O2, NewNet, or Zen?

Currently using 3G mobile internet dongle that a friend lent me. Very good of her, but I'm very frustrated with lack of speed. I want fast!
I've got a BT landline, but not much money! I use the internet a lot for browsing etc, so would like decent speed, but I don't want to do much downloading. I also don't particularly want to sign up to a contract longer than 6 months.
Have been considering:
Zen, but expensive for me at this moment in time and not sure if the capping will become an issue. I like the monthly contract.
NewNet, but I've read that leaving them might not be straight forward, also not sure if the capping will be an issue. I like the monthly contract, and they're less expensive than Zen.
O2 Access (as my local exchange is not yet unbundled), but I'm not keen on the 12 month contract.
Any advice and/or sugestions? Are there any other ISPs I should consider, and if so why?

Of the three you've shortlisted, I'd go for Newnet (if you can keep your monthly usage below their limits).
I wouldn't suggest O2 Access until at least April; to see if the reported upgrades (presumably another BT central) solve the recent low speeds.

Thank you for your advice - much valued. After reading the views on another post, I'm now considering IDNet and Fast aswell. Any more comments?

Haven't heard anything (good or bad) about Fast.
Always hearing good things about IDNet.
It's always a good sign when a product is expensive and has a fairly low usage limit (there's every chance of it having consistently high download speeds, because all the mass-downloaders will be staying well away from that ISP).

Thank you. I've looked at the IDNet website and think that I'll probbly go for one of their phone and broadband packages - hopefully, what I save on the 'phone will help pay for the decent broadband. Thanks for your help.

ZEN

British, with an English speaking, Northern accented, support desk that WORKS.

And so do the products.

Go for it!

In reply to a post by dripdripdrop:

NewNet, but I've read that leaving them might not be straight forward, also not sure if the capping will be an issue. I like the monthly contract, and they're less expensive than Zen.

I don't understand either of those comments, having been with Newnet in the recent past.

To leave I used the online order form for my MAC and the email with it was in my Inbox within 20 minutes. Is there any ISP better than that? I actually asked for the MAC 3 or 4 days into a month and migrated on the 18th, so technically I owed them for 3 or 4 days of the next month. They did not request that, and when I rang to tell them I had actually moved they confirmed they would not be doing so.

What capping? They have allowances like Zen, and you can also set an over-run figure yourself in case you reach the limit. If you go into that extra then you can just pay in arrears on your next invoice, or pay "in advance" even after you have used it as long as you do so before the end of the month.

The important thing though is that Newnet count both uploads and downloads where Zen only count downloads. Newnet is the better if the total is under 20GB per month. Otherwise forget them.

If you can work within the framework of their allowances,
it's worth a look at AAISP 30days contract, superb support
UK base - no call centre replies.

nobody recommending 2 Access? not surprised, i'm porting out from them on Monday under the 30 day getout clause. (Thank goodness they had that), they are hopeless at the moment. evenings and weekends i have more upload speed than download, typically 0.2 to 0.3 download and 0.4 upload.
it seems almost like dialup!
shame as the customer care and tech support seem good....

Thank you to everyone for your comments.

I've just signed up with AAISP.

I was going to take a phone and internet package from IDNet until I found out from BT that I'd have to pay a hefty cancellation fee for the phone line. I've only had the phone line since 10th March and they've already made mistakes on my bill, but it appears that BT can treat it's customers as badly as it likes and still tie you in to a 12-month contract!

Anyway I phoned Zen, NewNet, IDNet, Fast, and AAISP, and in the end made my decision based on cost, friendliness and helpfulnss of the staff on the phone, and the service I think I'll get. I'm confident that I've chosen the right ISP for me, but time will tell...

Thank you once again for your useful comments and advice.