Pls Help...need a new isp...

xsnv · 4 Aug 2006 at 15:04

hey guys...i'm a bit of an isp noob (so i don't know what llu's symetric capping etc are

and need some help.

I just recently canceled my bt option 3 broadband because i was getting nowhere near the max 8 meg they promised (max i was getting was 2.5 meg and that was at 3am!! )

I download like a demon (not that i know any demons that do

and would need an isp that guarantees a certain speed. I don't mind if it's within a time period as long as a minimum speed is guaranteed - even if it's 2 meg.

P.s. what do you guys think about sky's offer of free broadband? is their isp any good?

Thanks

hyper_piper45 · 4 Aug 2006 at 16:22

First question, can you get any llu services? Check SamKnows and put your exchange in the checker.

xsnv · 4 Aug 2006 at 17:17

here's what i got:

Broadband availability overview
ADSL: Yes
SDSL: Yes
LLU services: No
Cable: Yes
Wireless: No

so i'm guessing no...btw what exaclty is an llu?

Cheers

hyper_piper45 · 4 Aug 2006 at 17:37

Looks like you are looking at an upto 8mb service.

LLU info

no_1_dave · 4 Aug 2006 at 17:46

You're not promised 8mb. You're promised UP TO 8mb.
Basically whatever your line can handle up to that speed. Your line can probably only handle 2.5mb...

Also, you dont cancel cos it'll cost you more. If you have broadband you migrate to another company so you dont need to pay a setup fee.

xsnv · 4 Aug 2006 at 18:38

no_1_dave said:
Also, you dont cancel cos it'll cost you more. If you have broadband you migrate to another company so you dont need to pay a setup fee.

Thanks for the advice, not quite sure what you mean though. basically i was promised about 6 meg - was told thats what my line is capable of. Are there any advantages of going through cable (am thinking about ntl). Are their speeds guarnateed?

no_1_dave · 4 Aug 2006 at 18:42

To migrate you request your MAC code from your current isp.
Once you have it instead of signing up to an ISP you lick the MIGRATE link on there site (the isp you wanna sign up to), then follow the steps from there.

This way its quicker, there are usually no fees & you never lose connection

tolien · 4 Aug 2006 at 19:05

xsnv said:
basically i was promised about 6 meg - was told thats what my line is capable of.

Without stats (attenuation/SNR margin/current speed) from your modem, it's hard to comment, but you weren't "promised" anything.

Are there any advantages of going through cable (am thinking about ntl).

You're not going to have the same joy with your line being too long/noisy/lacking in magic smoke anyway.

Are their speeds guarnateed?

Hell no. If you want guaranteed speeds, fork out 4 figures a month for a leased line.

xsnv · 5 Aug 2006 at 13:28

hmm....ok then. The isp market sounds pretty gloomy to me. No guarnteed speeds, bandwith throttling, llu migration problems etc.

Ok then, what do you guys recommend? Should i have stuck with bt - who i thought were a bit expensive, go for another isp or wait for skys free service?