Cheap ISP Recommendation Please

Hey, I was wondering if you guys could help me pick an ISP. I've been with Vrgin for the past 2 months and it has been awful - during the later half of the day my download speed goes down to about 30kb/s which is barely enough for smooth browsing.

I'm on their Unlimited 8meg broadband only ADSL package. I picked it:

a) because they claimed there was only 1 month contract
b) they werent so bad when I went on at a relatives house 6 months ago
c) it was only �17.99

I've spent some time looking around for a better provider but the best I thought I found was 02 who offer a very similar deal, with a 12 month contract (which I dont mind) and its �10 cheaper with a mobile contract (which I also need). However, 02 is not available in my area at the moment, although apparently it could be within 6 months.

I'm tempted to wait the 6 months, but wondered if there's something similar out there which I could get immediately instead of the wait.

I'm looking for about 6-7Mb speeds - I live just behind my exchange. And hopefully into having to spend more than �20 a month

The Virgin Tech Support is awful, and I've wasted much money on them - I'll be happy ot ay the �50 cancellation fee just to get out f their service.

Thanks for any help in advance

What sort of usage do you do ???
Loads of downloading/p2p/newsgroups
Online gaming
surf and email

Plenty of isp who will fit the bill once we know just how you use the net.

My downloading can vary greatly, between 5 to 40GB per week. I do like to game in the evenings, although its something I've not been able to do for a while thanks to Virgin.

On an average day I'll download about 1GB

Hi if you need something to tied you over we have a true monthly contract, and �19.99 gets you 30gb peak time and 300gb off peak allowance, and ping are good for gaming around 10ms from the southeast, there is no cancel charge so you could just migrate over to O2 when it comes to your area.

Any of the Entanet resellers will suit you. The guy above is one

Also a few other isp's that might fit the bill. Who i'm sure will get recomended by others.

Thanks JohnR,

Most companies waive the connection fee and only charge you cancellation, however the person posting above you said there's no cancellation fee for their broadband, but their connection fee is �47 which is just as much as most cancellation fees.

Due to that reason, I'd rather find a an ISP which I can stick with, not a temporary one. I seriously doubt a company exists with no connection or cancellation fee and a 1 month contract..

If worst comes to worst I'll have to put up with Virgins crappy service for next few months and hope 02 still have the same offer on then.

Thanks for the help, and for any recommendations in advance

I think you will find there is no vivaciti connection charge for a migration in, just for a new connection. Have another look at their web site in case I'm wrong.

Re speeds, distance from the exchange don't necessarily mean a lot. If you post your line stats and/or a BT speed test (www.speedtester.bt.com) we can give you some idea of what you should get with a good ISP such as vivaciti.

does the op want a cheap connection or a decent one ?

virgin seems to be cheap and not good, lots of the cheap ones have FUP's throttles and other slow speeds, which is why they are cheap

It would be wise to actually check what ADSL services you can get first before parting with any cash.

LLU providers such as Sky and Be will give you the best speeds, biggest caps or no caps at all - no throttling - and at the lowest cost.

Use the link I have put below and it will tell you exactly what ADSL services you can get by just putting in your post code or phone number (i.e. it may say "Sky LLU" or "Be LLU" - that means you can use Sky or Be and they are an LLU service).

Link to ADSL services checker.

Using ISPs such as Sky or Be will give you more bang for your bucks - plus someone like Sky will give you a "deal" of their TV channels - free phone calls - and your broadband connection from about �19 a month for everything.

Sky also give away a free router plus if you use Sky's "introduce a friend" deal - Sky also give you and the "friend" that introduces you a free Sky+ box each (worth approx �100).

Edited by deleted (Wed 12-Dec-07 19:45:14)

Something to have a look at:-

this
this
this.

Contract period is 12 months.

Edit:-
and this

Edited by Apprentice (Wed 12-Dec-07 19:58:11)

Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test: -provides background information.
IP profile for your line is - 6500 kbps
DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM) 8128 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 359 kbps

This test was not conclusive and further testing is required.

Is what i got from the speedchecker, I tried changing settings for test2, but it just wouldnt connect so I left it.

Be is not available here, but Sky is. I went to the Sky website and it says I can get between 8 and 16 meg broadband. The 16MB is the only package with no caps, but as far as I could tell you need SkyTV too, can someone confirm that?

The madafish deal sounds good except after 3 months I'd be paying about �26-�27, in which case I'd rather get SkyTV

As for vivaciti, they're my second choice, after Sky - but I'm still not sure about their caps - I can see myself struggling to keep within the 30GB peak time cap

so u like madasafish, used to have them when on dial up, never had the urge to join them for adsl, no need to plug your isp, I can't offer money off mine, but seems to work ok

In reply to:

---

..... but as far as I could tell you need SkyTV too, can someone confirm that?

---

Yes you do, according to the T&Cs link on their web site,
situated down the page bottom left ......... link written in small print.

In reply to:

---

Be is not available here, but Sky is. I went to the Sky website and it says I can get between 8 and 16 meg broadband. The 16MB is the only package with no caps, but as far as I could tell you need SkyTV too

---

The Sky broadband cost is from nothing to just �10 for the max option (i.e. the 16mbps option).

The overall costs I quoted included the cost of the Sky TV channels.

So if you wanted the Sky max option on broadband - the total cost with Sky's free phone calls deal thrown in would be from �27 a month - that would be minimum of Sky TV channels - free phone calls deal - broadband 16Mbps.

Sky would also give you a free router plus using the introduce a friend deal as well - you and the "friend" will also get a free Sky+ plus box each (approx worth �100).

The savings and freebies of the Sky deals are a no brainer really as you get TV channels - free phone calls deal - unlimited, unthrottled, fast broadband connection on max option - all for less than some charge just for broadband. Not forgetting the free router and the possibility of a free Sky+ box.

Edited by deleted (Wed 12-Dec-07 23:42:29)

If you are migrating then there is NO connection fee. If you have fully cancelled with Virgin then it will need a new activation of the adsl and this fee will be passed to you. Better to pay it than go for free activation and a 12 month or such contract.
When you come to leave Virgin ask for a MAC code. Don't just tell them you want to cancel the adsl......

Not sure on any cancellation fee's as its a longtime since i last migrated to another isp and BT keep changing the rules, but i have never paid a fee to move from isp to isp in the past, and i have done it a few times.
So long as you are only migrating from isp to isp there should not be any fee's involved on a 1 month contract.
The 1 month contracts are rolling and you don't need to do anything other than keep paying the bills.

Edited by deleted (Thu 13-Dec-07 12:42:13)

Updating this old thread that I started...

I did decide to wait a bit til O2 (who I believe use Be's service) to get coverage here.
I then emailed Be to ask if they do have an expected activation date for here. Last night I received a reply saying that they dont have an activation date, so I shouldnt expect their services here for at least 6 months.

I guess I'm looking for something more long term now (12 months), instead of the month i was initially after. I'm open to other options which previously may not have been mentioned in here due to my 1 month restriction.

I've also looked into Sky and they're definitely a viable option. Someone above mentioned abotu gettign a free Sky+ box, can you please tell me how I'd o about doing that? I dont really know anyone on Sky, so if that's the option I go for, I could use one of you guys as my referrer as long as you tell me how.

Still looking for 8-16Mb speeds, download approx 30GB/month