Moving House - Off-Net Broadband Question

[andygrif]

We're planning a house move in the near future, probably to an area that is not cabled. I know that NTL offer broadband via ADSL, which for continuity of keeping my current email address I will consider seriously.

I don't want their phone line or calls via ntl and of course I cannot get TV from them - so this is just regarding broadband.

I phoned up last night, spent 20 minutes in a call queue and got through to a lady that was very friendly, but didn't have a clue what I was talking about. I explained as succinctly as I have in the first paragraph here what I was considering and then she started talking about getting TV channels, after confirming that the postcode of the new property was not passed by cable.

She then went on to tell me that I could have up to a 3mb broadband package, to which I asked if that was correct for ADSL. She said..AD..what?

Eventually we discovered what I had thought, in that I could get 1mb and 2mb and then I asked the question I am going to ask here (as she put me on hold to find out and then I mysteriously got disconnected!)

So the question is as follows:

Right now I have the Surfboard cable modem, which sports an RJ45 port which then plugs straight into my Linksys Wireless Router. Obviously the Surfboard will be a little use to me in new house, so ntl say that they will provide me with the ADSL modem to connect. I wanted to know if they provide one that us USB only or one that also has an RJ45 port so that I can plug it straight into the router.

I'm assuming it's the former, so the next question is really to ask advice as to the best course of action: Do I need to buy a different modem or would it be better to replace the router with one that's got an ADSL modem built-in?

Thanks for your help.

[quadplay]

You are correct in assuming the former - unless they've changed from the last time I looked, the ADSL modem supplied by ntl:freedom is USB only. You would probably be best off buying a router with an ADSL modem built-in, as it's likely to be cheaper!

By the way, there's more information (including direct phone numbers) for ntl:freedom at their website www.ntlfreedom.com

EDIT: Scrap that, it seems they've finally merged Freedom with virgin.net. More info at the website above - but again, virgin.net provide a USB only modem by default - although I think you might be able to pay virgin.net for an Ethernet one...

I too am considering NTL Freedom (actually, Virgin.net broadband, which is AFAIK exactly the same thing) for the same reason - we have Virgin.net dial up and I want the least hassle on upgrade.

If Andy doesn't mind me hijacking, could I have an indication of what people think of NTL as an ADSL ISP? Is it any good?

[quadplay]

Chris W can tell you - he uses virgin.net at home!

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by andygrif

I'm assuming it's the former, so the next question is really to ask advice as to the best course of action: Do I need to buy a different modem or would it be better to replace the router with one that's got an ADSL modem built-in?

Thanks for your help.

The Linksys ADSL2MUE will connect nicely to your current equipment.

[andygrif]

Originally Posted by jimbo

You are correct in assuming the former - unless they've changed from the last time I looked, the ADSL modem supplied by ntl:freedom is USB only. You would probably be best off buying a router with an ADSL modem built-in, as it's likely to be cheaper!

By the way, there's more information (including direct phone numbers) for ntl:freedom at their website www.ntlfreedom.com

EDIT: Scrap that, it seems they've finally merged Freedom with virgin.net. More info at the website above - but again, virgin.net provide a USB only modem by default - although I think you might be able to pay virgin.net for an Ethernet one...

Thanks Jimbo....bit of an update spoke to one chap just now in NTL Freedom and he assured me that I could request an ethernet ADSL modem. I can see this turning into a farce already, as you say it's likely to be cheaper to just go an buy one (and to much less detriment to my sanity!)

Originally Posted by Chris T

If Andy doesn't mind me hijacking, could I have an indication of what people think of NTL as an ADSL ISP? Is it any good?

Hijack away, sir. I'm interested to hear too.

Originally Posted by SMHarman

The Linksys ADSL2MUE will connect nicely to your current equipment.

Thank you for that. I would have thought for a similar cost I could get a new router and modem combined, but I like the idea of just stacking it with the router I've got already.

[SMHarman]

Also means you just go into the configuration of the ADSL2MUE and put it into passthrough and into your router and put in your UID and password and you are off. I have that and a BEFSR81 on my ADSL connection and that works very well.

