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Community Forums => The Lounge => Topic started by: DaveShoelace on August 24, 2010, 12:14:12 PM



Title: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: DaveShoelace on August 24, 2010, 12:14:12 PM
Just moved to a new house and having a right mare with BT getting broadband in the house. Everything keeps getting delayed, put off and moved about between apartments. They appear to have no complaints procedure or any way to escalate anything.

Anyhoo I cant be bothered to mess around spending the next two weeks on hold, so I might just threaten to go elsewhere and if that doesnt speed things up, actually go elsewhere.

Because I work from home, customer service is probably the most important thing to me and broadband speed is not the most important. Can anyone recommend providers that have dealt with things swiftly, get engineers out quickly etc

I cant get virgin/cable in this area btw


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: Woodsey on August 24, 2010, 12:23:26 PM
Just moved to a new house and having a right mare with BT getting broadband in the house. Everything keeps getting delayed, put off and moved about between apartments. They appear to have no complaints procedure or any way to escalate anything.

Anyhoo I cant be bothered to mess around spending the next two weeks on hold, so I might just threaten to go elsewhere and if that doesnt speed things up, actually go elsewhere.

Because I work from home, customer service is probably the most important thing to me and broadband speed is not the most important. Can anyone recommend providers that have dealt with things swiftly, get engineers out quickly etc

I cant get virgin/cable in this area btw

Very happy with virgin, always quick with stuff...........


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: geordieneil on August 24, 2010, 12:26:07 PM
threaten to go elsewhere, normally does the trick


   but i know orange now have a home broadband service. check with them to see if your phone line is compatible, but orange customer service is fantastic, i've been with them 12-15 years(mobile phone), and any problems are dealt with very quickly........plus you get a free dongle, so handy when out and about (not sure if offer is still going but unlimited broadband was something like £7 a month with a free laptop)


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: geordieneil on August 24, 2010, 12:28:03 PM
Just moved to a new house and having a right mare with BT getting broadband in the house. Everything keeps getting delayed, put off and moved about between apartments. They appear to have no complaints procedure or any way to escalate anything.

Anyhoo I cant be bothered to mess around spending the next two weeks on hold, so I might just threaten to go elsewhere and if that doesnt speed things up, actually go elsewhere.

Because I work from home, customer service is probably the most important thing to me and broadband speed is not the most important. Can anyone recommend providers that have dealt with things swiftly, get engineers out quickly etc

I cant get virgin/cable in this area btw

Very happy with virgin, always quick with stuff...........

virgin are good, but read the last line of op ;)


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: gatso on August 24, 2010, 12:43:54 PM
have you tried virgin?


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: paulpitchford on August 24, 2010, 01:10:09 PM
I use Eclipse Internet (http://www.eclipse.net.uk/) for my broadband and they are the best in my opinion!

I am a free lance software developer that works from home and the broadband connection is important to me. I've always steered clear of the BT and SKY type connections. Eclipse have a faultless service and a UK help desk that get's you through to competent staff rather than Joe Blogg's pulled in of the street. You'll probably pay a little more than going with one of the big boys but I promise the deal is better. They support ADSL2 also, so if you live in an area that supports it you could get a 20MB connection. I live about 0.7mi from the exchange and they give me a very reliable 14MB connection.

I couldn't recommend them enough!

HTH  :)

Paul.


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: TightPaulFolds on August 24, 2010, 01:13:59 PM
Been with Pipex / Homecall for ages, £16/mo linerental + broadband + free eve/weekends (this low low price was just as a result of me saying 'ok I'm moving to Virgin'). Their customer service/engineer response times have always been very very good, Bangladesh's best.

Edit: however they do have 'packet shaping' and contention, worth remembering if you like to use Peer2Peer between 7 and 11 pm.


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: Longines on August 24, 2010, 01:24:26 PM
http://aa.nu

They have a reputation for excellent customer service and knowing exactly who to kick in BT when things go wrong.


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: dik9 on August 24, 2010, 01:59:21 PM
Is your phone line already connected Barry?


