Author Topic: Opinions on Broadband providers  (Read 34150 times)

Wowbagger

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Re: Opinions on Broadband providers
« Reply #125 on: 18 February, 2022, 02:42:25 pm »
Virgin have stated that I can whistle for the extra £81. They happily provided a Bradford address for my claim to be sent, so off it has gone. The total I am claiming is £81 refund, £200 expenses for wasted time and stress, and a£35 court fee. Oh, and interest at 8%. Where else can you get 8% these days?

If there’s any justice, I will win. Even if I don’t, the £35 it has cost me will keep someone employed defending it and it will surely cost Virgin vastly more than the £81 it would have done if they had simply paid up.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Opinions on Broadband providers
« Reply #126 on: 19 February, 2022, 09:07:05 am »
BT update post ten days.
Very happy with the broadband speeds with one caveat: when connecting with the 5Ghz side of the wifi everything is full speed and runs nicely however the signal to this Mac Mini is not strong enough to hold onto the 5Ghz connection and the Mini drops down to the 2.4Ghz signal. The 2.4Ghz isn't full speed and runs at 1/4 to 1/3 speed and is noticeable when streaming. Bizarrely my MacBook Air can connect and hold the 5Ghz signal when it is sitting immediately in front of the Mac Mini (close enough for the lid to hit the Mini) without dropping onto the 2.4Ghz. Since I cannot find a way to force the Mini to connect only to the 5Ghz signal I have turned off the 2.4Ghz at the router.

Current speed report is:
Ping     Download   Upload
8 ms     35.51 Mb/s   8.89 Mb/s.  :thumbsup:

P.S. VM didn't actually close their account at their end so they tried to bill us, with extra services, and we have just spent 44 mins on the phone sorting that out. Meanwhile we await their recycling bags to return their hardware.

Kim

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Re: Opinions on Broadband providers
« Reply #127 on: 19 February, 2022, 01:52:58 pm »
Very happy with the broadband speeds with one caveat: when connecting with the 5Ghz side of the wifi everything is full speed and runs nicely however the signal to this Mac Mini is not strong enough to hold onto the 5Ghz connection and the Mini drops down to the 2.4Ghz signal. The 2.4Ghz isn't full speed and runs at 1/4 to 1/3 speed and is noticeable when streaming. Bizarrely my MacBook Air can connect and hold the 5Ghz signal when it is sitting immediately in front of the Mac Mini (close enough for the lid to hit the Mini) without dropping onto the 2.4Ghz. Since I cannot find a way to force the Mini to connect only to the 5Ghz signal I have turned off the 2.4Ghz at the router.

The standard bodge for that is to run separate SSIDs for the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands.  The downside is that you can't then roam between them.

Re: Opinions on Broadband providers
« Reply #128 on: 21 February, 2022, 06:44:53 pm »
Having alternating connections from noticeably glacial to full speed today, I put it down to storm damage somewhere or the tree a few doors down tapping on the phone cable.  ::-)

Ping   Download   Upload
8 ms   5.02 Mb/s   6.91 Mb/s

Wowbagger

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Re: Opinions on Broadband providers
« Reply #129 on: 23 February, 2022, 02:13:10 pm »
I decided to redeploy a pair of rather good Ruark speakers from a room where they weren’t used a lot to the room where my computer resides. The reproduction of some Bach I was listening to via YouTube seemed to be lacking in bytes (or something).  I think it’s more likely to be to do with a Bluetooth issue rather than bandwidth, so I have ordered a suitable cable to bridge the gap.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Kim

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Re: Opinions on Broadband providers
« Reply #130 on: 23 February, 2022, 09:20:46 pm »
Both Youtube and Bluetooth audio[1] use codecs that are likely to result in audible artefacts if you listen on decent equipment.  Eliminating Bluetooth is a good start.

It's also possible that whoever created that particular video wasn't prudent in their preservation of bits before it got to Youtube.


[1] The Devil's Baby Radio has a confusing mess of standards that I don't really understand, but no doubt the one chosen by any arbitrary pairing will be a bit crap.

Wowbagger

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Re: Opinions on Broadband providers
« Reply #131 on: 25 February, 2022, 09:12:29 pm »
I now have a cable, with a jack-plug at either end, and the problem seems to be a thing of the past.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Kim

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Re: Opinions on Broadband providers
« Reply #132 on: 25 February, 2022, 09:26:40 pm »
You know where you are with anbaric string.

Wowbagger

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Re: Opinions on Broadband providers
« Reply #133 on: 22 March, 2022, 09:27:53 pm »
We have two pieces of Virgin kit (modem and TV box) which they told us categorically had to be returned to them. I was sent emails and stuff to state a convenient date for them to collect - from a list provided by them. We opted for last Wednesday, 16th. Jan was in all day. No-one called. The items of kit are still in side our front door awaiting collection. I'm inclined to charge the bastards rent at £10 a day.