[bob_builder]

Originally Posted by jimbo

EDIT: Scrap that, it seems they've finally merged Freedom with virgin.net. More info at the website above - but again, virgin.net provide a USB only modem by default - although I think you might be able to pay virgin.net for an Ethernet one...

Interesting, it appears that NTL:Freedom are not accepting any new customers. I assume this means andygrif will not be able to keep his email address.

[andygrif]

Oh joy! Just something else to confuse me (or rather confuse them!)

It's a good job most of my email goes to the domain name email that I own (which I cunningly registered years ago forseeing just such an event).

If I am honest my desire to keep ntl going in new house is more to do with the billing horrors I hear from people - sad I know, but I am afraid to cancel them completely in case it all goes spectacularly wrong!

[andygrif]

UPDATE.....

Spoken to yet another person after Bob said it was no go (which is indeed what the website now says). He assures me that I will be able to move my ntl email address by using NTL Freedom.

I guess the definitive answer will only come when I actually move-in which is a little way away yet.

Another fine mess eh?

Well, we finally have broadband activated on our line and I got the Mac up and running last night. Oh, to be finally back on the 'real' internet instead of the hard-shoulder that is 56k dial up!

Virgin.net handled everything well, although their online account upgrade was a little ropey initially, and they failed to copy their update emails to the address I gave them (hence I only found out the line was activated three days late, after I thought to check my Virgin webmail, as nothing had come in my work email as I had requested).

The icing on the cake ... I have full 512k service, despite being 4 miles from the exchange and on a phone line that is prone to crackle a lot.

Does anyone know whether NTL keeps separate staff to run Virgin.net or is it all handled by regular NTL techs and CS?

[quadplay]

The guys who run virgin.net are seperate from the on-net guys - physically as well as logically!

Having said that, the virgin.net tech support is done by Fujitsu in Newport, same as ntl:freedom and on-net dial-up.

[jrhnewark]

Originally Posted by andygrif

I know that NTL offer broadband via ADSL, which for continuity of keeping my current email address I will consider seriously.

I personally wouldn't use NTL Freedom to save my life - with all the ADSL ISPs out there, there are many who're much better.

However, in the way of practical advice, you could always register for NTL's penny a minute dial-up service. By doing this and logging onto it once in a while, you'd keep your email address active. Then you could check the email via the ntlworld site or through your email software as usual - the only thing you wouldn't be able to do via your new ADSL connection with another ISP is send email via NTL's SMTP server - but you could probably use your new ISP's SMTP server anyway.

[andygrif]

So the time came this weekend to give my 30 days notice - which made me very happy! Although it turns out that the department that deals with moves and transfers doesn't work on Saturday!

Anyway, I go through the motions of repeating back everything that had been promised to me by both Freedom and NTL Moves & Transfers - and was categorically told no - it couldn't be done. They were not even prepared to talk between themselves and Freedom.

After kicking up a bit of a fuss I did get a call back from a Supervisor (after she originally refused to talk to me, her colleague saying she was too busy to call me back at all...charming!) who promised a call back "first thing Monday morning". So it's now gone 10am...and guess what....?

So I've resigned myself to the fact that I will be better off without the interference of people who really couldn't care less about help me or serving customers and I will probably get my broadband from Pipex instead. NTL's loss is Pipex's gain....but it shows the stupidity of ntl being given continuing business (and by their own admission, high margin business at that) on a golden platter...and turning it down. Crazy.

Originally Posted by jrhnewark

However, in the way of practical advice, you could always register for NTL's penny a minute dial-up service. By doing this and logging onto it once in a while, you'd keep your email address active. Then you could check the email via the ntlworld site or through your email software as usual - the only thing you wouldn't be able to do via your new ADSL connection with another ISP is send email via NTL's SMTP server - but you could probably use your new ISP's SMTP server anyway.

Thanks, that's good advice, I may well keep that going for a few months to make sure any straggling emails get thourgh to me. Most go via my domain name, so there's not much to worry about, but I do use my NTL account for a few mailing lists etc.

Originally Posted by andygrif

Thanks, that's good advice, I may well keep that going for a few months to make sure any straggling emails get thourgh to me.

Why not just set up forwarding of your ntlworld address to the new one? I have had that going on my account for two or three years now, and I stopped being an NTL customer 12 months ago.