In reply to a post by trolleybus:

A fixed IP is an extra dimension to the internet experience, I simply predict it will become more widely used in the future as more wish to touch base with applications running back home. Twenty years ago I never imagined that the internet would be so persuasive to reach almost every home in the land, let alone being able have a fast, affordable "always on" connection. So sneer as much as you like about the concept of a fixed IP because its time will come and when it does it will be that the minority of subscribers that won't have one.

The ability to "phone home" can be met by a dynamic DNS service provider. I think pretty much every router I have ever used has included at least one dynamic DNS service provider within the interface.

Yes, don't get too disturbed by the shindig. Both Plusnet and Zen are good ISPs, no ISP being perfect.

I don't know if you have seen this type of comparison. (But note the number of raters visible when you hover the cursor over a bar).

My first FTTC was with IDNet, chosen because of my nerves about cheaper suppliers when moving from my excellent O2 LLU 6Mbps. After the 12 months I was happy that my FTTC was stable and looked for somewhere cheaper. I haven't regretted the move to Plusnet.

Maybe you could do the same wrt Zen? Let us know what you decide .

In reply to a post by umernalla:

It is highly unlikely I will stay with Sky as my wife insists she really does need a working RingBack service - so at the moment it looks like it will be a toss up between PlusNet and Zen.

Is there a problem with the Sky RingBack service?

Edited by RobertoS (Mon 16-Jun-14 14:48:19)

In reply to a post by jelv:

In reply to a post by trolleybus:

A fixed IP is an extra dimension to the internet experience, I simply predict it will become more widely used in the future as more wish to touch base with applications running back home. Twenty years ago I never imagined that the internet would be so persuasive to reach almost every home in the land, let alone being able have a fast, affordable "always on" connection. So sneer as much as you like about the concept of a fixed IP because its time will come and when it does it will be that the minority of subscribers that won't have one.

What a stupid statement!

If you are talking about fixed IPv4 addresses that will never come about because there are not enough IPv4 addresses to be able to do that!

For IPv6 it's up in the air what will happen. The Plusnet trialists have fixed IPv6 addresses although if they connect via one of the bng gateways they are given a dynamic IPv6 address. (Incidentally the bng gateways seem to be giving IPv6 connectivity to all users who connect to them at the moment). As there will never be a shortage of IPv6 addresses, giving anyone who wants one a static address won't be an issue.

The best advice would be to steer well clear of any ISPs who don't either have IPv6 already or appear to be well on the way to rolling it out.

You guys do like to be pedantic! Where exactly did I say it would be IPv4 all round for fixed IP addresses? Well I didn't. Ah yes DDNS; well indeed that is an option for a fixed IP and the service can be free, but forget a monthly renewal and you are doomed. Surely a one stop service from your own ISP makes more sense?

Your vision of the future is that fixed IPs won't be common, well I beg to differ. Pearls of wisdom from the past include:
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home"
Ken Olsen, founder of Digital Equipment Corporation, 1977
and
"The world potential market for copying machines is 5000 at most"
IBM, to the eventual founders of Xerox, saying the photocopier had no market large enough to justify production, 1959.
Shall I put you down for membership to that club?

And clearly jelv's last sentence is having a dig at Zen because their business plan doesn't have a high priority for introducing IPv6. That is not to say their is no blue print in place for rapid implementation at the right time. Zen have laid out their stall in another thread on TBB. A lack of IPv6 now, or next week, is no reason to give an ISP the elbow unless your requirement is for it today.

Thanks for that.

When you mentioned IDNet, I searched my email and it turns out I was with them for a while until 2008 - before I moved to BE and then onto O2 - clearly showing my age when I cant remember my ISPs!!
I will check out their current offerings too...

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

In reply to a post by umernalla:

It is highly unlikely I will stay with Sky as my wife insists she really does need a working RingBack service - so at the moment it looks like it will be a toss up between PlusNet and Zen.

Is there a problem with the Sky RingBack service?

Yes - it does not work in my area. Took them 6 weeks of investigation to finally confirm that the Sky equipment in my local exchange does not support it. Must have took umpteem phone calls and emails until they finally admitted this to be the case - their standard response was usually that I must not know how to use it - obviously they did not say this but implied as much

I may have demolished your insulting contention with an extraordinary example. But that doesn't mean that there are not ordinary examples that would also do so.

For example, I still have 2 Tiscali email addys from way back. So I would not be surprised if TT addys were not equally long-lasting (one can never say everlasting ).

There are several threads on the TalkTalk Community forum today about the latest failure of Tiscali emails and main account access, (correct username/password combinations being rejected), and many more historic. One gem seeming to be that any Tiscali 6-character email and account passwords were fixed at the time of transfer to TT and cannot be changed.

Nice!

In a similar vein, the Tiscali account and email logins were identical.

Having spent about an hour today with one of those affected, and finally getting their email and account working in conjunction with TT support, (the user having have a complete numbskull at the other end this morning when trying to sort it), I suggest you see if yours work.

You may also find a rather large number of Delivery failure for spam spoofing those addresses. Apparently TT have been trying to clear that up for a few days now, but between yesterday when logins were working and today when they weren't this user had 24 valid emails in their Inbox and 90 such delivery failures.

How frequently do BT email systems get screwed up or altered? Affecting millions.

What email system do you predominantly use now?

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

I suggest you see if yours work.

Thanks, they do, both POP3 & TT Webmail, as does using the Tiscali port 587 SMTP. They have never failed on the occasional occasion I try them.

I have had no Delivery failure for spam spoofing on them but I have had a few lately on my main Orange addys, but I filter them out. That's not Orange's fault, as you seem to imply for TT, but down to leaky websites where I have registered under site-specific addys.

Just to add a little comment here. You are unlikely to notice anything worse by making the move. Also fibre with plusnet will be a nice boost over sky 20Mbps, where you're probably not syncing at the full speeds anyway. So to sum up I would say make the move however do checkout what Sky can offer you as sometimes they give you a juicy offer

A lot of good is said about PN on this forum and usually by people whom I trust. An example is RobertoS who is a wealth of knowledge and I know wouldn't put up with a bad service. As they're happy and many others alike I see no reason you wouldn't be