NTL price increase and their reasons

[zovat]

Originally Posted by [BorgMaster]

I'm afraid not, some of their services do work like this. Primetime as its termed, but their normal Alltime services run at 2mbps all the time, and they are more expensive as you might expect.

It is the primetime service that is comparable in price to the NTL service, and as it was suggested that Bulldog was an example of a better priced competitor to NTL, I felt this was a valid point.

For all NTLs faults (and they do have a few ) they do provide a reasonable level of availability, and a reasonable speed (I tend to get 1M out of my service most of the time) in the majority of cases.
They may not be the cheapest, but in terms of what you get, they are still competative in the market.

They have always looked at BT as their main competitor, and this is probably valid, as other ISPs have to pay BT for the line usage.
NTL <probably> don't care about AOL, as they offer BB over NTLs cables, and I'm sure NTL get a nice payment for it, without the hassle of supporting it or supplying the kit.

As always - just my 2c (and no - I do not think NTL are perfect - far from it, they are just not any worse than most other ISPs I have come across)

[Neil]

Originally Posted by [BorgMaster]

Oh and at risk of offending you Neil, I do have to point out Pipex's mail servers are probably just as reliable (or not in this case) as NTL's). Sorry, but it is within the theme of my post, and the original topic

No offence taken.

I have had one issue with my Pipex mail in the 8 months I have had it. My PC is on 24/7, & Outlook stays open, so it is constantly polling the mail server.

Like I said-1 issue (which was dealt with quickly, professionaly, & efficiently I might add) is no bad thing.

We worked out a while ago, using ntl's Server Status Page over the last year, that they had announced a mail problem once a week for the previous 12 months......

Not so with Pipex I'm afraid-their mail servers have not been the subject of write ups on The Register et all.

[etccarmageddon]

Originally Posted by zovat

It is the primetime service that is comparable in price to the NTL service, and as it was suggested that Bulldog was an example of a better priced competitor to NTL, I felt this was a valid point. ...

wrong - the primetime service is not comparable with NTL as it is much cheaper!!!


primetime 1mb - £30 a month
primetime 2mb - £35


I was comparing NTL to the AllTime service which is £33 for 1mb or £38 a month for 2mb. That's why I say bulldog ADSL gives you 2mb for the same price as NTL's 1mb service.

[Earwig]

I will NOT pay anymore for my 1MB service. Why pay more for what I already have? I have so far had no news of this increase other than a little mention on there homepage which I hardly ever look at.

Unless I get the faster speeds to go with the increase in price I will cancell my contract with them then and there.

For the same price as the proposed price increase you can get an UNCAPPED 2MB line from plusnet. And if you do not mind some restrictions the price can drop as low as £31 for it.

I will have no hesitations in leaving as I am sure many others will do the same, I know 3-4 Of my friends will do the same. It is a shame NTL feel the need to do the things they are doing? MMMmm oh well there loss I suppose..........

http://www.plus.net/products/broadband_home.html


Worth going for eh?

[etccarmageddon]

worth going for provided your ADSL line is able to support 1mb or 2mb - check using the BT ADSL checker to make sure you are close enough to the exchange.

[[BorgMaster]]

Originally Posted by Earwig

I will have no hesitations in leaving as I am sure many others will do the same, I know 3-4 Of my friends will do the same. It is a shame NTL feel the need to do the things they are doing? MMMmm oh well there loss I suppose..........

http://www.plus.net/products/broadband_home.html


Worth going for eh?

In my case, no I'll show you why:

Total for 12 months: £456

Plusnet 1MB
USB modem @ £44.99
Activation @ £58.75
1 or 12 month contracts (if 1 month activation = £70.90)
Regrade costs: £11.75 per tier change
Cost per month: £30

Total for 12 months: £475.49

NTL 1mbps (soon to be free regrade to 1.5mbps)
Free installation
Free Modem
12 month min contract
Free regrades (Through 150kbps, 600kbps and 1mbps)
Cost per Month: £38 by DD

Total for 12 months: £456
(NB: 1.5mbps soon.)

I have already looked at this, and although I'm basing it on 1mbps speeds, I would guess the 2mbps to be very similar. I dont really need 2mbps, but would gladly have it if it was reasonably priced.

[Teccie]

Originally Posted by Smilie

i just think NTL is camparing their price to BTs
as BT is the main broadband supplier

K well maybe they should compare it to satellite, as thats the dearest BB in the uk and it will surely make NTL look cheap - thats all they have done - they aint fooled anyone..... no ? okay... well why compare to the dearest ADSL suppliers in the uk ? Surely thats just suicide ?

