Broadband at last!

[delboy trotter]

Just returned from vacation to find that Broadband will be available in my area in October 2003. At the moment I have two BT lines (one for calls and the other dedicated to Internet). When BT installed the second line they replaced the original cable from my house to the BT pole, with what appears to be a single cable, but still supplies 2 discreet lines with separate phone numbers. Don't understand how that works but nevermind. What is the best way to go about getting the right package to do a good basic job and do I need to use BT for getting the equipment or can that be done using someone else?

regards,

dbt

 

[Glenn]

For equipment:-
www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/Shop/ShopSearch.asp?CategoryID=59&ShopGroupID=8&Alt=Yes
Very helpful telephone help staff imo.

And have you chosen your ISP yet ? You don't have to use BT.
www.adslguide.org.uk/ is good imo.
You can compare technical and support quality and see user comments.

Glenn

 

[delboy trotter]

Thanks Glenn,

Very helpful. I currently use Freeserve Anytime and find them pretty reliable. Anyone here use Freeserve Broadband? If so how do you rate them overall?

dbt

 

[Glenn]

You'll get a better answer from the link imo Delboy
Try comparing Freeserve with, say, AOL, Nildram, Eclipse and Zen.
Select Compare from the left margin.
Then just tick the 5 ISP boxes and hit Compare.
You get a nice set of charts for Speed, Reliability and Customer Service.
When I get back from France I'm going for Nildram.
Glenn

 

[ianh]

Delboy,
We have Broadband in the office on a BT Line from Zen.
We have used Zen for a lot of years for other things, & they have a policy of using the best equipment available without worrying about the cost. Our website is never down, & we can always connect. I doubt they will be the cheapest, but from a reliability point of view, they are A1. No, I don't work for them, & am not related. I just think they are very good!

Delboy,
How does your system work on a normal dial-up connection?
I ask because I am just about to setup a system from home where we do not have broadband, & are not likely to get it for about a year or so.

ianh

 

[delboy trotter]

Hi ianh,

thanks i will have a look at Zen.

I have been with Freeserve Anytime since they launched and i think that that on the whole they have been pretty reliable. I think there has only been 2 occasions when i could not get connected and even then it was for a very short time. However i do notice a great reduction in speed at certain times. In particular a monday night??? Perhaps it's because most people have blown their wages over the weekend and they pass monday night by surfing the web. Who knows.

dbt

 

[Rognvald]

I can say that Nildram is fast, reliable and reasonably priced.The helpdesk is 24x7 helpful beyond the call of duty

 

[oatman]

Eclipse is current fastest. I have ISDN with them, no problems always prompt and helpful.

Cheers