What would give you itchy feet...?

[Scott]

I've been watching the releases from a few of the bigger (non cr*p) ISP's in the last few days as they get their heads around the Max upgrade procedures and begin handling migrations in an orderly fashion. Seems like a lot of them seem to be getting their 'ducks in a row' and are now hitting the "value for money/bandwidth/monthly charges" in a big way.

I'm an ex-BT'er, then ex-F2S'er now happily putting down roots with IDNet...I'm pitching this pretty open but basically..."what would make you up-sticks and move again - both from a negative 'something going wrong' and a positive 'somone offering something better' POV ? "

Here's my tuppenceworth:
F2Shape still insist on spamming me despite my account lapsing, me following their "unsubscribe me" link and an increasinly irate series of mails telling them to PISS OFF. Their most recent missive included a catalog of their Cascade products, all 8mbps Max based and the Lite one actually (for a micro-second) got me thinking "...hmmm....that looks pretty good !"

Then I mentally slapped myself about the face and relived the infamous takeover, un-notified AUP changes, traffic-shaping and complete loss of CS that has seen their ratings plummet...I would not go back and give those monkeys one more penny if they offered me the earth.

Where I'm coming from is....I think we need a head-change with regard to BB. Everyone's on it now (99.6% or something like that can access it if they want it !) people need to stop banging away at providers margins getting more speed, more bandwidth, more addons for less ££ each month, and we need to settle for an equitable cost per month for XGb per month for a better quality service. Better access to content for one thing...? I've already seen numerous posts in here and AG about speeds, pings and while the do go down, they're not moving by order's of magnitude, 10-20% I think Maxping's move by or something (Max you in here dude ?)

Sorry this has degenerated into a scrumpy-driven ramble...am outta here.
S

[Xbandito]

Well what makes me think, is that MOST other Euro peeps have far better internet i.e. speed,bandwidth etc than us poor peasants in the UK.
Sweden for instance, a friend of mine is on 20mbit down 1mbit with no cap(not heard of capping over there) for 14 Euro's per month.
The Internet in Japan is even better, 100mbit connection for ¥5,000 = £24.26   

The Swede's Government have paid for the internet, the installation of all cables (cant see that happening with our lot, to busy bombing countries, then paying them millions in compensation).

I just cannot understand why we have to fork out more and more each month, be it tax's or  for internet access, when the country in a whole is going down the tubes......

My little rant..   

[Bill]

Couple of things that might make me move:

1) another ISP providing significantly better value for money than IDNet in the way I use the net. There would need to be a fair difference- "better the devil you know...."

2) PlusNet expessing an interest     

[Bill]

F2Shape still insist on spamming me

Can't you set up a rule to

a) forward it back to them (if that makes sense!) then

b) delete it?

[Jeff]

Interesting

I actually lived in Holland for nigh on 5 years. I had 8 meg ADSL 4 years ago and quite frankly, all current UK ISPs don`t hold a candle to who my ISP was over there. Know who it was? Tiscali! Yep, I know, they have a terrible rep over here but something I`ve learned about UK ISPs, BT have to get involved somewhere along the line ... and we can`t just blame BT for everything neither. Ofcom have placed crippling constraints on what they charge ISPs for bandwidth/pipe leasing et al, but I hear that Ofcom are to relax these cost constraints, but we have to think about what is actually delivering our services to us. How long have those twisted copper fellas been under the ground? BT haven`t actually installed too many main lines, the Post Office inherited old technology back in the `70s so perhaps, this is where our real problems lie? BT need to dig the fecken roads up and put summit decent down there to carry out broadband services instead of trying to make good out of 30 year old plus technolgy

Rant over, no paragraphs

*leans over to Stella glass*

[Xbandito]

BT need to dig the fecken roads up

Oh no, not more road works, our little road through the village has been dug up 9 times this year     and guess what........it was either BT or Welsh water digging the same patch they dug up last week (makes you think, is the water leaking into those twisted copper fellas) 

[Jeff]

No, it`s every time you request a regrade!! Man, could you not just gone straight from dial-up to 8 meg???

[Scott]

Yeah the internet comparison's are always interesting to hear but of course...we (the allies) obliterated vast swathes of the far east in WWII and it's always easier to do new stuff on a clean canvas than work with the cr*p you've got.

