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With the PS2 and XBox offering us online gameplay soon, it seems appropriate to look into the niche of broadband access. The XBox simply will not allow modem access, and using a modem to dial in to play PS2 games will prove tedious and slow. Thus broadband access will be an absolute must for customers wishing to play online.
To my knowledge, only two parent companies offer broadband access in the United Kingdom. These are BT and NTL/Telewest. But which one will offer the best connection, and how do they compare in value?
As an NTL customer, which is offers the same service as telewest, I know a fair bit about the service they offer. NTL offers two broadband packages, a high speed 512kpbs connection, and a slower connection at 128kbps. For comparison, the fastest modems will connect you to the internet at roughly 56kpbs. NTL's slower connection will set you back £15 per month, while the faster connection will cost £25 per month. Both prices include rental of a Terayon TeraJet cable modem. However, you can save a bit on the line rental by buying the modem, which costs roughly £100. There is also a one-off connection charge of £25, which covers installation. The line rental is based on a 12 month contract, but the good news is that you can switch between the fast and slow connection at will simply by calling NTL. This means if you are not happy with £25 per month, you can give them a call and knock it back to £15 per month. It all really depends on how much you want from the internet. However, it must be stressed that online play will probably demand a fast 512kbps connection for smooth play.
NTL and Telewest are also only available in cable enabled areas. I am lucky to be living in a region with high NTL coverage, but my parents live where NTL is not available. It is possible however to do a quick postcode check on the internet to find out if you are eligible. This is based at www.ntl.com. So, the price seems reasonable, but is this too good to be true?
During my time with NTL's broadband access I can only really report good news. The modem has never once lost the network, and download speeds are constantly peaking at 60kbps on my quick connection. This will be good news for gamers, as you will never really have to worry about the speed of your cable modem. The internet service is top notch, but it is a pity the customer service isn't quite up to the standard.
This is a sore point for me. When NTL came to fit my broadband access, which occured after only a week of ordering the service, I was a little disappointed. The engineer was moody, and didn't leave me with any instructions, as he supposedly should have. I called the number I had recieved for tech support, and decided to sort the problem out. However, I reached the tyneside office after 1 hour of queing, and was given a midlands number. At this point, I was getting frustrated, and another 1.5 hours on the phone in a queue didn't help my cause.
Eventually, after wading through automated answerphones galore, I spoke to a broadband representative. He instructed me to access a registration page, and it went smoothly from there on. However, if you encounter any problems from then on, be prepared to wait for any help. Another point may be the status of NTL/Telewest as a company. Are they worth investing in for the future? Well with a £50 million debt it hardly seems promising, and if you opt for NTL/Telewest, look out for dodgy bills. Such a fate has happened to me on more than one occasion, and yes, you have to queue to complain.
However, bad points aside, the connection is reportedly the best of the bunch. However, the service, future, and availability leave a little to be desired.
Now what about British Telecom. A reputable company offering broadband access to any home in the UK. The future looks bright, as BT are a well established company, and the service is top notch. So what about the connection? Well BT connects using ADSL, a phone-line type connection, compared to NTL's fibre-optic cable link. It will connect you at roughly 500kbps, and is report to be slightly slower than the NTL cable link. But how does it compare in price?
To be honest, BT are asking a fairly steep price for the service. They set out a £29.99 per month line rental, for which you could get a slightly quicker cable link for £5 less per month. However, if this is an investment in the future, it could well be worth paying the extra simply for the service and outlook. BT also charge £85 one off for an ADSL modem, which is slightly expensive considering you can get one included in your £25 per month from NTL. BT are currently purporting 'free activation' as part of a limited offer. I will equate this to the £25 one off charged by NTL. However, this offer is of a finite lifetime, and when the offer ends, they will charge £65 for the privilege.
So, for a high speed broadband package in cable enabled areas you will be looking at:
NTL
Line Rental = £25 per month = £300 per year
Installation = £25
Total for one year = £325
BT
Line Rental = £30 per month = £360 per year
Activation = £65
ADSL modem = £85
Total for one year = £510
NTL clearly offer the best value, and also the best connection to match. So, looking at the figures, NTL is the best bet. However, if you catch BT while the offer is on, the price will drop to £445 per year, but still £120 more than NTL ask.