[Earwig]

Originally Posted by [BorgMaster]

In my case, no I'll show you why:

Total for 12 months: £456

Plusnet 1MB
USB modem @ £44.99
Activation @ £58.75
1 or 12 month contracts (if 1 month activation = £70.90)
Regrade costs: £11.75 per tier change
Cost per month: £30

Total for 12 months: £475.49

NTL 1mbps (soon to be free regrade to 1.5mbps)
Free installation
Free Modem
12 month min contract
Free regrades (Through 150kbps, 600kbps and 1mbps)
Cost per Month: £38 by DD

Total for 12 months: £456
(NB: 1.5mbps soon.)

I have already looked at this, and although I'm basing it on 1mbps speeds, I would guess the 2mbps to be very similar. I dont really need 2mbps, but would gladly have it if it was reasonably priced.

If you take into account the 1GB cap layed down by NTL then you need to make the same comparison with PLUSNET. Unfortunately their lowest cap is 2GB (DOUBLE NTL'S!!!!) This makes the direct comparison between NTL and PLUSNET (Both on their 1MB line) A little closer as the price for plusnet per month is just £23.99. Seem a little better??



If you decided on their 2MB line the LOWEST cap here is 4GB which is 4 times that of NTL and 500K quicker than the proposed 1.5MB of NTL.
The price for this is only £31.99 which kinda balances out the cost of modem/activation. Oh and you can buy your own modem anyway and save even more!!

[Teccie]

Originally Posted by [BorgMaster]

In my case, no I'll show you why:

Total for 12 months: £456

Plusnet 1MB
USB modem @ £44.99
Activation @ £58.75
1 or 12 month contracts (if 1 month activation = £70.90)
Regrade costs: £11.75 per tier change
Cost per month: £30

Total for 12 months: £475.49

NTL 1mbps (soon to be free regrade to 1.5mbps)
Free installation
Free Modem
12 month min contract
Free regrades (Through 150kbps, 600kbps and 1mbps)
Cost per Month: £38 by DD

Total for 12 months: £456
(NB: 1.5mbps soon.)

I have already looked at this, and although I'm basing it on 1mbps speeds, I would guess the 2mbps to be very similar. I dont really need 2mbps, but would gladly have it if it was reasonably priced.

What ?

NTL 12 months contract - oh and capped to sommat silly.. 1gb
37.99 per month for 1MB (not 1.5 atm and not for the forseeable future)
free connection/modem
= 455.88

Plus net 12 months contract - 4gb limit
31.99 per month for 2MB (real 2MB, not soon to be 2MB)
connection - £58.75
modem - 44.99
= 497.62

30 quid per yr for double the service... oh okay if u insist 30 quid per yr for double the service until ntl pull their fingers out, then its still 500k faster. So 30 quid per yr for an extra 500k connection - bargain. Oh and u can get an adsl internal modem for £20...

[Earwig]

Just looked again and plusnets bandwidth restrictions are per month I think. (they do not make this to clear). So you would have to go for the PREMIERE pack to get unlimited bandwidth which makes it a little more expensive but still better in the long run me thinks.

Think I may well be moving in the future unless this upgrade comes soon. I have had no letter about the 1GB limit yet so I guess there is no "degredation" in my area just yet so the cap does not bother me at the moment. I already exceed this limit practically ever day.

[Tezcatlipoca]

Originally Posted by Earwig

If you take into account the 1GB cap layed down by NTL then you need to make the same comparison with PLUSNET. Unfortunately their lowest cap is 2GB (DOUBLE NTL'S!!!!) This makes the direct comparison between NTL and PLUSNET (Both on their 1MB line) A little closer as the price for plusnet per month is just £23.99. Seem a little better??

If you decided on their 2MB line the LOWEST cap here is 4GB which is 4 times that of NTL and 500K quicker than the proposed 1.5MB of NTL.
The price for this is only £31.99 which kinda balances out the cost of modem/activation. Oh and you can buy your own modem anyway and save even more!!

Sorry, but you are wrong regarding the bandwidth limit. [EDIT: Ah, I've just noticed that you realised this with your next post in the thread]


NTL's bandwidth limit is 1 GB per day, which is roughly equal to 30GB per month.


PlusNet's bandwidth limits are monthly

http://www.plus.net/products/broadband_home.html

The £23.99 1Mb package comes with only 2 GB of bandwidth per month

2GB Bandwidth
You get 2GB included bandwidth each month, with extra bandwidth available if you need it

The £31.99 2Mb package comes with only 4 GB of bandwidth per month

4GB Bandwidth
You get 4GB included bandwidth each month, with extra bandwidth available if you need it.

