Recommended ADSL2 ISPs?

[Indy500]

Having moved home recently, and with access to a BT line that is already installed I now need to decide which ISP I want.

As far as user reviews go, it seems that in order for me to see 9/10 overall ratings for an ISP I need to be paying £50 a month. Now, since I live less than half a mile from an LLU-enabled exchange hopefully I won't need to worry about 15GB data caps. I'm not planning to hammer the connection 24/7 but I can be downloading large files (for example software via MSDNAA can run into multiple GBs apiece).

As I don't have £50 a month to spend on an internet connection (more like £20) is it realistic to expect an acceptable service level without a low cap? As far as contracts go I'm prepared to pay a connection charge to avoid long contracts to begin with. I've never had access to an ADSL2 service before so any opinions on ISPs would be welcome.

TIA

 

[danny_mac]

Be internet are good mate. I pay £23.50 a month, never had any connection issues, get 9Mb down and 2Mb up.

 

[StevenRaith]

Be internet are, I'd go as far as aot say, excellent - I'm utterly gutted their equipment isn't in my new exchange - not least because I had to pay the rest of the 12 month contract [you can get it without that, but I wasn't expecting to move...].
I'm in the same boat, but my LLU providers are atrocious and are, according to legend, best avoided. Starting a seperate thread so as not to spoil your one though

go with Be if they are at your exchange, I think you'll be pleased.

 

[Indy500]

Be internet are good mate. I pay £23.50 a month, never had any connection issues, get 9Mb down and 2Mb up.

I'm considering the Be Unlimited package (3 month deal at £20\m with £24 connection fee).

Be internet are, I'd go as far as aot say, excellent - I'm utterly gutted their equipment isn't in my new exchange - not least because I had to pay the rest of the 12 month contract [you can get it without that, but I wasn't expecting to move...].
I'm in the same boat, but my LLU providers are atrocious and are, according to legend, best avoided. Starting a seperate thread so as not to spoil your one though

go with Be if they are at your exchange, I think you'll be pleased.

Availability search comes up with:

Broadband availability overview
ADSL: Yes
SDSL: Yes
LLU services: Yes
Cable: Yes
Wireless: No

LLU operator presence

AOL: Enabled
O2 / Be: Enabled
C&W / Bulldog: Enabled
Edge Telecom: Not available
Entanet: Not available
Lumison: Not available
NewNet: Not available
Node4: Not available
Orange: Enabled
Pipex: Not available
Sky / Easynet: Enabled
Smallworld: Not available
TalkTalk (CPW): Enabled
Tiscali: Enabled
Tiscali TV: Enabled
WB Internet: Not available
Zen Internet: Not available

 

[StevenRaith]

Yup, go forth, go with Be, and enjoy.

My thread was killed off at birth - was hopin g for opinions on ADSLMax [IE non-ADSL2+ unbundled ISPs] but never mind - clearly I misread the sticky...

 

[marc2003]

I'm considering the Be Unlimited package (3 month deal at £20\m with £24 connection fee).

o2 do the same package for £14.68 a month. ok it's 12 months but you get 3 months free plus you can claim £75 cashback if you signup through topcashback. that works out at peanuts for the whole year.

and you can save even more money if you have an 02 mobile.

 

[Indy500]

o2 do the same package for £14.68 a month. ok it's 12 months but you get 3 months free plus you can claim £75 cashback if you signup through topcashback. that works out at peanuts for the whole year.

and you can save even more money if you have an 02 mobile.

How does topcashback work? Even if its peanuts because of the cashback offer, a 12 month contract is no good to me if the service gets problems - I want that fallback option in case it goes sour for whatever reason.

 

[AbsenceJam]

How does topcashback work? Even if its peanuts because of the cashback offer, a 12 month contract is no good to me if the service gets problems - I want that fallback option in case it goes sour for whatever reason.

You can cancel the contract any time you like. Your 12 month cost is £57.12 with cashback.

 

[Indy500]

You can cancel the contract any time you like. Your 12 month cost is £57.12 with cashback.

Sounds almost too good to be true. I'll check out this cashback site...

Edit: Indeed it is, reliability of the cashback deal is questionable at best.

 

[AbsenceJam]

Sounds almost too good to be true. I'll check out this cashback site...

Edit: Indeed it is, reliability of the cashback deal is questionable at best.

Quidco
Tracking Reliability
High (98% tracked, 2% enquiries of which 87% successful so far)

Topcashback
Tracking Reliability 99%
Failed to Track 1%
Manual Claims Complete 54%

 

[Indy500]

Quidco
Tracking Reliability
High (98% tracked, 2% enquiries of which 87% successful so far)

Topcashback
Tracking Reliability 99%
Failed to Track 1%
Manual Claims Complete 54%

Tracking =! paid claim. I did see that The claims complete percentage is what I'm interested in.

Anyway I have another 6 days to wait before BT pull the switch (or whatever it is they do) to activate the line with my new account...

 

[StevenRaith]

My line activates tomorrow.

Still to makea decision, although IDNet look passable.

I'm basically waiting till Be/O2 put their kit in the Scarborough exchange - so short term contracts till then.

 

[Indy500]

My line activates tomorrow.

Still to makea decision, although IDNet look passable.

I'm basically waiting till Be/O2 put their kit in the Scarborough exchange - so short term contracts till then.

Living within the London area does have its benefits

 

[AbsenceJam]

Tracking =! paid claim. I did see that The claims complete percentage is what I'm interested in.

Anyway I have another 6 days to wait before BT pull the switch (or whatever it is they do) to activate the line with my new account...

Yes it is, if it's tracked they pay.

 

[Indy500]

Yes it is, if it's tracked they pay.

I'll keep it in mind then.

Any other suggestions for ISPs other than Be\O2?

 

[Nocky24]

o2 do the same package for £14.68 a month. ok it's 12 months but you get 3 months free plus you can claim £75 cashback if you signup through topcashback. that works out at peanuts for the whole year.

and you can save even more money if you have an 02 mobile.

Yeh i'm on the middle o2 package and pay £9.79 a month (o2 mobile user) and get 14mb download and just over 1mb upstream, bargain! Plus their customer service is excellent, i've had to contact them a lot this week due to disconnections (my fault this end i think not o2's) and its all uk based. They call you back when they say and don't waste time going through diagnostics you've already done 20 times with other service agents *cough*aol*cough*.

 

[Indy500]

Yeh i'm on the middle o2 package and pay £9.79 a month (o2 mobile user) and get 14mb download and just over 1mb upstream, bargain! Plus their customer service is excellent, i've had to contact them a lot this week due to disconnections (my fault this end i think not o2's) and its all uk based. They call you back when they say and don't waste time going through diagnostics you've already done 20 times with other service agents *cough*aol*cough*.

Hmm, I've seen comments on review sites saying it was moved to Eastern Europe...

 

[marc2003]

Hmm, I've seen comments on review sites saying it was moved to Eastern Europe...

that would be BE. o2 is uk based.

 

[Morfik]

Quidco
Tracking Reliability
High (98% tracked, 2% enquiries of which 87% successful so far)

Topcashback
Tracking Reliability 99%
Failed to Track 1%
Manual Claims Complete 54%

Used both Quidco and Topcashback regularly and never had trouble with payment on either. Sometimes things fail to track but whenever i've enquired it's been quickly added. Made £25 x2 on o2 Broadband orders back when it wasn't as good a deal.

It really isn't too good to be true.

 

[Nocky24]

Hmm, I've seen comments on review sites saying it was moved to Eastern Europe...

Just checked their site now and its definitely uk based.