Meanwhile, I have received a second demand from a debt collection agency for money (>£200) which it alleged I owe Virgin, but there is no explanation what it's for. I have written to the agency using a tracked delivery service telling them I owe them nothing, that I have "won"* and arbitration dispute agains them and that I am taking them to the small claims court for more of the money they owe. I have no idea whether this will make any difference.

*no-one wins against these bastards: it's a case of trying to reduce one's losses
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Wowbagger

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Re: Opinions on Broadband providers
« Reply #134 on: 10 April, 2022, 09:55:27 pm »
Quote
Hi Peter,

You might remember that we wrote to you recently with a few questions we've put together about how things went.
We would really appreciate your feedback.

Thank you for returning our equipment.

We’ll get to work on refurbishing it so it’s good as new, ready to use for another customer. It’s all part of our promise to be better for the planet – saving precious resources, materials and energy when we’re manufacturing our products. We would love to get your feedback on the equipment returns process so that we can make improvements where we can.
Based on your recent experience, how likely are you to recommend Virgin Media to a friend or colleague?
Not at all likely   Extremely likely
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Virgin Media looks after the data collected and may use it together with information already held about you (e.g. the products you have) to make sure you're getting the products and services you want. This will be shared with the customer service team; however we will never share this information with anyone outside of Virgin Media without your consent. All the information collected is treated in accordance with the Virgin Media and Medallia privacy policies.

Can we help you with anything else? If you need any help or support with your products or services simply visit virginmedia.com/help. Or to get in touch, visit virginmedia.com/contact.

Thanks very much in advance for your help.

Yours sincerely,

The whole team at Virgin Media

Quote from: Wowbagger
Yes. Despite two messages, and two dates, suggested by you and agreed by me for picking up the equipment, it is still waiting for you inside our front door. No-one has been round to collect it. So how you are refurbishing it for future customers remains something of a mystery.

However, none of this surprises me. Virgin has, over the past two years, demonstrated quite clearly that it is a dishonest and dysfunctional organisation that cares not one jot about customer satisfaction or peace of mind and I would recommend anyone who asks to steer well clear.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Wowbagger

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Re: Opinions on Broadband providers
« Reply #135 on: 16 April, 2022, 04:27:32 pm »
Mysteriously - no explanation whatever - I hAve received today a cheque for £16.20 from Virgin Media.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Mr Larrington

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Re: Opinions on Broadband providers
« Reply #136 on: 16 April, 2022, 06:21:54 pm »
Professor Larrington rang up Virgin to cancel Stuffs last weekend because her contract is coming to an end and they wanted lots MOAR zlotys when BT could provide higher speeds for less dough.  She had to phone 'em because you can’t log into their poxy webshite using a non-Virgin e-email address.  The clots cancelled one out of phone/broadband but not the other, probably because the phone hung itself up, so she had to call back the next day to cancel the other half.

Except that this time the more clued-in Virgin minion this time offered MOAR speed than BT for even less wonga, so she than had to cancel the move to BT who, perhaps surprisingly, did not offer their fastest available service for next to nothing.
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Wowbagger

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Re: Opinions on Broadband providers
« Reply #137 on: 16 February, 2023, 08:22:20 pm »
As of yesterday, we have a friendly purple cable snaking its way up the telegraph pole outside our house. At some point in the near future we may well have the option of using high-speed Openreach-style internet connections, depending when they switch it on.

We still have about 11 months to go on our £14 per month SIM-based router, which is OK but not wonderful.

The Virgin kit mentioned in my post of 22nd March 2022 is still awaiting collection.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Wowbagger

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Re: Opinions on Broadband providers
« Reply #138 on: 28 February, 2023, 11:31:57 pm »
The Andrews & Arnold website states that, once the Cityfibre broadband is switched on in Southend, Vodaphone will have first dibs on its use for 12 months. This is not whelming. I've heard tales that they are as honest as Virgin are when it comes to internet provision and the honouring of contracts.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Opinions on Broadband providers
« Reply #139 on: 01 March, 2023, 12:41:50 pm »
I've been with Vodafone BB for several years now, no issues and, at the time I needed it, good support (from a call centre in Egypt, but understandable and competent).
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Wowbagger

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Re: Opinions on Broadband providers
« Reply #140 on: 01 March, 2023, 05:04:14 pm »
OK. That's good to hear. Apparently if I cancel my 2-year contract with Three (11 months to go, £14 a month currently) I still have to pay 97% of the outstanding amount. I wonder if I can use this as a bargaining chip to sign up with Vodaphone for a decent discount, once the cables become live... ?
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

rr

Re: Opinions on Broadband providers
« Reply #141 on: 04 March, 2023, 10:50:12 am »
Since Mrs R's work stopped providing our broadband we've taken the cheapest deal
First talk talk, 100% reliable, at the stated speed or better, good WiFi coverage from their router.
Now on Vodafone, regular glitches and the WiFi struggles in some corners, definitely inferior to TT.

