[Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds Late Summer 2004

I've e-mailed ntl's director of internet this morning asking if ntl is now going to review the current 1GB cap limit that is in place with the announcement of the speed increases. I will post back any response I get.

[Nikko]

Originally Posted by towny

It is good news, but don't kid yourself that you are getting a free upgrade on the 1mb service.

For a start, the price increase was about 8.6%. Inflation in the UK is currently below 2%. The increase was nothing short of huge. Secondly, is it a coincidence that they increase the price one month, then trumpet a 'free' speed increase the next? I think not. You are not being given anything for free, you are being forced to accept an upgrade for which you are paying.

The reasons they have done this are entirely for PR, I concede, because 1.5mb for £37.99 is still better value than 1mb for £34.99. But it's not as good as 1.5mb for £34.99.

IIRC didn't 1MB used to cost £49.99?

Whichever way you look at percentages, I see the overall speed/price as a good move. I am not looking to argue, Towny - just stating my viewpoint. I am certainly not 'forced' to accept it - but accept it I do, happily. I still see it as a 50% speed increase for an 8.6% price increase.

[Salu]

Originally Posted by Lone Star

I don't actually disagree with anything you've said (I'm on 600k too). But given the choice I would have opted to remain on 600k and have a 25% price reduction

I hadn't thought of that ... actually, I would probably do the same!

I would have liked to have seen this too....

You won't see this simply because NTL is a local monopoly. There are rarely cable companies that compete locally (like there are in the USA) in this country.

If there were then NTL would be forced into a price war, just like Tescos, ASDA etc...are.

I bet Singapore and US etc are "aving a larf" at us getting dizzy on such a piffling speed increase (welcome as it is). They surf on much higher speeds and would view our broadband as baby-broadband.....

[garethfowler]

What I want to know is: can I get a better upload rate? I'm currently on the 600K (750k) package with 128k upstream. Will NTL upgrade this inline with the upgrade with downstream, or is there an option to pay a little extra a month for a better upstream, even 256k would be better.

Have fun.

Rgds.

G

[Stephen]

By the end of the summer, This will happen.

[Defiant]

Well I'm glad that they have announced this. I think its pretty sad that it take's Telewest to force there hand mind you. I know there not in direct competition with them but it would look very bad if they didn't copy the move.

Now call me paranoid but I also think NTL will make us all pay for this next year. Look at there track record and then try and disagree.

On a separate note I'm interested on the true speed the 300 service will be on the stb's. They get 250 now so what will it be after this change ?

I am happy with the change

I am not at all surprised that the 600k is only going to 750k - after all - if it got any higher (like 900k) then a lot of current 1M customers would probably think "I don't really need 1.5M, a slight drop to 900k will do me" and downgrade - with the resulting drop in revenue for NTL.

[Salu]

Do we know when the increases are going live?

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by garethfowler

What I want to know is: can I get a better upload rate? I'm currently on the 600K (750k) package with 128k upstream. Will NTL upgrade this inline with the upgrade with downstream, or is there an option to pay a little extra a month for a better upstream, even 256k would be better.

Have fun.

Rgds.

G

Good point. Nothing has been mentioned. of the upload speed yet. Any more info?

[MovedGoalPosts]

Originally Posted by Mick

I've e-mailed ntl's director of internet this morning asking if ntl is now going to review the current 1GB cap limit that is in place with the announcement of the speed increases. I will post back any response I get.

Look forward to seeing the reply, but the cynic in me says that reply will be "coming soon" so I'm not holding my breath.

[Marge]

Originally Posted by Salu

Do we know when the increases are going live?

Late summer is all we've been told

Originally Posted by Nikko

IIRC didn't 1MB used to cost £49.99?

Whichever way you look at percentages, I see the overall speed/price as a good move. I am not looking to argue, Towny - just stating my viewpoint. I am certainly not 'forced' to accept it - but accept it I do, happily. I still see it as a 50% speed increase for an 8.6% price increase.

As I said earlier, you are now paying 2.5p per k, compared to 3.4p previously. You won't get any argument from me, it is definitely a good deal. My only grumble is with the way ntl has managed its announcements to better its chances of a positive headline. You can't blame them for trying, but it still niggles - must be the ex-hack in me.

[andygrif]

Originally Posted by DarthYoda

By the end of the summer, This will happen.

What will? The upstream? Do you know this for sure or are you guessing?

[MovedGoalPosts]

Originally Posted by DarthYoda

Good point. Nothing has been mentioned. of the upload speed yet. Any more info?

As far as I know, and Telewest certainly are not changing, uploads stay the same as before and so get even more disproportionately out of sync with the download speeds.

As for criticism over ntl raising the 1meg price to £37.99 last month and now throwing the "free" speed increase into the hat, anyone recall they did a similar stunt with their base 128k service @ £14.99 went up to £17.99 and then they upped the speed to 150k "for free"?

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by Salu

I would have liked to have seen this too....

You won't see this simply because NTL is a local monopoly. There are rarely cable companies that compete locally (like there are in the USA) in this country.
<snip>

They all use the same cable, bit like ADSL in the UK. You have different resellers of CM product over the CM network.

AOL/NTL is an example of this starting in the UK.