Help me choose a Broadband provider!!!

Rickyj at Kalibrate

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I currently have my telephone running through NTL, along with digital television. I have convinced the other half that we need broadband, but we will not be paying out too much?!!?

Only problem is that as we are on NTL, I understand that we are limited on the services we can use. I have done my research, and I think are only viable options are Tesco, and NTL.

The broadband will be used mainly for web surfing (say 3 evenings a week), with not too much downloading although songs (MP3s) may become a more regular occurence. I would also like to connect the psp, via a wireless network, as and when infastructure games become available (say 3 days a week for a couple of hours).

Here come the problems, firstly Tesco only runs at 512kb but is uncapped and £17.97. Is this fast enough for gaming, and anyone know if they are going to increase their speeds???

NTL is only £9.99 for 1 meg, BUT is capped to 3gb a month. Is this enough for my needs inc gaming?? and what happens if I go over this. The next step up is 2mb, but this is capped to 30gb a month, and 1gb a day, and is £25 a month.

Any advice on this situation will be greatly recieved.

Ricky
 
Take a look at Plusnet (www.plus.net). They will give you a 2MB line uncapped with modem for 15 quid. You can get a wireless router from them too at 65 quid, else take a look at ebuyer.com for wireless routers.
 
512 will be fine for everything (apart from downloading faster than 512k :D ) including games. 3gb isnt enough really, they will charge you a few quid per GB over the limit. I would go for tesco. 512 was fine for me on xbox live and PC gaming online, we then had the opportunity to upgrade to 1 meg for an extra pound a month then they upgraded that to 2meg for free. if i was paying £18 for 512 uncapped i wouldnt go to £25 just for 1 meg.
 
Have to recommend PlusNet. Good service and a not-bad modem for free. Attach it by the ethernet to a hub and you have a network. Leave the USB port well alone
 
I would love plus.net, but I don't think I am able to get it due to the phone line being NTL. Please correct me if I am wrong though.

Cheers for the feedback so far, it looks like Tesco may be beckoning.

Ricky
 
An alternative to think about: I'm fairly sure the following is possible with Telewest but I don't know about NTL. Keep NTL but only for TV and broadband. Subscribe to the 2Mb service and replace your telephone line with a VOIP service such as Voipfone (look at the VOIP forum for more info). There are two downsides: 1. You'll lose your current phone no. 2. You won't have a phone service if the power fails.

:)
 
Why will you be able to get Tesco BB and not Plusnet BB ?
 
rct said:
Tesco have bought space wholesale from NTL's cable network


Most broadband services are provided by ADSL via BT telephone lines, but NTL's service is provided via their cable network, so only companies (like Tesco) who have paid to use NTL's cable network can supply BB on those lines. This obviously limits the options though for those on the NTL service. Hence the small choice of NTL or Tesco.

Ricky
 

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