Bulldog v NTL v Sky

My current setup is as follows

NTL Family Sports and Movies £ 50.50
1.5 MB Broadband NTL £ 37.99
Talk Unlimited 24 £ 15.50

I am thinking of swapping to Sky and Bulldog, which would then cost

Full Sky TV package £ 41.00
Bulldog Broadband £28.50
(including unlimited phone calls) £10.50

This would obviously save money but is Bulldog worth it. I may have the
added cost of £60 for a new phone line, as I am not sure if I still
count as having a BT line. The box is still there but hasn't been used
since I moved in (1997)

I think NTL is becoming a total rip off when compared to Sky as the top
of the range package is almost £10 dearer on Sky and most of the
interactive stuff isn't available via NTL. In fact, if I migrate, I am
considering going for Sky+ which will make it a much better system IMHO.

My only doubt is that newsgroups are unavailable on Bulldog. Do people
find lack of newsgroups a problem with their ISPs, as I presume they
could all be read via Google.

The only other added costs I think are for a modem. On this point, I
currently run my NTL broadband wireless via a Netgear router. I presume
this can still be done via Bulldog.

Any opinions/ ideas about what I am planning to do. Especially from
people who have done similar migrations, or are about to. I think NTL
have become far too aggressive with their pricing and I can only see one
winner.

"Lilywhite" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:E_X%d.58$(E-Mail Removed)...
> My current setup is as follows
>
> NTL Family Sports and Movies £ 50.50
> 1.5 MB Broadband NTL £ 37.99
> Talk Unlimited 24 £ 15.50
> I am thinking of swapping to Sky and Bulldog, which would then cost
>
> Full Sky TV package £ 41.00
> Bulldog Broadband £28.50
> (including unlimited phone calls) £10.50

I recently gave NTL the boot for TV and phone and have gone with Sky and
BT/18866.

Sky is soooooooooo much better for TV! Interactive works, better picture,
cheaper, more channels and reliable service. Not had any reason to call Sky
CS but nothing can be as bad as NThell.Currently paying 3 months half price
for full package (£21), then intend to switch to sports + family pack for
£33

I am paying BT £10.50 a month and expect my 18866 bill to be measured in
pence.

Still with NTL broadband as I am getting reliable 2mb for £25. Might have to
look around if they start enforcing caps tho'.

On Tue, 22 Mar 2005 16:47:32 GMT, Lilywhite wrote:

> My only doubt is that newsgroups are unavailable on Bulldog. Do people
> find lack of newsgroups a problem with their ISPs, as I presume they
> could all be read via Google.
>
If you are concerned about news then you can get it from a third party
supplier. I buy text based news access from news.individual.net in Germany,
it costs 10 Euro per year.
One can also buy binary access from various providers, some good, some bad
but I don't have a recommendation for you.

Adam

"Lilywhite" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:E_X%d.58$(E-Mail Removed)...
> My current setup is as follows
>
> NTL Family Sports and Movies £ 50.50
> 1.5 MB Broadband NTL £ 37.99
> Talk Unlimited 24 £ 15.50
> I am thinking of swapping to Sky and Bulldog, which would then cost
>
> Full Sky TV package £ 41.00
> Bulldog Broadband £28.50
> (including unlimited phone calls) £10.50
>
> This would obviously save money but is Bulldog worth it. I may have the
> added cost of £60 for a new phone line, as I am not sure if I still count
> as having a BT line. The box is still there but hasn't been used since I
> moved in (1997)
>
> I think NTL is becoming a total rip off when compared to Sky as the top of
> the range package is almost £10 dearer on Sky and most of the interactive
> stuff isn't available via NTL. In fact, if I migrate, I am considering
> going for Sky+ which will make it a much better system IMHO.

If you can get the Sky+ deal for £99 that would be worth doing if you are
going to be on the full Sky package anyway.

