*ALL* ntl 10Mb Discussion (Part 3)

[markknell]

This is not aimed at anyone in particular but after reading this thread I can't help but feel sick to death of people quoting this FREE UPGRADE. What a load of rubbish, yes we've had an upgrade but boy are we paying for it. £38(soo n to be £35) is a lot to pay for an Internet connection by todayââ‚ƚ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s standard. NTL are not the only company to upgrade their customers.... and here's the tricky bit, it's not out of the goodness of their hearts, it's a commercial decision to keep up with other ISP's. Do you seriously think NTL would upgrade their customerââ‚à ƒâ€šÃ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢s Internet connection if no one else was doing it. If NTL did not upgrade they would be left behind and people would move elsewhere. Stop calling it a FREE UPGRADE like we should be eternally grateful.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm really pleased with my connection and the service has always been great for me. It just gets to me that when some people moan, for whatever reason, the only defence is 'shut up you have a free upgrade'

Anyway, it's Christmas soon. Merry Christmas.

[ian@huth]

One of the problems with the cost of internet connections is that many users have been so used to free this that and the other together with services being supplied at under cost price that they fail to realise what a realistic price should be. Over the past few years most ISP's have been fighting for market share and have used price points way below cost in order to tempt customers to join them. Customers have not only had below cost subscriptions but have also had very little contention affecting their service. A culture has grown up which believes that you should always get "the speed that you pay for". With the new 10 Mb service you are getting posts which complain that they are only getting 8Mb or so which they think is caused by something wrong with their modem or the NTL network. As more and more customers are upgraded, particularly those on the lower tiers this is only going to impact more with 10 Mb hardly ever being achievable.

[markknell]

Originally Posted by ian@huth

One of the problems with the cost of internet connections is that many users have been so used to free this that and the other together with services being supplied at under cost price that they fail to realise what a realistic price should be. Over the past few years most ISP's have been fighting for market share and have used price points way below cost in order to tempt customers to join them. Customers have not only had below cost subscriptions but have also had very little contention affecting their service. A culture has grown up which believes that you should always get "the speed that you pay for". With the new 10 Mb service you are getting posts which complain that they are only getting 8Mb or so which they think is caused by something wrong with their modem or the NTL network. As more and more customers are upgraded, particularly those on the lower tiers this is only going to impact more with 10 Mb hardly ever being achievable.

I can remember paying £50 for a 512k connection and now I'm paying £38 for 20 times that. That's progress, but then technology has moved on since then and costs are reduced due to mass rollout and compertition.

I've never thought once why and I not getting the full 10mbit everytime I download something. The way I look at it now is that I have an internet connection, pure and simple. Speed really doesn't play in to it anymore. I won't be one of the people scrambling to be first for the next upgrade when it turns up.

To me it looks as though NTL are really making moves in order to provide people with a better internet 'experience'. Unfortunately you are always going to get people moaning about it no matter what happens.

[orangebird]

Originally Posted by markknell

This is not aimed at anyone in particular but after reading this thread I can't help but feel sick to death of people quoting this FREE UPGRADE. What a load of rubbish, yes we've had an upgrade but boy are we paying for it. £38(soo n to be £35) is a lot to pay for an Internet connection by todayââ‚ƚ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s standard. NTL are not the only company to upgrade their customers.... and here's the tricky bit, it's not out of the goodness of their hearts, it's a commercial decision to keep up with other ISP's. Do you seriously think NTL would upgrade their customerââ‚à ƒâ€šÃ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢s Internet connection if no one else was doing it. If NTL did not upgrade they would be left behind and people would move elsewhere. Stop calling it a FREE UPGRADE like we should be eternally grateful.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm really pleased with my connection and the service has always been great for me. It just gets to me that when some people moan, for whatever reason, the only defence is 'shut up you have a free upgrade'

Anyway, it's Christmas soon. Merry Christmas.

But it is free! You were paying £38 for 3 meg, now you're paying £38 for up to 10 meg. You're not being charged for the upgarde, so it surely must be free?

Anyone got an answer to my question at the foot of the previous page ?

I dare not put my job on the line phoning customer services for something that might be answerable on a forum

Okay, I've heard in this thread I can get my 2MB upto it's 10MB speed for the same price as I'm paying now with the online upgrade, but can someone care to tell me what upgrade service this is I have on my screen?

The one and only service I can upgrade to is: BUND03 Service

Is this the service I am supposed to choose to get 10MB @ £25 a month?

Or have I read something wrong?

[markknell]

Originally Posted by orangebird

But it is free! You were paying £38 for 3 meg, now you're paying £38 for up to 10 meg. You're not being charged for the upgarde, so it surely must be free?

Yes of course but only because NTL have to keep up with any other ISP and the services they offer.

IF NTL did not perform upgrades I would of gone elsewhere ages ago. I would of gone to an ISP that offers higher speed for the same cost or less. It doesn't matter to me what speed other ISP's were offering a year ago, it's what they offer now and that’s the same for NTL. It's irrelevant that NTL upgrade for free because if they didn't everyone would go elsewhere.

It’s just competition. In less than a year no doubt most exchanges will offer 8mbit as a standard product. Some offering up to 22/24mbit - I just think people are making a big deal out of the 'free upgrades' and saying that we should be grateful.

