Broadband recommendations

[Vick]

Hi

I am looking to switch broadband suppliers as we are having continuous problems with our current supplier (in terms of speed etc) - would be great to hear any recommendations? I often work from home so am looking for a reliable connection/ download speed (isn't everyone!)

many thanks

vicky

[beansprout]

Hi,

I have switched an have buffering,Unreliable Internet and slow speeds - will never recommend Talk Talk who I moved to.Worse mistake I made and now refused to pay them for ..... Service. Possibly other people have had a good experience - it is the customer care/ tech department that is a nightmare. They are bassed or have calls answered in either Phillipipines or South Africa. English is abit of a problem and useless trying to speak to or get a Manager to call you back. In desperation, lodged a complaint or line which initially produced some reaction but still at logger heads. Now going through CISAS for compensation and breaking contract without penalties. All I want is a decent reliable fiber service. Tried Virgin before moving to TT - day of installation called me and told me had to go to council for permission and could take 6/8 weeks.

Considering going back to EE, who did try and sort problem but at least have call centres in UK/Ireland. Problem seems to be with the line itself!! Believe that, believe anything.

Would love comments. Just think I am very unfortunate - BT or PlusNet are other options I am looking at but at moment can't move as refuse to pay TT fees for breaking contract early even though they have admitted that speeds are not what they guaranteed..!!

[Vick]

Thanks so much for your reply. Very useful. Funnily enough we are currently with EE and the past few months in particular have been painful as our connection is very slow, even though you check online and there are never any problems in the area.

[PeckhamRose]

Depends whereabouts you are of course. On the SE15 side of Peckham Rye Park and we are suffering 1.5mbps with BT. Sometimes it shoots up to 1.7mbps. But we are being charged for at least 2mbps. There was no room in the cabinet for us, and the sticker on the cabinet telling the world we are now on BT Infinity is incorrect. Some maybe on it. Not us. Oh and they can never tell you when they will improve things.

[Sue]

I was with Plusnet, where I always found the customer service very good.

I moved to BT in April when my Plusnet contract came to an end, partly because I thought the router would be better and partly because they had a good deal on at the time.

I haven't noticed much difference in the broadband, but I have been very unimpressed with BT's customer service, plus they increased the monthly payments recently, only a few months down the line.

I doubt I will be staying with BT when this contract runs out. And yes, I know Plusnet are theoretically part of BT, but they seem to be run as a separate (and better) organisation.

[oquinn]

Hey there. Wondering if anyone would recommend BT in the SE22 (North Cross Road) area?

We?re curretntly with Virgin and it is dreadful.

Thanks!

[DijonMust]

Hello, we're moving into Landells Road in a couple of weeks and looking to set up broadband as soon as possible. We're currently in SE15 and have had very quick (90 MB/s) fibre-optic broadband with Virgin Media for the past 4 years, but it seems SE22 households experience a lot of problems with VM?

Do any broadband providers deliver reliably fast fibre-optic broadband in SE22?

Many thanks!

[beansprout]

I had EE when I was in NC Rd two years ago and was fine. Tried to get VM two months ago and they told me on day of installation was a problem & had to get council permission - wld take 8/10 weeks. Moved to Talk Talk which was an awful service - buffering, slow connection which they admitted. Customer service based in South Africa or Phillipipines and was a nightmare for dealing with issues. Cancelled within cooling off period and finally after months of communication have left without having to pay what they refer to as " balance of contract"! Kept all e mail communication and letters to prove my case. Would not recommend them at all but perhaps I was just very unlucky. Now with PlusNet and so far so good - customer service very good.

[katanita]

Always had very good service from Zen Internet, happy to pay a bit more for an independent with actually good customer service, and have never had an issue with the fibre connection, consistent and fast enough for my purposes.

[Sue]

oquinn Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hey there. Wondering if anyone would recommend BT

> in the SE22 (North Cross Road) area?

> We?re curretntly with Virgin and it is dreadful.

> Thanks!

I am in the North Cross Road area.

DON'T USE BT!!!!

Their customer service is absolutely appalling.

