Advice Needed for a REAL unlimited ISP

Hi folks!

I have just come off the phone to virgin media and have requested a callback from the manger.

I am a heavy internet user as I work from home - I am a web developer, coder and administrator.

I have had virgin ADSL for only 7 days and I have been capped to 80kilobits a second! (8.5KBPS!) - FOR THE WEEK!

And as I work from home this is restricting me from doing my job!

I was hoping I could get some advice as to what action to take against virgin (They want £140 to cancel) and for a decent, high speed ISP with a REAL unlimited usage deal - I was thinking O2?

Thanks guys, I appreciate any advice you can give me!

Regards,
James

Me again,

I was also thinking, surley this isn't 'fair trading' from virgin, as I ordered the broadband package over the phone and had no idea of these 'Fair Usage' policies.

I have also noticed on peak time I have been getting around 10% of my actual speeds - Which is also unnacceptable.

Is there anything I can combat virgin with in order to migrate for free or a lowered charge?

Thanks again folks!

Can you get Be/O2 LLU at your exchange?
http://www.samknows.com/broadband/checker2.php

Batboy,

Yes, I am able to receive adsl from all of the companies listen on that site

cheers

Firstly; as a web-developer, coder and administrator, I'm surprised you went with one of the worst performing ISPs in the first place.

Secondly; what LLU providers (if any) are available at your exchange (you can check here)?
Under no circumstances consider O2 (at present; although they say upgrades are coming) unless you can get their unbundled product (i.e. Not O2 Access).

As for O2 LLU (and BE, which use the same network and exchange equipment), they have one or two problems (like many ISPs), but daytimes seem to run flat-out at all times, and most people get around 83% of their sync speed (about the most you'll ever get anyway) 24/7.
There doesn't appear to have been a single case of O2 or BE applying their FUP, so they really are about the best out there (given the price).

O2 do have a 12 month contract, so you could end up paying to escape (if it doesn't suit your needs).
BE have a 12 month contract (reducing to a rolling one month contract) on their "Value" product, and a rolling three month contract on their "Unlimited" and "Pro" products.

In reply to a post by Anonymous:

Yes, I am able to receive adsl from all of the companies listen on that site

Every single one of the LLU providers?
Blimey, I didn't realise there were any exchanges that had been unbundled by everybody.
Just to make sure, please let us know which exchange you're on (in case the "I am able to receive adsl from all of the companies" includes their rubbishy BT Wholesale products).

EDIT: Just realised which page Batboy had linked to.......It only tells you which ones you can get, and excludes the ones you can't.
So, just saying "I can get them all" means nothing, unless you tell us which LLU providers are listed; as everyone can always get all of the ones listed (unless their line is too long to be accepted).

Edited by adebov (Mon 16-Mar-09 17:54:00)

In reply to a post by Anonymous:

I was hoping I could get some advice ... for a decent, high speed ISP with a REAL unlimited usage deal - I was thinking O2?

Hi James

O2 has two different services depending on whether your exchange has bee LLU'ed by them or not. Check with samknows. Let us have the link or exchange code.

LLU would be fine for you. It is true unlimited and no capping or throttling.

O2 Access is also unlimited and not capped or throttled, but for many users the performance at the moment is really bad. They have picked up a lot more customers than they expected and haven't got enough capacity. This is supposed to be sorted mid-April, see this post.

Whether it might go down again afterwards is a risk. It depends on how good their next forecast is.

If you do decide to go with O2, remember that at the moment it is one month free and done through Quidco a possible £70 cash-back.

Ade,

Thanks for the reply!

And I am only on virgin media because I have just moved into a new house with my missus and she had virgin cable, so to stop her paying the rest of the contract I decided to move the virgin service here - what a terrible mistake that was.

As for the exchange, it is 'Newtown Llantwit' - and I can receive


BT Wholesale ADSL
BT Wholesale ADSL Max
AOL LLU
O2 / Be LLU
TalkTalk (CPW) LLU
Sky Broadband / Easynet LLU
Tiscali LLU
Orange LLU (Formerly Wanadoo)

In reply to a post by adebov:

O2 do have a 12 month contract, so you could end up paying to escape (if it doesn't suit your needs).
BE have a 12 month contract (reducing to a rolling one month contract) on their "Value" product

So do all the O2 contracts. They are minimum term, not annual renewable.

Also the OP needs to be aware that (even when the free first month ceases to be offered) of the 30-day money-back guarantee, in the light of his current troubles.

Thanks Rob,

Yes, It seems as though I can have the 'O2 / Be LLU' service

Thanks for the help guys

Now that is settled- any advice on how to handle virgin and dodge the problem with paying off the rest of the contract?

I've only had the service activated for a week (and I thaught 7 days was the cancellation period) but they have told me once it is activated you cannot cancel - which makes no sense atall. (but I'm sure it does to Richard Branson)