Makes NTL's "cap" look quite generous now, doesn't it?

Originally Posted by Teccie

What ?

NTL 12 months contract - oh and capped to sommat silly.. 1gb
37.99 per month for 1MB (not 1.5 atm and not for the forseeable future)
free connection/modem
= 455.88

Plus net 12 months contract - 4gb limit
31.99 per month for 2MB (real 2MB, not soon to be 2MB)
connection - £58.75
modem - 44.99
= 497.62

30 quid per yr for double the service... oh okay if u insist 30 quid per yr for double the service until ntl pull their fingers out, then its still 500k faster. So 30 quid per yr for an extra 500k connection - bargain. Oh and u can get an adsl internal modem for £20...

NTL limit: 1 GB per day

PlusNet limit: e.g. 2GB per MONTH on the 1Mb service, or 4GB per MONTH on the 2Mb service

(see above part of my post)

Originally Posted by Earwig

Just looked again and plusnets bandwidth restrictions are per month I think. (they do not make this to clear). So you would have to go for the PREMIERE pack to get unlimited bandwidth which makes it a little more expensive but still better in the long run me thinks.

The package selector is very clear that the bandwidth limit is monthly.

e.g. pick the 1Mb service, & select the basic bandwidth - it will tell you:

2GB Bandwidth
You get 2GB included bandwidth each month, with extra bandwidth available if you need it

But, yes, the "Premiere" option, although 6-8 quid extra, does make it quite good value.

[Earwig]

Originally Posted by Tezcatlipoca

Sorry, but you are wrong regarding the bandwidth limit.

Did I not already point this out in my reply??

Still though to have a faster service and completely UNCAPPED plusnet i think is still the better choice.

Unless NTL up their speed pretty quickly!! Maybe they will surprise us all?

Upload speed is what I want an increase in mostly. All i.s.p's seem to offer no more than 256kb/s which is CRAP.

Any idea on timescale for faster speeds?

They were quick enough to up the price!! Now where is the promised speed!!!

Originally Posted by Earwig

Upload speed is what I want an increase in mostly. All i.s.p's seem to offer no more than 256kb/s which is CRAP.

Who, and at what price ?

Originally Posted by Earwig

They were quick enough to up the price!! Now where is the promised speed!!!

Not "promised" until late summer - which gives them until Late August or Early September.

[Tezcatlipoca]

Originally Posted by Earwig

Did I not already point this out in my reply??

Yeah, I noticed your 2nd reply after I wrote my reply to your 1st (& so I changed it, plus added a bit more). Check my post again

Originally Posted by Tezcatlipoca

Sorry, but you are wrong regarding the bandwidth limit. [EDIT: Ah, I've just noticed that you realised this with your next post in the thread]

Originally Posted by Earwig

Still though to have a faster service and completely UNCAPPED plusnet i think is still the better choice.

It does seem quite good, so long as you choose the "Premier" option.

£39.99 for a 2Mb service with unlimited bandwidth is very good.

Better than £37.99 for a 1Mb ("soon" to be 1.5Mb) service with a ~30GB "limit".

Originally Posted by Earwig

Unless NTL up their speed pretty quickly!! Maybe they will surprise us all?

It'd be nice.

Originally Posted by Earwig

Upload speed is what I want an increase in mostly. All i.s.p's seem to offer no more than 256kb/s which is CRAP.

Totally agree.

I'd love a higher upload. I'd prefer a higher upload to a higher download (although I'll still appreciate the 1Mb>1.5Mb increase)

Originally Posted by Earwig

Any idea on timescale for faster speeds?

LOL, no idea - I don't work for NTL.

All I have heard, is the official (& vague) "late summer" timescale.

Originally Posted by Earwig

They were quick enough to up the price!! Now where is the promised speed!!!

"Coming soon"

[ian@huth]

Originally Posted by Tezcatlipoca

NTL's bandwidth limit is 1 GB per day, which is roughly equal to 30GB per month.

With all this talk of bandwidth limits can I point out that you can download way more than 30GB per month (more than double this, in fact) on NTL and stay within the AUP guidelines. When xDSL ISPs quote a capped service it is usually a combined traffic level for both downloads and uploads, so a 2GB limit per month will not allow you to download 2GB.

With speeeds available on xDSL you have to remember that line distance from the exchange affects the level of service that you can get and that not all exchanges supply all the service levels advertised. Line quality also affects your ability to obtain xDSL so you can live within a line distance that should support your requirements but line quality can mean you are unable to get that service. Also, what is not very often mentioned is that xDSL upload speeds degrade rapidly with line distance from the exchange.