[SWLUG] Broadband in Ponty.

[Steve Anderson]

Hiya Mike

Mike C wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> We're looking to possibly move to Pontypridd from Cardiff in the spring so we 
> won't be able to have NTL cable broadband anymore. BT's website says that the 
> local exchange supports ADSL up to 2mb, so at least we're not stuck with 
> 56k ;-)

First of all, let me welcome you to Ponty in advance. My partner and I 
moved up here in 2002 because we were sick of Cardiff and couldn't 
afford Cardiff houses. Of course, since then prices in Trefforest have 
rocketted and my £37k house is worth £95k now =)

Also helps that we met at the Uni of Glamorgan. And that she was brought 
up around here. So we're settled!

Ponty's exchanges have been DSLed since the end of 2002, and I've been 
on since April 2003 - so about two years.

> My question is, does anyone have a good recommendation for a broadband 
> provider? BT themselves do a good 2mb package but i'm a bit wary of them.

ZenADSL. Once you've tried them, you won't leave them - but if you do 
decide to for whatever reason, you're not tied into long contracts 
(minimum contract - a month). For £25 a month you get the regular 
512kbps line, which might seem a little steep compared to others but 
factor into that a block of 8 static IP addresses, the best customer 
service I've ever experienced, consistantly high quality connections and 
transfer rates (way more stable than the BT crap we have at work in 
Cardiff), no bandwidth capping and assistance in setting up MX records 
so your home-run mail server can talk to the likes of AOL... well, the 
list goes on.

Seriously, they're good. My colleague joined up on my recommendation and 
was similarly blown away by just how good they are. And I'm not on a 
commission!

Let me know when you get moved up here though, we can start the Ponty 
SWLUG meetings in the Otley =)

Steve