No LLU or cable - Best Option?

Hi,

Our current connection is decidedly not worth the money, so think its time to change. There is no LLU or cable service at our location. Our actual line length is about 1km and is excellent quality.

We need a provider that offers the following:
- 1Mbps or better connection
- Unlimited usage - no cut-off or charge extra
- Given the above a FUP would be expected. No problems with this as long as it is clear what its limits are. This needs to allow around 40GB a month, but occassionally up to 65GB.
- No port blocking (RDP, IRC, VNC)
- Stable connection and ideally well-known company
- For a resonable price

BT Option 3 looks like a resonable option, but the FUP doesnt seem very clear. Any users have experience with this?

I use option 3 and have had no problem with it. Having said that, I don't download much and my only big use is internet radio.

Rumour has it the point at which BT step in on Option 3 is if you are REGULARLY (whatever that means, id imagine say more then 3 months in a row) over 60Gb per month.

Option 3 most definately is NOT unlimited, so dont believe the shiney badge BT have stuck on it.
My advice is if you do over 60Gb a month regularly then forget them. But if you dont need more then that they are worth considering, though you may find better priced deals that offer more then that elsewhere.

One thing is for sure, you are NOT going to find a provider that claims they are unlimited but then and i quote you...
"... FUP would be expected. No problems with this as long as it is clear what its limits are. This needs to allow around 40GB a month, but occassionally up to 65GB"

NO PROVIDER is gonna claim to been unlimited but with a FUP and then tell you what it is in gigs, the only way you may get that information is to phone them first and be tactful about it with your questioning, even then you need to take what they say with a pinch of salt as its the actual TERMS that will count should you end up in a dispute.

Other providers you could consider are Etnanet resellers, and also fast.co.uk, zen is another good isp that will support you if you need help but their 50Gb package for 34.99 a month is not the cheapest.

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- Unlimited usage - no cut-off or charge extra
- Given the above a FUP would be expected. No problems with this as long as it is clear what its limits are. This needs to allow around 40GB a month, but occassionally up to 65GB.
... looks like a resonable option, but the FUP doesnt seem very clear ...

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No FUP will ever be truely clear. If they gave clear limits then it would be a cap (even if it were a flexible cap) so they couldn't claim "unlimited (subject to FUP)" and the provider wouldn't be able to change it at a moments notice without potential repercussions.

As you have a good idea what your needs are, go with a plan that explicitly promises to cover those needs plus a little more to allow for busy months, not one that promises far more ("Unlimited!!!!!!") but could well deliver far less.

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- No port blocking (RDP, IRC, VNC)

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Quick tip: I'd never leave VNC open on a public address - it is not a secure protocol. The creators themselves recommend tunnelling through to VNC services via a secure transport such as a SSH tunnel or a VPN setup (http://openvpn.net/ is pretty decent, though you need a bit of techie know-how to get it set up right) if you need to use it over a public network. I know people use similarly insecure (all data and login credentials sent in-the-clear) protocols/transports such as POP3 and FTP day in / day out - but given how much access VNC potentially gives to your network it is a bit more risky than those. I believe RDP is safer on that front but I run that through the VPN too, just for paranoia's sake.

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- For a resonable price

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I'm happy with Entanet (via Vivaciti) having moved there from the "used to be good but *really* went to the dogs" PlusNet at the start of December. Their

Have a look at IDnet. They have a wide range of packages. There is no unlimited unless you go to a business package but all uploads don't count. They have allowances which if exceeded cost