[Dobbo]

is there anyone out there with the ambit 100 modem getting the full speed?

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by markknell

This is not aimed at anyone in particular but after reading this thread I can't help but feel sick to death of people quoting this FREE UPGRADE. What a load of rubbish, yes we've had an upgrade but boy are we paying for it. £38(soo n to be £35) is a lot to pay for an Internet connection by today’s standard. NTL are not the only company to upgrade their customers.... and here's the tricky bit, it's not out of the goodness of their hearts, it's a commercial decision to keep up with other ISP's. Do you seriously think NTL would upgrade their customer’s Internet connection if no one else was doing it. If NTL did not upgrade they would be left behind and people would move elsewhere. Stop calling it a FREE UPGRADE like we should be eternally grateful.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm really pleased with my connection and the service has always been great for me. It just gets to me that when some people moan, for whatever reason, the only defence is 'shut up you have a free upgrade'

Are you paying any more for the upgraded speed? No.. So, therefore the upgrade is free. Why it is free is irrelevant. I suspect if NTL didn't have any competition, we'd probably still be on 64K broadband, or even dial up, but they aren't the only company to operate this way. ALL companies do. Look how Ofcom has had to push BT first to roll out ADSL to areas outside major citiies. Sure, they upgrade speeds now, but that's not out of the goodness of their heart. It's for the same reason NTL do. They cannot afford not to.

[philquinney]

Originally Posted by Alfie Moon

Anyone got an answer to my question at the foot of the previous page ?

I dare not put my job on the line phoning customer services for something that might be answerable on a forum

Hey Alfie Moon,

From what I remember I called Customer Services (0800 052 2000) and asked for a SABS account to be set up for me.

They then issued me with the PIN number over the phone and I put that into the online registration system.

Its a freephone number - so do it during your break and you should be fine.

(Not that I'm your employer and have the authority to say you won't get fired for doing it!)

Phil.

---------- Post added at 15:36 ---------- Previous post was at 15:34 ----------

Originally Posted by Electrolyte

<snip>

Is this the service I am supposed to choose to get 10MB @ £25 a month?

</snip>

Electrolyte,

Upgrading to BUND03 will cause you to be billed for £38 per month. Only people on the 3 meg tier are being upgraded at the moment. Those on 1 or 2 megs will be upgraded next year.

If you want to get 10 megs you'll have to pay the extra per month.

Phil.

Originally Posted by philquinney

Upgrading to BUND03 will cause you to be billed for £38 per month. Only people on the 3 meg tier are being upgraded at the moment. Those on 1 or 2 megs will be upgraded next year.

Thanks for clearing that up

[MistaP]

Originally Posted by orangebird

But it is free! You were paying £38 for 3 meg, now you're paying £38 for up to 10 meg. You're not being charged for the upgarde, so it surely must be free?

And if we weren't upgraded, or got a price reduction, we'll all move and get service else where.

You do the math.

[markknell]

Originally Posted by MistaP

And if we weren't upgraded, or got a price reduction, we'll all move and get service else where.

You do the math.

My point exactly which is why I can't understand all the fuss about the 'free upgrades'.

---------- Post added at 15:53 ---------- Previous post was at 15:51 ----------

Originally Posted by Stuart C

Are you paying any more for the upgraded speed? No.. So, therefore the upgrade is free. Why it is free is irrelevant. I suspect if NTL didn't have any competition, we'd probably still be on 64K broadband, or even dial up, but they aren't the only company to operate this way. ALL companies do. Look how Ofcom has had to push BT first to roll out ADSL to areas outside major citiies. Sure, they upgrade speeds now, but that's not out of the goodness of their heart. It's for the same reason NTL do. They cannot afford not to.

No doubt you were typing this while I posted last but it explains why I feel the free upgrade is irrelevant.

Originally Posted by philquinney

Hey Alfie Moon,

From what I remember I called Customer Services (0800 052 2000) and asked for a SABS account to be set up for me.

They then issued me with the PIN number over the phone and I put that into the online registration system.

Its a freephone number - so do it during your break and you should be fine.

(Not that I'm your employer and have the authority to say you won't get fired for doing it!)

Phil.

---------- Post added at 15:36 ---------- Previous post was at 15:34 ----------



Electrolyte,

Upgrading to BUND03 will cause you to be billed for £38 per month. Only people on the 3 meg tier are being upgraded at the moment. Those on 1 or 2 megs will be upgraded next year.

If you want to get 10 megs you'll have to pay the extra per month.

Phil.

Thanks mate will give that a go

[Hans Gruber]

Originally Posted by orangebird

But it is free! You were paying £38 for 3 meg, now you're paying £38 for up to 10 meg. You're not being charged for the upgarde, so it surely must be free?

If I was renting a TV 5 years ago I'd be pretty appalled if I wasn't getting a better TV today for the same money. Things change, better things get cheaper, you can't keep comparing prices to how things used to be. If I spent £1000 on a TV today I would expect a nice thin, high resolution LCD/plasma, 5 years ago I would have got a huge, low res CRT. It's the same with the internet today you should get more for your money than you did 5 years ago.

This "free upgrade" business is nonsense, it's just moving along in-line with progress.