so what's the best broadband to buy? and from who?

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there may well have been multiple threads, but the offers keep changing and i haven't a clue which is the best to go with.
please save me from asking 'the techies' in my office and geting a lecture!

― piscesboy, Monday, 24 May 2004 09:47 (twenty-two years ago)

The much advertised Tiscali £15.99 deal is a bit rub, as isn't full speed broadband. The cheapo BT one is also rub, as it caps your downloads at 1GB a month.

Of the more expensive (but still cheaper than regular BT or AOL crap) ISPs, nildram and zen seem to be highly rated. Of the cheaper ones, try PlusNet.

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 24 May 2004 09:53 (twenty-two years ago)

(Assuming you're from the UK)

My BT exchange isn't broadband enabled yet so I'm stuck with cable (NTL - 600k connection for £24.99 per month).

A friend swears by (Gio Internet - currently offering 150k for under a tenner (special offer) and 512k for £19.95. He occasionally gets free extra bandwidth for some reason and once sent me a screen shot showing he was getting 8MB for no extra charge.

There were stories a few weeks ago that most suppliers would be upping connection speeds at no extra cost soon so keep your eyes peeled.

If you use file sharing networks make sure your supplier doesn't have port or bandwidth restrictions.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Monday, 24 May 2004 09:59 (twenty-two years ago)

downloads caped at 1gb? how much is that? in, say mp3 terms? 1,000
tunes? 10,000? u can tell i don't have the first clue about this.

― piscesboy, Monday, 24 May 2004 10:04 (twenty-two years ago)

1gb = more like 200 tunes. it's def not enough.

zen have been great for me - only have to sign up for a month at a time, too. but i'm sure there are cheaper options.

― toby (tsg20), Monday, 24 May 2004 10:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh yeah - being able to have one month's notice is another thing to look out for. It's not just BT and AOL that have 12 month cancellation terms.

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 24 May 2004 10:28 (twenty-two years ago)

To put it in perspective Nildram allow you to download 150gig a month, roughly the equivalent of downloading at full speed non-stop for 28 days.

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Monday, 24 May 2004 11:31 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm on Zen, and so far they've been tremendous. The third-party site I looked at before rated them and Pipex as tops, but I can't find it anywhere now :(

― Gregory Henry (Gregory Henry), Monday, 24 May 2004 11:38 (twenty-two years ago)

That'll be this site?

― Dave B (daveb), Monday, 24 May 2004 11:40 (twenty-two years ago)

My bad.

This site, even

― Dave B (daveb), Monday, 24 May 2004 11:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Whom?

― TheNewJMod (JMod), Monday, 24 May 2004 11:47 (twenty-two years ago)

two months pass...

Right then - so at last I'm in a flat I actually want to be in for more than a year so I'm finally getting broadband. Yay. But its still all totally confusing, so therefore:

Which ISP these days is the best in terms of value for money/quality of service, with a reasonably download cap? Is it still Zen/Nildram/Bulldog?

Also my flatmate and I are also hoping to use the same connection - I'm on a PC, he's on a Mac - can I assume this is possible?

Also, what sort of hardware are we going to need, starting more or less from scratch? In layman's terms, please...

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 10:35 (twenty-one years ago)

A router/modem
A filter (for splitting the phone line)
A computer
A cable (not sure what type) to connect the two computers

My ex-flatmate and I had a broadband connection set up with my PC and his Mac both running fine. It was slightly fiddly to set up, but okay.

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 10:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Additional technophobe question - would it be cheaper and less hassle to just get two separate broadband accounts or would that be a nightmare?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 10:42 (twenty-one years ago)

it's definitely cheaper to get one broadband account.

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 10:44 (twenty-one years ago)

I've just been talking to NTL, they can install immediately, free modem and installation an dthen it's the first two months free, thereafter it's 17.99 for 150k or 24.99 for 600k (which I'm warming towards). Only thing is we want to run it into a wireless router. are there big problems ahead??

― Porkpie (porkpie), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 10:46 (twenty-one years ago)

for example two broadband accounts costs twice as much as one broadband account.

it takes maybe a slight bit of techiness to set up sharing the broadband but it's not difficult. i've never done it with a PC and MAC mixed network though. nor do i know what the best equipment is (how is that apple airport thing for wireless fun?)

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 10:47 (twenty-one years ago)

homechoice.co.uk has broadband and digital tv from like £25 a month with the first few months at £13.75...

― colette (a2lette), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 10:48 (twenty-one years ago)

and PC world are selling some kind of wireless broadband kit - just ask them what cable network do they support (although yes i know asking PC world staff for tech advice is usually pointless)

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 10:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Matt, it would be madness to get two accounts, seriously. It's not at all hard - both PC and Mac will have different ways of configuring the machine, but there's no reason why they should be difficult. There's no need to try and make the computers talk to each other - it's just two different connections to one router.

Also, Nildram have been really good for me.

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 10:49 (twenty-one years ago)

no sport though Colette, which is the main reason we (ok, I)have cable tv

― Porkpie (porkpie), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 10:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Can I assume the BT option is a bit rub?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 10:50 (twenty-one years ago)

is homechoice the one that offers on-demand music video and film downloads? (i remember being round my mate ben's place a couple years back watching music videoes all day)

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 10:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Also how much does a router cost?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 10:50 (twenty-one years ago)

i might try Nildram when i'm in my new flat. The alternative is NTL or another BT-based ICP e.g. Demon (recommended by Gareth) or Claranet (recommended by my friend Tom). What about BT Open World itself tho?

