AOL Broadband launches no minimum contract broadband

[somanyholes]

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/news/3445-aol-broadband-launches-no-minimum-contract-broadband.html

some amusement for you all, I'm sure a lot of you will of heard tales of people trying to cancel their aol broadband service. Trying being the operative word.

[Malc]

£49.99 to connect, thieving bar stewards 

[Rik]

I was about to post, Malc:

Curious that the one comment is about the connection fee, despite the fact that includes a wireless router. There's just no pleasing some people... 

If you connect to IDNet, you'll pay around £47 for a first-time connection, so I don't see the fee as unreasonable.

[Malc]

I didn't pay anything, and my router was £20 

[Rik]

The average price of a router for the newcomer is going to be, say, £40 if they go to PC World etc. Standard new connection charge from BT is £47. As I say, I don't think it's a bad deal - especially for a newcomer. Of course, I don't think they should go with AOL, but that's another issue. 

[Malc]

If people just pay £40 for a router instead of shopping around, then, I suppose America On Line is good for them!

[Rik]

£40 isn't a bad price, Malc - a year or so ago you'd have paid £80 on the High Street.

I used to have to work AOL for Adobe, we regarded it as a punishment compared to Compuserve.

[Malc]

I'd rather pay £20 

[Malc]

Don't sell them to much or Simon (not that one - the other) might shout at you 

[Rik]

The sort of person who will go for this is probably not going to have heard of IDNet, or wouldn't want to deal with a 'small' company if they had. OTOH, get them connected and they will start to learn.

[Niall]

I've no idea how much I paid. My mum was so desperate to access her emails (being a woman, she needs to talk via any and all mediums available ) that she paid all the fees, and the monthly bill

[Rik]

Does she adopt? 

[Niall]

I think there's a sign borrowed from Dante that only she can see, over the door. Be warned.

[madasahatter]

I was about to post, Malc:

Curious that the one comment is about the connection fee, despite the fact that includes a wireless router. There's just no pleasing some people... 

If you connect to IDNet, you'll pay around £47 for a first-time connection, so I don't see the fee as unreasonable.

Me neither Rik - I know a couple of peeps on AOL who've never had a problem with them, so i suppose it all depends on how lucky you are.

[J!ll]

I tried AOL 

[Thirles]

When I saw this I had already got my MAC from AOL and had signed up to IDNet. I feel for those with their new laptops and 24 month contracts.

I did go a little way into the migration path for the new deal and got to the point where my MAC code was requested.  At this point it had some small print concerning availablity and that if the deal wasn't available in my area then they would provide a normal ADSL service incurring an 18 month contract. My immediate thoughs were that it could be only for unbundled exchanges which would mean many signing up confident of there ability to connect but ending up with a long contract anyway.

I watched an interview with the CEO of Carphone Warehouse a few days ago, don't remember when is was made but it was his goal is to be 2nd only to BT regarding Broadband and Home phone supply in the UK. I guess his bonuses are linked to market share achieved and no matter how many customers leak out the bottom as they find pastures new or manage to get out of contract, their advertising deals will provide enough new customers to increase the numbers. Now the CEO may achieve whatever goals he has for market share, "earn" his fat bonus but leaving the company with a dreadful reputation and share price.

[Rik]

That's the joy of the bonus system for you.