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: DaveShoelace on August 24, 2010, 02:01:27 PM
Is your phone line already connected Barry?

Thats part of the technical issue, I dont think its working properly but they are saying the line us up running and working fine.


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: dik9 on August 24, 2010, 02:07:48 PM
Cancel BT!! Use the post office phone service (no contract). They also do broadband with excellent customer services but a bit pricey for broadband. As my phone contract is with O2 I plumped for O2 broadband (and should really change my landline to O2 but the PO has been marvellous).

Had one issue with the installation of my O2 broadband and was resolved in 15 minutes.


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: EvilPie on August 24, 2010, 02:08:03 PM
BT were really quick to sort things out for me when I had problems once. Might be worth ringing back loads of times until you get the same person who helped me out.

If he's gone elsewhere I'd strongly recommend Virgin.


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: mondatoo on August 24, 2010, 03:02:23 PM
If you can get Virgin I'd go with them,they're the best by far.


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: DMorgan on August 24, 2010, 03:12:36 PM
Reading and comprehension fails ITT

Seriously though, just get virgin


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: kinboshi on August 24, 2010, 04:48:45 PM
Has to be Virgin, if you're in a cable area.


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: outragous76 on August 24, 2010, 04:49:47 PM
im not with Virgin personally but my mates tell me its the way forward - esp if you are looking for good customer service


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: TightPaulFolds on August 24, 2010, 05:27:00 PM
I spoke to my mate about it and he said Pipex were cheaper for him but he definitely reckons Virgin are the way to go, so much faster and the customer service is excellent.


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: Claw75 on August 24, 2010, 05:34:50 PM
Virgin, obv


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: MC on August 24, 2010, 06:40:19 PM
Yeah, just Virgin...


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: creepy_benji on August 24, 2010, 06:43:18 PM
Telefónica Europe who owns o2 have some pretty decent broadband. You can get it through o2 or their other company beunlimited or bethere https://www.bethere.co.uk/web/beportal/homepage

They offer ADSL2+ so upto 24mb speeds and its all unlimited useage too and from less than £14.


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: DaveShoelace on August 24, 2010, 07:08:16 PM
Thanks all (and by thanks I mean get stuffed to most of you with your sick rubs)

It appears that the fault is the physical line, ie. a wire or someink and they are sending an engineer out, so it seems best to stick with BT being as they are the only ones who can fix the line itself (Or am I wrong)

Now feel free to suggest I go with Virgin for the rest of the week


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: dik9 on August 24, 2010, 07:28:54 PM
BT are the worst company I have ever had to deal with, and cancelling a BT line is nigh on impossible.

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/content1?catId=19300217&mediaId=87900748


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: Graham C on August 24, 2010, 07:31:14 PM
Move house, get Virgin.  You won't regret it.

We use Demon at work which are pretty good.  We have a business broadband package with them though part of which kinda means they deal with us straight away if there's ever an issue, which there isn't often.  Worth checking out business broadband to see if it's that much more expensive.   



Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: Dino on August 24, 2010, 07:36:16 PM
Thanks all (and by thanks I mean get stuffed to most of you with your sick rubs)

It appears that the fault is the physical line, ie. a wire or someink and they are sending an engineer out, so it seems best to stick with BT being as they are the only ones who can fix the line itself (Or am I wrong)

Now feel free to suggest I go with Virgin for the rest of the week
BT Openreach look after the line and in theory are not allowed to give BT retail any preferential treatment over any other supplier.


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: BAM on August 24, 2010, 07:40:11 PM
I can't get Virgin is it any good?


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: KarmaDope on August 24, 2010, 09:14:35 PM
Thanks all (and by thanks I mean get stuffed to most of you with your sick rubs)

It appears that the fault is the physical line, ie. a wire or someink and they are sending an engineer out, so it seems best to stick with BT being as they are the only ones who can fix the line itself (Or am I wrong)

Now feel free to suggest I go with Virgin for the rest of the week
BT Openreach look after the line and in theory are not allowed to give BT retail any preferential treatment over any other supplier.

