What's Bt Broadband Like?

[bainbrig]

Currently we have Virgin cable for broadband, TV, and phone.

Normally excellent service, but been a bit wobbly of late, plus the loss and potential loss of TV channels as Virgin doesn't want to pay for them, plus fed up with trying to talk to their Service Department (nothing against Indian help lines, but on technical matters I really would rather talk to someone whose first language is English), and so on...

Anyway, the only real alternative round here seems to be BT Broadband.

Any experiences helpful.

Thanks.

BillB

[bainbrig]

I wonder if Colin knew whether BT TV came down from a rooftop aerial or not.

[bhg481]

If you look on their website they say you need an aerial.

[10ClarionSt]

I've been with Virgin for years. In fact, it was NTL when I signed up. I've never had a problem. Last year they replaced a faulty modem, no problems.

[ducksie]

Bill is with Virgin but they have taken away some of the channels, he wants out, like I do, but with a cable company rather than an aerial on the roof - that's all he wants to know.

[baza]

I cannot have cable as Telewest finished laying their cables about 3 miles away, bit expensive to move just for the telly.

[10ClarionSt]

Some of the channels they've changed to are absolute garbage. I'm thinking of cancelling. I pay too much for it anyway. Having said that, I've never had a problem with coverage or connections. They always warn you when they are working in the area.

[dannyk13]

10cs, who are you talking about?

[ducksie]

Virgin media Dannyk ^^

But Virgin have taken away channels but not reduced the fee

[bainbrig]

ducksie I LOVE YOU

BB

[hc4361]

Have you contacted Virgin, ducksie? They offered to cancel my contract (only a few weeks in) without penalty or a discount on my bill. No arguing, just apologies from them. I phoned last Sunday

[dannyk13]

Ducksie, as I only watched one of the channels I am not overly concerned.

[sedge47]

With BT you need an aerial for TV, but "extra" programmes like BT Sport (which I have) come via broadband (so you need decent broadband speed).
I had a few problems when I initially got BT broadband but once they were sorted it was fine and it is very reliable.

[whiskeryron]

Think logically. If you use any phone company that connects with copper cable they are using a BT line so any problems you encounter has to be sorted with both BT & the company you chose to supply your signal. Use virgin fibre optics if they operate in your area or BT fibre optics for your phone land line. Both Virgin & BT will also supply your TV signal & broadband via fibre optics which is very fast. Hope this helps.

[bainbrig]

So am I getting the picture (sorry) that if I want BBC1, 2, ITV, and so on, I'm only going to get them via Freeview (awful reception)?

BB

[bainbrig]

Whiskery: okay, so am I utterly wrong in seeing 'BT fibre optic broadband' as an alternative for Virgin cable?

Perhaps I've been misled by the BT advertising, which seems to imply that their system is comparable.

I hate to think that Virgin are the best...

BB

[Togo]

Having said that we have been happy with BT Broadband we also subscribe to sky TV. Now as is their way both providers creep up the ante as the contracts run down and we are seriously thinking of going with Sky for the HD, Cinema, dual room tv package and superfast broadband including line rental. We can make quite a saving for 18 months then start the dance anew as the contract once again runs down. We switched from Sainsbury dual fuel to Bulb dual fuel for the gas and electrickery last month and "saved" nigh on £150 for the year. It is a pain but has to be done. I only wish there was competition in the water utilities market.

[Tuvok]

WhiskeryRonis correct - any phone or broadband uses BT cables from your house to the exchange.

Some broadband companies then have their equipment the exchange.

Virgin are different - thye run their own cables - hence why they are called Virgin Cable.

Its the same as elctric and gas - allyou do when you switch supplier is pay somebody else - no change to pipes or cables.

[ducksie]

Just getting back, I've been out - despite the thunder :)

Bill, love you too ;)

hc, I was watching Martin Lewis on 'This Morning' when the news came that virgin removed some channels and I was going by what he was saying, ring the call centre but remember the people there didn't remove the channels or keep price as it was, I've been looking around locally for someone who could set up freeview -saorview as we have over here but the dish is a problem, my apartment block management don't allow Satellite dishes or hanging baskets on the building so, the only cable company is Virgin media, I'm only with Virgin since May because the channels I was getting just cut out on me. They have the monopoly of the market I guess when it comes to cable only tv. I had heard some folk were able get out of the contract because of what happened last week.
DannyK only watches 1 channel, I just really have tv in the background for company, unless there is something really catches my eye I don't mind it that much. So I guess I'm stuck with them, thanks for letting me know you can get out no bother though hc - I'll have a rethink :)

[Old_Geezer]

Router regularly drops out and recovers. Plus they're liable to turn off your broadband without warning claiming unpaid bill when they failed to get a bill to you, then refuses to compensate or even drop the bill by the amount covering the period they switched the broadband off, will suggest a low goodwill gesture off the next bill, then when the next bill arrives have only applied the % the the piddlingly small voice call part of the bill. Apart from that, and total incompetence finding their network fault but charging you for every time they came out by pretending the fault they didn't find was on your premises, they're fine.