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 10:51 (twenty-one years ago)

we were looking in PC world at the weekend and they're about 60 quid, but you need a card for the PC, I think you're looking at about a ton

― Porkpie (porkpie), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 10:51 (twenty-one years ago)

I've heard BT are quite good. Most of the smaller companies require you to have a BT phone line, too. Also, most will sell/give you a router as part of the installation package - it may be that the cost benefits of free kit of installation could be the deciding factor.

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 10:52 (twenty-one years ago)

i bought a router for about £30-40. i got lengthy cable (to go upstairs) for about £5-10 from Maplins.

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 10:53 (twenty-one years ago)

my router was not wireless i should add - i'm not sure how consistent wireless can be but it may be worth a go (more money tho right?)

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 10:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Hmm, I use Paul's old router and I didn't have to put a new card in my (one year old, decent spec) PC. Just plug it in and away we go.

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 10:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Final stupid question - I'm going to be downloading a lot of MP3 but not exactly going mental and downloading all day every day or whatever - what's the best download speed/cap to go for? I don't want to be paying out for a service I'm not really going to need.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 10:55 (twenty-one years ago)

we don't have any card at all in our pc though, and it's gotta be wireless as the pooter is going into the bedroom and we don#'t want the cables trailing all the way down the hall.

Sorry to hijack your revive MDC

x-post - I've been thinking about 150 as I can set it up to run all night, but 600 is a bit more immediate

― Porkpie (porkpie), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 10:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Nildram's £26/month option (DSL500 I think) doesn't have a cap - I'd try and avoid one unless there's some major price benefits in getting one.

Similarly, check how much webspace you get, how many email addresses, etc. etc etc. - this is the are where there are most differences between the providers. Nildram's is very clearly laid out - check out its website.

Chris, you'd seriously wonder why you bothered with 150 - you'll be champing at the bit to upgrade, believe me.

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 10:57 (twenty-one years ago)

that's what I though Mark, just have to sell it to V now! NTL give you 55 meg webspace and something daft like 12 mail accounts

― Porkpie (porkpie), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 11:00 (twenty-one years ago)

I'll bang the drum again about giointernet. 512k for less than £20 a month, uncapped. I don't think there's anyone better value out there.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 11:23 (twenty-one years ago)

And p2p is allowed? That does sound good.

― Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 11:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Yup. My slsk is on almost constantly - the computer only gets shut down a couple of times a fortnight. (NB - I'm not always d/l'ing although items may be queued, but there are normally uploads going on.)

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 11:51 (twenty-one years ago)

How much was the connection fee?

― Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 11:54 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm with telewest blueyonder and it's 750kb for £27.99 a month (or £25 if you also take their phoneline and tv.. huge savings). no download limit or anything.

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 11:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Can't remember what the giointernet connection fee was, but I know they're doing special deals at the moment (I think it was roughly equivalent to 2 months connection, but you make that back in less than a year against, say, BT charges) and their details are here.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 12:02 (twenty-one years ago)

ten months pass...

Does anyone have any further thoughts on this? I want a phone and broadband package. Is Bulldog the best?

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Monday, 6 June 2005 12:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Gio went bust in the end, and I ended up with Hi-Velocity who I'm still happy with.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Monday, 6 June 2005 12:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, I could do with some advice too. Not bothered about the phone package, but unlimited downloads would be nice (mucho DLing of massive video files from the work FTP site if PB is allowed to work from home).

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Monday, 6 June 2005 12:39 (twenty-one years ago)

If you want Homechoice, please mail me first as I work for them.

― d0g l4tin (dog latin), Monday, 6 June 2005 12:47 (twenty-one years ago)

No problems with Bulldog for me.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Monday, 6 June 2005 12:50 (twenty-one years ago)

www.hi-velocity.it (Flash site)

They emerged very creditably from the Gio fiasco (for anyone who doesn't know, Gio owed an awful lot of money and were shut down by their provider who then sequestered all the Gio customers by force - just a screen which said "you cannot go further without changing your payment details to xxxxxx". There were lots of accusations of garden-walling, particularly since there were no declared Ts&Cs of company xxxxxx, but Hi-Velocity negotiated a migration programme for ex-Gio customers that they were willing to sort out over the phone) so thumbs up in my book.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Monday, 6 June 2005 12:51 (twenty-one years ago)

oh and when they install broadband in your house, do they really need to make a massive hole through the front of your house to install the cables.

My parents tried to get broadband about a year ago, and the NTL engineers turned up and wanted to drill a hole right into our front room, because apparently they can't bend the cable that brings the broadbandness into our house.

My parents have been worried about getting broadband into our house ever since.

― jellybean (jellybean), Monday, 6 June 2005 12:55 (twenty-one years ago)

plus.net or nildram would be my reccomendation.

Jellybean, you could get ADSL which comes through your phoneline, no drilling required.

― Jarlr'mai (jarlrmai), Monday, 6 June 2005 12:57 (twenty-one years ago)

two months pass...

that 3-6 weeks bulldog connection time is a sickener!

― cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 6 August 2005 14:04 (twenty years ago)

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