Isp Question

[schoe]

I am on broadband with bt internet, my partner who doesn't live with me is on an aol dial up connection. She is moving in with me next month and she wants to keep aol as she has got used to it and likes the features.
We are going to wirelessly network her pc and mine as hers will be in an upstairs room and mine in the conservatory.My question is do I need to change from BT Broadband and go to aol broadband for her to carry on using AOL or can we have different isp's using one broadband connection?

 

[TheBramble]

There is another thread on 'which wireless' so check that out.

But the main reason for responding is to give you a VERY big caution on changing your broadband ISP or any part of the setup you have with an existing ISP.

It takes forever, they don't get it right, you're without access for weeks and they charge you.

A Friend of mine just moved her business to a premises literally next door to the old one. She wanted to take her number with her. Simple. But between BT and Eclipse they managed to completely mess it up.

BT have to assign a new number which Eclipse then assign a new service to (at cost). BT then reassign the old number to the new line and Eclipse then do the same. It took 2 weeks, 15 hours (logged) of phone calls. BT not willing to talk to her as she was not their broadband customer. Eclipse (surprisingly as I use them too) being completely crap in their total lack of awareness, support or willingness to get anything done. I seriously doubt AOL are any better.

My advice is, if it's that important to your partner to stay with AOL, she may be prepared to do the donkey work in getting BT to put a new line in and getting AOL to supply.

Alternatively, (best option IMHO) - stay with BT and go wireless.

 

[rossored]

DO NOT change your broadband ISP!!

When I returned to the UK late last year, I went to subscribe to freeserve on a 1-month trial, because at the time my existing ISP (virgin) was not accepting further broadband registrations.

As the 1 month trial neared an end, virgin started taking applications again, so i gave notice on the Freeserve one, got the ball rolling on the virgin one (or so i thought) and sat back and waited.

Freeserve disconnected me two days later. I figured i'd be back on dial-up for maybe 5-7 days, given that it takes around 10 days to activate a broadband account, and I was only having a migration from another ISP.

However.

It actually takes longer to migrate than to set up a whole account. 15 days to migrate, 10 to set up a new account (if you aren't already ADSL-enabled).

What I didnt count on was BT rejecting the order five or six times because there were "incompatible products already on the line" - ie, I already had broadband.

How BT failed to notice that the "incompatible product" was ADSL I dont know.

Suffice to say, it took five weeks in the end, and I'm still trying to sort out the money side of things as we speak.

So my advice would be : stick with what you've got as your existing broadband supplier. Your partner will soon get used to a non-AOL setup (its not all that good anyway imo!)

So, to answer your original question : no, you cant share an ADSL line with two ISP's.

Hope this helps.

RR

 

[oatman]

I wouldn't be too keen to go with AOhelL
http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2004/2004-04-19.htm#2

 

[Rognvald]

Changing your broadband isp can be worse than changing your bank

 

[cas01]

Have a look at adslguide.org.uk ; covers most aspects about broadband and ISPs. Their BB.s are really helpful, especially ones were existing users discuss the pros/cons of their respective ISPs. AOL comes in for a lot of flack.

 

[schoe]

Thanks for the replies, I am having second thoughts about changing now so is the only option if she is adamant she wants to keep the same e-mail address and stay with AOL to get a second line installed and pay the line rental and the fee's for the AOL and BTINTERNET internet access.

 

[TheBramble]

Mark, why not get the new line installed along with AOL broadband and when it's all up and running, just cancel your old line and THEN install a wireless setup?

It'll mean using AOL of course...but nothing impresses the ladies more than a guy who's willing to switch....

{Just kidding....}

 

[schoe]

Good thinking Tony I like it and it should be worth a few brownie points. Would taking that course of action mean I would have to change phone numbers?

 

[TheBramble]

Yes. Otherwise you'd have to have BT move your current number to new line and then cease new number AND get AOL to reconfigure their end to supply to your old number which will be a new one for them.

This was the very thing which was to be much avoided.

 

[mutantcar]

Schoe,

Sorry if you already realise, but you can still use AOL dial-up, but it won't be broadband. Dial-up uses the same line as your phone, so no change there I don't think.

If it's the email address she's concerned about, I can still retrieve email from an old email address I have with ic24. Can't send with it anymore though, not sure if I have some settings incorrect, or it's not allowed.

I'm with Virgin BB, BT may be different.