NTL Console Service Removed!

Widescreen · 22-11-2005, 11:44

Hello Folks

Just got a letter today from NTL advising of the 10mb upgrade

But they have also stated the following:

Quote:

With the popularity of home networking there is less demand for our consoles gaming service. Therefore, as part of our new 10Mb Broadband service we are removing our XBOX and PS2 consoles services, and the ÃƒÆ’Ã†â€™ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¡ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£2 charge will be removed from your bill in December if you are on this service.

I am on that service and have the small purple box from ntl so i can connect my xbox and mac so i can use both same time, so i guess this means i'll lose my 2nd ip?

if so...crap...going to have to invest in a router

**Chris** · 22-11-2005, 11:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Widescreen

Hello Folks

Just got a letter today from NTL advising of the 10mb upgrade

But they have also stated the following:

I am on that service and have the small purple box from ntl so i can connect my xbox and mac so i can use both same time, so i guess this means i'll lose my 2nd ip?

if so...crap...going to have to invest in a router

Frankly, if this is what NTL is telling you, it's about time. The console service was always a totally unnecessary rip off. You never needed a second IP to make your Mac and your Xbox work at the same time and you would have been better off buying a router at the outset instead of paying NTL anything!

Not being a user of this service though, what is the purple box? Might it work as a router in the absence of the service? And have they actually said they are withdrawing the second IP?

Widescreen · 22-11-2005, 12:21

The "purple box" has 2 ethernet connectors, one for the modem and one for the xbox, the purple box then connects to the modem.

NTL has not stated if they are scraping the 2nd Ip, but i would assume so, if they are cancelling the service and no longer charging the ÃƒÆ’Ã†â€™ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¡ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£2 a month extra fee.

Looks like i got some searching to do for a router

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris T

Frankly, if this is what NTL is telling you, it's about time. The console service was always a totally unnecessary rip off. You never needed a second IP to make your Mac and your Xbox work at the same time and you would have been better off buying a router at the outset instead of paying NTL anything!

Not being a user of this service though, what is the purple box? Might it work as a router in the absence of the service? And have they actually said they are withdrawing the second IP?

**Chris** · 22-11-2005, 12:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Widescreen

The "purple box" has 2 ethernet connectors, one for the modem and one for the xbox, the purple box then connects to the modem.

NTL has not stated if they are scraping the 2nd Ip, but i would assume so, if they are cancelling the service and no longer charging the ÃƒÆ’Ã†â€™ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¡ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£2 a month extra fee.

Looks like i got some searching to do for a router

Well, don't look too far.

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...ad.php?t=38424

Graham M · 22-11-2005, 12:30

The Purple Box is technically just a 3 Port Hub/Switch AFAIK.

Neil · 22-11-2005, 12:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeph

The Purple Box is technically just a 3 Port Hub/Switch AFAIK.

It's a hub.

22-11-2005, 12:48

There are plenty of cheap routers out there to replace you hub.

Look here

Lantech 4 port broadband router for ÃƒÆ’Ã†â€™ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¡ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£20.56.

SMHarman · 22-11-2005, 13:33

So they will support these users converting from purple box to router?

**Chris** · 22-11-2005, 14:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by SMHarman

So they will support these users converting from purple box to router?

I doubt it, somehow

These guys could be out on their own.

I wonder if what's really behind this is that routers are more commonly seen as consumer products now (and BT, for example, is selling a wireless ADSL package that includes a Wireless ADSL modem/router). As Joe Public gets more familiar with the idea that you can use a router to simply and cheaply share an internet connection, it's only a matter of time before he realises that NTL has been ripping him off with their console 'service'.

22-11-2005, 14:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris T

it's only a matter of time before he realises that NTL has been ripping him off with their console 'service'.

Sorry but i take issue with that statement. If it was a rip off then trading standards and many others would have intervened by now.

**Chris** · 22-11-2005, 14:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill C

Sorry but i take issue with that statement. If it was a rip off then trading standards and many others would have intervened by now.

Why? The console service is not illegal, nor is it mis-sold. It's just unnecessary. If 'unnecessary' was grounds for legal action, half the shops on the High Street would go out of business.

22-11-2005, 14:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris T

Why? The console service is not illegal, nor is it mis-sold. It's just unnecessary. If 'unnecessary' was grounds for legal action, half the shops on the High Street would go out of business.

So is it a ripoff ? I dont think it is.

I just think ripoff is a bit rich

SMHarman · 22-11-2005, 15:17

Actually it was not badly priced. I think I pay i-Web £12 a year for a static IP address to my web site (you need one for a secure server), so for NTL to charge £24 for a second public address (which are a finite resource) it isn't so bad.

Chrysalis · 22-11-2005, 19:41

Well you get a 2nd ip address so you do get extra, normally if you stick multiple devices in a router that connects to the net they are behind NAT which will mess up gaming unless you either open the specific ports or enable dmz/dhcp spoof. My guess is ntl were using dhcp spoof which would explain why 2 ips are issued.

foxtrot_yankee · 22-11-2005, 19:48

http://www.ntlworld.com/games/consoles.php