Re: Which one : Freedom 2, Pipex, PlusNet?

"Zordiac" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
> Advice needed. I want to get broadband adsl.
>
> butI am a long way from the exchange and only 512k is possible, if at
> all, so I want:
>
> 1) monthly contract and no activation fee
> 2) p2p
> 3) static IP address
>
> [Not so bothered about news groups or online gaming. ]
>
> http://www.adslguide.org.uk/isps/sum...?order=tco512k
>
> shows 3 cheapest ISPs that suit my needs to be :
>
> Freedom2Surf - but if terminate contract under 12 months a charge of
> £60
> PlusNet - this used to receive bad press so not sure
> virgin - Premium rate support at 50ppm.
>
> Any suggestions as to which to go with or whether should consider
> others and also whether I am missing any other useful requirement?

I am with Virgin.net for eight months.
Am renting, so yearly contract is simply NOT an option for me.
Love the speed, max possible at 512 kbit/sec line. I get 478/246 by
ADSLGuide.org.uk test.
Virgin.net uses NTL network infrastructure, which is quite reliable and has
good peering to other UK networks as well.

Speaking about Premium rate support, they would keep you there only if you
are the part of problem (read: a person who would put a USB device into
network socket... you get the idea.).
Otherwise they would recommend you to recall their 0845 Lo-Call support
line.
+ E-mail works.
When called there to clarify an issue with login/password not yet working
during the activation, the tech there instantly recommended me to recall at
0845 number to ADSL support group. That I did, and solved my problem at
Lo-Call rate and not 0906, mind you.
Didn't have any issues to even bother calling Tech Support since. It just
works.

Oh yeah, and I'm using a PCI ADSL modem which half users just fail to make
work. I'm quite happy with it. I even customised the Conexant drivers for
make/model/parameters.
Virgin don't force you to buy starter kit from them. Even though on their
website they would highly recommend you to buy it You are not obliged to.

UNLIKE "no frills" BT Broadband at a higher rate, you get 5 POP3 and 10 Megs
webspace available through FTP.

So for me it seems like a balance of quality/price/options.
Of course people are bandwidth hungry these days and don't consider anything
less than 2MB, but then my opinion differs and 1/2MB is enough for me.
--
_______________________
Maximillian!




Maximilian K.

On 9 Aug 2003 06:30:47 -0700 and in article
<(E-Mail Removed) >, Zordiac said...
: Bit puzzled by Virgins comment that you can only use 1
: PC! What's that all about?

It just means they wont support you with networking your PCs together.
Networking an ADSL connection using NAT is a p.o.p anyway so don't
worry.

You wont have any problems sharing your Virgin DSL connection using a
NAT DSL router.
--
CB

(E-Mail Removed) (Zordiac) wrote in message
<SNIP>
> Zordiac wrote
> Here are my figures and you can see that if broadband does not pan out
> for me then virgin is the best option.
>
> virgin £25 month but dynamic ip
> f2s £22.50 minimum of 12 months otherwise £60
> pipex £24 minimum of 12 months otherwise £60
> plusNet £22 but £70.50 activation fee - puzzled by this as adslguide
> has £0

I went with Pipex in the end:
- they provide an adsl usb modem and filters for one off £17.57 inc
vat
- have a monthly rate of £23.44 inc vat - monthly contract
- no activation fee
- No static address but can get round this using no-ip.com etc or pay
an extra £2 month for the static addresses.
- Pipex also has a newsgroup!

I was concerned about living some distance from the exchange but it
flys 60k+ downloads.

On 17 Aug 2003 09:42:50 -0700, (E-Mail Removed) (Zordiac) wrote:

>(E-Mail Removed) (Zordiac) wrote in message
><SNIP>
>> Zordiac wrote
>> Here are my figures and you can see that if broadband does not pan out
>> for me then virgin is the best option.
>>
>> virgin £25 month but dynamic ip
>> f2s £22.50 minimum of 12 months otherwise £60
>> pipex £24 minimum of 12 months otherwise £60
>> plusNet £22 but £70.50 activation fee - puzzled by this as adslguide
>> has £0
>
>I went with Pipex in the end:
>- they provide an adsl usb modem and filters for one off £17.57 inc
>vat
>- have a monthly rate of £23.44 inc vat - monthly contract
>- no activation fee
>- No static address but can get round this using no-ip.com etc or pay
>an extra £2 month for the static addresses.
>- Pipex also has a newsgroup!
>
>I was concerned about living some distance from the exchange but it
>flys 60k+ downloads.

Darn, I was looking forward to be able to negotiate a discount from
F2S following my recommendation :-)

Hope it all goes well.

Bill.

"Paul King" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:<3f400be9$0$15035$(E-Mail Removed) m>...
> "Zordiac" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
> > (E-Mail Removed) (Zordiac) wrote in message
> > <SNIP>
> > I went with Pipex in the end:
> <snip>
> > - No static address but can get round this using no-ip.com etc or pay
> > an extra £2 month for the static addresses.
>
> What's the problem with having a dynamic IP?
>
> Unless you're hosting a server <GULP> it shouldn't be a prob.
>
> Or am I missing a (subtle) point here?

Paul its just that I read somewhere < if you plan to run webservers
(email, http, ftp or whatever), you will need a static IP. There are
ways round it, but its simpler with static. > I was planning to be
able to use my PC remotely.

On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 00:13:01 +0100, "Paul King"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>"Zordiac" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news:(E-Mail Removed). com...
>> (E-Mail Removed) (Zordiac) wrote in message
>> <SNIP>
>> I went with Pipex in the end:
><snip>
>> - No static address but can get round this using no-ip.com etc or pay
>> an extra £2 month for the static addresses.
>
>What's the problem with having a dynamic IP?
>
>Unless you're hosting a server <GULP> it shouldn't be a prob.
>
>Or am I missing a (subtle) point here?

There are lots of things that a static IP is a must for. eg webcam
updates, FTP etc. Ive often thought about wiring up a cam for
"intruder alerts" and viewing from work! (Or keeping an eye on the
missus;-)





--

Marquee Hire at cheap rates from www.37b.co.uk

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, (E-Mail Removed)
(guv) wrote:

> On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 00:13:01 +0100, "Paul King"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> >"Zordiac" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> >news:(E-Mail Removed). com...
> >> (E-Mail Removed) (Zordiac) wrote in message
> >> <SNIP>
> >> I went with Pipex in the end:
> ><snip>
> >> - No static address but can get round this using no-ip.com etc or pay
> >> an extra £2 month for the static addresses.
> >
> >What's the problem with having a dynamic IP?
> >
> >Unless you're hosting a server <GULP> it shouldn't be a prob.
> >
> >Or am I missing a (subtle) point here?
>
> There are lots of things that a static IP is a must for. eg webcam
> updates, FTP etc. Ive often thought about wiring up a cam for
> "intruder alerts" and viewing from work! (Or keeping an eye on the
> missus;-)
>
You can do it all with dynamic IP if you want to. I don't have static IP,
but I do use a domain name, and a dyndns account, so it seems pretty
seemless.

1&1 will provide your domain name, point it to your dyndns host, and
Robert is your mothers brother ! ;-)

- Steve