Choosing an ISP

Hello you lovely people.

I've been looking on this forum for a long time, but haven't ever posted. Bit like a forum peeping tom. But I've decided to join to get some help from you wonderful lot.

I'm currently looking for a new ISP but unsure on which one to choose. My exchange is Roxton and it doesn't offer a great deal in anything. When I moved house I signed up for Sky Connect and at first all was okay. Recently in peak hours it's been a as slow as a snail in glue, carrying bricks and heading the wrong way. So I've got my Mac code and I'm looking around.

At first I was interested in plusnet but, not too keen to be honest, not sure why. BT is a no, don't want to be tied in for 18 months. In the end I was going to sign up for IDNET but I think I read here that they have gone down hill a bit recently. So I'm a bit confused.

Any help would be very much appreciated.


Thanks all.

Briggsy

Hi and welcome to the forums.
Before anyone can best advise you, may be an idea to post back what sort of data usage per month, the type of thing you use the net for (any P2P etc) and then the sort of budget you have in mind.

You have no LLU on your exchange so that would be out.
Once you post back with the info, then it will be easier for people to recommend packages and providers.

I joined IDNet in Feb, and if I'd been aware of then having "gone downhill" I wouldn't have done. If you've read anything saying they have I think you probably saw a one-off problem someone has had rather than an ISP decline. That can happen any time with any ISP.

If anything, it looks from this as if things are steady or even slightly improving.

It would also be good to post what sort of price range you were looking at - differing providers all have differing prices and features.

Was that reply intended for me? Better to click the Reply button on the post you wish to reply to .

Hi. thanks for the welcome

@vivaciti
Actually that's another area I'm still not set on. I normally consider myself a light user, I mostly browse, but I might do a bit of P2P, maybe once a month if that, but I don't mind doing that overnight. I also stream low standard video content for around 90 minutes a week (sometimes) and only from august to may (easy to guess what I'm viewing). Not too sure on the cost of allowance is for that. Don't really game online, watch a few music videos on youtube and generally thats it. Nothing heavy

I was going for the Home lite package at IDNET which is 10GB peak and 30GB off-peak, thought that would be enough for me.

I actually looked at the Family 30 at vivaciti, shame they (you, if you work for them ) don't do a Family 10 or Family 20 for around £17 or £18 probably of signed up.

Cost wise, probably anything up to £20, maybe less as I'm not really a heavy user of P2P like I used to be and streaming can vary. Being a tight git, probably as cheap as I can get as I need to incorporate the cost of a new router when changing.

@RobertoS
Think it was something to do with line issues and them finding a new alternative. Can't remember to be honest. Sorry to be really vague. One of the reasons I posted was to hear the experiences of others regarding IDNET. I actually used that chart to help select IDNET. Was quite easy to compare the services for me as I have little to choose from. Was looking to move to a smaller ISP as they seem to offer better services when the exchange is not unbundled

Thanks for taking the time to reply

Hang on a mo, Roberto, didn't you post problems of high packet loss and poor performance on the 9th?

This was corroborated by other punters on IDNET confirming the exact same thing?

This was put down to a 'big news day' by an IDNET rep.

Sounds like under capacity to me which would be very disappointing to punters who are possibly paying very high prices for the service and would not expect to see a provider who charges a premium suffering under capacity on 'big news days' .

Edited by deleted (Tue 16-Aug-11 20:47:55)

In reply to a post by RandomJointer:

Hang on a mo, Roberto, didn't you post problems of high packet loss and poor performance on the 9th?

This was corroborated by other punters on IDNET confirming the exact same thing?

This was put down to a 'big news day' by an IDNET rep.

Sounds like under capacity to me which would be very disappointing to punters who are possibly paying very high prices for the service and would not expect to see a provider who charges a premium suffering under capacity on 'big news days' .

Yes I did, here. The corroboration you refer to, (by only one poster), I didn't reply to at the time because I did not agree with the poster that his BQM was at all like mine, but didn't feel like upsetting him.

He would seem to have suffered from the same effect, I agree, and I did find the post by simon a little disturbing. However I feel confident that IDNet will have noted what happened and will be taking the necessary steps.

I believe BT slows down most evenings, which IDNet doesn't. Any idea how that was on the 9th? Or shall I dig out some mud to throw back ?

You well know that increasing MSIL capacity is a relatively minor task. I'm sure it will be done if and when needed.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

.......I did find the post by simon a little disturbing. However I feel confident that IDNet will have noted what happened and will be taking the necessary steps.

I think it worth pointing out that in the past where major news events have been anticipated, iDNet have increased capacity to cover it. Unfortunately major stock market crashes and riots in the streets aren't generally predictable.....

I have ben with Idnet for over 5 years now and have never noticed any problems with them at all. Thier capacity is always increased in advance of any likely shortage and they are still one of the best isp's around.