I'm Going To Have To Change My Isp...

[MichaelZZ]

... now that O2 is about to be bought by Sky.
I have been very happy in the 4 years I've been with O2 and I would appreciate any recommendations regarding alternative broadband providers, particularly with reference to the following points (which are what I have been getting with O2:

I would like a freephone number for customer service / technical assistance staffed in the UK by native English speakers. This is the area where O2 score highly and I wuold be happy to pay a slight premium for this aspect of the service.

I would also like at least 20GB per month allowance and an actual download speed of at least 5Mb.

Ideas please!

[Alston]

I am with BT for Broadband and whilst its Call Centres are in India(Freephone) it has been my experience that the staff know how to politely handle calls and speedily resolve matters to the satisfaction of customers. My mobile phone is 'pay-as-you-go' with O2 and I am quite happy with the services.

Unless you have cause for complaint at this stage about O2, I would suggest you stay as you are and see what the future brings forth.

Incidentally, Broadband connections are reliant upon BT Telephone Exchanges and my download speed from BT is mostly in the top section of 14mb. At the present moment it is low at 14.49 but does go as high as 14.88.

Al.

[Hopkirk]

Why change if you are happy with the service?

[MichaelZZ]

This is why Mr Hopkirk:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21627614

[mikey4444]

I agree with Alston. I have been with BT since 1994 and never had a major problem. The staff in India are very helpful and also terribly polite, something I value very highly !

[Hopkirk]

Sorry Michael, but I don't get it.

Please explain.

[Buenchico]

I also don't 'get it'.

However, if you don't mind paying a bit more for a really good service (such as an ADSL2+ line, doubling your broadband speed, where the cheapo firms only offer ADSL, plus UK-based technical staff who answer their phones straight away and who don't just work from scripts) I can highly recommend Claranet. You probably won't even find the service I use on their website (£18.11 per month, ADSL2+, unlimited downloads and no 'throttling') because they mainly serve major business customers (such as BAE Systems) but a phone call should get you what you need.

Chris

[joko]

virgin is fast - i think the fastest available - and has free customer service

the staff are mixed though

[alavahalf]

I've been with Be for the past 3 years with absolutely no problems whatsoever. Be supplied o2 with their broadband until o2 bought them. So it appears that I will also need a new isp.
We have recently had one of those BT fibre cabinets installed at the end of the road.
Checked tonight to see what speed I might expect with Infinity. The results came back at an amazing 56mb download with 12mb upload. At the moment I was pleased with my steady 6mb.
Think I may have to switch.

[MichaelZZ]

Sorry if I didn't make myself clear, Hopkirk and Chris. What I would like to know, given that O2 are selling their broadband arm to Sky, is are there any other ISPs around who offer the same service as I have been getting hitherto with O2. By "same service" I mean UK (or RoI) based, English speaking, Freephone technical support / customer service along with unlimited downloads without throttling at a reasonable price.
If you can tell me that the Sky technical support meets all these criteria then I'll be happy. However, if this is not the case then I'll have to shop around to evaluate other ISPs. I know that some of these have tech support folk who are based in India, and while Mikey4444 may be correct when he says BT staff in India are helpful and polite, sadly that has not always been my experience. I am also aware that some ISPs charge extortionate rates to call their technical support. I don't want this either.
I understand what Alston says about "wait and see" but being of a cynical disposition I feel that Sky will find an excuse to inflate my broadband costs one way or another so at the moment I'm just making the preliminary enquiries.

[alavahalf]

MichaelZZ .. make sure you come back with your findings, because after having had such a great service with Be.... I am also a bit paranoid about getting trapped with BT for an 18 month contract

[Hopkirk]

I work on the 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' theory.

If your broadband is currently working fine, then leave well alone.

[Alston]

Hopkirk...I agree with you.

Surely if 02 is taken over by Sky it will have to honour existing 02 Contracts and/or offer new ones.

Al.

[Graham-W]

Plus.net get a very good write-up. Good fibre optic speeds and 40GB allowance. I'll be looking to change when my current provider's account expires.
http://www.plus.net/home-broadband/

[rockyracoon]

Sky are quite competitive with their BB prices aren't they? I pay £7.50 a month unlimited, no throttling that I've noticed and we're quite heavy users I'd say.

[Alston]

Plus. net is part of BT. However, rocky seems to be getting a good deal with Sky.

[daffy654]

Sky are great and their customer service centre is in Scotland. They do not throttle speed if you go for the unlimited broadband and it is very cheap. The download speed we get is just under 20mbps.

[Alston]

daffy...You seem to be on a winner. I thought I had good speed of almost 15 but your 20 is, in my opinion, excellent.

A good site to Test one's BB speed and see deals, along with speeds in the area from other service providers is :-

http://www.uswitch.com/broadband/speedtest/?gclid=COOHie2-36gCFYob4QodZF_-_w

Al.

[ayabrea38]

I have been with Sky for years,their Tech support is spot on,but not always a native English speaker.
I would like to mention that Sky cut me off once for owing,on my next bill over £100.I only owed so much because my OH was in hospital and I was phoning his mobile for hours.I knew my next bill was going to be horrendous and had money put by.
Would it of hurt Sky so much to of warned me?
They said it was suspicious behaviour and to stop fraud.
That did not help me when I had no phone and OH very ill in hospital.
So I am not that keen on sky support,but the service does what it should.

[craft1948]

I don't know anything about O2 or Sky, I'm extremely happy with my BT package.