Broadband Provider?

Hello,

Looking to get Broadband sorted and I am confused about what provider to go with. I am with SKY just now but looking to quit them if I get a good recommendation.


Is Plusnet any good, I have heard people say its good but the internet reviews are terrible for it.

So, what provider do you use and what do you think of it? What are your recommendations?

In the Glasgow area... if that matters.

 

It's not so much about 'Glasgow area', rather the quality and distance of your house to where your local exchange is. This is what is called line attenuation, and it is based on that determines the speed andf quality of your internet connection. Sky had LOTS and LOTS of problems with them not working this out correctly in he early days and that gave them a bad rep for a long time because they were trying to give too good connections to people that whose connections could not support them.

As far as the value of the ISP, that is up for debate, but if the line attenuation is good, then really you should be able to pick and choose as you like.

 

Thanks for your input mate. I have been told I am close to "the exchange" and that I should be able to get a good line. I have to go through my phone line as well as there is no fibre optic in my area.

 

They are all the same as they're using the same lines and equipment in the exchange for the most part, best way to judge is their service when you do have problems. Plusnet, TalkTalk etc are notoriously bad for dealing with their problems.

Everything is ultimately on the BT Openreach network though, so it's them who maintain it. I can't stand BT saying that. I like Virgin's service, a lot of the time they'll have fibre in the area when BT don't.

 

Iv had pretty much every broadband provider out there

Talk talk = crap

Sky = brutal

Virgin = good

BT = the best iv had by a mile

 

Yes, Dev is correct, that most providers do user BT's Openreach as their backbone, and it is not til they get to the exchange themselves that it becomes whose is whose, which DSLAM you are patched into (these are either owned or leased by he various ISPs). However this is no always the case. TalkTalk for one, don't use BT Openreach (not unless they hve chnged recently), which means they can be more independant, and even potentilly cheaper as they dont have to kowtow to BT, bu as Devlin also popinted ou, they can be notorious if there is a problem, becuse most ISPs are on he same BT Openreach it makes it easier to diagnose issues when they arise, that those that dont use them (such as TalkTalk) have differing framework, and less easy to identify & resolve issues as they arise.

 

I had a look at virgin there and its not in my area at all. I might have a wee look at BT. Cheers guys

 

I'm with Virgin, and never had any problems with my internet and its fast for downloading, watching football etc. Was wi sky before had loads of problems, with internet no working, going slow etc!

 

TalkTalk do go over the BT network for a bit, at the exchange but for the most it's their own equipment. Can become a pain in the * if the problem is woth Openreach and the TalkTalk engineers can't find the problem

I've been pulling my hair out at one of these recently

 

Right thanks alot :icon_mrgreen:

 

Virgin

 

I have sky broadband and decided to move to bt.When i called sky for my mac code they offered me a years free line rental if i stayed with them and switched my line rental from bt.Saved me £191.

 

What equipment do Talktalk own on the network ?

 

Yeah, I was wondering if they will do that with me. If they offer me a brilliant deal like that I might just stay with them

 

Yo

 

Basically an LLU provider in certain areas, so it does go back to the BT network but they have there own stuff there as well. TalkTalk lines are typically MPF instead of the usual SMPF.

 

So just a bit in the exchange ?

 

Aye, pretty sure they have their own DSLAM servers. You can configure the attenuation manually on it, which you can't typically do with BT.

 

But BT would still own that equipment id imagine

Id say talktalk are just leasing.