For the future, BT however offer the brightest outlook, in terms of investment, future, and service. I expect BT will be able to buffer a price drop in the future without losing profit, which is a bonus. It is arguable whether NTL will be able to afford to reduce prices with the companies current status, but the future is left to be determined. What can be said with some degree of confidence is that prices will drop rapidly. Especially with the advent of online gaming to the masses, the telecommunication companies will no doubt be in tough competition with each other in terms of value and speed.
So to sum up, I would put my money with NTL. If all goes pear shaped, a contractual clause will allow you to nullify the contract in the event of any price changes. But be warned, BT may offer a significantly better value package when XBox Live hits the internet, and it may be better to put your money on a safer horse. At the end of the day, if you are serious about online gaming and the future, you need to start considering your options for broadband access. With titles such as FFXI waiting around the corner, would we really want to miss out?
I hope this comparison offers assistance to those of you venturing into the realms of broadband access, and I hope you can make a wise and informed decision on what suits you. Thanks for reading!
To my knowledge, only two parent companies offer broadband access in the United Kingdom. These are BT and NTL/Telewest. But which one will offer the best connection, and how do they compare in value?
As an NTL customer, which is offers the same service as telewest, I know a fair bit about the service they offer. NTL offers two broadband packages, a high speed 512kpbs connection, and a slower connection at 128kbps. For comparison, the fastest modems will connect you to the internet at roughly 56kpbs. NTL's slower connection will set you back £15 per month, while the faster connection will cost £25 per month. Both prices include rental of a Terayon TeraJet cable modem. However, you can save a bit on the line rental by buying the modem, which costs roughly £100. There is also a one-off connection charge of £25, which covers installation. The line rental is based on a 12 month contract, but the good news is that you can switch between the fast and slow connection at will simply by calling NTL. This means if you are not happy with £25 per month, you can give them a call and knock it back to £15 per month. It all really depends on how much you want from the internet. However, it must be stressed that online play will probably demand a fast 512kbps connection for smooth play.
NTL and Telewest are also only available in cable enabled areas. I am lucky to be living in a region with high NTL coverage, but my parents live where NTL is not available. It is possible however to do a quick postcode check on the internet to find out if you are eligible. This is based at www.ntl.com. So, the price seems reasonable, but is this too good to be true?
During my time with NTL's broadband access I can only really report good news. The modem has never once lost the network, and download speeds are constantly peaking at 60kbps on my quick connection. This will be good news for gamers, as you will never really have to worry about the speed of your cable modem. The internet service is top notch, but it is a pity the customer service isn't quite up to the standard.
This is a sore point for me. When NTL came to fit my broadband access, which occured after only a week of ordering the service, I was a little disappointed. The engineer was moody, and didn't leave me with any instructions, as he supposedly should have. I called the number I had recieved for tech support, and decided to sort the problem out. However, I reached the tyneside office after 1 hour of queing, and was given a midlands number. At this point, I was getting frustrated, and another 1.5 hours on the phone in a queue didn't help my cause.
Eventually, after wading through automated answerphones galore, I spoke to a broadband representative. He instructed me to access a registration page, and it went smoothly from there on. However, if you encounter any problems from then on, be prepared to wait for any help. Another point may be the status of NTL/Telewest as a company. Are they worth investing in for the future? Well with a £50 million debt it hardly seems promising, and if you opt for NTL/Telewest, look out for dodgy bills. Such a fate has happened to me on more than one occasion, and yes, you have to queue to complain.
However, bad points aside, the connection is reportedly the best of the bunch. However, the service, future, and availability leave a little to be desired.
Now what about British Telecom. A reputable company offering broadband access to any home in the UK. The future looks bright, as BT are a well established company, and the service is top notch. So what about the connection? Well BT connects using ADSL, a phone-line type connection, compared to NTL's fibre-optic cable link. It will connect you at roughly 500kbps, and is report to be slightly slower than the NTL cable link. But how does it compare in price?
To be honest, BT are asking a fairly steep price for the service. They set out a £29.99 per month line rental, for which you could get a slightly quicker cable link for £5 less per month. However, if this is an investment in the future, it could well be worth paying the extra simply for the service and outlook. BT also charge £85 one off for an ADSL modem, which is slightly expensive considering you can get one included in your £25 per month from NTL. BT are currently purporting 'free activation' as part of a limited offer. I will equate this to the £25 one off charged by NTL. However, this offer is of a finite lifetime, and when the offer ends, they will charge £65 for the privilege.