And they don't. I work for them on the broadband side and it's nigh on impossible to give one company preferential treatment over another. Even though our building has a BT Wholesale call centre on the floor above, they can't even get into our floor because of all the security locks.


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: lazaroonie on August 25, 2010, 01:54:50 PM
put your details in here http://www.samknows.com/broadband/index.php and pick the fastest. that is the only remotely relevant thing in picking a broadband service as it doesnt matter which supplier you go with as their customer service is all shite.


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: Bongo on August 25, 2010, 02:19:37 PM
Thanks all (and by thanks I mean get stuffed to most of you with your sick rubs)

It appears that the fault is the physical line, ie. a wire or someink and they are sending an engineer out, so it seems best to stick with BT being as they are the only ones who can fix the line itself (Or am I wrong)

Now feel free to suggest I go with Virgin for the rest of the week

lol good luck with that, if the problem persists don't take no (they will come up with some cracking excuses) for an answer and try and get through to the special faults team (I think that's what they're called) whereby someone who knows far more than is healthy about phonelines will personally sort your problem out.

eta: 6 months


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: kinboshi on August 25, 2010, 04:15:28 PM
Thanks all (and by thanks I mean get stuffed to most of you with your sick rubs)

It appears that the fault is the physical line, ie. a wire or someink and they are sending an engineer out, so it seems best to stick with BT being as they are the only ones who can fix the line itself (Or am I wrong)

Now feel free to suggest I go with Virgin for the rest of the week

I live in a non-cable area, so feel your pain.

My line had an issue, my exchange had an issue, Sky had several issues, BT (who manage the line) had issues, and I need to move house...


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: hettonmobster on August 25, 2010, 04:35:50 PM
definately virgin media.


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: DaveShoelace on August 26, 2010, 03:07:38 PM
Its fixed, for now, huzzah, fuck u Virgin!


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: Rod on September 07, 2010, 07:11:17 PM
Serious question, I'm interested - judging by this thread people seem to consider VM to have excellent customer service (as that was the OP's question). Do you really think that (ie that Virgins Customer care is that good) or were people just talking about the quality of the cable network?


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: DaveShoelace on September 07, 2010, 07:35:49 PM
I reckon most were just trying to put me on tilt in fairness


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: gatso on September 07, 2010, 07:42:21 PM
yeah, I would'be happily recommended any company that barry couldn't use. no idea if virgin are any good or not


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: rex008 on February 11, 2011, 05:47:38 PM
I love Virgin. Just today upgraded to 30Mb, for £30 one off fee. And that included getting a new gigabit router with wireless-N.

(http://www.speedtest.net/result/1153148720.png) (http://www.speedtest.net)

Which is nice.

Blatant I've-got-dead-fast-broadband brag post obv.


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: The_nun on February 11, 2011, 05:59:21 PM
Wow that is good.

This is mine.

(http://www.speedtest.net/result/1153200524.png) (http://www.speedtest.net)


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: RED-DOG on February 11, 2011, 06:13:17 PM
(http://www.speedtest.net/result/1153219919.png)


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: bobAlike on February 11, 2011, 06:34:43 PM
(http://www.speedtest.net/result/1153251250.png) (http://www.speedtest.net)


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: The_nun on February 11, 2011, 06:48:48 PM
In fairness to Sky, we were originally paying the £7.50 p month, but the connection was this slow so they allowed us to downgrade to the free option as it was not worth paying for where we live. Huddersfield should (imo) by now have sorted it's exchange problems out.












Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: rex008 on February 12, 2011, 12:25:59 AM
Maureen, if you put your postcode/phone no in here:
http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange_search
Then click on the exchange, then look in the LLU section on the bottom right, they're all the alternative companies with kit actually in your local exchange. If BT/Sky are not very good, might be worth trying one of them out.

My parents have had a major speed issue with their BT broadband recently because the ADSL modem they had wasn't ADSL2+ compatible, and BT have appeared to change their exchanges to slow down non ADSL2+ lines now. They had to get a new modem to sort that one out.

