Thus & Demon

[dujas]

Just avoid being tied into a 12/18 month contract, then it's not a major issue if the ISP doesn't live up to expectations.

[Rik]

All this just goes to prove how difficult it is for anybody to get a decent, reliable broadband provider. IDNET was my fourth and last attempt.

Going back to semaphore then, Dave?  

Congrats on your 500th post.

[colonelsun]

Just avoid being tied into a 12/18 month contract, then it's not a major issue if the ISP doesn't live up to expectations.

But that's so difficult to do when you've just joined the broadband world and know nothing about other companies. For most of my friends, and myself, the only way to find another broadband provider is by using a search engine like Broadband Choices, but they don't let on that you get to search only a limited number of companies, usually the big boys, and they may have paid to be included in any search. And nearly all these companies tie you into a year's contract or more.

IDNET never showed up on these search engines, i never found IDNET in the usual way. I found about this place from a satellite forum.

[colonelsun]

Going back to semaphore then, Dave?  

Congrats on your 500th post.

I would sell my own grandmother to keep IDNET as my ISP.

[Rik]

IDNET never showed up on these search engines, i never found IDNET in the usual way. I found about this place from a satellite forum.

We're known about in space?  

[Rik]

I would sell my own grandmother to keep IDNET as my ISP.

So would I, if I had any left.

[dujas]

For most of my friends, and myself, the only way to find another broadband provider is by using a search engine like Broadband Choices, but they don't let on that you get to search only a limited number of companies, usually the big boys

Well if I go to your example, Broadband Choices, and change contract length to one month, several Zen packages are listed and clicking further details shows they've won numerous awards for customer service from the more mainstream media; it's not totally a lost cause!

The real issue is that most consumers don't really want to pay more than £15 per month for broadband, but that pricing model is only sustainable for light users when you're totally reliant on BT wholesale for transit. So it seems, in terms of choice, the market is contracting, as few companies are able to subsidise the cost of providing broadband with other streams of income.

[zappaDPJ]

In my view, the best way to choose an ISP is though the thinkbroadband forums http://forums.thinkbroadband.com/

They present a very accurate snapshot of ISP happiness/unhappiness in the 'User comments on ISPs' section.

[Tacitus]

In my view, the best way to choose an ISP is though the thinkbroadband forums http://forums.thinkbroadband.com/
They present a very accurate snapshot of ISP happiness/unhappiness in the 'User comments on ISPs' section.

Interestingly there seem to be a lot of complaints about Demon recently much of it related to WBC, which customers are being moved to without, in some cases notice and, in all of them with no choice.  It seems the problems with WBC are not limited to iDNet but are pretty general.

Say what you like about iDNet, but they are offering to put you back to Max, are sharing the cost benefits with the customers and, the greatest benefit of all you don't have to deal with Bangalore to sort out the problems.  

[Rik]

Nor do you have to go to WBC in the first place, Tac. The problems seem to stem from the fact that BT are unable or unwilling to move people back to DSLAMs, possibly because they are ripping them out as fast as they can.

[Tacitus]

Nor do you have to go to WBC in the first place, Tac. The problems seem to stem from the fact that BT are unable or unwilling to move people back to DSLAMs, possibly because they are ripping them out as fast as they can.

BT strikes again 

[colonelsun]

Well if I go to your example, Broadband Choices, and change contract length to one month, several Zen packages are listed and clicking further details shows they've won numerous awards for customer service from the more mainstream media; it's not totally a lost cause!

The real issue is that most consumers don't really want to pay more than £15 per month for broadband, but that pricing model is only sustainable for light users when you're totally reliant on BT wholesale for transit. So it seems, in terms of choice, the market is contracting, as few companies are able to subsidise the cost of providing broadband with other streams of income.

Zen wouldn't come to my area if it was the last place in Britain that still had money to spend. My choices using that, or any comparison site would be Virgin (their email said my line was unstable) or AOL (no thanks been with them) and 3 other companies. As for awards AOL have won numerous awards but that means nothing if you're trapped in a 12 month contract, all my previous ISPs have won awards but they were cr*p. If i hadn't stumbled across IDNET i was about to ditch the web altogether.....my ISP choices were that bad.

[Rik]

Surely Zen would be available to you?

[colonelsun]

Surely Zen would be available to you?

The only person i know who has Zen in my area lives around 35 miles away, they don't advertise in my area nor have i seen Zen's name appear when i do a phone number search on a broadband comparison site. Before i joined IDNET even entering my postcode & phone number on their website resulted in a sorry message.

My exchange is ancient...so i'm told.

[Rik]

But they use the same underlying BT services as IDNet. 

[Simon]

Perhaps Zen can foresee potential problems, and don't want to get involved?  Or maybe they are only now taking WBC enabled customers? 

[Rik]

Who knows?

[Simon]

Not me. 

[Niall]

I get the impression that, like Pipex, Demon used to be a good ISP, but have gone downhill in recent years.  We're glad you chose IDNet, Dave. 

Oh I dunno. I've heard nothing but bad things about Demon from a few people I know well, for the last 5 years. Basically look at Talk Talk and that's the service they were getting.

[Simon]

That's what I meant by 'recent years', Niall.  It's amazing how time flies. 

[axisofevil]

I left demon a couple of years ago.
That was after about 10 years - with the last few being sheer frustration with their useless Indian operation.
Since then, I would never knowingly sign-up with an ISP who have a significant overseas support operation.

BTW Turnpike was an excellent product - I even paid for the enhanced features licence.
Had to dump it, when I moved from M$ to Linux.

[Rik]

I could never get on with Turnpike, it's why I moved on from Demon, back in dial-up days.

[Tacitus]

I left demon a couple of years ago.
That was after about 10 years - with the last few being sheer frustration with their useless Indian operation.
Since then, I would never knowingly sign-up with an ISP who have a significant overseas support operation.

Sadly it's the Indian support that is their Achilles heel.  The product itself is not that bad in my experience, any problems I have had are down to BT and their poor quality lines.  But I'm not being forced onto WBC. Yet.

Those currently moaning about iDNet should try having the same sort of problems and dealing with Bangalore.  I imagine they would rapidly lose the will to live.

[Niall]

On a slight tangent I phoned "3" before to alter my direct debit and had to deal with an Indian call centre. They were actually quite good for once, so I suppose it could have been an Indian fella working here

In order to amend my DD with them I have to cancel it (which they've already done because my DD failed two months in a row as I get paid two days after) and I had to pay over the phone, then I have to phone them back in 6 days to re set up a direct debit for the first week of the month. I then have to call them on the 26th to advise them I wont be paying by DD on the 27th (which they already know!) and arrange to pay via debit card 3 days later, then call again on the 1st of the month to check everything is set up and the balance of the 27th - 1st is paid.

You wonder why I don't like direct debit? The above is the reason.

[Simon]

Nothing's simple any more.  And technology is aupposed to make things better!