Broadband only ISP in Glasgow (< 1km from exchange)

Hi,

Have just spent 5 months trying to get a new phone line active at my new home and suffered through Hell of Infinite Conflict Between Sky and BT Openreach (I had a perfectly good Sky Talk and Broadband package at my old address but Sky completely fckd up the transfer).

The result of this is that I have a BT line which will support > 10 MB (prob 13) and an 18 month contract with BT to put at least 10 calls through them a month (which seems to preclude transferring my call package to Sky or TalkTalk or like).

I haven't chosen a broadband provider yet and am looking for advice for best ISP for these circumstances...cost is a factor but I would say I'm a medium-heavy user (Broadbands Anonymous) and reluctant to go for the BT 10GB limit package.

Have still got Sky broadband router if it can be re-used (not sure how much it's locked to Sky).

Anyone have any advice?
(I do, never never ask Sky to activate a new phone line for you)

Thanks for your time,
Olly

It might not matter, or it might, but there seem to be several exchanges for Glasgow.

Pleas could you put your phone number into this checker and give us the URL of the result?

How much are you willing to pay for the broadband, and can you schedule big uploads to overnight?

Re the 10 calls per month, (that seems high, I thought it was 2), but you may not realise that the included calls count, even 08700, 0845 etc.

Edited by RobertoS (Wed 06-Apr-11 17:30:19)

In reference to www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProducts/displayTopic.do?top...:

£30 Connection Offer: Customers who require a new line will benefit from a £100 discount on the standard line connection charge of £130. Customers who are benefiting from this offer are not eligible for Line Rental Saver and must agree to an 18 month contract (applies to the Unlimited Weekend Plan or the Unlimited Anytime Plan). Minimum call commitment also applies � you must make at least 10 chargeable or inclusive calls per month (30 calls per quarter). You'll need to pay a charge of £5.15 for every month (if you are billed monthly) or £15.45 for every quarter (if you're billed quarterly) in which you don't make these calls, as compensation for not making the minimum number of calls required. These charges are not subject to VAT and will appear in the one-off charges section of your bill.

I think you are right; it may have gone up.

Thanks - its Pollok exchange so no fibre scheduled. Also, not bothered about 10 calls other than unable to go anywhere else for calls. Does night / off peak not count against 10gb limit? Leaning toward 16 quid bt package but unhappy paying more than double for same / less than what sky deal was giving me (which requires calls package ie. Sky talk

Your best option there is Be Value, running on your BT line at least until the minimum term for that is up. After that you could shop around for better deals for the phone side but keep the Be broadband on it.

If you clear cookies and sign up through TopCashback or Quidco you should also get between £15 and £20.20 cash back.

(Edit - sample comparison).

Edited by RobertoS (Thu 07-Apr-11 00:01:47)

That BT £16 bundle is for 20 Meg 10GB Usage BB + Anytime calls.

If you are not bothered about calls you could go for the BT £13 (FREE for 3 months) bundle of 10GB BB + Evening & Weekend Calls or even £11 for 10GB BB + Weekend Calls Only.

You could also consider BE Value upto 12 Meg BB Unlimited FUP Usage for £17, but no phone plan.

Or O2 Basics up to 20 Meg BB 20GB Usage for £13.50 (£8.50 with a O2 mobile).

Re the phone line, I read the OP as having already got the phone line on an 18-month package?

Re broadband, not O2 Basics!

As well as the 20GB hard FUP, (IIRC go over it and your speed is cut to 128kbps until the end of the month), the upload is counted towards it and the traffic management is horrendous.

There is a bit of a contradiction here:-

"I would say I'm a medium-heavy user (Broadbands Anonymous) and reluctant to go for the BT 10GB limit package."

Not many people would these days describe themselves as a medium-heavy user if 10GB was reluctantly feasible. Even 20GB sounds extremely tight to me.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

Re the phone line, I read the OP as having already got the phone line on an 18-month package?

He did! That would include the basic BT Weekend Call Plan.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

"I would say I'm a medium-heavy user (Broadbands Anonymous) and reluctant to go for the BT 10GB limit package."

That's why I suggested O2 Basics. It's up to OP to consider whether suitable. As a light but all-day long user I can just about manage within 10 GB.

BTW: What means "Broadbands Anonymous"?

Thanks for the advice - just signed up for Be Value via TopCashback.

Broadbands Anonymous - bad joke about standing up in front of everyone and admitting I'm a medium/heavy user of broadband (swap for Alcohol if still lost in translation)

Post deleted by MrSaffron