Help me choose fast, reliable ISP in North London

Hi all,

I've just moved to Crouch End in North London, and need to set up a broadband connection. According to SamKnows, my exchange is here, and I'm 508 meters from it, if that matters!

The flat currently has no land line - the previous tenants used a Virgin cable connection, but I'm not interested in continuing that as I haven't enjoyed their service in the past.

So I need to get the land line reconnected, and choose an ISP for my broadband. I'm an O2 mobile customer, and I've seen some good feedback about them online, so they seem worth considering. Also, perhaps, Plusnet?

As for my requirements: I'm not interested in any land line call packages, just the bare minimum line rental to support the broadband connection. I'm a web developer, and download a lot of data (images, movies, etc), so I need a fast, reliable connection, and preferably one with no cap, or a generous upper limit (also OK would probably be the Plusnet system I've read about, where they lift the cap overnight). A static IP would be a bonus. A faster than average upload speed would be a HUGE bonus too.

I have phoned O2 customer services, and they mentioned to me the same info I've seen floating around this forum in the last few days - that they'll shortly be offering a landline connection service, and an inclusive line rental and broadband charge. As I qualify for the £5 off for mobile customers, are O2 my best bet? Or is there a better value, faster, less capped or cheaper alternative?

Many thanks!

O2 LLU or Be LLU (probably O2). Search for a comparison document linked to in user MKD's signature to help decide between them.

Thanks John.

I don't see much (any?) mention of LLU on the O2 site - can you explain which packages that would cover, or point me to a resource somewhere which explains it?

Cheers

Also, if I went with O2, I imagine the best bet for a land line is to get them to connect it with O2 Home Phone on the rental-only package? Apparently they're introducing that very soon - next week they suggest - and they'll phone me to let me know when it's available.

On O2, currently O2 Standard, O2 Premium and O2 Pro are the LLU packages - as you can also get BE, you won't be offered anything else

But ( and this a a big BUT ), O2 are changing their packages next week (very likely from Monday)
http://www.thinkbroadband.com/news/4366-o2-study-sug...

There may be changes afoot at BE as well next week, however positive and IMO for the better i.e. Be Landline and Line Bonding
http://beusergroup.co.uk/?id=436

You've missed the boat for the current O2 packages as you can't order till you have a landline.

Depending on how long you intend to stay there, you could get a new landline installed bt BT for £30 if you ring up rather than go through the website. It's an 18-month contract, but perhaps if you pay 12 months rental up-front you will get their very good rental price as well. That way at least you have started the ball rolling.

That's assuming you only really want it for broadband.

Then you can see what transpires on Be and O2. Line installation costs on both will be £85, and as I understand it if you migrate out you have to shift the landline away from them as well. Not as rosy as it looks!

MKD has a good phone cost comparison here, though it doesn't show the £30 BT deal or the O2 and BT latest rental prices. The O2 one isn't actually available yet anyway. It gives a good overview of how little there is between all of them anyway, and which is best for a particular person will vary.

Plusnet compared to O2 or Be is just a non-starter as it is BT Wholesale based. Are you aware of their traffic shaping?

Suggest you look out for Fibre to the Cabinet, which is being put into your exchange area, as this will give you the fastest combination of downstream and upstream speeds that you can get. I know its already on offer in Muswell Hill and Tottenham, this Crouch End is coming pretty soon - within next 6 months.

In reply to a post by New_Londoner:

Suggest you look out for Fibre to the Cabinet, which is being put into your exchange area, as this will give you the fastest combination of downstream and upstream speeds that you can get. I know its already on offer in Muswell Hill and Tottenham, this Crouch End is coming pretty soon - within next 6 months.

Thanks - and which ISPs are likely to offer this service? Just BT, or are there others?

In reply to a post by georgecrawford:

In reply to a post by New_Londoner:

Suggest you look out for Fibre to the Cabinet, which is being put into your exchange area, as this will give you the fastest combination of downstream and upstream speeds that you can get. I know its already on offer in Muswell Hill and Tottenham, this Crouch End is coming pretty soon - within next 6 months.

Thanks - and which ISPs are likely to offer this service? Just BT, or are there others?

At least the ones at the bottom of this page. They are all based on the BT Wholesale product thoigh, not LLU, and suffer from the manic BT DLM.