I moved to them this year (see above) and I wish I hadn't.

The actual broadband is passable, though occasionally cuts out, but even if it was absolutely brilliant I would not stay with them after my contract runs out.

I was seduced by a ?150 reward card offer (which made the overall price for the period of the contract very competitive) but I have been waiting for it since April, despite numerous contacts with their customer "service" (hollow laugh) including naming and shaming on BT's Facebook page (along with many many other dissatisfied customers).

I have now been assured that I will be getting it by early September. I'm not holding my breath.

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

When my brother lived on your road he had BT, he did a lot of gaming and videos but he never had an issue with the service or connection, he found them expensive but he felt it was worth it since he never had to complain about anything.

I live nearer to North Cross Road and I have constant issues with Virgin Media so I don?t recommend them.

DijonMust Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hello, we're moving into Landells Road in a couple

> of weeks and looking to set up broadband as soon

> as possible. We're currently in SE15 and have had

> very quick (90 MB/s) fibre-optic broadband with

> Virgin Media for the past 4 years, but it seems

> SE22 households experience a lot of problems with

> VM?

>

> Do any broadband providers deliver reliably fast

> fibre-optic broadband in SE22?

>

> Many thanks!

[Sue]

DulwichBorn&Bred Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> When my brother lived on your road he had BT, he

> did a lot of gaming and videos but he never had an

> issue with the service or connection, he found

> them expensive but he felt it was worth it since

> he never had to complain about anything.

> I live nearer to North Cross Road and I have

> constant issues with Virgin Media so I don?t

> recommend them.

>

The trouble is, any provider is probably fine until you have problems with them.

I would suggest googling each provider you are considering, with the name plus reviews as a search.

Also the MoneySavingExpert website usually has a good assessment of each provider, including customer service. "Which" probably does as well.

I only wish I had done this more thoroughly instead of being led astray by price (I also thought I would get a better router from BT, but I don't think it's any better than I previously had from Plusnet).

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

He had them for five years though without an issue whereas Virgin for me has issues quite shortly after I joined.

My mum now has TalkTalk after my brother left as it?s cheaper and my son and I have huge issues with connection via our mobile/laptop. I do think different parts of Dulwich will different connections with the various companies. I find around the North Cross Road area that complaints are usually about Virgin Media. It would be interesting to know which company has the least complaint around here.

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> DulwichBorn&Bred Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > When my brother lived on your road he had BT,

> he

> > did a lot of gaming and videos but he never had

> an

> > issue with the service or connection, he found

> > them expensive but he felt it was worth it

> since

> > he never had to complain about anything.

> > I live nearer to North Cross Road and I have

> > constant issues with Virgin Media so I don?t

> > recommend them.

> >

>

>

> The trouble is, any provider is probably fine

> until you have problems with them.

>

> I would suggest googling each provider you are

> considering, with the name plus reviews as a

> search.

>

> Also the MoneySavingExpert website usually has a

> good assessment of each provider, including

> customer service. "Which" probably does as well.

>

> I only wish I had done this more thoroughly

> instead of being led astray by price (I also

> thought I would get a better router from BT, but I

> don't think it's any better than I previously had

> from Plusnet).

[Suggs]

If you want a dedicated broadband supplier Zen Internet is the way to go. Cheers

[DijonMust]

Suggs Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> If you want a dedicated broadband supplier Zen

> Internet is the way to go. Cheers

Thanks for this - I've signed up with Zen Internet's Fibre 2 package. Seemed foolish to ignore the thread dedicated to perennial VM outages, plus warnings about BT's service here. Zen Internet appears to have great reviews for customer service, coupled with a broadband speed guarantee.

Trying to cancel the VM 'moving home' re-installation I'd booked, but thankfully not yet signed the contract for, was an interesting experience. 70 minutes I'll not get back.. but seemingly worth it to avoid the VM quagmire in ED!

Thanks again.

[EPB]

Interesting to see that North Cross Road seems to be a hot-spot for complaints about Virgin Media. We live on North Cross Road and have had over six years of good service and excellent customer care from them.