Which ISP for a heavy uploader and downloader?

Currently using Plusnet on a supposedly (up to 20meg) deal, but getting 5.8-6.2meg down and 0.2-0.38meg upload. I recently had BT Broadband on order, but my father told me not to be so hasty and to look around before I "just left Plusnet", which is fair enough.

My post code is PE38 9RA, my area code is 01366 and my exchange is:

Downham Market

I am snooping around, but would like some advice on who to choose. No real preferences but don't really favour TalkTalk or Orange. I use my connection to

-play on Xbox LIVE, World of Warcraft
-upload 45 minute long HD YouTube videos (which I have to do overnight uploads with at the moment)
-download large software files
-watch a LOT of YouTube videos
-constantly keep an eye on my speed
and sometimes all at once!

I'm not looking for a package necessarily, but an ISP reccomendation. I need an unlimited package.

Any reccomendations?

if youve already got sky TV and dont mind switching your phone to sky id highly recommend them with sky the phone rental is £12.25 (cheaper than BT they also do the pay up front saver like BT) e/w calls included in that and the broadband is £10 if you just have phone and broadband or 7.50 if you also have TV, its truly unlimited and they dont throttle anything also they have an offer on for 6 months half price at the moment plus top cashback offers you could get a decent connection and save a few bob.

skys estimate for your post code Estimated Access Line Speed: 12.9Mbps - 19.0Mbps so you should at least get 12 minimum.

ive also had talktalk a month now and cant fault them again you have to have there phone

but yea id deffo recommend sky

Ash

It would be useful if you could post your line stats from your router, as that will tell us what speed you could get with Sky, or via a non-TalkTalk ISP that connects through the TalkTalk exchange kit but then goes away from the TT network.

To find the stats, see here for help.

As your exchange seems not to be WBC enabled, you are actually on an "up to 8Mbps" connection as that is all that is available except through Sky and TalkTalk kit.

I would expect if you run the BT Performance Test it will show a connection speed of 8128 or 7616kbps, and an IP Profile of 7150 or 6500kbps.

Orange LLU does not exist any more and on that exchange you would not be able to connect above 8128kbps on their new service. The same with any ISP except as I describe above.

Just for information for us, to compare with what you could get, which Plusnet package are you on, and what do you pay? Is the phone with them as well, or with BT? Does your father pay both, because if it's going to be more he may not be happy.

Agreed, not Orange at the mo' as they only do ADSL Max at your exchange, same as you are on, but when 21CN WBC comes there Orange would be very suitable as they now do unlimited w/out FUP.

Thanks for some interesting replies.

First of all, I don't know if TalkTalk is a wise bet or are they not as bad as they are made out to be?

Secondly, I've already ruled out Sky for contractual reasons.

So please can TalkTalk customers, happy or unhappy say what they experience and please keep up the recommendations, they will be useful. PS: if you are recommending and ISP, please try and quote a speed test result from http://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest.html

Thanks .

In reply to a post by willsweet2:

Thanks for some interesting replies.

First of all, I don't know if TalkTalk is a wise bet or are they not as bad as they are made out to be?

Secondly, I've already ruled out Sky for contractual reasons.

So please can TalkTalk customers, happy or unhappy say what they experience and please keep up the recommendations, they will be useful. PS: if you are recommending and ISP, please try and quote a speed test result from http://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest.html

Thanks .

Hi some info from my talk talk for you i cant couch for everyone's experience but in the month ive had them ive been happy no problems at all with them. I mainly got them for FTTC at the end of this month when my cab gos live but so far ive found the ADSL to be good its faster than my sky line is and apparently the talktalk line is a bit longer than the sky one so im happy with that.

This is a direct download from Microsoft speed test

Router Stats
Rate(Kbps) 11105 980

SNR Margin(dB) 7.9 9.3
Attenuation(dB) 40.00 21.1

TBB speedtest

Speedtest.net

Ping test

These were done on wifi the ping was a little better when i was on wired

Ash

acpsd775, your speeds made me feel tingly inside LOL. Looks like TalkTalk aren't a complete and utterly useless mess like a lot of people make them out to be. There is definitely something to look into here. What's more, they gave me a speed estimate of 14.5meg, so if I can achieve that then I will be amazed!

Thanks and keep 'em coming folks.

Speeds are generally not the issue with TT; no more than any other ISP. After all ADSL2+ is the same technology whoever is supplying it.

No, the issues with TT are: (1) It's Full LLU meaning it's difficult to get your line back when you leave, (2) Awful customer service that has been lambasted by Ofcom, Which?, Watchdog, ...

If you look in the forum here, the people complaining loudly seem to be people who have never used TalkTalk or used it many years ago.

Okay, looks like they've improved. I was with them back in the year when they launched their stupidly planned 'Free Broadband' and when I attempted a connection during peak times, it just timed out and said Page Cannot Be Displayed.

Keep 'em coming.