Migrating to a new ISP..recommendations according to my needs please.

roorooroo · 05-03-2007, 6:35 PM

My ISP..Zen, has just introduced capping on their services, as a heavy user I am now looking into migrating to another ISP who offer uncapped (or >300GB) per month services at 2meg speeds.
Would also need an ISP who are very reliable for Xbox360 Live gaming too.
Prices around 35 quid as I am paying now.

Look forward to any suggestions.

Cheers, Roo

Praxidike · 05-03-2007, 7:25 PM

I'm with UKFSN.org, and I'm really impressed so far. Only been with them for a few weeks, but they've been reliable and fast - averaging aroung 6meg for me, on the standard 'up to 8meg' speed, where you can guarantee a bigger name company like Virgin would only be giving me 512k speeds...

I'd recommend their service, but I don't know if they have a package to suit you. Mine's 30GB peak, 300GB off peak, £20 a month, but I know they had higher options.

roorooroo · 05-03-2007, 7:32 PM

Thanks..looks like a good option so far...just looked at migrating from Zen and it seems i need to give them a months cancellation notice! Do I have it right that I can't migrate for at least a month.

Oh well, give me more time to look into ISP options I suppose.

Keep those recommendations coming

Rygar · 05-03-2007, 7:36 PM

BE if they are available on your exchange. Or perhaps a cable service, again if available. Otherwise UKFSN's 2Mb unlimited or one of the Home/office max products with a generous monthy allowance that they offer.

Rygar · 05-03-2007, 7:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roorooroo

Thanks..looks like a good option so far...just looked at migrating from Zen and it seems i need to give them a months cancellation notice! Do I have it right that I can't migrate for at least a month.

Oh well, give me more time to look into ISP options I suppose.

Keep those recommendations coming

Think yourself lucky that you are with a company like Zen who use monthly contracts. Many of the bigger players have 12 to 18 month contracts.

UKFSN also use one month contracts, one of the reasons I always recomend them. At least if they turn bad overnight your not stuck for very long!

roorooroo · 05-03-2007, 7:39 PM

Cheers, what would be the better option with UKFSN..the unlimited 'normal' ADSL package or the 'Max' unlimited package?

Praxidike · 05-03-2007, 7:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rygar

UKFSN also use one month contracts, one of the reasons I always recomend them. At least if they turn bad overnight your not stuck for very long!

Another reason I like that is that they can't provide a crap service, because they know they'll start losing customers immediately, whereas a 12 month contract supplier can be shocking for 11 months, then the last month be brilliant, suckering the customer into thinking their problems are fixed, after which they sign up for another 12 months and the cycle starts again...

Rygar · 05-03-2007, 7:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roorooroo

Cheers, what would be the better option with UKFSN..the unlimited 'normal' ADSL package or the 'Max' unlimited package?

Will your budget stretch to the max unlimited package...that's £80/month?

Otherwise I'd say it's between 2Mb unlimited @ £35/month or office max allowance 45 @ £30/month (£25 + VAT). That gets you up to 8Mb, 45GB peak + 300GB off peak per month (upload is 832kbps).

It should be noted that the UKFSN service is shaped with Entas anti-loss tool. This means at times of high network demand your speed can drop down to 2Mb on the up to 8Mb service (contention can then take it down even further). The plus side of this is that latency remains low during high demand, so VoIP, gaming etc remain uneffeced. The 2Mb service is not subject to the tool (but is still subject to contention).

I take it you cant get BE on your exchange? £24/month gets you up to 24Mb with a rumoured FUP of 500GB/month.

roorooroo · 05-03-2007, 8:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rygar

Will your budget stretch to the max unlimited package...that's £80/month?

Otherwise I'd say it's between 2Mb unlimited @ £35/month or office max allowance 45 @ £30/month (£25 + VAT). That gets you up to 8Mb, 45GB peak + 300GB off peak per month (upload is 832kbps).

It should be noted that the UKFSN service is shaped with Entas anti-loss tool. This means at times of high network demand your speed can drop down to 2Mb on the up to 8Mb service (contention can then take it down even further). The plus side of this is that latency remains low during high demand, so VoIP, gaming etc remain uneffeced. The 2Mb service is not subject to the tool (but is still subject to contention).

I take it you cant get BE on your exchange? £24/month gets you up to 24Mb with a rumoured FUP of 500GB/month.

