I can't get Virgin, O2, Orange, Sky or BT broadband - so who do I get?

[Colossal Squid]

I am really getting frustrated in trying to find a new broadband provider after a dispute with BT means that my excellent O2 broadband is being terminated. They won't provide me my super fast unlimited speeds without a BT landline and as I've been with them so long I won't get charged for the contract ending but it does leave me needing somebody new.

I tried Virgin but they have said they don't provide it to my area, Sky won't do it without me signing up for a telly package which I don't want, I was with Orange several years ago and fell out with them over their restrictive limits so can't go there again, Be also insist on a BT landline which I don't have anymore and I don't know where else to look.

It seems that almost all of the major providers require you to have a BT landline unless they can sell you a load of other stuff with your broadband (as with Sky and Virgin) and frankly I can't afford to pay for a TV package which I won't use on top of my broadband.

Is there ANYONE who will provide me UNRESTRICTED broadband to my home WITHOUT a BT landline?

Ta muchly chums

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Talk talk?

 

[dougdeep]

Top 10 Broadband Broadband? No Landline? Your Guide to Getting Broadband

 

[Colossal Squid]

I got all excited there Dougdeep, except tha site just tells you how to set up a BT landline which is NOT an option for me.

I thought after deregulation BT's monopoly was over but it appears that aside from having cable as an alternative if you're lucky enough to live in a cabled area BT still call all the shots and we're all tied to the money grabbing fucks.

I have just checked Talk Talk Kinky, you could be on to something. NICE ONE BRUVVA

 

[Springal]

Unfortunately the UK is one of the only areas, where you cannot buy 'just a phone' line and you need some kind of package which typically starts at £11 a month.

So it'll be a usb broadband stick for you, expect slow downloads and harsh download limits though!

 

[Colossal Squid]

I'm using a USB stick now, it's actually very good. The speeds are more than adequate but the download limit is far too restrictive. I paid for a month's use on Friday which gives me a 5gb allowance and I've already had a warning that I'm about to reach that limit after just THREE days. I've not even downloaded anything.

I don't understand how download limits like this can still exist with proper landline packages when the internet today is geared up for massive amounts of data to be transferred for even the most simple of website viewing. The world has moved on, we shouldn't have to adjust browser settings and surfing habits to ensure that web sites don't eat up all your allowance.

This is a cocking joke

 

[Springal]

I'm using a USB stick now, it's actually very good. The speeds are more than adequate but the download limit is far too restrictive. I paid for a month's use on Friday which gives me a 5gb allowance and I've already had a warning that I'm about to reach that limit after just THREE days. I've not even downloaded anything.

I don't understand how download limits like this can still exist with proper landline packages when the internet today is geared up for massive amounts of data to be transferred for even the most simple of website viewing. The world has moved on, we shouldn't have to adjust browser settings and surfing habits to ensure that web sites don't eat up all your allowance.

This is a cocking joke

Because everyone wants 'faster' access for f*** all money, there is no real money to be made by being an ISP anymore.

As someone that works in the ISP sector I have worked with ISP's that don't have caps and know how much it costs to offload ALL that traffic to Youtube etc etc.

 

[beorhthelm]

Unfortunately the UK is one of the only areas, where you cannot buy 'just a phone' line and you need some kind of package which typically starts at £11 a month.

where can you buy "just a phone line" then, with no on-going cost? i thought the same business model was replicated the world over.

as for deregulation, anyone can come in to an area and put lines in, its just not cost effective for many areas. those that are usually already have cable.

the download limits are there to prevent those that will abuse the system. you dont really need many GB even with todays media rich websites (unnecessary often, blame them, not the download limits btw). if you have nearly used 5GB, you are downloading movies or games, i bearly touch 10gb a month with using Youtube, gaming, software updates and general browsing.

 

[Springal]

where can you buy "just a phone line" then, with no on-going cost? i thought the same business model was replicated the world over.

as for deregulation, anyone can come in to an area and put lines in, its just not cost effective for many areas. those that are usually already have cable.

the download limits are there to prevent those that will abuse the system. you dont really need many GB even with todays media rich websites (unnecessary often, blame them, not the download limits btw). if you have nearly used 5GB, you are downloading movies or games, i bearly touch 10gb a month with using Youtube, gaming, software updates and general browsing.

Places where you have a multitude of options for providers, for broadband, phone and TV, such as Denmark, Sweden, Holland etc.

 

[Colossal Squid]

I haven't downloaded ANY movies, games or even music.

I have streamed 30 minutes of iPlayer and several hours of Spotify (which I rather suspect has eaten into a fair amount of my allowance) but otherwise it has been simple browsing of sites like this.

I get really annoyed by The Argus website though, which is always trying to stream video ads and other crap as soon as I log on.

But I have deliberately avoided downloading the videos and music I would normally go through whilst using my dongle, as I know it won't be able to cope. Now I accept this on a mobile broadband dongle, as I'm essentially plucking broadband out of the air, but with a proper home connection I don't see why they should have these restrictive limits.

It's fairly normal, average user behaviour to stream videos and music from the internet today. In fact it's positively encouraged on some fronts. I am paying for the BBC's iPlayer with my TV licence fee so I would really rather get my money's worth which I can't do if my downloads are capped.

Talk Talk's unlimited package seems to be a decent enough price although it doesn't look like they'll be able to connect it all up very quickly sadly

 

[Paskman]

Tried http://www.madasafish.com/ Was with them before I went to Sky, they were really good - excellent ratings and great help line etc.

 

[Colossal Squid]

Actually my folks are with Madasafish and whilst the service is generally good they are very expensive, don't have very good speeds and don't offer any unrestricted package.

To get the maximum 50gb package would cost £37.24 a month for up to 8mb whereas my unlimited 16mb O2 connection was only costing me a tenner per month plus BT line rental.

To pay almost FORTY quid a month for a restricted connection is far too much

 

[Paskman]

My last offer :- Plusnet?

 

[Horsham Gull]

steal someone else's wireless?

 

[Acker79]

I think you'll find unless you fo with a fibre optic provider (like virgin, which you say is not an option) you need a BT landline.

Every company will use BT landlines. Even with sky (skytalk) you still have to pay for a BT landline.

 

[Colossal Squid]

Nah Sky will provide the line for you, I checked, but they will only do so if you take out a whole package with them including telly.

Hadn't thought of Plusnet, good call. It would appear they offer nice and fast broadband with your phone line for £23. Not bad my good man, chars

 

[Acker79]

Nah Sky will provide the line for you, I checked, but they will only do so if you take out a whole package with them including telly.

My parents had sky, sky talk (Free!), sky broadband (free!). They were surprised when they got a bill from BT and then contacted sky to be told that they had to rent the line from BT for Sky to provide them with a phone service free.

 

[clippedgull]

Nah Sky will provide the line for you, I checked, but they will only do so if you take out a whole package with them including telly.

Hadn't thought of Plusnet, good call. It would appear they offer nice and fast broadband with your phone line for £23. Not bad my good man, chars

Your line rental money still ends up in BT's coffers whichever fixed broadband company you choose! You may be paying SKY or Plusnet etc etc but if you get a problem on your line it's BT that come and fix it!

Obviously the exception is Virgin who run on cable.

 

[haardman]

Where are you? There are some wireless services (not WiFi), but they are location dependent.

 

[Springal]

Actually Virgin are still copper from the premesis to the green box, but yea