Oh, and Bobalike, ring up Virgin and upgrade. Now. The new all-in-one modem/router is well worth the £30, let alone the 50% speed increase. Same monthly cost as the 20Mbit.


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: relaedgc on February 12, 2011, 04:04:50 AM
(http://www.speedtest.net/result/1153832458.png)


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: Tractor on February 12, 2011, 07:21:11 AM
FML, I think I have the slowest Broadband in the Country, that what you get for living in the sticks :(
(http://www.speedtest.net/result/1153974818.png) (http://www.speedtest.net)


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: The_nun on February 12, 2011, 09:55:22 AM
I will try that when I go home at work atm. I do think that although we live in a large town we are almost at the end of the exchange. 


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: Claw75 on February 12, 2011, 10:04:03 AM
I will try that when I go home at work atm. I do think that although we live in a large town we are almost at the end of the exchange. 

same with me Maureen in greater london - although mine's a touch faster that yours (0.6).  I really should downgrade my package too.


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: Simon Galloway on February 12, 2011, 10:24:28 AM
(http://www.speedtest.net/result/1154130179.png) (http://www.speedtest.net)

Think I'm meant to have 20MB. Is this because of using wireless?


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: Claw75 on February 12, 2011, 10:25:55 AM
(http://www.speedtest.net/result/1154130179.png) (http://www.speedtest.net)

Think I'm meant to have 20MB. Is this because of using wireless?

more likely to be the same prob Mo and I have - distance from the exchange.


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: Graham C on February 12, 2011, 10:34:36 AM
Distance from exchange doesn't matter on cable as far as I'm aware.  More than likely because of wireless.  I think the speed of wireless internet is more determined by the speed of the wireless router rather than the isp.

Is it faster non wireless?

I could be talking rubbish but it's what I've been told :D


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: rex008 on February 12, 2011, 11:35:47 AM
Depends how far away from your wireless router you are. Even a basic router (802.11b) will go up to 11Mbit (cope with most broadband connection), and a regular one (g) will do 54Mb. An 'n' one will go up to around 300Mbit. However, as you get further away from it, speed drops fairly rapidly. You should be able to see current wireless speed in the Windows widgets that show your wireless connection (usually something in the system tray).

Silo - you're right about distance being irrelevant for Virgin. You might get a tiny drop off if you're a way from the kerbside box, but even that is unlikely to be more than a couple of hundred yards away. After that it's all fibre-optic.

So Simon's problem is either wireless or he's been torrenting loads of porn legitimate files and Virgin have throttled his rate. Which they will do.

I used to live in a rural village about 4km from the exchange and still got 2Mb out of BT. Make sure you've got a decent microfilter and it's probably worth testing a connection directly into the test plug of the master socket (like this (http://www.plus.net/support/broadband/bbfaults/master_socket_testing.shtml))


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: Claw75 on February 12, 2011, 11:37:40 AM

So Simon's problem is ...... or he's been torrenting loads of porn legitimate files and Virgin have throttled his rate. Which they will do.



busted imo :)


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: Graham C on February 12, 2011, 01:04:27 PM
Here's mine normal
(http://www.speedtest.net/result/1154289515.png) (http://www.speedtest.net)

Will post wireless in a mo.

Got a letter through from Virgin t'other day saying for £30 one off payment they'd stick me on a 30mb service, think I'll do that later

Pretty sweet wireless too
(http://www.speedtest.net/result/1154299367.png) (http://www.speedtest.net)

Must be the dodgy downloads Simon ;)


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: The_nun on February 12, 2011, 02:03:08 PM
Sky got a specialst bt engineer to come out. This is the max will will get. He sorted it out as it was even slower if at all possible.


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: Simon Galloway on February 12, 2011, 06:45:27 PM
damn wireless...  ;whistle;


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: Waz1892 on February 12, 2011, 07:22:19 PM
cant work out how to put picture in here but -

with Sky Broadband, ~50miles from server

download is 1.23
upload is 0.46
82pings


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: Rod on February 12, 2011, 10:27:43 PM
The BT Infinity (Fibre Optic) service is likely to be a lot more competitive to VM.

