I am a Mac User(if that makes a difference), I am having big broadband problems, help me decide what to do!

[tissy]

I'll keep this brief, if I can.

My ISP is Pipex. They used to be excellent- good connection, good customer service. I bought my Macbook a couple of years ago now, and went wireless at the same time.Ever since then (and I don't know if it's connected or not)I have had problems with my broadband. The line keeps dropping. I phone Pipex to report it, they make me jump through lots of hoops before they'll even report it to BT, and eventually the service comes back. It usually takes a couple of weeks for them to get their *rses into gear. Meanwhile I am paying for a broadband service I am not getting. Complaints emailed to their customer service dept go unanswered.

It has happened again (3rd or 4th time this year)and I am feckin' fed up of it! I think I am tied into my contract with them for another 9 months or so (I signed up for a "deal" they offered me ). In spite of the huge inconvenience which would go with changing suppliers (I really don't want to change my email address), I have now resolved to dump them.

I am thinking that I might try BT. I KNOW that they do not have a great reputation, but the problem every time seems to be at the BT exchange, and my reasoning is that if it does go wrong again, at least I am contacting BT about the problem, and not a third party, so it might get fixed quicker.....maybe.

I'm not keen on Sky....don't want a dish on our house. Don't have cable in the area.

What about mobile broadband? Does anyone have that? Is it any good? Our mobile phone reception at home isn't great, except at the front bedroom window, or halfway across the road.

I am thinking of getting an iPhone to tide me over the all-too-frequent periods that I don't have broadband at home, as I really can't get by without my computer, but I still wouldn't be able to use the laptop. At least I could access my email.

Any suggestions? Broadband suppliers that don't go all huffy because you don't have a pc?

It wasn't that brief really, was it?

Of course, if any replies arrive after I leave work to day, I won't be able to read them till Monday

I have an iPhone and they are splendid, BUT:

...if you are using it as your main means of internet connection without the aid of a wireless network I predict it would be prohibitively expensive.

this seems much cheaper.

...and Mac compatible I believe (fellow Mac Anorak)

P.S.

....Virgin are a good ISP for Mac (but cable, sorry) as are AOL I am told. I don't think there are any major ISPs that don't work with Mac, though some will not offer technical support on the phone.

Thanks, retiredgoth. I thought that the iPhone had unlimited internet connection,though? Doesn't it? I would have to stick with Pipex till I'm able to wriggle out of my contract; iPhone would just tide me over the bad times (plus I want one anyway, and this seems like as good an excuse as any....). I am in the process of changing all my contacts over to a web-based email address, so I can access from any connection, but that will take time.

The problem with PAYG mobile broadband seems to be that it's not strictly PAYG. You pay eg a tenner for a month, and even if you don't use up all your allowance, you still have to pay another tenner for next month. Are there any that you can top-up as and when you need it?

ooh, actually, looking at your liknk, the 3 pachake might be what I need.

(I still want an iPhone, though).

at spelling!

I am also a mac user and use tiscali. It is wireless and is good, as is their tech support!

ah, but isn't Pipex part of Tiscali? Does tiscali have an Indian call centre for tech support? One of my (many) frustrations is that when I am irate, I get even more irate if the person I am talking to cannot understand my perfectly clear RP English! I was speaking to a very nice Indian chap last night whose name was apparently Derek (They all have English names, wtf?), who couldn't seem to grasp the fact that this happens regularly. He was working from a script, and refused to deviate from it. I am still waiting for a second-line person from tech support to ring me back, and I know (from bitter experience), that he will be called Charles or Angus, and will ask me exactly the same questions before finally agreeing to pass the problem on to BT, who will take the maximum 10 days to flick the appropriate switch at the exchange.

Grrrrrr.

.....the iPhone has (what seems to me) a fully operative version of Safari. The only limitations to use that I have found relate to the small keyboard and screen size.

How geeky am I?

went out and got a mobile broadband dongle today, and after an initial hiccup (shop failed to tell me that you have to phone to activate the service ), it worked fine.

I get a month broadband for £20 and can cancel/ re-start the contract whenever I like, now I have the dongle.

Phoned Pipex today, as their second-line tech support people had failed to get back to me, after I was told they would. I also tried to phone the customer service line to find out when I can cancel my contract. After I'd entered my phone number, they told me the centre was closed, but miraculously, my broadband was back on after 15 mins