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Original poster

I need broadband at home - is there any reason NOT to go with BT???

23 replies

beachyhead · 20/06/2005 15:31

Being a boring traditionalist and never having had any issues with BT, I am tempted to go with them for broadband as I need it at home - going on maternity leave and need access to MN!!!!!

Questions - is it vastly more expensive than others or does the competition keep them keen?

Are there any offers I can access?

Do I get a BT email address or do I just get a hotmail?

How long will I have to wait and will they help me install it on my PC?

As you can see, 6 months without an IT department could be the end of me .....

OP posts:
HappyHuggy · 20/06/2005 15:34

Hiya

Ive had bt broadband for a week or so and its been nothing but trouble tbh.

It keeps crashing and theyve made a fortune out of me having to phone the helpline

they keep email me to say ive gone over my something or other an have charged me extra (what ive gone over i dont know cause its suppossed to be unlimited and i havent had it all that long!!!)

Im changing asap!!!

but i just might have had a bad experience and others might say different

HTH

HappyHuggy · 20/06/2005 15:35

aslo i got 5 bt email address but i use hotmail

it took a week for the modem to arrive and is simple to set up

Enid · 20/06/2005 15:40

i have a BT line and Virgin broadband - found it all completely straightforward and no probs, woudl recommend

lolliepops · 20/06/2005 15:41

hh you must have basic bb which has limits and 50p p/m help line if you go for the £24.99 it gives you 15gig per month and free help lines, well worth the extra.

if you sign up on line you get the best deals free equipment, £2 off the rental for the first free months, and yes someone will talk you through the set up. i dont have a clue with puters and it was easy and they did help! the trouble is you will find some companys a couple of quid cheeper but you can never get through to there help lines as the dont have the staff to back up the demand for cheeper bb.

Fio2 · 20/06/2005 15:41

its quite expensive compared to ntl. For the Mb i have with ntl it was 17.99 and with BT it is 29.99

You have a BT e-mail address but you have to pay for all your outgoing emails on top (thats why i use hotmail mainly)

But reliability they are much better than ntl

Oh and you have to sign up to the full 12 months and cant cancel

Fio2 · 20/06/2005 15:41

its quite expensive compared to ntl. For the Mb i have with ntl it was 17.99 and with BT it is 29.99

You have a BT e-mail address but you have to pay for all your outgoing emails on top (thats why i use hotmail mainly)

But reliability they are much better than ntl

Oh and you have to sign up to the full 12 months and cant cancel

Fio2 · 20/06/2005 15:42

sorry for the double post

also i had quite alot of problems with the software, where the java script wouldnt work and things like that

Original poster
beachyhead · 20/06/2005 15:51

so even if I pay 24.99 a month and get 5 email addresses, I have to pay each time I send an email?

Ideally I want something that is just one flat fee, can be on all the time and can be used by multiple people in the house (not necessarily at the same time)

I will go an look at bt website, but thanks so far.....

OP posts:
charliecat · 20/06/2005 15:54

I have bt bb and pay 26.99 a month, dont have top pay for emails and excellent customer service so far.

Marina · 20/06/2005 15:54

We've chosen Tiscali and are impressed with their service so far Beachy...but haven't got it up and running yet IYSWIM. But their helpline has been good and they sent the router and other info very promptly.
Also have no intention of moving away from BT as far as phone service is concerned!

charliecat · 20/06/2005 15:54

oh and i got the first 3 months free by picking up a disk in the local P.O i could get one for you if you like?

sparklymieow · 20/06/2005 15:56

My parents have BT and pay 14.99 a month but can only go online for 2 hours (or something) and then they get charged extra!! I have NTL and for 24.99 I have a 750kb modem, and can go on as soon as I like, we have two computers linked to the modem, via a networking cable.

Kelly1978 · 20/06/2005 15:58
  1. Not too sure about the competition, but I do know everybody is in line to get upgraded to 2meg bband, so it is reasonable for the price you pay.
2. dont know 3. Yes u can get a bt address, soem new thing they've brought out. I have one, must admit I have had probs sending emails wiht it tho. 4. I think I waited a coupel of weeks. The stuff gets delivered special delivery on the day it starts, and it is really easy to set up.

I've never had any probs with them, and will be sticking with them.

Original poster
beachyhead · 20/06/2005 16:01

yes please charlie cat - where are you - I should just venture into my PO and see if they have it too........

OP posts:
madmarchhare · 20/06/2005 16:25

Have BT BB, £29.99 unlimited use. No extra charge for emails. Was very easy to set up, very quick and very happy so far. I dont work for BT.

nutcracker · 20/06/2005 16:30

We use Telewest. They have been excellant. We pay £17.99 a month and after we had been with them a couple of months they doubled the speed for free.

NoPearls · 20/06/2005 16:43

Or how about Tesco - unlimited use now £17.99 a month (just gone down from £19.99)?

katierocket · 20/06/2005 16:43

zen.co.uk are really good, can highly recommend them

hub2dee · 20/06/2005 16:50

Personally, I wouldn't recommend them. Their network, IMHO is too big for them to look after all their customers adequately. Their telephone support is often patchy IME. The engineers looking after all their equipment seem to take an age to recognise faults and fix them.

FWIW, I'm with Andrews and Arnold - a small, techy firm, same sort of pricing and they REALLY know their stuff (as a result of which their service has tremendous uptime), and their support is great.

I've recommended them to lots of people and never heard problems. I've been with them for several years now, as have my folks etc. etc.

Deffo not the cheapest, but a good company.

Original poster
beachyhead · 20/06/2005 17:44

thanks all - I'll have a look at that - hub2dee, I know you do your research after seeing your HUGE thread on three wheeler pushchairs......

OP posts:
charliecat · 20/06/2005 17:45

tunbridge wells im at...

hoxtonchick · 20/06/2005 17:51

we're very pleased with telewest. unlimited access, no extra costs at all, 5 e-mail addresses, can't remember the last time it crashed. we pay £25/month & i can't remember the speed, but it's at least 1MB.

hub2dee · 20/06/2005 18:00

beachyhead... erm... yes, that was a rather mammoth exercise.

I was recommended A&A by a super geeky clued up Internet guru friend. They run a good network, and if things go wrong they are honest and prompt and their tech support staff are clever enough to get things fixed / diagnose faults rather than suggesting you reboot your PC for the tenth time.

If you need oodles of hand holding, I don't know if they're your best bet, but if you just want a connection which always works without faffing around regularly, they are brill.

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