Sent from my motorola edge 20 using Tapatalk


Re: Opinions on Broadband providers
« Reply #142 on: 04 March, 2023, 10:54:21 am »
I confess to not using the Vodafone (or any other providers) router, that just feeds the Deco mesh base, and I have 2 others, one upstairs and one 100ft away in the shed. As for service outages, we’ve had a few, lasting no longer than 10 minutes and usually a lot less. But I’d wager that’s down to Openreach rather than Vodafone.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

slope

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Re: Opinions on Broadband providers
« Reply #143 on: 22 March, 2023, 05:28:07 pm »
My BT FTTP broadband is due for contract renewal on 6th May.

Wanna carry on with the current 150Mbs and EDIT: digital landline deal - and initially there appears to be lots of choice cheaper than the current £43.70/month

I've trawled most of the comparison sites and no other company can or will offer FTTP broadband and phone line to my property, after going through SEE THE DEAL process.

Can't understand why?

Openreach successfully connected the FTTP 2 years ago and it's been great.

There is no mobile signal here, if that's a possible reason? (like not able to have a Smart leccy meter)

It appears BT have a monopoly?

Any ideas folks?




Kim

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Re: Opinions on Broadband providers
« Reply #144 on: 22 March, 2023, 05:43:58 pm »
Could this be Openreach not taking orders for new POTS lines at your exchange, perhaps?  Renewing the contract with your current retailer wouldn't create a new order.

The workaround would be VOIP, which you'll need to switch to eventually.

Re: Opinions on Broadband providers
« Reply #145 on: 22 March, 2023, 06:16:03 pm »
I need to rant!  Broadband (VM) went down this afternoon.  I rang tech support to ask if there was an issue in the area (I actually asked 2 or 3 times as that's normally the case).  He said not so we proceeded on a 1-hour diagnostic session including rebooting the modem 3 times and eventually doing a factory reset, all to no avail.

30m later I started getting a connection but at snail speeds - i.e. 1mbps down and 0.005 up.  So I rang back and was told, yes, there is a problem in your area and the engineers will have it fixed in - 2 weeks.

An hour of my life I'll not be getting back and at a very bad time - I had a lot of work on.

******* *****
The sound of one pannier flapping

Wowbagger

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Re: Opinions on Broadband providers
« Reply #146 on: 23 March, 2023, 10:27:30 pm »
Cityfibre still not turned on here.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Opinions on Broadband providers
« Reply #147 on: 24 March, 2023, 08:19:07 pm »

My BT FTTP broadband is due for contract renewal on 6th May.

Wanna carry on with the current 150Mbs and EDIT: digital landline deal - and initially there appears to be lots of choice cheaper than the current £43.70/month

I've trawled most of the comparison sites and no other company can or will offer FTTP broadband and phone line to my property, after going through SEE THE DEAL process.

Can't understand why?

Openreach successfully connected the FTTP 2 years ago and it's been great.

There is no mobile signal here, if that's a possible reason? (like not able to have a Smart leccy meter)

It appears BT have a monopoly?

Any ideas folks?


Maybe you need your road dug up?

Was with Talktalk in the Dido days. It was ok (10Mbps)until it wasn’t and then it was a nightmare.

Then Openreach dug up the road and ran fibre cables to the house, so we went BT and get comfortable 50Mbps, we could get faster if we paid more. The only other provider available through fibre were EE.

Now another company are digging up the road again. Since our BT contract ends in 6 weeks we will be nicely placed to take advantage of whatever new options appear.

The question is, do we have to have the road dug up every time a new provider appears?
Move Faster and Bake Things

Re: Opinions on Broadband providers
« Reply #148 on: 25 March, 2023, 06:42:09 am »
I am seriously considering going Three 5G home broadband. The 5G speeds here are really good. 200mbs.

Thank god I had my booster

Re: Opinions on Broadband providers
« Reply #149 on: 25 March, 2023, 08:17:37 am »



My BT FTTP broadband is due for contract renewal on 6th May.

Wanna carry on with the current 150Mbs and EDIT: digital landline deal - and initially there appears to be lots of choice cheaper than the current £43.70/month

I've trawled most of the comparison sites and no other company can or will offer FTTP broadband and phone line to my property, after going through SEE THE DEAL process.

Can't understand why?

Openreach successfully connected the FTTP 2 years ago and it's been great.

There is no mobile signal here, if that's a possible reason? (like not able to have a Smart leccy meter)

It appears BT have a monopoly?

Any ideas folks?


Now another company are digging up the road again. Since our BT contract ends in 6 weeks we will be nicely placed to take advantage of whatever new options appear.

The question is, do we have to have the road dug up every time a new provider appears?

The roads around here are being dug up by City Fibre - except when they go on extended vanishing trips and leave piles of crap on the pavements.

My reading of the way City Fibre work is that they work as a 'platform' for a variety of different ISPs - so once the City Fibre service is available at my address (if ever*) I'll have a new choice of providers that don't use OpenReach.

*Reading reviews it seems it could be months between the City Fibre work being completed and the services being offered
They've only dug up the pavement on the other side of our cul de sac, but their modus operandi seems very strange.
Too many angry people - breathe & relax.