Newbie: alternatives to BT

Broadband newbie looking to buy my first broadband package...

I have a BT telephone line and a IBM Thinkpad 600X laptop.

Currently I am looking at BT Broadband 512k/15 GB per month -- £25 per
month.

Modem supplied and signing-up and connection should be no hassle as
far as I can tell. But the price seems expensive.
Any cheaper packages out there?
How much do b/band modems cost?

Thanks
Bruce

"bruce phipps" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
> Broadband newbie looking to buy my first broadband package...
>
> I have a BT telephone line and a IBM Thinkpad 600X laptop.
>
> Currently I am looking at BT Broadband 512k/15 GB per month -- £25 per
> month.
>
> Modem supplied and signing-up and connection should be no hassle as
> far as I can tell. But the price seems expensive.
> Any cheaper packages out there?
> How much do b/band modems cost?
>
> Thanks
> Bruce

Check on http://www.adslguide.org.uk You can compare the features/costs of
different providers.

S

Have a look at adslguide web site.


Regards Bri@n

"bruce phipps" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
Broadband newbie looking to buy my first broadband package...

I have a BT telephone line and a IBM Thinkpad 600X laptop.

Currently I am looking at BT Broadband 512k/15 GB per month -- £25 per
month.

Modem supplied and signing-up and connection should be no hassle as
far as I can tell. But the price seems expensive.
Any cheaper packages out there?
How much do b/band modems cost?

Thanks
Bruce

> Currently I am looking at BT Broadband 512k/15 GB per month -- £25 per
> month.
> Modem supplied and signing-up and connection should be no hassle as
> far as I can tell. But the price seems expensive.

Depending on the type of modem bundled with a package, some laptops may
have problems providing sufficient power to the USB port for them to
work. This is anecdotal, not first hand knowledge :-}

> Any cheaper packages out there?

Amongst others, i`m on the £23.44 package with Pipex, 512k, no limits, no
restrictions. Very happy with the service at this price personally.

> How much do b/band modems cost?

About £19+VAT at ebuyer for a wired adsl modem/router, but as you`re on a
laptop, you might want to look for a wifi connection to save dangling
wires...

--
Please add "[newsgroup]" in the subject of any personal replies via email
--- My new email address has "ngspamtrap" & @btinternet.com in it ;-) ---

I'm thinking about a Wanadoo 1MB connection.

A BT search on my phone number indicates that I can get 512k and *may*
get 1 MB.

Whats the best procedure? Get BT to do all the work assessing my line,
then jump ship to Wanadoo?

Bruce

A couple of dumb newbie questions:

* As I understand it, when I get BB installed my internet use will be
covered by the monthly BB charge. But I will still have to pay BT
quarterly line rental + phone call costs. Am I right?

* Does a home user/surfer typically need a 1 meg connection?
Downloading video files or software downloads would be easier with 1
meg ...

Bruce

On 6 Jan 2005 02:50:12 -0800, in uk.telecom.broadband,
(E-Mail Removed) wrote:

>* As I understand it, when I get BB installed my internet use will be
>covered by the monthly BB charge. But I will still have to pay BT
>quarterly line rental + phone call costs. Am I right?

Yes, but see 1899.com, 18866.com and consider others for other calls !

>* Does a home user/surfer typically need a 1 meg connection?

>Downloading video files or software downloads would be easier with 1
>meg ...

I know home users with higher than 1000 kbps, it boils down to what you
plan to do. One home user I know has a 1000 kbps link with a monthly
quota of 1 GB because it is cheap and offers high speed when either
one of them is online. Look at the price of 1000 kbps from MetroNet
and you will see that starts well under the 20 quid mark (but it is a
Pay as you Use service - even so, represents great value if you spend a
bit of the year away as you only pay ~28 quid in the busiest months).



--
PlusNet <http://tinyurl.com/24ymz> - I recommend them and save some cash.

My other ISP : UK Free Software Network <http://www.ukfsn.org>
UKFSN passes all profits to Free Software projects in the UK.

On 6 Jan 2005 02:50:12 -0800, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:

>* As I understand it, when I get BB installed my internet use will be
>covered by the monthly BB charge. But I will still have to pay BT
>quarterly line rental + phone call costs. Am I right?

correct. You pay the ISP for the broadband and you pay BT for the line
and any calls you make through them.

>* Does a home user/surfer typically need a 1 meg connection?
>Downloading video files or software downloads would be easier with 1
>meg ...

"need" ? With Freeserve, F2S and others it costs no more so go for it.
Everything will be up to twice as fast, streaming video etc is usually
sub-500k but downloads will scream along.

Phil
--
Splenda - the only sweetener made from chlorine :-)

> I know home users with higher than 1000 kbps, it boils down to what
you
> plan to do. One home user I know has a 1000 kbps link with a monthly

> quota of 1 GB because it is cheap and offers high speed when either
> one of them is online. Look at the price of 1000 kbps from MetroNet
> and you will see that starts well under the 20 quid mark (but it is a
> Pay as you Use service - even so, represents great value if you spend
a
> bit of the year away as you only pay ~28 quid in the busiest months).
>
>

Thanks.
PlusNet seems to have a good reputation in this NG and seemed to be a
good price until I saw the "activation charge" of up to £70.

What gives? BT do not charge connection fee for entry-level home-use BB
products as far as I can tell.

Bruce

On 6 Jan 2005 06:18:43 -0800, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:

>What gives? BT do not charge connection fee for entry-level home-use BB
>products as far as I can tell.

BT Wholesale levy a £50+VAT connection on all ISPs.

Some pass this on, some mark it up and some absorb it.

Demon's Home500 service for example is £19.99/month with free modem
and free activation, but it has a 12 month contract to protect their
up-front expenditure.

If you pay the connection fee upfront you will be either paying less
per month or have more flexbility to leave, or both.

Phil
--
Splenda - the only sweetener made from chlorine :-)