[Liverpool] RE: Liverpool Digest, Vol 110, Issue 1

[John Smith]

----------------------------------------> From: liverpool-request at mailman.lug.org.uk> Subject: Liverpool Digest, Vol 110, Issue 1> To: liverpool at mailman.lug.org.uk> Date: Sat, 3 Nov 2007 12:15:04 +0000>> Send Liverpool mailing list submissions to> liverpool at mailman.lug.org.uk>> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit> https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/liverpool> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to> liverpool-request at mailman.lug.org.uk>> You can reach the person managing the list at> liverpool-owner at mailman.lug.org.uk>> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific> than "Re: Contents of Liverpool digest...">>> Today's Topics:>> 1. broadband search (Vladimir)> 2. Re: broadband search (Neil Bothwick)> 3. Re: broadband search (Chris Jones)>>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------->> Message: 1> Date: Fri, 2 Nov 2007 13:46:21 +0000> From: Vladimir > Subject: [Liverpool] broadband search> To: "Liverpool Linux User Group" > Message-ID:> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8">> Hi all!> Moved house recently and found out that my new place in Anfield is not> covered by Virgin Media.> So now I have this dilemma - which broadband to choose.> I wanted a cable broadband, but it seems Virgin is the only cable ISP in> this country.> I do not even want to go anywhere near USB connections,> all I want is just a simple Ethernet connection to the router (I have a> wireless router,> connecting a MacBook and 2 Linux desktops together).> Is there a ISP for my needs out there?> Thanks in advance, this is very important to me, as I am dying without an> Internet at home :)>> Sincerely,>> --> Vladimir Jakubovskij> v.jakubovskij at liv.ac.uk> -------------- next part --------------> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...> URL: http://mailman.lug.org.uk/pipermail/liverpool/attachments/20071102/8226d6d5/attachment-0001.html>> ------------------------------>> Message: 2> Date: Fri, 2 Nov 2007 14:08:28 +0000> From: Neil Bothwick > Subject: Re: [Liverpool] broadband search> To: liverpool at mailman.lug.org.uk> Message-ID: > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1>> On Fri, 2 Nov 2007 13:46:21 +0000, Vladimir wrote:>>> Moved house recently and found out that my new place in Anfield is not>> covered by Virgin Media.>> So now I have this dilemma - which broadband to choose.>> I wanted a cable broadband, but it seems Virgin is the only cable ISP in>> this country.>> I do not even want to go anywhere near USB connections,>> all I want is just a simple Ethernet connection to the router (I have a>> wireless router,>> connecting a MacBook and 2 Linux desktops together).>> Is there a ISP for my needs out there?>> There are dozens of ISPs providing ADSL over BT phone lines, Eclipse> Internet (http://www.eclipse.net.uk/) are a good one. They supply a USB> modem as standard, but any ethernet ADSL modem will do. You can pick up a> good one for about £20 from http://www.ebuyer.com.>>> --> Neil Bothwick>> Eat shit - 50 million flies can't be wrong>>>> ------------------------------>> Message: 3> Date: Sat, 03 Nov 2007 10:17:17 +0000> From: Chris Jones > Subject: Re: [Liverpool] broadband search> To: Liverpool Linux User Group > Message-ID: > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed>> Neil Bothwick wrote:>> On Fri, 2 Nov 2007 13:46:21 +0000, Vladimir wrote:>>>>>>> Moved house recently and found out that my new place in Anfield is not>>> covered by Virgin Media.>>> So now I have this dilemma - which broadband to choose.>>> I wanted a cable broadband, but it seems Virgin is the only cable ISP in>>> this country.>>> I do not even want to go anywhere near USB connections,>>> all I want is just a simple Ethernet connection to the router (I have a>>> wireless router,>>> connecting a MacBook and 2 Linux desktops together).>>> Is there a ISP for my needs out there?>>>>>>> There are dozens of ISPs providing ADSL over BT phone lines, Eclipse>> Internet (http://www.eclipse.net.uk/) are a good one. They supply a USB>> modem as standard, but any ethernet ADSL modem will do. You can pick up a>> good one for about £20 from http://www.ebuyer.com.>>>>>>> I use Zen - not the cheapest around, but consistently score well in the> important reviews - see the comparison on> http://www.thinkbroadband.com/isp/compare.html. Zen do not sell routers,> but tend to recommend ones they know work well with their service.>>>> ------------------------------>> _______________________________________________> Liverpool mailing list> Liverpool at mailman.lug.org.uk> https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/liverpool>> End of Liverpool Digest, Vol 110, Issue 1> 
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I was with BT - who supplied a Voyager 2091 (Wireless router) that had an ethernet and USB connection. I was getting 2.5-3Mb downloads (according to Speedtest) from an ADSL max connection. There were never any outages apart from the usual electrical storm problems that copper wire exchange connections suffer with. My reason for leaving them for Virgin Media was purely financial. Once my initial package discount was used up BT were asking for a standing order of £45 per month (line rental, very slight call useage and broadband). I was also capped at 6MB download which very soon was used up on a monthly basis. 

I am now with Virign - whom I have no problems with so far. I am getting a slower download than BT as I opted for the cheapest package at a 2Mb download limit. I often achieve this however and when circumstances change I can upgrade to 20Mb. Being cable these speeds seem achievable as they don't suffer from the line degradation inherent to copper wire.

My brother is now with Eclipse and is quite pleased with the service. His package does not tie him into an annual contract - part of his reason for going to Eclipse. He does, however, have what I would consider to be serious problems with slow downloads at times. According to Eclipse's customer website these are due to an upgrade of their equipment - although these problems haver been intermittently happening for a number of months. If it were me I would not be happy but then my brother doesn't have the same internet useage pattern as me (i.e. addiction !). 

So - as you are not cabled up yet - from experience I could recommend BT for Qos and speed but sadly expensive. And conversely Eclipse for cost but possibly lacking in terms of quality of service. As stated this may be a temporary problem due to an infrastructure upgrade. 

Apparently Orange are offering a service over a BT line without the need to pay BT line rental. I have no personal experience of them so you'll need to fish around for advice. 

As a final word of warning - be aware that when signing for broadband you are often committing to a yearly, or possibly even 18 monthly, contract. Canceling this can incur a stiff penalty and the incumbent problems getting your Mac code released so you can switch ISPs.  

Good luck in your quest !!

Ed Hughes



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