This should be available wholesale pretty soon so all providers will be able to offer a service similar to the one VM currently have exclusively. Should be the beginning of the end for ADSL.


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: Jon MW on February 12, 2011, 11:12:29 PM
The BT Infinity (Fibre Optic) service is likely to be a lot more competitive to VM.

This should be available wholesale pretty soon so all providers will be able to offer a service similar to the one VM currently have exclusively. Should be the beginning of the end for ADSL.

How long before a full roll out of the fibre optic network though?


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: Robert HM on February 13, 2011, 01:33:00 AM
(http://www.speedtest.net/result/1155137532.png)

Pretty duff upload speed
I have the offer of the 30 Mbs, would be silly not to take it up


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: Graham C on February 13, 2011, 01:29:22 PM
The BT Infinity (Fibre Optic) service is likely to be a lot more competitive to VM.

This should be available wholesale pretty soon so all providers will be able to offer a service similar to the one VM currently have exclusively. Should be the beginning of the end for ADSL.

How long before a full roll out of the fibre optic network though?

given that BT have to share their phone networks with other suppliers, would Virgin be in a similar position with their fibre optic network?    If not,can't see it being that much of a struggle for BT to whack a fibre optic cable down, they're big enough


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: Graham C on February 13, 2011, 01:32:10 PM
Damn, I can't get it yet.  Would be a nice saving for me too, £28.50 for all calls and unlimited 40mb broadband.  Pretty sure I pay more than that to Virgin already.


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: Rod on March 20, 2011, 10:24:04 AM
The BT Infinity (Fibre Optic) service is likely to be a lot more competitive to VM.

This should be available wholesale pretty soon so all providers will be able to offer a service similar to the one VM currently have exclusively. Should be the beginning of the end for ADSL.

How long before a full roll out of the fibre optic network though?

given that BT have to share their phone networks with other suppliers, would Virgin be in a similar position with their fibre optic network?    If not,can't see it being that much of a struggle for BT to whack a fibre optic cable down, they're big enough
No, Virgin don't have to share the fibre optic network with resellers.

BT are in the process of creating one though. I would think they will have to share it the same as the rest of their services.


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: MPOWER on March 20, 2011, 11:31:48 PM
Watching top gear tonight I clicked on images of Nicolae Ceausescu.

The boys were doing a trip in Romania they were on about the leader who got shot on Christmas day 1989

I was also playing the DTD336 Satty at the time.

My computer got a virus nothing would work no google nothing. It kicked me off DTD as soon as I clicked on the image.

Called the help desk at Virgin @ 21.12. Paid £30 and they remotely went on to my Laptop and fixed everything.

Virgin Broadband was 1st class.

Regards

M  


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: Bongo on March 21, 2011, 12:47:08 AM
It sounds like you need better AV software!


Title: Re: Best Broadband Provider for Customer Service/Fast Response?
Post by: Shogun112 on March 22, 2011, 01:36:40 PM
For here I live, I get 3mb dowload and 0.6mb upload.  That is mostly because I am about 4-5km from the exchange.  Its not gonna get any faster than that right now..

In my area, cable (Virgin as it is now called) is not in our housing estate.  It is in the next estate over the main road, but 12 or 13 years ago when they were laying cable, but they stopped laying new cble to concentrate on rolling the internet out...

When I look at "Sam Knows" website at my local exchange it tells me a date for somethign called...  FTTC...  That is...  Fibre To The Cabinet...  Its is March next year...  That means that BT are going to lay fibre cable from the exchange to all the green BT cabinets that exist on each exchange.  It is not very far away from my house, so, when that is complete, the distance from the cabinet to my house, which is very short, like 300 metres or so, will be the only copper cable on my internet and phone network..  Which means, they SHOULD be able to get me speeds near to their offering...  So if they offer 24mb, I SHOULD be able to get 24 mb..

And then, other normal ADSL style providers should be able to match the 20mb and 30mb offerings by Cable providers.