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| excossack Member Since: 22 Feb 2012 Location: North West Posts: 5865   
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I have been looking at EE (already have a mobile) and also at PlusNet.
From chatting with EE you can use you own router but they still send you and charge you for theirs. PlusNet also do a static IP address for an additional one off fee. Sky (who I am currently with) like you to use their router (as you already mentioned) but the BB performance appears to have slowed down of late. 1999 Defender TD5 110 Regards John M0VAZ Econet Station 48 no clock |
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21st Feb 2017 1:15pm |
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| mse Member Since: 06 Apr 2008 Location: UK Posts: 5038 
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Thanks
We too were looking at EE - i got put off from some reviews? how do you find them? Ill move my mobile(s) across too Sky's speed (almost like throttling) was the reason we left them years ago...some things seem to not change! Mike |
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21st Feb 2017 1:44pm |
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| excossack Member Since: 22 Feb 2012 Location: North West Posts: 5865
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From a mobile side EE have been fine, yet to move BB to them. I am on a Pay Monthly contract so EE will also give me an extra 2gb of data a month which is handy. 1999 Defender TD5 110
Regards John M0VAZ Econet Station 48 no clock |
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21st Feb 2017 2:00pm |
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| AMBxx Member Since: 24 Jul 2016 Location: York Posts: 1035 
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We've been on PlusNet for years. Support has always been very good. Fixed IP address too.
Recently had to change the reverse DNS address, so bit more complex than your typical support request - all went well, but did take a couple of emails. I've heard rumbles of discontent about Plusnet, but not experienced any problems. My dad and father-in-law are both on their service too. Also heard they've had problems with mobile (we're on O2). Use own router (Fritz!Box) without any problems. They are part of BT, but there doesn't seem to be much influence from BT (good thing!). Telephone support is all from Sheffield. They can be a bit condescending, but at least they're not using a script! |
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21st Feb 2017 2:38pm |
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| dorsetsmith Member Since: 30 Oct 2011 Location: South West Posts: 4554 |
Have been with Clara.net for year broadband service is good with BT copper wire or fibre broadband, all was email you when serves will interrupted week before is do start can use your on router Fixed IP address, Support good to
one first broadband provides |
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21st Feb 2017 3:03pm |
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| mse Member Since: 06 Apr 2008 Location: UK Posts: 5038
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Wow, thanks, Clara.net were my first ISP back when i had 8bit dialup!
I bet there are loads of "obscure" suppliers out there that arent eh big 4/6 Edit: cant seem to see consumer bb? Mike |
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21st Feb 2017 3:16pm |
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| gilarion Member Since: 05 Dec 2013 Location: Wales Posts: 5111  
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Been with EE for some time without any issues. What I like is that the phones are answered in the UK by an English speaking person without any of those wait in line for twenty minutes nonsense.
I have a package with phone line rental and unlimited broadband, cheapest around and it gives me free phone calls 365 days a year. For those who like Welsh Mountains and narrow boats have a look at my videos and photos at.. http://www.youtube.com/user/conwy1 |
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21st Feb 2017 3:38pm |
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| Swac3 Member Since: 21 Feb 2015 Location: Aberdeen Posts: 363 |
When you say dropping out, is it the actual physical connection that's dropping ? Because generally if it is then swapping providers isn't going to help at all.
Is your voice phone line noisy ? Especially around the time of drop outs ? When you've been disconnected a few time does your speed get really bad ? Try dialling 17070 pick option 2 for a quiet line test. Also worth checking your routers info to see what your error rates and disconnects are showing. Only suggesting this as our line is crap we're a long way from the exchange, get disconnected randomly but especially when it starts to rain, and Swapping providers isn't going to resolve anything for us, its Openreach who 'care' for the lines and they don't either care or have any contractual obligation to do anything about it. Just a thought you didn't mention if you're on a FttC or plain old Adsl connection 3 Landrovers |
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21st Feb 2017 6:55pm |
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| Rashers Member Since: 21 Jun 2015 Location: Norfolk Posts: 3525 
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As per Swac3 above ^ ^ ^
If your electricity supply is up and down like a fiddlers elbow, and you get power cuts every week, switching supplier from Scottish Power to Eon will not make a jot of difference. Broadband is mostly similar to this. I believe Virgin (I have no experience of them living in the dark ages) are the only major provider to take the fibre cable into the property (careful when digging the garden as they often lay the cables with no protection just under the surface). Nearly everyone else at some point uses Open Reach (BT) infrastructure. Open Reach fibre will mostly only go to a green cabinet on the side of the road. Twisted copper from then on to your house. If you are in the sticks (as I am), you rely purely on the twisted pair of copper cables from your local exchange to your home. The further away you are, mostly the worse your broadband will be. You can check your local exchange to see which Internet Service Provider has their equipment installed. If like me you only have BT equipment, it won't matter who you use, or what they promise. By the way, we don't get anything near what BT/Openreach says we should for BB Speeds. This is not uncommon. There is a good website called www.samknows.com which is worth a look and has very good information. Good luck! |
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21st Feb 2017 7:14pm |
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| mse Member Since: 06 Apr 2008 Location: UK Posts: 5038
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Thanks both - although if i said ignore the drop out issue - i mean it nicely
 its definitely a mix of VF hardware and firmware - but its gone through all the technical support process and tests and im sick of it, beyond sick of it - VF have confirmed its the hardware - but im also not the only one...i could have it fixed in 10 seconds if i was allowed  - i can explain the saga if you want!
