ukonline launch £9.99 broadband no cap

[scrotnig]

Not for me...despite living in Manchester, the most any ADSL company can provide me with is 512k. ntl give me up to 3mb, no contest really.

I mean, it's not as if I'm in the back of beyond somewhere. ADSL is a false technology, it's marketed as though everyone can get these amazing speeds when the vast majority can't.

[gazzer]

hi scrotnig,
i havnt as yet checked out but it sure is nice price considering i am paying £50 for 4mb with telewest at mo lol
hmmm how many extra listeners could i stream to on me radio show lol

[Neil]

Originally Posted by scrotnig

Not for me...despite living in Manchester, the most any ADSL company can provide me with is 512k. ntl give me up to 3mb, no contest really.

I mean, it's not as if I'm in the back of beyond somewhere. ADSL is a false technology, it's marketed as though everyone can get these amazing speeds when the vast majority can't.

How is ADSL a false technology?

No more false than hiding the fact that you can have a 3MB ntl connection with a download cap....

ADSL is getting more & more prominent, & (IMO) will really come to the fore this year.

[scrotnig]

Originally Posted by Neil

How is ADSL a false technology?

No more false than hiding the fact that you can have a 3MB ntl connection with a download cap....

ADSL is getting more & more prominent, & (IMO) will really come to the fore this year.

It's false because I keep getting told that I can have these fantastic speeds as I am ADSL enabled, but then i discover I'm not ADSL enabled as much as i was led to believe.

With ntl it's simple...you can have 3mb if you're cabled up for broadband.....you can't be 'a bit' cabled up and find you can only have the old 600k service. But that's exactly what I get told by ADSL companies and it's a sham. It would be better and more honest if they simply told me my exhange was not enabled at all.

If ntl did this there'd be hell to pay on here, but with ADSL I'm supposed to be content with the fact it's an emerging technology? If I lived in the middle of nowhere I could understand it, but I'm less than two miles from Manchester city centre.

It's a pity, because I actually wanted to ditch ntl broadband, but clearly I can't because no comparable service is available.

[Chrysalis]

You must be on the edge of exchange area, now days if you can only get 512kbit you are quite far from the exchange, eg. anyone who was in the original 512kbit area in 1997 will be able to pick up 8mbit quite easily now on that distance.

Of course the false game can be played either way, I could claim NTL advertise fantastic packages (digital packages) but they not available to me so it must be false technology.

Also you forgot to mention not all NTL cabled areas can have broadband, does that also mean false technology?

[scrotnig]

Originally Posted by Chrysalis

You must be on the edge of exchange area, now days if you can only get 512kbit you are quite far from the exchange, eg. anyone who was in the original 512kbit area in 1997 will be able to pick up 8mbit quite easily now on that distance.

Of course the false game can be played either way, I could claim NTL advertise fantastic packages (digital packages) but they not available to me so it must be false technology.

Also you forgot to mention not all NTL cabled areas can have broadband, does that also mean false technology?

If you read my post you'll notice I state 'ntl broadband cabled areas'.

If ntl say you can have broadband, you can have it. Any of it. If someone like UKOnline or Bulldog say I can have broadband, I can only have a speed that they don't actually offer any more. Which means I pay the price for a faster speed, but don't actually get the faster speed. Bulldog, for example, can only offer me a 2mb package for £29.99, except that they 'regret to inform me' that my speed will only actually be 512mb because of the limits of my exchange.

I wonder what the reaction would be if ntl did that?

Ordinary customers are expected somehow to plough this minefield and guess what package they will get and how much they will pay for it. Bulldog was at least honest and told me at ordering that they intended to rip me off, other companies I have tested have craftily not mentioned that my speed will be capped at 512mb despite being happy to sign me up for a 1mb, 2mb, 3mb or faster service. Disgraceful!

[Chrysalis]

Well thats the beauty of ADSL there is a lot of choice. In your case the best thing to do is sign up to an isp that has a 512kbit package meaning you pay for the same as all the other customer's for the same product.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by scrotnig

It's false because I keep getting told that I can have these fantastic speeds as I am ADSL enabled, but then i discover I'm not ADSL enabled as much as i was led to believe.

'Led to believe' by whom? You are misinterpreting what is available Scrot'.....