>
> My only doubt is that newsgroups are unavailable on Bulldog. Do people
> find lack of newsgroups a problem with their ISPs, as I presume they could
> all be read via Google.
>

Plenty of newsgroups available other ways. I use news.individual.net (text
groups only) which has just started charging, but its only 5 or 6 quid *a
year* and much better than free google groups, IMHO. If you want binaries,
there are various options available for that as well.

--
Tumbleweed

email replies not necessary but to contact use;
tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com

Thus spaketh Stuart Holmes:
> "Lilywhite" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:E_X%d.58$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> My current setup is as follows
>>
>> NTL Family Sports and Movies £ 50.50
>> 1.5 MB Broadband NTL £ 37.99
>> Talk Unlimited 24 £ 15.50
>> I am thinking of swapping to Sky and Bulldog, which would then cost
>>
>> Full Sky TV package £ 41.00
>> Bulldog Broadband £28.50
>> (including unlimited phone calls) £10.50
>
> I recently gave NTL the boot for TV and phone and have gone with Sky
> and BT/18866.
>
> Sky is soooooooooo much better for TV! Interactive works, better
> picture, cheaper, more channels and reliable service. Not had any
> reason to call Sky CS but nothing can be as bad as NThell.Currently
> paying 3 months half price for full package (£21), then intend to
> switch to sports + family pack for £33
>
> I am paying BT £10.50 a month and expect my 18866 bill to be measured
> in pence.
>
> Still with NTL broadband as I am getting reliable 2mb for £25. Might
> have to look around if they start enforcing caps tho'.

You could do away with BT landline, and use VoIP.

Or as you now have a BT landline sign up with Talk Talk or OneTel for CPS and
get free evening and weekend calls, and with Talk Talk calls to other TalkTalk
users free at all times, and then use 18866 and 1899 for calls not free on
TalkTalk / One Tel!


--
Current Items For Sale: http://www.bextech.me.uk/forsale
For South East Brum: http://www.south-east-birmingham.tk
For Free £10 credit when you get referred to TalkTalk contact me via
www.bextech.org.uk or SEB site.

On Tue, 22 Mar 2005 17:53:25 GMT, Adam Price
<adam+(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>On Tue, 22 Mar 2005 16:47:32 GMT, Lilywhite wrote:
>
>> My only doubt is that newsgroups are unavailable on Bulldog. Do people
>> find lack of newsgroups a problem with their ISPs, as I presume they
>> could all be read via Google.
>>
>If you are concerned about news then you can get it from a third party
>supplier. I buy text based news access from news.individual.net in Germany,
>it costs 10 Euro per year.
>One can also buy binary access from various providers, some good, some bad
>but I don't have a recommendation for you.
>
>Adam

Clara.net have an excellent binary news service and are reasonably
priced. Used them for a year or two to supplement ntl

"Lilywhite" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:E_X%d.58$(E-Mail Removed)...
> I am thinking of swapping to Sky and Bulldog, which would then cost
>
> Full Sky TV package £ 41.00
> Bulldog Broadband £28.50
> (including unlimited phone calls) £10.50
>
> This would obviously save money but is Bulldog worth it. I may have the
> added cost of £60 for a new phone line, as I am not sure if I still count
> as having a BT line. The box is still there but hasn't been used since I
> moved in (1997)

You could probably "reconnect" to BT from free (transfering your NTL number
if you wanted) and then transfer it to Bulldog - for £1 instead of £60 for a
brand new line.

Also remember the Bulldog price is a special offer for 12 months - your
tariff (including line rental + unlimited calls) would rise to £52
afterwards but you can just switch to whatever specal offer Bulldog have at
the time.. (they always seem to have one)

> My only doubt is that newsgroups are unavailable on Bulldog. Do people
> find lack of newsgroups a problem with their ISPs, as I presume they could
> all be read via Google.

