So, it's the weekend, and the DNS is poor again.

OK, it's day one of a long weekend and so far today the IDNet DNS server readings are thus.

36.3 : 6.95% failure

40.3 : 0.99% failure

Broadly, as bad as the last time we had a significant problem with that that.

///////////////////////////////

Separately but off the back of this; I'm seriously thinking of going elsewhere by now.

Now this is not really to do with IDNet's offering as such, but it is the case that as long as any service is based on BT then this sort of thing will be probable, and I'm basing that on the almost universal claim that nearly everything is not IDNet's fault but is in fact BT's fault and as such, is beyond IDNet's power to do anything about it.

Given that situation I can't see too many reasons to pay top dollar for what can only ever at best be average service, so I may as well pay average price while we are about it. That much at least seems to fit together sensibly.

I've no idea who to go with though. Looks like a poor choice and frankly gives me the shudders just looking at sam knows: HERE

Obviously LLU might be tempting given the "fault ownership" and "power to fix it" problem outlined above.

I'm burned out and fed up with the constant need to have any concern about peak or any other usage, I know I'm going to get rubbish speeds (so we should actually cheer if I ever manage to use a significant amount of bandwidth, not nag me with silly e-mails, based on rather poor assumptions about the future), but then I am used to fairly low speeds by now. FTTC is too new and far too many have frustrating "early adopter" issues to go there, same goes for max, I was put off that for life given it's history which I have watched with horror, simply glad that for most of it, that option was not available to tempt me into the mess that it was.

I am on what started out as .5 Meg wires only when BB first started - I don't know what they call that now. It was unilaterally upgraded to 1 Meg at some point, once BT/Pipex eventually worked out that I had no intention of falling for the concept of paying to have it upgraded.

I don't want a phone too badly: I hate the situation with BT charging me for a phone line although I make practically no calls, as I don't feel I can afford to make them. (9 calls for the quarter that ended just this week, and for which I got charged a rather cute £50.) Most use the phone ever gets is junk callers calling me, and which I can not get rid of. So "no phone" would solve that annoyance too.

Can one get LLU, broadband only? Does such a thing actually exist?

Monthly contract would be good.

1-2 Mbit would be fine too.

I have an ADSL router with no wireless, and no + or 2 or even +2 or whatever the current "in" buzz word appended to it might be. I quite like it like that too.

I don't do direct debits; I can screw up my account for myself without any "accidental" corporate help being required or wanted. Direct bank transfer is my preferred method to pay by. (it's worked 100% fine for years upon years, so there's no reason I can see to change that)

I need a mobile like a fish needs a bicycle.

Any thoughts?

Change your DNS servers to opendns 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220

or Google DNS servers 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4

... problem solved!

Well it would help us advise you if you can find your router stats, see here for help.

In reply to a post by Curious_Child:

I hate the situation with BT charging me for a phone line although I make practically no calls

Unless you want to use wireless or satellite, you still need that line to the exchange to carry your broadband signal.

It cost somebody money to put it in and it costs money to maintain/repair it on occasion.

So the person who uses it pays for it.

In reply to a post by billford:

In reply to a post by Curious_Child:

I hate the situation with BT charging me for a phone line although I make practically no calls

Unless you want to use wireless or satellite, you still need that line to the exchange to carry your broadband signal.

It cost somebody money to put it in and it costs money to maintain/repair it on occasion.

So the person who uses it pays for it.

The quote doesn't really tally with the other thing he said:-

9 calls for the quarter that ended just this week, and for which I got charged a rather cute £50.

As for wanting to pay by manual BACS, I wonder how many of the alternative ISPs will be happy with that?

And getting "the shudders" looking at the availability at his exchange ...? I wonder what would make him happy?

Edited by RobertoS (Fri 22-Apr-11 22:20:05)

I think with the variety of LLU providers available at your local exchange you should be able to find a more reliable and faster (if on a short enough line) broadband service at half the price you are paying now for your IDNet service.

Be broadband has good feedbacks on these forums, so do Xilo or Vivaciti LLU packages.

At it again are we?

In reply to a post by Curious_Child:

OK, it's day one of a long weekend and so far today the IDNet DNS server readings are thus.

36.3 : 6.95% failure

40.3 : 0.99% failure

Broadly, as bad as the last time we had a significant problem with that that.

///////////////////////////////

Separately but off the back of this; I'm seriously thinking of going elsewhere by now.

Now this is not really to do with IDNet's offering as such, but it is the case that as long as any service is based on BT then this sort of thing will be probable, and I'm basing that on the almost universal claim that nearly everything is not IDNet's fault but is in fact BT's fault and as such, is beyond IDNet's power to do anything about it.

Given that situation I can't see too many reasons to pay top dollar for what can only ever at best be average service, so I may as well pay average price while we are about it. That much at least seems to fit together sensibly.

I've no idea who to go with though. Looks like a poor choice and frankly gives me the shudders just looking at sam knows: HERE

Obviously LLU might be tempting given the "fault ownership" and "power to fix it" problem outlined above......

.....Any thoughts?

This describes how I feel to a tee.
I've been with IDNet since 2006 and while it was worth it back then, I now feel the constant slack I keep cutting them (as encouraged by the half dozen or so faithful regular posters on here and Idnetters who eagerly keep torches burning... all of whom seem to report a flawless year round service... it makes you wonder) and the thousands of pounds spent over the years for a "premium" service does not come to very much in return.

I can get BE LLU at my exchange... and I have my finger poised over the "buy" button. It's such a shame but my tenacious loyalty can't alter the fact that now quite frankly IDNet is broken (regardless of who's at fault) and I'm paying for a level of service that I don't actually get. I've had 4 packet loss spikes already today - if I call support, yes I'll get through to a real human but all they'll do is say "Our checks show nothing, the fault must be with BT" or the never boring "Have you tried plugging into the test socket and rebooting your router"... I've stopped phoning support, I'd rather just wait it out than be treated like a mug.

>if I call support, yes I'll get through to a real human

Not today you won't.

There are only 18 working days in April so one wonders what the premium price for support is paying for this month.

In reply to a post by RandomJointer:

>if I call support, yes I'll get through to a real human

Not today you won't.

There are only 18 working days in April so one wonders what the premium price for support is paying for this month.

That's a pretty shocking thought.