Thanks for the great info Rygar...most interesting reading. Looks like the 2mb unlimited @ 35 quid is my best option so far. I emailed UKFSN earlier today actually asking if they had any plans to cap their service anytime soon. A reply is pending though.
I looked at BE earlier too but spotted the dreaded fair usage asterisk next to their services so I ignored them.

Rygar · 05-03-2007, 8:46 PM

I understand your fear of the dreaded * but I would not discount BE from your options if they are available to you. I'm with UKFSN and think they are the UK's best BT wholsale ISP at the moment. However if BE (who are LLU ADSL2+) were available on my exchange I would probably migrate to them from UKFSN. Most users on Thinkbroaband and other forums report that the FUP is not even enforced at the moment. This policy could of course change at any time, but they only have a 3 month contract so the risk is still quite small. Even if they do start enforcing the FUP, I think it would be very generous.

*triplea4uk* · 06-03-2007, 2:45 PM

BeThere or Virgin Media cable service are your best options.

I have heard few people getting warnings from Bethere about heavy usage but it is rare and will be fine if stay under 300gb a month and don't download at peak times.

roorooroo · 07-03-2007, 1:36 PM

Okay I have decided to migrate to UKFSN from Zen..now which order do i set things in motion?
Is this correct?

1)Cancel Zen asking for MAC number.
2)Wait for MAC number to be issued.
3)Order by migrating to UKFSN using the MAC number.

Not migrated before so I want to be sure this is right.

Cheers, Roo

hutters · 07-03-2007, 1:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roorooroo

Okay I have decided to migrate to UKFSN from Zen..now which order do i set things in motion?
Is this correct?

1)Cancel Zen asking for MAC number.
2)Wait for MAC number to be issued.
3)Order by migrating to UKFSN using the MAC number.

Not migrated before so I want to be sure this is right.

Cheers, Roo

Spot on

Rygar · 08-03-2007, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roorooroo

Okay I have decided to migrate to UKFSN from Zen..now which order do i set things in motion?
Is this correct?

1)Cancel Zen asking for MAC number.
2)Wait for MAC number to be issued.
3)Order by migrating to UKFSN using the MAC number.

Not migrated before so I want to be sure this is right.

Cheers, Roo

DO NOT ACTUALLY CANCEL or you will be without broadband for up to 3 weeks. Simply get your mac code from zen and then use that code to sign up with your new ISP. Sorry if thats what you meant, but better safe than sorry.

roorooroo · 08-03-2007, 12:48 PM

Ah yes of course..thanks..I did mean just to get the MAC mode but thanks for letting me know anyway Rygar!

roorooroo · 08-03-2007, 1:37 PM

I sent the migration order out to UKFSN with my MAC code half an hour ago. Just struck me that no payment details were asked for..will all payment details be passed on to UKFSN from Zen or do I have to do anything else?

Cheers, roo

Rygar · 08-03-2007, 5:28 PM

No. Payment details will have to be given to the new ISP seperately.

Cant remember exactly how it goes, but I think you will receive an email from Entanet soon asking you to login to their ebilling site. There you will give details of your credit/debit card for the very 1st payment, then you can also fill out a direct debit mandate for subsequent payments there if you wish.

As I say I cant remember the exatct procedure, but if in doubt send an email to UKFSN or Entanet support (or call Entanet support). Or you will most probably get a really quick answer if you post your question in the Entanet forum on thinkbroadband.

http://bbs.adslguide.org.uk/postlist...&Board=entanet

roorooroo · 08-03-2007, 6:12 PM

Cheers Rygar..I actually phoned UKFSN and was forwarded to, i presume, Entanet and they said there were no details of me on their system.
I haven't heard from either Entanet or UKFSN yet..it's been a few hours since I filled out the online forms regarding migration.

edit..how long was it before they asked for payment details Rygar?

Rygar · 08-03-2007, 8:27 PM

I can’t really remember...think it was pretty quickly though. UKFSN are just a one man band (they are a reseller of Entanet who are a medium sized business ISP) and that one man recently had a family bereavement. I know he is back to work now, but working his way through a back-log. Perhaps this has slowed things down, but I would not have thought so as things like sign ups & migrations are all automated as far as I know.

roorooroo · 08-03-2007, 9:27 PM

Okay thanks..will try to contact UKFSN again tomorrow if nothing is heard from them.

roorooroo · 09-03-2007, 9:04 AM

EVentually heard from Entanet's billing dept and have my activation date as 16/03 so fingers crossed.

(gotta work out the static IP router settings now!)

Cheers, Roo