Recommended ISPs for SoHo internet

Our exchange is soon (May 4th) going to be ADSL enabled.

We have a Ltd. company, I used to be a computer contractor and now my
wife uses the Ltd. company to do freelance work through. We currently
use an unmetered 128k ISDN service (Fast24, has been pretty good) with
another cheaper 64k service as backup and/or when we run out of our
monthy quota on Fast24.

We propose to keep the ISDN connection which will then just provide
the company phone service, FAX and can provide a backup internet
connection. We will get the ADSL enabled on our residential (BT)
phone line.

I'd like recommendations for an ISP to use to provide service on the
new ADSL connection, requirements (and non-requirements) are as
follows:-

512Kb/s or 1Mb/s to start with probably, some flexibility on
changing would be good.

Uncappped or at least a reasonably generous allowance.

No need for web space or other hosting services.

No need for E-Mail addresses.

Just a good, solid, reliable connection to the internet.

Preferably no set up charge though I'm happy to pay one for a
lower monthly charge, I'm not too worried about a 12 month
minimum.

Not a (more expensive) 'business' service as I'm not convinced it
adds any useful (for us) value. We'll have the ISDN for backup.

I'll take a look at the usual web sites for recommendations too but one
can't always see all the quirks there, nor reliability. E.g. Tiscali
looks quite attractive on paper (screen?) but I don't believe it's a
particularly good service.

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Chris Green

On 20 Apr 2005 09:20:06 GMT, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:

[snip]
>
>I'll take a look at the usual web sites for recommendations too but one
>can't always see all the quirks there, nor reliability. E.g. Tiscali
>looks quite attractive on paper (screen?) but I don't believe it's a
>particularly good service.

Turning the question on its head, I have a long list of ADSL providers whom IMHO would NOT meet your
requirements, and I can back up my comments through experience of using them. What you will find is
that this thread will grow with all and sundry making suggestions which ADSL provider to run with,
but in truth most would not have tested the water of more than a couple of providers so it all
becomes very inconclusive.

There's no point me putting my two penny worth in since there is bound to be someone who would say
that my chosen ISP is rubbish, however the service has been excellent for me apart from the
sub-standard newsgroup connectivity.

The best you can do is visit the ADSL site and bone up on the alternatives and come to your own
conclusions. Never the less if you want my list of dubious contenders just ask.

David Bradley

On 20 Apr 2005 09:20:06 GMT, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:

>E.g. Tiscali
>looks quite attractive on paper (screen?) but I don't believe it's a
>particularly good service.

run away !

Tiscali, NTL, Virgin, Fast24, EFH, use datascream connections which
have their issues - stick to mainstream IPStream providers like F2S,
Zen, Eclipse, Metronet, Nildram and the like.

Phil
Tiscali - dialup speeds at Broadband prices :-)

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