No ADSL supplier has ever advertised 8 Meg ADSL for example when the exchange can't even supply it.

It's not as if ntl have ever told a customer they can have something they can't is it?

Originally Posted by scrotnig

With ntl it's simple...you can have 3mb if you're cabled up for broadband.....you can't be 'a bit' cabled up and find you can only have the old 600k service. But that's exactly what I get told by ADSL companies and it's a sham. It would be better and more honest if they simply told me my exhange was not enabled at all.

See above-ntl are notorious for offering things they can't provide-BB in London for example.

Originally Posted by scrotnig

If ntl did this there'd be hell to pay on here

They already have-London BB/Caller ID etc.

Originally Posted by scrotnig

but with ADSL I'm supposed to be content with the fact it's an emerging technology? If I lived in the middle of nowhere I could understand it, but I'm less than two miles from Manchester city centre.

But still no one is stating they can give you something they can't m8.

Originally Posted by scrotnig

It's a pity, because I actually wanted to ditch ntl broadband, but clearly I can't because no comparable service is available.

What do you mean by comparable? It isn't the ISPs fault that your exchange hasn't been upgraded, yet with ntl you can only blame them for offering things they know they can't provide (0800 dial up for ex CoCo customers.....?)
__________________

Originally Posted by scrotnig

If you read my post you'll notice I state 'ntl broadband cabled areas'.

If ntl say you can have broadband, you can have it. Any of it.

Like in London you mean?

(Sorry-couldn't resist! )

[scrotnig]

I'm not defending ntl here, I am after all looking to find an alternative supplier, out of principle rather than dissatisfaction with the actual service.

But it looks like I'm stuck with them. Well, it doesn't look like it, I actually *am* stuck with them, unless I'm prepared to pay for a 2mb service but only get a 512kb service.

[SOSAGES]

im leaving ntl for the ukonline chaps i will let u know how i get on

[Neil]

Originally Posted by scrotnig

I'm not defending ntl here, I am after all looking to find an alternative supplier, out of principle rather than dissatisfaction with the actual service.

But it looks like I'm stuck with them. Well, it doesn't look like it, I actually *am* stuck with them, unless I'm prepared to pay for a 2mb service but only get a 512kb service.

Scrot...

When was the last time checked DSL availability on your exchange?

Knowing where you are, I'd bery very surprised if all you could get was 512k....

[scrotnig]

Originally Posted by Neil

Scrot...

When was the last time checked DSL availability on your exchange?

Knowing where you are, I'd bery very surprised if all you could get was 512k....

Every ADSL company that offers these 4mb/8mb things runs what I presume is the same online check, and most come back with the same message...that 512mb is the max.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by scrotnig

Every ADSL company that offers these 4mb/8mb things runs what I presume is the same online check, and most come back with the same message...that 512mb is the max.

Hmmm-presumption eh?

Have you tried one that doesn't offer the 4/8meg service?

Try www.solo.pipex.net for example....

[scrotnig]

Originally Posted by Neil

Hmmm-presumption eh?

Have you tried one that doesn't offer the 4/8meg service?

Try www.solo.pipex.net for example....

Well, it says 'ADSL is available on my line'...so far so good.

It then offers packages up to 2mb. However, others have done this and then you later find out that although they'd cheerfully bill you for 2mb, you'd only actually get 512.

Pipex's check seems to be simply an ADSL availablity check...BT class ADSL as 'available' if you can get at least 512, so whilst this looks promising, I'm not counting my chickens just yet.

I shall contact them and ask for further clarification.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by scrotnig

Well, it says 'ADSL is available on my line'...so far so good.

It then offers packages up to 2mb. However, others have done this and then you later find out that although they'd cheerfully bill you for 2mb, you'd only actually get 512.

That will never happen, no one will bill you for 2 meg & only give you 512k (only ntl-sorry, couldn't resist again!)

Originally Posted by scrotnig

Pipex's check seems to be simply an ADSL availablity check...BT class ADSL as 'available' if you can get at least 512, so whilst this looks promising, I'm not counting my chickens just yet.

I shall contact them and ask for further clarification.

Whoever you go with will need to pass your application to BT to have the line tested anyway, but as I said-I'd be v surprised if you could only get 512k where you are.

Let us know how you get on.