Recommendation for normal broadband

After 20+ years with Zen, we're moving from the broadband desert of Northumberland to the even icier wastes of rurl Somerset where Zen fears to tread. So sadly it's Bye-Bye Zen I feel bereft.

We're moving into a rental for four months where normal ADSL will be fine but then to our final home where if fibre is available then we'll go down that route. Not mandatory.

So any recommendations. Have an aversion to most of the Big Boys TBH as past experience of customer service not ideal.

??? If ADSL - or SOGEA for that matter - is available from anyone at the rental address, then I am sure Zen would do it. I think your biggest problem will be minimum contract lengths of a year or more with most ISP's. I think I would be checking out 3G or 4G internet in the rental location.

I think some providers have stopped providing ADSL based services completely - but I don't know which.

Personally if I was the OP I would look at Aquiss. It may be that it would be a 12 month contract for SOGEA but with someone like Aquiss they might have an option to migrate the service to the new address on full fibre - I am sure they would be willing to have a conversation with the OP around what could be done.

Thank you but I can't find anyone with short term contracts.

I've given the postcodes to Zen and they don't have the equipment in the exchanges/wherever

Edited by countryman69 (Wed 19-Feb-25 17:42:08)

Seems to me that Aquiss is a rip-off. Long dated contract. Cannot transfer from one property to another. So if I move after 4 months, I still have to pay the monthly fee for the remaining months + a £45 penalty fee [censored]. Talk about Rip-Off Britain

In reply to a post by countryman69:

Seems to me that Aquiss is a rip-off.

Hmm. A bit unfair to single Aquiss out as a rip off on your criteria, because most of those issues apply to most ISP's.

The larger providers are not interested in providing short-term contracts, some allow for home moves within contract but others don't.

AFAIK you will only be able to order broadband-only ADSL (AKA SOADSL or SOTAP) if neither FTTP nor boradband-only VDSL (AKA SOGEA) are available at the premises. As the number of premises which fall into this category is small many providers have not bothered making it available to order.

Andrews & Arnold do offer 1, 6 or 12 month contracts for copper-based services, IDNet offer 1, 12 or 24 month contracts. As the Openreach costs are the same the shorter ones have larger install and rental fees rather than being amortised over a longer contract period.

OK, they're all rip-off merchants then. Almost like a cartel as if they've all adopted this Rip-Off Britain attitude (because it is as I can't see any justice for making you continue paying the contract...assuming you stay with them when you move to another place) and also fining you.

AAISP, IDNet and Pulse8 are all reputable suppliers and do one month contracts for ADSL. I am sure there are others.

The ISPs all pay to set the connection up at your address, if they let you move within the term then they'd quickly be paying out more in connection and cease fees than the revenue they're collecting from you.

There are one-month contract options where you pay the costs associated with setup and a cease fee, if you require the flexibility.