It depends on how much you use newsgroups and if they are text only or
binary ones - there are several which are free or available at a very low
cost (especially text only ones)

> The only other added costs I think are for a modem. On this point, I
> currently run my NTL broadband wireless via a Netgear router. I presume
> this can still be done via Bulldog.

For ADSL - you would need a ADSL modem/router - Netgear (and others) do
serveral standalone models or with a wireless router built in as well
(Netgear offer the DG834/G/GT for instance)

> Any opinions/ ideas about what I am planning to do. Especially from people
> who have done similar migrations, or are about to. I think NTL have become
> far too aggressive with their pricing and I can only see one winner.

My advice is make sure your Bulldog service is up and running before you
cancel NTL..

If you do sign up with Bulldog would you mind quoting my referral code -just
quote "bdol 87431" when signing up online (under "How did you hear about
Bulldog?/Referred by a Friend") or just mention it while ordering by
telephone.

Regards
Sunil

Lilywhite wrote:
> My current setup is as follows
>
> NTL Family Sports and Movies £ 50.50
> 1.5 MB Broadband NTL £ 37.99
> Talk Unlimited 24 £ 15.50
>
> I am thinking of swapping to Sky and Bulldog, which would then cost

I recently posted in n.d.b.stb about the excellent service I seem to
have got from Bulldog, but it really has gone downhill rapidly, with me
having to reboot my router every couple of hours:-(

Is real nice downloading at 500K but really, I'm not a happy chappie,
especially as I've sent two emails to support and have had zero
answer:-( Hopefully, I'll get an answer when I've cancelled the DD;-)

Don't use Sky so can't comment on that.

On Tue, 22 Mar 2005 19:20:40 +0000, Phil M <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Clara.net have an excellent binary news service and are reasonably
>priced. Used them for a year or two to supplement ntl

Clara.net have an occasionally good binary service, but it is
difficult to recommend them because they stumble from crisis to crisis
every few months.

I have had no such problems with Forte Inc's service, which is one of
the other big Usenet provider's service resold.

http://www.forteinc.com/apn/index.php

It wasn't so bad when Clara were the cheapest binary provider around,
but people like Forte Inc are about the same price now.
--
Andy Norman (E-Mail Removed)
http://www.norman.cx/
Replace the fish with my first name to reply

I recently switched from ntl to Sky+ and don't regret it - for all the
reasons you state. However, ntl broadband is now £25 for 2 meg, so a
rather better deal than you suggest. Bulldog may be a bit cheaper still,
but enough to justify the hassle of switching??
Georgie Charles

Lilywhite wrote:
> My current setup is as follows
>
> NTL Family Sports and Movies £ 50.50
> 1.5 MB Broadband NTL £ 37.99
> Talk Unlimited 24 £ 15.50
>
> I am thinking of swapping to Sky and Bulldog, which would then cost
>
> Full Sky TV package £ 41.00
> Bulldog Broadband £28.50
> (including unlimited phone calls) £10.50
>
> This would obviously save money but is Bulldog worth it. I may have the
> added cost of £60 for a new phone line, as I am not sure if I still
> count as having a BT line. The box is still there but hasn't been used
> since I moved in (1997)
>
> I think NTL is becoming a total rip off when compared to Sky as the top
> of the range package is almost £10 dearer on Sky and most of the
> interactive stuff isn't available via NTL. In fact, if I migrate, I am
> considering going for Sky+ which will make it a much better system IMHO.
>
> My only doubt is that newsgroups are unavailable on Bulldog. Do people
> find lack of newsgroups a problem with their ISPs, as I presume they
> could all be read via Google.
>
> The only other added costs I think are for a modem. On this point, I
> currently run my NTL broadband wireless via a Netgear router. I presume
> this can still be done via Bulldog.
>
> Any opinions/ ideas about what I am planning to do. Especially from
> people who have done similar migrations, or are about to. I think NTL
> have become far too aggressive with their pricing and I can only see one
> winner.