Scandinavia's always an interesting topic...they seem to do a lot of stuff very well, but we (in general terms) don't go like...'fook me (insert forehead slapping sound) why haven't we been doing that all along !' - thinking thermally efficient housing [I live in Scotland you know - it's bloody cold !]  I believe they tax the sh*t out of you [anyone confirm ?] but then if the economy supports a standard of living that can manage the tax burden - so what ?

Is BB just another sympton of Rip-off Britain ?

[Jeff]

Scandinavia's always an interesting topic...they seem to do a lot of stuff very well

Yeah, remember Rodox?

[Scott]

Scandinavia's always an interesting topic...they seem to do a lot of stuff very well

Yeah, remember Rodox?

RoFLMAO...no !?!! 

[cavillas]

The only way I would migrate is if another supplier could offer me 5GB d/l at £14.99 a month, and have the same personal touch regards support etc and have the reliabilty, consistancy and robustness of connection, plus including free web space and unlimited email addresses inc webmail.  If there is anyone like that out there please contact me. 

[MarkZX12R]

BB in the UK is a rip off compared to some most other countries and as always...i blame BT

[Scott]

well that's the nature of a monopoly...complete suffocation of any drive for intiative.

Personally I blame Thatcher...well I would...I'm Scottish. 

[Xbandito]

I just blame the "old has beens" that are in government...full stop 

[Scott]

I just blame the "old has beens" that are in government...full stop 

Too right son ! I recall watching Portillo getting bitch-slapped in his consituency as the results came in all those years ago and there was a real feeling that the times they were a-changing...and 2 terms down the line what do you know.. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose (deepest apologies to any francophones in here  )

[Jeff]

That`s the biggest load of codswallop I`ve heard you speak Scott, trying to tell me you ain`t heard of Rodox

They reckon that the best things to come out of Denmark is bacon and Carlsberg, I beg to differ

I`d post a link but I`d probably get banned

[RobMc]

Well to get back on topic 

I can tell you why I left may last two Broadband ISPs.

I was with BT Openworld for a year (and not a month more) at £29.99/month for 512k. This is where I decided that I didn't want to go on an 12 month minimum contract again. Ok there were two reasons to leave BT at the time. Firstly they were very expensive and secondly they were moving everyone to a BT/Yahoo service. I didn't want this and had no option to opt-out. By the way I've setup BT/Yahoo service for some customers (their choice not mine) and you wouldn't beleive the amount of baggage that you end up installing.

I then migrated to Pipex (monthy contract) at £23.44/month 512k. Now I really liked Pipex back then, good no nonsence connection. A year later upgraded to 1M connection with Pipex still on a monthly contract. Still very happy. That was a year ago. Now they started to push Pipex-Talk. Fair enough, doesn't affect me so no great problem. Then started to get a bit annoyed that they were giving substantial discounts if you took Pipex-Talk, to the point where your discount on the Broadband service was actually bigger than the cost of Pipex-Talk (starting to sound like a bit of a rant, sorry).  Ok so started to think that £23.44 was a bit high for 1M so decided to wait to see what Pipex would offer in the 2M front. So they declare their new upgrade options to existing customers £23.99 (£24.99 by CC) for 2M but you have to enter into a new 12 month contract. Errrm, no thanks.

So decided to look around, where to go, Demon, NDO, Madasafish, then noticed good things being said about IDNet. Monthly contract, good. £24.99, ok bit on the high side but I believe you get what you pay for. Customer services excellent, no lengthy queues (pipex) and no outsourced call centres. No nonsence connection, ok where do I sign.

And here I am a month later with a good 2M connection. Now should I move to MaxADSL or should stay with what I have...

Rob.

[Goggo]

The only way I would migrate is if another supplier could offer me 5GB d/l at £14.99 a month, and have the same personal touch regards support etc and have the reliabilty, consistancy and robustness of connection, plus including free web space and unlimited email addresses inc webmail.  If there is anyone like that out there please contact me. 

I agree with this, the 2Gb d/l on Home Lite is just a bit too small at the new price.

[Jeff]

Welcome Rob

Now should I move to MaxADSL or should stay with what I have

Go for MaxDSL Rob