Kevin Groat

Just been through the V21/Biscit/Netservices fiasco, hadn't had any major issues with V21 over the last 5 years until the plug was pulled. Reading up on Biscit who took over the V21 business their reputation regards customer service and billing seems dreadful.

Each time I seem to decide on a supplier I dig a bit deeper and generally talk myself out of signing up with them - ISPreview UK - Internet Service Provider Information Source isn't that helpful, very inconsistent.

I was interested in a 8mb service, 5gb/month minimum download and bundled free/cheap uk calls.

I'd also disagree with the old 'you pay for what you get' rule - not based on some of the feedback I've read.

So far;

Pipex - dreadful CS, not interested in existing customers, service offered is a variable rate and unlikely to hit the 8mb advertised rate.

Eclipse - cs has recently hit new lows.

Madasafish - cs now moved from India to Africa

I'm actually seriously thinking of sticking with Biscit now based on 'out of the frying pan into the fire'.

Anyone care to recommend and ISP for me to 'investigate'?

mike1210

what can you get at your exchange?

The Broadband Resource

Kevin Groat

Just ADSL.

rik1471

Yes, because they all have to rely on BT in one way or another.

dsmith

That's not Pipex's fault, thats not even BT's fault. Thats a feature of DSL technology. If you want something better, for cheaper, start designing.

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

UKONLINE have great speeds and OK price but I moved out and I have had to actually cancel my direct debit to stop them taking my money,. They never answer the phone either

andys

Zen, never had a problem in 5 years. No shaping and top customer service.

Kevin Groat

I have to say though, as a stupid customer, the advertised service is a bit misleading and I only found out how the service really works on another forum. Pipex don't exactly make it clear.

C_B_B

I'm with Orange and prior to that Wanadoo for a couple of years.

I've not had a problem with either and find their customer services to be very good.

I get free Broadband as my mobile bill is over £35 per month. I have been offered the unlimited download package for £5 per month (normally £20).

C_B_B

Unlike the crap package we have at work that posts replies 3 times...

kbsub

I'm with V21/biscuit and would love to change providers , unfortunately I'm tied in a contract till July , Be warned they make it very hard to cancel your contract , wanting £30 for the mac code and taking forever to supply it, in the end I got fed up and just renewed again , wont do next time round though

boxst

Hello

I second that, Zen are great. ZenBroadband

Steve

douglasb

Like C B B, I'm with Freeserve/Wanadoo/Orange and have been with them for 4 years. I've had no real problems apart from one time when the entire North West was disconnected for a few hours!

Only had to use their telephone support once and they gave me the right answer.

Paying £17.99 per month for 1Mb (fastest my line will support).

rik1471

Zen are good when they're working, but in my experience once it goes wrong it can take ages to resolve. I could show you a help desk ticket log (ongoing ADSL fault, no connection since August) from Zen that would have you running for the hills.

Kevin Groat

[QUOTE=kbsub]I'm with V21/biscuit and would love to change providers , unfortunately I'm tied in a contract till JulyQUOTE]

Are you sure you're tied in? I spoke with Biscit today and was told I'm free to go to a new provider when BT release my line. V21 certainly don't have my MAC code. I'd also suggest you tell them to stuff thier contract as it was them that breached the terms in the first place.

p.s I pay my bill by debit card and I've sorted this already

suba

if money no object, then go BT or ZEN.

kbsub

[quote=Kevin Groat]Definitely tied in Agreed another contract in July of this year when I moved house , plus when I go into my online account it says "contract ends July 07 "

Kevin Groat

[QUOTE=kbsub]Trust me, unless you've passed your details to Biscit, once the cease goes through tommorrow (or over next few days) you're free to go wherever you want.

kbsub

Ok thanks for the info trouble is then I will be in the same position as you !

Chris L

At the risk of heresy - if you can get it, try cable. I've had an NTL cable modem for well over 4 years. In that time I've had one outage of about 24 hours, not been capped and always consistanly around the advertised rate. I'm on the 4Mbs service and it's been great.

DSL services have a huge bottleneck - it's called a DSLAM - DSL Access Multiplexor. All DSL lines are fed into this at the exchange. Each service is then transferred to the ISP. BT's network has huge capacity, so that is not normally the problem. Almost always the DSLAM (which aren't cheap bits of kit) is where the problem will lie. If many people have the service, then the bandwidth available will be split between. The more online, the less bandwidth you will get...

kbsub

Just tried contacting v21/biscit and " no one available to answer the phone "
Not sure whats going ,read about legal procedings with netservices ! tried contacting them and all you get is a answer machine , how do i go about getting my MAC code to transfer my provider . I cant even get to talk to anyone to cancel my account ! I could cancel my direct debit , but that wont get me my MAC code , so how do I go about changing my provider now ?

HELP ......



Netservices have announced this week that as of Friday 24th November, they placed a bulk cease order with BT Wholesale for the lines of Biscit CSP / V21 customers who had not transferred their service to EzeeDSL. Netservices have requested BT carry this out as quickly as possible but it may take up to ten working days for these to go through.
Either way, by 11th December, customers should be free to sign up with another provider. In the mean time, NetServices has offered to continue providing free broadband connectivity to the users involved at its own expense

Kevin Groat

I believe we won't have MAC codes. You'll appear as a new customer on the BT system as though you've never had ADSL although your line will be enabled. Downsides is that with some ISP's the connection fee will be more expensive than a migrate. There again some ISP's have a fee to supply a MAC code so it's swings and roundabouts. I'm likely to set up a new account with Newnet(I think) over the weekend. My cease is going through today.

kbsub

OK... let me know how you get on , esp if you can migrate without the MAC code , I cant even get to talk to anyone at V21 and they've not answered any of my emails , tempted to cancel my direct debit now. but don't want them to cut me off without me being able to set another account up with another ISP . Christmas will have come early if I can get rid of V21

Kevin Groat

My ADSL died at about midnight on Friday 1st Dec (BT did say the cease order would be completed by the 1st). Signed up with Newnet at about 00:10 on the 2nd after checking my line was clear and hopefully just waiting for Newnet to do the admin stuff this morning.
Newnet get good reviews on ISPReview so thought that I'd start on their lite user package @ £11.95 a month. I'll let you know how the move progresses.

p.s. cancelling my debit card today so V21 can't get any more money. Nothing against V21, their service was pretty faultless for the 5 years I was with them, I'm a bit cautious of their auto invoicing system and the problems it's experienced lately and I could do without the hassle of trying to recover money from Biscit.

Kevin Groat

Now left V21 (haven't told them but I'm working under the 'you broke the contract in the first place' principle) My cease went through at about midnight on the 1st Dec. Registered with Newnet at 00:10 on Saturday and now up and running @ 8mbps (variable max streaming) for £11.95 a month.

I actually reckon the Newnet service was available the next day but couldn't get near configuring the router till now.

Cancelled my debit card so V21 can't get any more cash - we're about even but don't trust their auto invoicing system.

kbsub

I have tried to get in touch with V21/Biscit and all I get is answer machines , no replies to emails either , Same with netservices contacted BT and they say my line is still tagged so cant swap they advised me to cancel the direct debit , so I have ,but I still have a connection although a very slow one and sometimes its impossible to send emails . not sure what to do now.

Steve Perriam

just trying to decide on a new provider myself as we're moving house and i will no longer be able to receive the telewest 8mb cable connection i've currently got

edging towards Orange after some good recommendations....

looks like the place we're moving to will only support upto a 3mb connection as well

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

10mb mate, they dont do an 8mb service