Budget BB forson

I am looking for Broadband service for my son. He has learning
disabilities and is therefore dependent on benefits (and Dad's
largesse!). He is working on some on-line courses to try to improve his
numeracy but has to keep trekking off to the library or a learning
centre.

His computer is:

Authentic AMD Duron(tm) processor 800 MHZ
W98SE (4.10.2222)
10GB HDD, 4.29GB free
128MB RAM
52x CD ROM reader
Intel 56K HaM Data Fax Voice Modem

2 USB ports:
Gravis Eliminator Gamepad Pro
Linksys 4 way hub,: I printer, 3 vacant (Memory sticks etc.)

There is no network port but lots of free slots.

He lives about five miles away from me and his BT line is capable of ADSL.

I am happy to bear initial costs for setup, but the monthly payment
should be affordable for him.

--
Patrick (Durham UK)
http://www.pcrrn.co.uk
Do not reply direct, email via website above.
"There are 10 types of people in the world - those that know binary and
those that don't."
__________________________________________________ ___________________

On Mon, 9 May 2005 16:55:01 +0100, Patrick Nethercot (ngs)
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I am happy to bear initial costs for setup, but the monthly payment
>should be affordable for him.

which would be how much ?

Phil

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>,
Patrick Nethercot (ngs) <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> I am happy to bear initial costs for setup, but the monthly payment
> should be affordable for him.

Generally you go down the "free setup, 12 month contract" route or the
"pay for setup, no minimum term" route.

I'd tend to look at Zen, Metronet, Pipex, and Freedom2Surf.

Zen and Metronet charge for setup and are very well regarded but aren't
the cheapest. Pipex do "free" connection but if you leave with the
first year you have to pay the connection fee back (approx £60) and
Freedom2Surf offer either "free" connection but you pay a higher monthly
fee, or £50 connection and a lower fee.. basically swings and
roundabouts so check the small print.

For the £30 or so I would be tempted to get a Network Card and a router,
I suspect it'll be less bother in the long run, Windows 98 is a bit long
in the tooth and generally there's less chance of issues with a router.

Just a thought but is there any sort of affilated ISP scheme with any of
the bodies your son learns with?

cheers,
Paul
--
paul <at> spamcop <dot> net

Phil Thompson <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:


> which would be how much ?

about £15 pm?

--
Patrick (Durham UK)
http://www.pcrrn.co.uk
Do not reply direct, email via website above.
"There are 10 types of people in the world - those that know binary and
those that don't."
__________________________________________________ ___________________

On 9 May 2005 16:55, Patrick Nethercot (ngs) wrote:

>I am looking for Broadband service for my son.
>W98SE (4.10.2222)
>There is no network port but lots of free slots.
>the monthly payment should be affordable for him.

I'm guessing that Zetnet's not low enough cost and that browsing /mail are
probably the most important (the HD he has is fine for many purposes but
won't be filling up with an illegal collection of movies anytime soon :-)

How about using one of the cheap accounts that Plus.Net offers? In a
thread the other day, I posted the results of a search using some web
site, and many of the 'big name' accounts such as Wanadoo, BT and AOL
were either capped, or could be much more costly.

He can have a 2000 kbps connection, with no traffic quota, for 14.99 with
a free USB modem (which could perhaps be sold if you get a router/ network
card instead, for stability/ease of use - no USB driver issues, and the
router will stay online even when the PC is off, keeping his ADSL link
up, and at the same time, rejecting many 'probes' which could otherwise
reach the PC).


From about 10 days ago - many are selling higher speed accounts as
the starting point for new customers...

AOL 24.99 for 1000 kbps
29.99 for 2000 kbps

BT Broadband 17.99 for 1000 kbps ( 1 GB cap)
24.99 for 2000 kbps (15 GB cap)

BT Yahoo 26.99 for 2000 kbps (15 GB cap)
29.99 for 2000 kbps (30 GB cap)

Tiscali 15.99 for 1000 kbps ( 3 GB cap)
19.99 for 2000 kbps (20 GB) (but bad CS reputation)

Virgin.Net 15.99 for 500 kbps ( 1 GB cap)
17.99 for 500 ( 3 GB cap)
24.99 for 500 (20 GB cap)

Wanadoo 17.99 for 1000 kbps ( 2 GB cap)
22.99 for 1000 ( 6 GB cap)
27.99 for 1000 (30 GB cap)

I would hesitate to suggest one with a cap 'just in case' as it is far
from easy to guess what the training materials might include.

