Mark Miwurdz

I've just found out that to get the maximum cost-savings on my shiny new ISDN line, I need to sign up with an ISP who will issue me with an 084404 number. I'm on a £38 a month deal with BT which gives me free local and national calls after 6pm and at weekends but not calls to 0845 numbers.

I'm a potentially heavy internet user (home worker and surf a lot in the evening) so what's the best option?

Do I get the minimum package from BT and get a heavy user package from one of these nominated ISPs or is there a better way?

Any input much appreciated.

Cheers
Kav

dsmith

I use an anytime account with HH. I have my Home LAN connected via an ISDN router - and although I dont have many unwanted dial-outs - I wanted cover if I did.

Freserve is £13.99/month anytime so no call charges

I have the BT together Pay Monthly by DD HomeHighway package. rental is about £25 a month I think and complete bill including normal charges varies beetween about £28 to £35 (then the 13.99 on top).

Deano

Mark Miwurdz

Thanks mate.

Any more input?

Cheers
Kav

mark_h

If you sign up for BTOpenworld Anytime, you don't need anything on your BT line as you call an 0808 (free) number. There's a couple of other ISPs offering access like this.

If you sign up with an ISP offering some Surftime package, you'll need either Surftime Evenings & Weekends or Surftime Anytime from BT. There's also a BT Together with Sufttime package available.

Mark Miwurdz

Thanks mate!

Mark Miwurdz

Hi Mark

Just had a look at BT Openworld and the blurb says you can't get unmetered acess on a 128K line. How does yours work or have they moved the goalposts since you signed up?

Cheers
Kav

what would scooby do

signup with surfanytime.net and for £34 per month you have freephone calls (0808) at 128k. As usual there is a max amount of hours per month you can use the service (but you get double the time if you connect at 64k)

Mark Miwurdz

Tops!

Thanks mate.

Adam M

can someone explain why people bother with isdn and dont go straight for adsl?

you have no call charges, no separate line and line rental, no dial up required and its cheaper.

the only downside I can see is you dotn get gauaranteed bandwidth, but i have never seen my bandwidth drop anywhere near 128k.

can someone enlighten me please?

Mark Miwurdz

Dead simple really.

BT refuse to ADSL enable an exchange unless they know there's going to be a certain takeup. We live in the sticks so ISDN is my only option for broadband access at the moment.

Cheers
Kav

dsmith

There's a world outside your window.....

GavinP

I was with SurfAnytime but they cancelled the account as the exchange I am connected to is not hooked-up to the NTL backbone (and their other supplier stopped offering the unmetered service). Their signup process checks your number to confirm it is OK.

I now use Quik Internet who seem very good and I haven't had any problems.

One to watch is Fast 24 who have recently released a 64/128K service at £17 pm for 200 hours (100 hours at 128K) - if you configure your TA for bandwidth on demand, it could work well. 300hrs is £27.

Fast 24 have apparently had problems recently so best wait for a while to see if they have resolved them.

Thanks

Gavin

Mark Miwurdz

Thanks Gavin - I'll take a look.

Cheers
Kav

ChrisB

I'd have ADSL today if I could.

Shame we only have 177 out of the 400 registrations needed to convert our exchange

Can't have it 'cos BT won't give it to us...

GavinP

I live within range for FOUR exchanges already upgraded by BT for ADSL - my house is connected to the farthest one away and the line is too noisy....

Even when the exchange is upgraded, it's not a formality!

Thanks

Gavin

mark_h

Mark,
When I had ISDN, I only ever used it at 64K to keep the other line free.

Adam,
Apart from exchange availability issues, HH works out to a greater distance than ADSL. It also doesn't tie you into one ISP - I regularly used two different ones when I had ISDN. And I could dial into the office easily too. With ADSL, my backup is a 56k modem But I can VPN into the office nicely now though

mark_h

Eh?

Before I pay BT for ISDN/HH line and an ISP for dialup access. Or I can use Freeserve and not pay an ISP at all.

Now I pay BT for phone line and an ISP for ADSL access.

Sounds about the same kind of arrangement to me. The only product that seems to avoid that split is "BT Broadband", but hardly anyone seems to be signing up for that anyway.

wos 69

cheers mate

ids

Watch out with BTOW too...

As you probably know they now forceibly cap access to 150hrs per month. We at home hit this 10 days (well my missus was downlaoding Xmas MP3's .... ) before the next month, and so I called BTOW to cancel the account.... The conversation went...

BT - "Why do you want to cancel BTOW"
Me - "I dont agree with with your new T&C's"
BT - "Oh which one ?"
Me - "150hrs limit"
BT - "Oh yes I can see you have used up your time. We can see you are an extensive user (abuser ???) What you need is Broadband"
Me - "Yes I know.. Please give it me"
BT - "Oh we cant seem to give you that as we havnt enabled your exchange"...... "Are you sure you wish to cancel !!!"
Me - "£%%$^%$£$&$£^&££&&&$%^&"

Anyway - long and short of it is that I now use a smaller ISP via ISDN (dont mind routers etc) called Fireflyuk.net which give you 250hrs per month for £15 - cant say fairer than that.

Ids