Author Topic: Uk based AH'ers - which ISP ???????? (Read 1751 times)

Sparks · « **on:** December 04, 2001, 04:15:00 PM »

I've finally had it with BT Connect - they truly suck the big one.

Knock offs are either 30 mins, 1 hr, 1 1/2 hr or 2 hrs according to how busy they are - not that they admit to it !!! Also read in .NET magazine that they have admitted to locking out certain network ports in high traffic times - like game ports.

So it's time for a change - I'm looking for an ISP who supports ISDN 24/7 fixed fee with no knock off - anyone have any ideas or recommendations ???

In the mean time if I am online with you and dissappear I am sorry but it is beyond my control at the moment.

Oh - has anyone any experiences of ADSL or cable modem here in the UK?? interested on how much and whether its worth it.

Sparks

FlyingDuckSittingSwan · « **Reply #1 on:** December 04, 2001, 05:31:00 PM »

Freeserve.
Not sure about their broadband, but if their modem service is anything to go by it should be good. The broadband service costs 45 quid per month. The modem I have at the moment cuts off after 2 hours, but I've never had it cut off before that, unlike BT which I used to experience the same thing you did. First month is free as well.

Freeserve

Tam · « **Reply #2 on:** December 04, 2001, 06:11:00 PM »

Hi, first post, be gentle...
I'm using ntl cable in London. The coverage is abysmal though so it's worth checking out your postcode herebefore anything else, and it's notoriously inaccurate. I can't recommend them to be honest, but if lady luck is on your side they can fit you up with a cable modem for £25 to £35 squideroonies. Cheaper than adsl plus better performance (perhaps?)
Wish I could be more help, and good luck with your quest.

beet1e · « **Reply #3 on:** December 04, 2001, 07:30:00 PM »

Pipex here. www.dial.pipex.com Really good. They have a toll free dialup via a 0808 number, but like all such UK services, there is a knock off after 2 hours, but it's never less than two hours. I've just had ISDN installed (BT Home Highway) and connections to AH are good.

214thCavalier · « **Reply #4 on:** December 05, 2001, 03:42:00 PM »

Nildram.co.uk very good connect to AH get pings around 150ms and extremely rare to have any packet loss but of course the dreaded 2 hour cutoff.
Demon do not enforce a 2 hour cutoff last time i checked but crap connect to AH usually.
You can check Nildrams connect to AH here just enter the IP number but remember to add your ping to Nildram to the result.
Currently it shows 110 ping add mine to Nildram of approx 40ms so 150 it is.
Have yet to find another ISP to better it and most importantly they do not route through sprintlink.
Am waiting for ADSL install so can answer the other part of your question hopefully within 2 weeks.

Nashwan · « **Reply #5 on:** December 05, 2001, 05:28:00 PM »

I've had an NTL cable modem just over a year and I would recomend it.
The NTL postcode checker is too unreliable, it still tells me cable isn't available in my area. If you have NTL cable TV services in your area you should be able to get a cable modem from them as well.
I think it costs me £20 a month, or it did last time I checked.
Pings aren't brilliant, around 10-30ms to UK sites, 150 to HTC (with the right proxy server

) but they are reliable.
The NTL service can vary from area to area, so if it is available for you, try to find someone else close by and ask their views.
You could also try http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&group=ntl which covers some of the NTL cablemodem groups, though not the most popular ones.

hazed- · « **Reply #6 on:** December 05, 2001, 09:24:00 PM »

Bt adsl here and ive never experienced the cut off up until last 4 or 5 days.
It could hardly be called the peak period though, it was always at around 5am which was good as it makes me go to sleep

My guess is any recent trouble you have had is due to the installing of new gateway hardware BT is installing.I had several weeks of bad connects whilst my local exchange was upgraded and it was fine apart from recent cut offs.
Ive had solid connects for up to 12 hours before where ive played games, downloaded,surfed etc and left the computer on almost the whole day and never been cut off.Maybe you ought to enquire about whether your local exchange is being upgraded? They said nothing was being done to mine until i confronted them with an artical in www.the-scream.co.uk about it and then the techy admited it! what i could not for the LIFE of me understand was WHY they didnt just email customers and tell them they may expperience problems.Believe me after 2 weeks of trying to fix things MY end I was pretty pissed off with those jerks at BT.

BT=hugahunkS

[ 12-05-2001: Message edited by: hazed- ]

Betown · « **Reply #7 on:** December 06, 2001, 03:12:00 AM »

BT ADSL,
It's sh*t from time to time when BT start messing with it but it's quick as a brummy onto a sweedish housewife and stable too.

BT ADSL people seem to be pretty good. But I understand about BT Conect. They toejamerooney.
ADSL is runn my a different part of the company and the plus is that they sent out a really horney female telephone woman to fix my modem up... After that I broke it just so she would come back....