While a capped account is sometimes cheap, and Metronet is good and starts
at 10 +VAT, they do have a sliding scale which could mean spending quite a
lot more, if the traffic exceeded 2-3 GB a month.


See if Broadband Plus from Plus.Net will fit the bill - it has no quota
limits unlike many of the other accounts around that price.

Note that although it is described as 'free activation' the cost is really
deferred and on a sliding scale so if he leaves after a couple or more
years there would be a portion (80%, 60%, 40%, 20%) of the setup to pay,
just not the full 58.75 'up front'! Peter Morgan (ex-Zetnet user :-)



--
Plus.Net <http://tinyurl.com/5jpa4>
I recommend them and save some cash.

With a guarantee allowing new users to migrate if they're unhappy!

On Mon, 9 May 2005 18:14:25 +0100, Patrick Nethercot (ngs)
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>about £15 pm?

Pipex Solo 250 is £14.99/month, free modem, free setp, no 12 month
contract and IPstream. Unmetered / uncaped / unlimited but 256k only.

Plusnet you have been pointed at.

Metronet's PayGo500 is minimum £11.75 per month (inc 200 MB) rising to
a max of £22.75 per month. £15 would buy another 1300 MBytes. Has the
advantage of the low fixed cost, 3 month contract, IPstream but ~£70
setup.

http://www.f2s.net/adsl/homeuser.php is worth a look too, £14.99 per
month for 2 GB inclusive at up to 2Mbits/s if the line will take it.
No metering at night, IPstream and £1.50 per extra GB if required.

Phil
Tiscali - dialup speeds at Broadband prices :-)

--

"Patrick Nethercot (ngs)" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I am looking for Broadband service for my son. He has learning
> disabilities and is therefore dependent on benefits (and Dad's
> largesse!). He is working on some on-line courses to try to improve his
> numeracy but has to keep trekking off to the library or a learning
> centre.

Can you go to http://www.bt.com/broadband/ and tell us what BT exchange the
telephone checker says his telephone line is on?

Regards
Sunil

The message <s76v71h2nelrsjc410gsjo4svq4pa0soak@212.159.2.86 >
from Peter M <us-(E-Mail Removed)> contains these words:

> I'm guessing that Zetnet's not low enough cost and that browsing /mail are
> probably the most important (the HD he has is fine for many purposes but
> won't be filling up with an illegal collection of movies anytime soon :-)

> How about using one of the cheap accounts that Plus.Net offers? In a
> thread the other day, I posted the results of a search using some web
> site, and many of the 'big name' accounts such as Wanadoo, BT and AOL
> were either capped, or could be much more costly.

> He can have a 2000 kbps connection, with no traffic quota, for 14.99 with
> a free USB modem (which could perhaps be sold if you get a router/ network
> card instead, for stability/ease of use - no USB driver issues, and the
> router will stay online even when the PC is off, keeping his ADSL link
> up, and at the same time, rejecting many 'probes' which could otherwise
> reach the PC).

I'm not sure that Win 98 works well with USB. (Contrary to what some
say, it does work after a fashion as I have a USB scanner on '98) '98SE
is supposed to be better, but there may be power issues, IIRC.

Can it be supplied on 'suck-it-and-see'?

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

"Sunil Sood" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:


> Can you go to http://www.bt.com/broadband/ and tell us what BT exchange the
> telephone checker says his telephone line is on?


For Telephone Number 01915xxxxxx on Exchange HOUGHTON LE SPRING

Your exchange has ADSL broadband.

Our initial test on your line indicates that you should be able to have
an ADSL broadband service that provides 2Mbps, 1Mbps, 512Kbps or 256Kbps
download speed.

--
Patrick (Durham UK)
http://www.pcrrn.co.uk
Do not reply direct, email via website above.
"There are 10 types of people in the world - those that know binary and
those that don't."
__________________________________________________ ___________________