Dial up Providers

[old Bill]

My elderly parents live in the middle of a field (I kid you not) and are unable to get BB. They have for some time been using Oranges dial up service which has suited them as all they do is send email and browse a few web pages. Since Orange will soon be stopping their dial up service are there any dial up providers left out there ?

[colirv]

I used the bronze package from Surfanytime (calls are free) when I was without broadband for a couple of months - found them very reliable. I still use their free dialup (surf/surf) as a backup.

[Den]

Why would they want Bed & Breakfast in the middle of a field? 

[Ann]

Lots of ISPs still do dial up but it depends if it's worth paying a monthly fee or just doing pay as you go.  Just by way of example Tiscali do both http://www.tiscali.co.uk/products/dialup/?code=ZZ-NL-11GK but many others do too.

Another is Eclipse http://www.eclipse.net.uk/index.cfm?id=dial_res  I used them last year for a month.. forgot that!

[Simon]

Namesco also offer a free dial up service.  Well, 'free' as in you pay 0845 rates for it.

http://www.names.co.uk/dial-up-internet-access.html

I know there's a dial up number for IDNet, but I don't know if that's just for existing broadband customers.  Rik will tell us.

[Rik]

It's purely a backup number for ADSL customers, Simon.

[Kheldar]

its seems crazy that in this day and age people still cannot get adsl and have to rely on dial up

[Rik]

Very few people can't get BB these days, Steve, but it does happen. Distance from exchange, demand at the exchange, line quality etc etc. Until BT have a statutory duty, or a commercial imperative, to provide the service, there will always be gaps.

Plus, of course, some people don't want to pay for a connection which they use only occasionally.

[Kheldar]

so dial up does work out cheaper ?

if its that occasional then go to you local library !

[Ann]

I can understand why people want dial up.  Until recently my step-mother had it.  She used the computer for all sorts of other things and it made sense for her to have a dial up account just for email.  She too lives in the middle of nowhere so popping down the library isn't an option.  She's gone BB now with some talk talk deal 

[Rik]

so dial up does work out cheaper ?

It can do for people who are occasional or very light users.

[Simon]

Some relations of mine took some real persuading to go from dial up to ADSL.  Their argument that "we don't use it enough" was met with mine that if they had a better, faster connection, they would use it more and get much more enjoyment out of their computer.  Eventually, they did, and they do.

[Rik]

if they had a better, faster connection, they would use it more and get much more enjoyment out of their computer.  Eventually, they did, and they do.

I think that's very true, Simon, plus not blocking the phone line when online is a big plus.

[Simon]

Indeed, that was another persuader.    I've now got to convince then to go wireless, so as to ditch the phone extension lead! 

[Rik]

Or power plugs?

[Simon]

Que?

[Rik]

A pair of devices which plug into the mains sockets, one at the router, one at the computer, and use the mains cable to carry the network signal. More reliable than wireless in most cases...

http://www.devolo.com/co_EN/index.html

[Simon]

First I've heard of those, Rik.  Thing is, I can't find any prices on the site. 

[Rik]

Check Amazon, Simon, and places like Misco, Ebuyer etc.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Devolo-MicroLink-dLAN-Highspeed-Starter/dp/B000A7IE7Y/ref=sr_1_1/203-4134306-5125569?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1195581743&sr=1-1

[Simon]

Thanks for the info, Rik, but I think the price would be prohibitive. 

[Rik]

It's not a cheap solution, Simon, but if wireless isn't practical, it's a good one.

[Simon]

I don't think wireless would be impractical, it's just convincing them that sometimes changes are for the better. 

[mrapoc]

1p a minute here: http://freeola.com/dial-up-internet/