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General => Technical Help => Topic started by: Musicman on Friday 26 June 20 12:32 BST (UK)

Title: Finding a 'reliable' ISP.
Post by: Musicman on Friday 26 June 20 12:32 BST (UK)

Trying to find a ‘recommended’ ISP – which seems to be quite difficult.   Currently with Sky but keen to leave at (or before!) end of contract.  Did look at returning to Plusnet, but see lots of complaints.  Was considering Zen – but lots of ‘One star out of five’ comments on www.broadband.co.uk  Obviously, there are some to avoid – but, how do your sort out ‘the wheat from the chaff’?
Title: Re: Finding a 'reliable' ISP.
Post by: mazi on Friday 26 June 20 20:26 BST (UK)
It’s a minefield isn’t it.  It also depends on how much you use your landline to make calls, some prices do not include line rental and some that do don’t mention what call charges are.

I have had faultless service from BT for years, sometimes it’s buy cheap buy twice.

Mike
Title: Re: Finding a 'reliable' ISP.
Post by: Musicman on Friday 26 June 20 22:06 BST (UK)

I have had faultless service from BT for years, sometimes it’s buy cheap buy twice.

Mike

Thanks Mike for suggestion.  Vowed I would never return to BT for bad service years ago - though, of course, I was with + Net for years!  Will certainly give them a look!!
Title: Re: Finding a 'reliable' ISP.
Post by: guest189040 on Friday 26 June 20 23:12 BST (UK)
I was with Sky.

Tried to go with Virgin for the fast cable, they came, searched for and could not find their own cable to tap into, shrugged shoulders and left, never to return.

I then joined BT a few years ago simply for the fastest Broadband that I could get.

Now out of contract with them but still with them.

Zero problems with BT.

My Brother has moved over to Talk Talk and now it is hit and miss if their phone works

Title: Re: Finding a 'reliable' ISP.
Post by: Musicman on Saturday 27 June 20 06:15 BST (UK)
Biggles50: Thanks for info.  :)

As Mike said earlier: It's a minefield! 

BT is out as I don't need high speeds and it's  2-year contract with them.  TalkTalk is a definite no-no!  :D

 Beginning to feel that dial-up might be a better option for me!  ;D
Title: Re: Finding a 'reliable' ISP.
Post by: trystan on Saturday 27 June 20 07:49 BST (UK)
The thing worth bearing in mind, is with the exception of "Virgin Media Superfast Fibre" (and people in Hull), I believe all the UK Internet Service Providers use the BT OpenReach infrastructure to deliver the broadband to your home. That's where most of the reliability lies.

I recommend Plusnet. Their call centre is in Sheffield, not in Delhi.

Other ISPs that may be of interest too, often overlooked are:

The Post Office:
https://www.postoffice.co.uk/broadband-phone

The Phone CoOp:
https://www.thephone.coop/
Title: Re: Finding a 'reliable' ISP.
Post by: HarryW on Saturday 27 June 20 09:05 BST (UK)
I've had years of good service with BT I believe that all of their call centres are now back in the UK or Ireland.

As Trystan said, except for Virgin nearly all ISPs use the BT local network which is managed by Openreach (even Virgin do in some rare cases).   There are other Fibre only ISPs out there now, but most have to provide new cabling to give service (my son in law works for one).

In general cheap is dear in the long run.    One of the issues is, in general, people only post bad reviews.   Unsolicited good reviews on any forum are quite rare.
Title: Re: Finding a 'reliable' ISP.
Post by: Ray T on Saturday 27 June 20 14:16 BST (UK)
We’ve been with a firm called “Eclipse” for Equus Africanus Asinus years. Maybe not the cheapest but it’s hardly, if ever, gone wrong and the only time the price ever changed was when they wrote to me to say that, if I agreed to stay with them for 12 months, they would reduce my monthly bill.
Title: Re: Finding a 'reliable' ISP.
Post by: Musicman on Saturday 27 June 20 15:54 BST (UK)
Thanks Ray - however, you might be interested in this:

“UK ISP Eclipse Internet Quietly Withdraws Home Broadband Products” (16/10/14)

Source: ISP Review - http://www.rootschat.com/links/01pn9/
Title: Re: Finding a 'reliable' ISP.
Post by: Ray T on Saturday 27 June 20 17:40 BST (UK)
Thanks Ray - however, you might be interested in this:

“UK ISP Eclipse Internet Quietly Withdraws Home Broadband Products” (16/10/14)

Source: ISP Review - http://www.rootschat.com/links/01pn9/

Well, they keep taking the money and it still works otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this!

Perhaps they’ve stopped taking on new domestic customers? .... but how would they know that you’re a domestic customer?
Title: Re: Finding a 'reliable' ISP.
Post by: AngusMcCoatup on Saturday 27 June 20 17:49 BST (UK)
Why do you want to leave Sky, and what are you looking for in an ISP?

Who else is providing services at your exchange? (Check at https://availability.samknows.com/broadband/exchange_search)
Title: Re: Finding a 'reliable' ISP.
Post by: Crumblie on Saturday 27 June 20 19:09 BST (UK)
Although it operates as a separate business Plusnet is owned by BT.
Title: Re: Finding a 'reliable' ISP.
Post by: Lisajb on Saturday 27 June 20 19:14 BST (UK)
I was with Virgin for years, but service unreliable (oversold in my area), and the price kept sneaking up.

Left and went with plusnet, I’ve been happy, like the fact that call centre is in U.K.