Advice on ISP

trackrat

trackrat

trackrat

Associate
Joined
29 Dec 2004
Posts
839
Location
Halesowen
In 3 weeks time I am moving into my new flat and would like some information about a decent broadband provider.
At my previous address I had been with Virgin, previously Blueyonder for 16 years, but unfortunately they do not have cable in my new area, so I am out of the loop as far as knowing which one to get.
Also I will not be wanting a home telephone as I just use my mobile now, although I understand that I will have to pay line rental, so which is the best broadband provider, I am only 500 yards from the exchange.
Any advice appreciated.
 
500 yards means nothing - due to the way houses are built at different times cables may not come from the closest point, and/or may not be copper depending on when they were put in, you also have the issue of any new cab taking time to be enabled for all products on the exchange.

If it's a new build, then it could be less straight forward, if it's an existing property that's new to you, then get the existing phone number or a neighbouring one and check what's available using samknows or BT's own availability checker, it'll tell you what's enabled. After cashback you can get 80/20 from Plusnet for about £25 on an 18 month deal, BT also have surprisingly reasonable deals on - especially if you want sim only mobile plans as well.
 
Just used the BT checker and the cabinet is ASDL2+ enabled.
I'm not interested in a land line and my mobile contract is with 3, which I have only just started.
 
trackrat said:
Just used the BT checker and the cabinet is ASDL2+ enabled.
I'm not interested in a land line and my mobile contract is with 3, which I have only just started.
Click to expand...

ADSL and FTTC both require a phone line, you may subscribe to a service that doesn't charge you for a phone line separately, but you are still going to be paying for it indirectly.
 
Also do bear in mind that having a home number will give you a better credit score and some companies won't lend to people without one, including mortgage providers.
 
I think its more to do with having more than one contact number. Companies tend to like it if they have more than one way of speaking to you verbally. Especially where money is concerned. Plus they can sell your number off to 3rd parties ;)
 
I contacted 3 and they only do a wireless modem which they said works of 3g and 4g, so I am a bit flummoxed as to what speed I could expect from that sort of set up and they were not to forthcoming in the speed information.
Has anyone got that sort of set up.
 
flea.rider is talking about bundled deals where you get a discount for taking multiple services, not getting the actual broadband over mobile (3G/4G).

For example EE will sell you both landline based broadband and a mobile deal as a package (presumably with some discount). BT and Plusnet will also offer you a mobile using EE's network. Sky would offer you a phone on O2's network.

You can get broadband over mobile, but it's only worth looking at if there's no other viable option.
 
trackrat said:
I contacted 3 and they only do a wireless modem which they said works of 3g and 4g, so I am a bit flummoxed as to what speed I could expect from that sort of set up and they were not to forthcoming in the speed information.
Has anyone got that sort of set up.
Click to expand...

Most 3g/4g provisions will have pretty low monthly bandwidth allowances - actually speeds can vary hugely hence they can't give you a number - you could be looking at anything from 70-100Mbit down, 20-30Mbit up with 30ms latency and reasonably reliable through to like 200kbit/s, latency in the 1000s of ms, packetloss and lots of disconnections.

My 4G results at the moment:

http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/a/3106756991

Gets about 38ms latency in game and currently is really really stable, the odd fluctuation to around 70ms. Usually if I move around a bit I can get 60-70Mbit down but its not playing ball tonight.
 
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