UK ISP (Virgin.net)

Hi All.

I'm thinking of switching ISP as the DNS is often unavailable on my
current one. The guys at work (all Windows) all use virgin.net for their
home ISP's and seem to love it. Does anyone know if it works with Linux
for dialup (or ADSL for that matter)?

Thanks in advance,
Steve

In article <0vPfe.363$(E-Mail Removed)>, Stephen Robinson wrote:

>I'm thinking of switching ISP as the DNS is often unavailable on my
>current one.

You could run your own name server. Block external queries if you
are worried about security.

>The guys at work (all Windows) all use virgin.net for their home ISP's
>and seem to love it. Does anyone know if it works with Linux for dialup
>(or ADSL for that matter)?

You really ought to be asking in uk.comp.os.linux - but yes, both will
work with Linux. "Windoze Only" network protocols are not compatible
with the Internet, so even microsoft doesn't use them.

Old guy

(E-Mail Removed) (Moe Trin) writes:

>In article <0vPfe.363$(E-Mail Removed)>, Stephen Robinson wrote:

>>I'm thinking of switching ISP as the DNS is often unavailable on my
>>current one.

>You could run your own name server. Block external queries if you
>are worried about security.

>>The guys at work (all Windows) all use virgin.net for their home ISP's
>>and seem to love it. Does anyone know if it works with Linux for dialup
>>(or ADSL for that matter)?

AAAARGHARLLABLEUIOO. It was a year and a half ago, but I found Virgin.net
ADSL to be manned by incompetents all around. The connection was like going
through a tin can and string-- latencies of 5 sec often. I typically spent
20 min on the phone when trying to talk to anyone about a problem -- the
record was being put on hold for 1hr 15 min. I tried to cancel, was assured
that the cancellation was put through and then kept getting bills for 5
months (the only way it stopped was to order my credit card company to stop
paying, and then virgin threatened to stop my service. "Please, please do"
I replied.)
Now maybe they have improved, but I would need a huge bunch of convincing.

> AAAARGHARLLABLEUIOO. It was a year and a half ago, but I found Virgin.net
> ADSL to be manned by incompetents all around. The connection was like going
> through a tin can and string-- latencies of 5 sec often. I typically spent
> 20 min on the phone when trying to talk to anyone about a problem -- the
> record was being put on hold for 1hr 15 min. I tried to cancel, was assured
> that the cancellation was put through and then kept getting bills for 5
> months (the only way it stopped was to order my credit card company to stop
> paying, and then virgin threatened to stop my service. "Please, please do"
> I replied.)
> Now maybe they have improved, but I would need a huge bunch of convincing.
>

Further to this, one of my friends on Virgin recently got a scolding
email telling him that he was 'using too much bandwidth and spoiling the
service for other users, so could he please limit his downloads.
Otherwise the might disconnect him.' For an UNLIMITED bandwidth
connection (what he is paying them for) I would class that as bad
service (contradictory even...). Just thought it would be worth mentioning.

Patsy

In article <d6765l$9fo$(E-Mail Removed)>, Patsy wrote:
>
[Unruh <unruh-(E-Mail Removed)> originally wrote:]

>> I tried to cancel, was assured that the cancellation was put through and
>> then kept getting bills for 5 months (the only way it stopped was to
>> order my credit card company to stop paying, and then virgin threatened
>> to stop my service.

I don't know the Canadian consumer credit laws, but down here, you can
dispute the charge on the credit card, and let the card issuer go after
Virgin. Probably to late now though.

>> Now maybe they have improved, but I would need a huge bunch of convincing.

I dunno - maybe some of it rubbed off onto the competition. I understand
that SPEWS (Spam Prevention Early Warning System - one of the important
mail black lists) is listing a major chunk of Telewest (the BBC story
says 900,000 addresses) "Blueyonder broadband service" about a week ago.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/h...gy/4528927.stm The way
I hear it - it's windoze boxes used for spam zombies.

>Further to this, one of my friends on Virgin recently got a scolding
>email telling him that he was 'using too much bandwidth and spoiling the
>service for other users, so could he please limit his downloads.
>Otherwise the might disconnect him.' For an UNLIMITED bandwidth
>connection (what he is paying them for)

I thought you were supposed to write a letter to The Times about this
high handed treatment ;-)

>I would class that as bad service (contradictory even...). Just thought
>it would be worth mentioning.

Actually, I joke about the letter, but that might be an idea to pursue.
There is nothing companies like more than to be shown committing a Class 1
Category A case of gross stupidity, and have it documented by their own
hand.

Old guy

(E-Mail Removed) (Moe Trin) writes:

>In article <d6765l$9fo$(E-Mail Removed)>, Patsy wrote:
>>
>[Unruh <unruh-(E-Mail Removed)> originally wrote:]

>>> I tried to cancel, was assured that the cancellation was put through and
>>> then kept getting bills for 5 months (the only way it stopped was to
>>> order my credit card company to stop paying, and then virgin threatened
>>> to stop my service.

>I don't know the Canadian consumer credit laws, but down here, you can
>dispute the charge on the credit card, and let the card issuer go after
>Virgin. Probably to late now though.

That was exactly what I did. As I recall I finally ended up paying nothing.
Virgin was even so incompetent that when the credit card company wrote to
them asking for their side of the dispute, they never bothered answering
the credit card company!