged · 11 Jul 2022 at 19:29

Zen can't seem to figure out how to put people on their own backhaul without huge amounts of packet loss despite investigating it for three months, I'm not paying a premium for that sort of service

ChrisD. · 11 Jul 2022 at 19:31

Agreed, Zen are one to avoid. They're adopting a TalkTalk/VM operating model, can't wait until I can leave them.

My connection on their backhaul:

bbe31229c6f5500b53e0a70078ae7e983e153988-11-07-2022.png

Previous to the migration on BTW:

3426af89c2a85056ad1adff8a6b3c4cef59ac82a-11-05-2022.png

They initially refused to migrate me back until I quoted their own Ts&Cs to them. It was either migrate back or get released from the contract.

Even before the migration I had to play a game of gateway roulette as if I hit a decent one (sub 5ms ping for me) every now and then they'd rebalance and I'd end up on a worse one.