Revvin · « **Reply #8 on:** December 06, 2001, 02:09:00 PM »

NTL Cable modem and love it. If you're not in a NTL cabled area you can still take advantage of their excellent 0800 dialup ISP by ringing them and asking for a CD and 'dongle' which plugs into your phone socket and lets NTL bill you and not BT for your calls. Basically you have to make around £12 of phone calls each month and you get 24/7 0800 access on a fast ISP (at least it was when I used to use it before I got my CM)

woodfordb · « **Reply #9 on:** December 06, 2001, 03:07:00 PM »

Hiya, Yep ive played the BT game.. not fun.
Im with Demon, There 24/7 package is pricy, but there evening and weekend is pretty good at £17. there is no cut off, so play as long as u like. Ideal for AH or any other long strat. game. Also they are fully open, not lock downs. Another good point is u get a fixed IP add, useful if you want to hold your own Roger Wilco with a handfull of freinds. Same IP every time.
Its also very very fast, used to get pings in CS of 210ms, but with demon I get about 160-170.
Give them ago, they do a month free trial.

Have fun.

Dowding · « **Reply #10 on:** December 06, 2001, 03:40:00 PM »

I get Telewest Digital's Blueyonder Hi-Speed Internet. It's generally very good.

But you need a cableline on their service, unfortunately.

Sparks · « **Reply #11 on:** December 06, 2001, 07:50:00 PM »

First thanks for the replies everyone - very interesting

First FlyingDuckSittingSwan - I just can't bring myself to use Freeserve - I've heard too many things of poor customer service and I just cannot stand waiting in queues for helpdesk.

Tam, Nash & Revvin - hmmm NTL - had their TV service and had AWFUL service again from them - but you guys all seem pretty positive - maybe I'll look again.

Uncle Scrmbl - Pipex - theres a good thought - I'll look into that one but the 2 hr knock off is a real pain.

214th - I called Nildram and they wanted £80 per month £80 PER MONTH for ISDN 24/7 - way too high but maybe you know of a different package. Interested in your experiences because you live so close.
Also interesting in what you say about Demon - I am considering them but you say connect is bad but General ZOD says it is ok ??

Hazed & Betown - I just cannot stomach dealing with BT any more - they just plain lie and swindle. It wouldn't be so bad if they admitted what was going on but they just blame you and your computor.

General ZOD - I must admit I was leaning toward Demon - 214ths comments made me wonder but you say they are ok - I think Demon is looking favourite if only because they don't have a knockoff.

Dowding - Telewest - never seen that one - will look into it - thanks

Thanks again all - btw was on again today and BT were knocking me off at 1 hr again - I think they are targeting gaming as once I just had the connection dropped and once AH stopped but I could browse. This ties up with the .NET article.

Sparks · « **Reply #12 on:** December 07, 2001, 01:48:00 PM »

UPDATE :-

Phoned Telewest - seems good service, great price but no they can't connect me because I am in an NTL area.

Tried to phone NTL - busy.

Tried to phone Demon - permanently busy

Phoned Pipex - clueless - "think the sales people have gone home, maybe finish at 5:30 but I dunno "

The search continues

214thCavalier · « **Reply #13 on:** December 07, 2001, 03:14:00 PM »

Sparks check here http://www.hitechcreations.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=10&t=001501

Traceroutes from Demon and Nildram to AH, also notice General Zod was talking about pings to CS servers not to AH, hell they could be on Demons own network not half way around the world.

Currently i pay for HH ISDN, surftime fee to enable use of BT,s surftime. Then my Surftime connection with Nildram which enables me to play after 6pm weekdays until 8 am and all day weekends with no call charges. BUT it has the dreaded 2 hour cutoff.
This fits the times i can actually sit down and play so does me fine apart from that cutoff.
I also pay for BT's anytime connection which enables me to connect at anytime without incurring call charges, but its absolute toejame for gaming dont even try.
My Demon connect comes free from work as i need home connectivity to update the web site.
Total expenditure per month is approx £55 - £60.
However when my ADSL is installed (Dec 18th is the magic day) then the costs will come down per month by approx £5 for a permanent 24/7 Broadband connection.

snafu · « **Reply #14 on:** December 07, 2001, 03:34:00 PM »

Must admit I've watched this thread more out of curiosity rather than being able to offer anything. (I use BT Dialup - No ASDL, cable etc, Hell we ain't even got mains gas or sewage). Comments about BT cut offs and targeting the gamers have really made my recent experiences fall into place

Which is a shame because generally although it's 21 hops to HT and my pings are generally 240 - 260 the new server gives me virtually no packet loss and the pings stay in the range above, but I get discoed so freguently. Although my internet connection stays up - Go figure....

Anyway asking around locally "Blue Yonder" keeps being mentioned as very reliable and also "Tiscali" is another one. Might be worth a look.

TTFN
snafu