Farewell AOL :D

CompScienceKid · 29 May 2009 at 21:29

It's time, i am leaving my ISP in search of higher download speeds and unthrottled connection.

I know that when i ring AOLto retrieve my MAC Code they will do their best to make me stay with them. :eek:

I've been thinking of a few things to tell them that they wont be able to refute.

Such as I am now hosting a web site and i require a Static IP address, AOL don't offer one, so i have to leave

Anyone got anyother ideas for a hassle free phone call

Hamster · 29 May 2009 at 22:02

Are you still within your contract? If not, you don't have to give them any reason when cancelling.

Rainmaker · 30 May 2009 at 00:25

As Joe says, so long as you're out of contract you won't have a problem. Recently, OFCOM decreed that anyone (contract or not) who asks for a MAC *must* be given one within five working days. Any ISP failing to comply face a massive fine.

No doubt they'll ask if you won't reconsider or if they can offer you a deal, but a simple 'No thanks.' will suffice.

.:SAmSuNG:. · 30 May 2009 at 00:28

I wish i could leave. I would lay into them saying how rubbish there internet is and the worst thing talk talk has ever done is buy AOL on Europe. Im sure i would feel better after a few harsh words there way.

Rainmaker · 30 May 2009 at 00:30

.:SAmSuNG:. said:
I wish i could leave. I would lay into them saying how rubbish there internet is and the worst thing talk talk has ever done is buy AOL on Europe. Im sure i would feel better after a few harsh words there way.

Na there's not really any need to go mental at some call centre worker earning about 60p a month, is there? Fair enough if they tried to get you to stay, by all means say 'no thanks, I found the service appalling' or something. How long's left on your contract that you can't leave?

Draeger · 31 May 2009 at 22:43

I left AOL tail end of 2007/early 2008. Went with O2 Broadband on their 20mb package. Best thing I have ever done, why I didn't do it earlier baffles me, laziness I suppose.

Now get @19Mb download speeds and I am yet ( touch wood ) to have a single technical issue with them. No throttling / traffic shaping and no download limit. And all for £10 less per month than I was paying LameOL ( I was on the old AOL Platinum package ).

Be warned though, even if you are out of contract they will twist and turn like a twisty turny thing and give you the runaround when it comes to getting your MAC. Just be firm with them and take no nonsense. It may take a while but they will give in in the end and issue it to you.

a1ex2001 · 2 Jun 2009 at 10:51

I left BT last week for o2 when I asked for my MAC from BT they offered to undercut o2 by 1p a month if I took out a 12 month contract I said that would be fine if they could match the £50 cash back I was getting from quidco they declined so I went ahead and left. Best decision I've ever made not only is my broad band half the price but I'm actually getting twice the real world speed.

You've got to expect them to make an effort at customer retention, just be polite and decline. I did however ask the girl why if the service was available at such a cheap price I hadn't already been offered it and they had waited until I asked to leave, she didn't answer.

Artic7 · 2 Jun 2009 at 17:27

Once November is here i am leaving Aol,had nothing but problems with them.
Anyone know if the Post Office Broadband are ok

Draeger · 2 Jun 2009 at 17:37

Never heard of P.O. BB but a quick Google throws up THIS

Not the fastest for the cash I would say. For the same price with another couple of ISP's you could well in theory be getting twice the speed of the P.O. BB service. :cool:

exia · 2 Jun 2009 at 18:08

With AOL too, decided to look for a new ISP today after suffering countless dropouts over the past two months, tried 3 different routers, BT-I-Plate, etcetc. Their support is the worst, they tell me to contact BT as it's to do with them?! then BT tell me that's nonsense and call back AOL, *Sigh*

Looking at Be Value's package atm, bit worried about the FUP though, I download around 60gb a month >.<

Artic7 · 2 Jun 2009 at 19:46

exia said:
With AOL too, decided to look for a new ISP today after suffering countless dropouts over the past two months, tried 3 different routers, BT-I-Plate, etcetc. Their support is the worst, they tell me to contact BT as it's to do with them?! then BT tell me that's nonsense and call back AOL, *Sigh*

Looking at Be Value's package atm, bit worried about the FUP though, I download around 60gb a month >.<

exactly the same as me mate
Everytime i rang them,they said it's Bt's fault always a problem with the exchange,rang Bt,no probs whatsoever

Draeger · 2 Jun 2009 at 20:36

exia said:
Looking at Be Value's package atm, bit worried about the FUP though, I download around 60gb a month >.<

Not sure what the Be FUP is compared to the O2 one but I would assume it is similar as they are one in the same ISP to all intents and purposes?.

I've downloaded over 100Gb in a 1 month period on O2 ( not every month but on a few occasions now and again ) and haven't heard a peep out of them as far as a rap on the knuckles goes. :cool:

Heard a similar story from many other O2 users. As long as you don't kick the backside out of it you will be ok.

Curious - 60Gb per month on AOL?!!!. I'm guessing they throttled you eventually at some point?. Although going by their service to even medium/light users you would probably not be able to tell when throttling kicked because the service is so eratic and random.

Dominor · 3 Jun 2009 at 00:03

Whatever you do dont get BT, they are the worst and most disgusting business people I have ever worked with.

exia · 3 Jun 2009 at 00:16

Draeger said:
Curious - 60Gb per month on AOL?!!!. I'm guessing they throttled you eventually at some point?. Although going by their service to even medium/light users you would probably not be able to tell when throttling kicked because the service is so eratic and random.

Yeah they did at one point :rolleyes:

, that said I was downloading quite a lot back then, 150Gb+ a month, then they enforced the FUP (without informing me ofc), connection around 5.30pm - 10pm cut down from 4000kbps to about 300kbps. That went away after the servers switched to carphonewarehouse but line stability went downnnnnnnhil since then.

Dominor · 3 Jun 2009 at 14:21

exia said:
Yeah they did at one point , that said I was downloading quite a lot back then, 150Gb+ a month, then they enforced the FUP (without informing me ofc), connection around 5.30pm - 10pm cut down from 4000kbps to about 300kbps. That went away after the servers switched to carphonewarehouse but line stability went downnnnnnnhil since then.

I have the same thing from BT, from 5pm till midnight my connection gets throttled to the extreme, cant even load up a youtube video sometimes, ridiculous. But it doesnt seem to effect my game ping because of the upload being unchanged so at least something is ok.

SHARKTICUS · 4 Jun 2009 at 11:57

Dominor said:
I have the same thing from BT, from 5pm till midnight my connection gets throttled to the extreme, cant even load up a youtube video sometimes, ridiculous. But it doesnt seem to effect my game ping because of the upload being unchanged so at least something is ok.

This was in the news just a couple of days ago:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8077839.stm

They are apparently saying that it is the fault of the BBC with the iPlayer - yet of course it is BT who are throttling the speed!!

I'm happy with my NTL / Virgin connection. 20MBit / sec and very solid. I just wish the upload was a bit higher. They also have the 50MBit connection of course and it looks like they are rolling out up to 150MBit next year I think:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7961135.stm