OT The joys of BT

[dennis]

SMS.

[dennis]

I'm on Sky, the only time I have spoken to CS about the broadband was when they called me to check it was OK after they had done an upgrade.

If I had to report faults more than once every couple of years I would be thinking about switching.

As an aside Skys IPv6 appears to be working fine but they don't have an IPv6 DNS service ATM so you need to use an external one like openDNS.

[dennis]

That's more than Sky then. Or does that include the mobile costs too?

[polygonum]

Having been with them for many years, we are so pleased to have left them for good due to moving house.

Their customer support was dire on most of the occasions we needed it. For the last few months with them we had distinctly poor performance with obvious slowdowns, almost freezes on broadband. The usual issue of them telling us to check our own computers, cycle the cable modem/router, etc., and no resolution.

They then had the gall to apply a charge for leaving them - despite being in monthly rollover contract - and them not offering any service in our new location.

I have great objection to them overcharging long-term users to provide excessively sugared sweeteners to newcomers. Free installation seems OK, but deals which make ours look incredibly expensive are not.

Currently saving a fortune my using EE home broadband and Freeview. Also better quality television signal!

[Adrian Caspersz]

Depends where you live :-)

Our local cable network, which was originally Videotron (Harrow, NW London), wasn't designed for data, so here equally as "poor man" as BT repurposing POTS.

Seems Virgin don't look after customers here, cabinets lie open to the wind / rain, discarded takeaways and vandals, torn strands of coax lie on pavements. I'm feel like taking a walk and snapping pictures of their crippled cabinets.

Many here migrate away to Sky claiming cable overcharging and reliability issues, so that kind of kills Virgin spending money overhauling it.

I've got friends elsewhere on Virgin cable. Their broadband is solid, but not here. My advice to anyone considering cable is to ask their neighbours first!

[newshound]

I get a line fault every couple of years, but that is with the copper. Perhaps not helped by the fact that the incomer goes through a neighbour's tree after leaving the pole. It was worse before FFTC, because the tunnel from the exchange to this side of town used to flood regularly.

Not really the fault of the ISP. Oh, and another +1 for Plusnet, for excellent service and responsiveness.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Glad you're happy with it. I've got an aversion to paying anything I can avoid to the dirty digger. Who has caused far more damage to this country than most realise.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Same round here - this street had Virgin cable quite early on. BT look after their street furniture rather better. Virgin prefer to spend their money sending a glossy package to me every month trying to get me to join them. Which goes in the bin unopened. Must cost them a fortune.

[bert]

In article , Capitol writes

I get e-mails from plusnet and in response to a comment in a feedback survey that I wasn't impressed by the wifi range of their hub not being any better than BT HH3.

[bert]

In article , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes

With BT you need to use the Help line several times just for one fault.

So would most people but it helps if you can understand what they are saying over a telephone handset - so yes that's a downside of plusnet. (For the benefit of thicko that's a joke)

[bert]

In article , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes

Bit racist for an international socialist.

[tony sayer]

It was said that the build quality of the original cable networks varied quite a lot due to location. I believe London was one of the worst. Out here in Cambridge it was Comcast originally who built it and its been good too.

[Vir Campestris]

Difference is that Bob Pullen turns up on uk.tech.broadband, and gives real support.

Andy

[The Natural Philosopher]

Cambridge Cable shirly?

[tony sayer]

Well it was called Cambridge Cable but owned by Comcast...

[The Natural Philosopher]

Not originally it wasn't,

[polygonum]

Which will be mandatory for all ISPs come October.

This is to avoid the adverts claiming Free Broadband! then stinging you for £17.99 (or whatever) line rental.

[tony sayer]

As near as dammit it was;!...

[Mike Tomlinson]

En el artículo , bert escribió:

Don't read Private Eye, do you?

[The Natural Philosopher]

Just because the Eye is racist doesn't excuse you...