So, for a high speed broadband package in cable enabled areas you will be looking at:
NTL
Line Rental = £25 per month = £300 per year
Installation = £25
Total for one year = £325
BT
Line Rental = £30 per month = £360 per year
Activation = £65
ADSL modem = £85
Total for one year = £510
NTL clearly offer the best value, and also the best connection to match. So, looking at the figures, NTL is the best bet. However, if you catch BT while the offer is on, the price will drop to £445 per year, but still £120 more than NTL ask.
For the future, BT however offer the brightest outlook, in terms of investment, future, and service. I expect BT will be able to buffer a price drop in the future without losing profit, which is a bonus. It is arguable whether NTL will be able to afford to reduce prices with the companies current status, but the future is left to be determined. What can be said with some degree of confidence is that prices will drop rapidly. Especially with the advent of online gaming to the masses, the telecommunication companies will no doubt be in tough competition with each other in terms of value and speed.
So to sum up, I would put my money with NTL. If all goes pear shaped, a contractual clause will allow you to nullify the contract in the event of any price changes. But be warned, BT may offer a significantly better value package when XBox Live hits the internet, and it may be better to put your money on a safer horse. At the end of the day, if you are serious about online gaming and the future, you need to start considering your options for broadband access. With titles such as FFXI waiting around the corner, would we really want to miss out?
I hope this comparison offers assistance to those of you venturing into the realms of broadband access, and I hope you can make a wise and informed decision on what suits you. Thanks for reading!
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Well I offered the guy a cup of tea, and he threw it right back in my face and insisted he was happy with his Ribena! Some workman! He just wanted to go home - fair play. But it was kinda bad just leaving me the modem and no instructions to the extent of activating the modem. Well it annoyed me anyway!
Franny wrote:
> NTL offers two broadband packages, a high speed 512kpbs
> connection, and a slower connection at 128kbps.
I also have the 512k connection. Apparently they will soon be offering a 1Mb option too - I'll be keeping an eye open for that, and if the price is reasonable... who knows!
> During my time with NTL's broadband access I can
> only really report good news.
Again, same here. My modem lost connection once, a week after I got it, for a couple of hours. But since then, no problems at all.
> When NTL came to fit my broadband access, which occured after only a week
> of ordering the service, I was a little disappointed. The engineer was moody,
> and didn't leave me with any instructions, as he supposedly should have.
Are you sure the engineer was supposed to give you the instructions? Mine came in the post a few days before the engineer turned up. He was quite a cheerful guy, and had installed everything required in about ten minutes!
> NTL offers two broadband packages, a high speed 512kpbs
> connection, and a slower connection at 128kbps.
I also have the 512k connection. Apparently they will soon be offering a 1Mb option too - I'll be keeping an eye open for that, and if the price is reasonable... who knows!
> During my time with NTL's broadband access I can
> only really report good news.
Again, same here. My modem lost connection once, a week after I got it, for a couple of hours. But since then, no problems at all.
> When NTL came to fit my broadband access, which occured after only a week
> of ordering the service, I was a little disappointed. The engineer was moody,
> and didn't leave me with any instructions, as he supposedly should have.
Are you sure the engineer was supposed to give you the instructions? Mine came in the post a few days before the engineer turned up. He was quite a cheerful guy, and had installed everything required in about ten minutes!
Phi11ip wrote:
Why can't you post in the prime topics if you arn't a regular?
-------
They believe newbies will post utter rubbish
And it tells you how to become a regular on the Top Posters page
Why can't you post in the prime topics if you arn't a regular?
-------
They believe newbies will post utter rubbish
And it tells you how to become a regular on the Top Posters page
Im pretty sure that BT are still in debt, I heard it the other day.
Why can't you post in the prime topics if you arn't a regular?
Why can't you post in the prime topics if you arn't a regular?
Franny wrote:
> I also thought BT were doing well right now. MoJoJoJo, It would be in the prime
> topics if I was a regular!
--------
My bad
> I also thought BT were doing well right now. MoJoJoJo, It would be in the prime
> topics if I was a regular!
--------
My bad
Thanks for the response. I wasn't aware that the full package was required for NTL broadband. I got my broadband after subscribing to Digital TV and telephone so that one slipped by me i'm afraid. But the price is still very good considering you get a full home entertainment package including fast broadband internet access.
This kind of stuff should really go in the Prime Topics
Anyway, I thought BT were doing well now? Dunno if they're out of debt or anything, but they're owning all the other companies
Anyway, I thought BT were doing well now? Dunno if they're out of debt or anything, but they're owning all the other companies
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