Prices

[gingerjedi]

I know IDNET offer a premium service but don't you think £25 for a fixed 2meg connection is a bit steep these days? Is there a good reason why it's more expensive than the faster ADSLMax package?

[Rik]

Because BT charge more for it, unfortunately.

[Sebby]

Quite simply because it's a more expensive product from BT.

[Simon_idnet]

For quite some time now BT have wanted all connections converted to the rate-adaptive services. Therefore, whenever they have introduced price reductions they have specifically excluded the fixed-rate services which have consequently become more expensive over time. They are now encouraging upgrades to ADSL2+ by making those services cheaper than ADSL Max. They have recently been mooting the "sun-setting" of the old fixed-rate services explaining that they will be "superseded" by Max/2+ with appropriate Profiling to limit them to pseudo fixed-rate speeds. The ISP community have been arguing that there remains a significant section of the market who are served happily with fixed-rate who do not wish to change but this seems to be falling on deaf ears
Simon

[Rik]

Thanks, Simon. BT never were good at listening, were they.

[gingerjedi]

For quite some time now BT have wanted all connections converted to the rate-adaptive services. Therefore, whenever they have introduced price reductions they have specifically excluded the fixed-rate services which have consequently become more expensive over time. They are now encouraging upgrades to ADSL2+ by making those services cheaper than ADSL Max. They have recently been mooting the "sun-setting" of the old fixed-rate services explaining that they will be "superseded" by Max/2+ with appropriate Profiling to limit them to pseudo fixed-rate speeds. The ISP community have been arguing that there remains a significant section of the market who are served happily with fixed-rate who do not wish to change but this seems to be falling on deaf ears
Simon

Oh that's just marvellous, I'm only on fixed rate because BT's line is too unstable for rate-adaptive and now they want to push me off that.

That's another tick against the 3G dongle.

[Rik]

Have you checked your coverage for a 3G dongle, Ginger. The speeds and latency I experienced in Scotland made me miss even my poor line.

[sparky]

I wonder what the reasons are for the above, it's interesting because my brother lives in Australia and is trying to get his broadband sorted and he has the same problem. His exchange is only ADSL1 enabled and prices for fixed speed connections are horrendous.

ADSL2 is cheaper and 2+ even cheaper still, but that's no good to him as his exchange isn't enabled. If you think broadband is expensive here, he has been quoted $A 50 plus for a 1.5Mb connection with a 3GB cap !!  At the moment it's less than $A 2 to the pound!

[Sebby]

Thanks, Simon. BT never were good at listening, were they.

They were never good at anything, and still aren't.

[zappaDPJ]

Oh that's just marvellous, I'm only on fixed rate because BT's line is too unstable for rate-adaptive and now they want to push me off that.

That's another tick against the 3G dongle.

It's the ultimate kick in the nuts. BT provide you with bottom end infrastructure on which you are forced to take a bottom end service for which you pay top end prices. No other business in the country would be allowed to operate in such away.

[Sebby]

No other business in another country more like.