FTTC is what we are on I used to be a network ICT dude and although that was 12years ago easy, i can still just about remember if i force myself Mike |
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21st Feb 2017 7:52pm |
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| excossack Member Since: 22 Feb 2012 Location: North West Posts: 5865
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VF hardware?
Decided to make the move to EE and via cashback site, £55 cashback and an extra 5gb a month on my mobile plan 1999 Defender TD5 110 Regards John M0VAZ Econet Station 48 no clock |
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21st Feb 2017 9:03pm |
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| Thon Member Since: 22 Nov 2015 Location: Salisbury Plain Posts: 696
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I have stuck with BT throughout - not because they offer the fastest, best or cheapest service (they don't), but in the event of anything going wrong, it's only one "throat to choke" - they own the equipment and infrastructure end-to-end. I've heard so many times about instances where people have swapped provider, only to find in the event of a problem that each blames the other. We have a slow and unreliable connection too (aluminium conductor cable, lots of trees and an underwater segment) so it's not unusual to have line problems.
I've tried satellite as well (awful service, reasonably fast but with a lot of latency) but recently simply upgraded my 4G mobile plan to a higher allowance and use that as my reserve service as and when required. Works just as well as our fixed line and about 5 times the speed. It means I have a dependable reserve just in case, as both I and my wife work from home. |
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21st Feb 2017 9:24pm |
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| Retroanaconda Member Since: 04 Jan 2012 Location: Scotland Posts: 2664 
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Agree with Thon. I would always take ADSL from BT as they own the infrastructure.
I also have an aluminium cable from the exchange about two miles to my house, despite the short distance I could only get synced at 0.5mbps as that's all the exchange was equipped to provide (rural exchange with c. 50 properties on it so never likely to get upgraded even to ADSLMax. And no cabinets, all exchange only lines so even further down the fibre rollout list. Because the line was old and crap, whenever the wind blew or it rained the ADSL would drop out every few minutes. Openreach said there was nothing they could do, or rather it wasn't worth the expense. So I ditched the ADSL and the landline completely - never actually used the latter, had to phone myself once a month or something to stop the line being disconnected! My solution was to get a 3G WiFi thing. As a result of the railway/trunk road passing through the valley below me I get very good 3G signal and so I am able to achieve download speeds of around 9mbps. Only issue is limited data packages, however this situation I improving as more people start using 3G/LTE networks for broadband. It's the future for rural areas. |
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21st Feb 2017 9:35pm |
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| ARC99 Member Since: 19 Feb 2013 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 1831 
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[quote="Rashers"]
I believe Virgin (I have no experience of them living in the dark ages) are the only major provider to take the fibre cable into the property (careful when digging the garden as they often lay the cables with no protection just under the surface). I am with Virgin Media and have always had good service from them despite what other may say. They had an Irish firm lay the trunking and cables in the footpaths in the street I live in. I warned the JCB driver that the electric cables on my side of the street were only buried 6" below surface, he just ignored me so I told his look out Okay thanks I keep an eye open was the reply. Well he must have used his blind one , they chopped through every mains cable, back filled and laid tarmac over and just kept going . It got to the state were people were standing behind the digger to stop him moving. The  hit the fan when someone called the police both were arrested for being drunk. It took the Electric board hours to re connect everyone.
They had the same firm lay the cables from street to the house, yes they do only lay the cable inches below surface and not in sheathing unless you kick up a fuss as I did. They are not allowed to lift paving stones. The chap next door did not have a garden only paving stones so the dug out the mortar between the stones ,wedged the cable in and put sand on top, they spent hours doing it only to find they were at the wrong house.  Don't make old people mad.
We don't like being old in the first place, so it doesn't take much to us off.
Richard |
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21st Feb 2017 9:46pm |
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