Recommendation for internet provider in the UK needed Thread poster: Sonja Allen
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Sonja Allen 
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:30
English to German
+ ...
Hi
I have been with Tiscali Business Broadband for 3 years now which is a Broadband and Webhosting package. In the beginning I was quite happy with it but for about 2 weeks now they have had technical problems with their server (and it looks as if these problems continue) leaving me with only a sporadic email and internet access. I have lost jobs because of that and it is now the third time in about the last year that these problems occur. I decided I had enough and that I want to c... See more Hi
I have been with Tiscali Business Broadband for 3 years now which is a Broadband and Webhosting package. In the beginning I was quite happy with it but for about 2 weeks now they have had technical problems with their server (and it looks as if these problems continue) leaving me with only a sporadic email and internet access. I have lost jobs because of that and it is now the third time in about the last year that these problems occur. I decided I had enough and that I want to change provider. Any recommendations? I don't care if the provider has competitive prices. All I want is someone reliable so that I don't have to worry about my internet working when I have a translation to hand in. Are there also providers who offer the hosting of my webpage together with broadband internet connection or do I have to go to separate providers?
[Edited at 2008-08-26 14:05] Moreover, I am interested in hearing from people who changed providers in the past and if they encountered any problems with that or disruption.
[Edited at 2008-08-26 14:08] ▲ Collapse
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Sonja Allen wrote:
Hi
I have been with Tiscali Business Broadband for 3 years now which is a Broadband and Webhosting package. In the beginning I was quite happy with it but for about 2 weeks now they have had technical problems with their server (and it looks as if these problems continue) leaving me with only a sporadic email and internet access. I have lost jobs because of that and it is now the third time in about the last year that these problems occur. I decided I had enough and that I want to change provider. Any recommendations? I don't care if the provider has competitive prices. All I want is someone reliable so that I don't have to worry about my internet working when I have a translation to hand in. Are there also providers who offer the hosting of my webpage together with broadband internet connection or do I have to go to separate providers?
[Edited at 2008-08-26 14:05] Moreover, I am interested in hearing from people who changed providers in the past and if they encountered any problems with that or disruption.
[Edited at 2008-08-26 14:08]
Hi Sonja,
Sorry to hear about your frustration. I've had the same issue here in Portugal lately - and it's been driving me mad(der) - but I have mobile Internet backup (through Vodafone) which means I at least don't lose out on jobs. I simply switch to that when my broadband provider is playing up.
Can't help you with UK recommendations, but thought I'd mention the backup option in case you hadn't thought of it before.
Best of luck
Debs
| | | | Robert Tucker (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:30
German to English
+ ...
I've been with Be, who offer the fastest Internet connection for domestic users in the UK, since March and had no real trouble with their service. They provide a wireless router as part of the package. I don't think they provide web-hosting.
I moved to them from Lixxus to whom I had moved previously from Metronet. If you can get your MAC (Migration Authorization Code) from your current provider, there should be no problem.
... See more I've been with Be, who offer the fastest Internet connection for domestic users in the UK, since March and had no real trouble with their service. They provide a wireless router as part of the package. I don't think they provide web-hosting.
I moved to them from Lixxus to whom I had moved previously from Metronet. If you can get your MAC (Migration Authorization Code) from your current provider, there should be no problem.
https://www.bethere.co.uk/ ▲ Collapse
| | | | Angela Dickson (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:30
French to English
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I sympathise - I'm with Tiscali too and while the actual broadband service has been fine (and cheap), getting in touch with them to try to change my package or indeed to talk/complain about anything at all has been a nightmare. Their customer service is dreadful and I'm seriously thinking about changing provider.
This is only second-hand information, but I have only ever heard good things about Zen, a small ISP. Not sure if they cover the whole country, but it would be worth investi... See more I sympathise - I'm with Tiscali too and while the actual broadband service has been fine (and cheap), getting in touch with them to try to change my package or indeed to talk/complain about anything at all has been a nightmare. Their customer service is dreadful and I'm seriously thinking about changing provider.
This is only second-hand information, but I have only ever heard good things about Zen, a small ISP. Not sure if they cover the whole country, but it would be worth investigating.
I agree with Debs about backup methods - I've got mobile broadband (my T-mobile contract includes a data plan and my phone works as a modem), and I have my local library and various other secure wireless networks I can use with my laptop in a pinch. It entails a small expenditure on coffee, but I can cope with that
Another key thing, I've found, is not having an email address that is tied to a particular ISP. If your ISP is having problems, you lose access to your mail, (which is obviously a hazard with all email providers) but having your own hosted solution (Proz hosting does the job) and/or routing everything via gmail is a good way to ensure reliable access to your mail independently of your ISP. Another advantage of this approach is that I have permanent email addresses, so that if/when I change ISPs I don't need to notify all my clients of a change in email address.
Angela ▲ Collapse
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JPW (X)
Local time: 23:30
Spanish to English
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If you go to this website:
http://www.thinkbroadband.com/isp/compare.html
then you can compare all the different ISPs for speed, reliability, customer service etc. This includes tiscali (not sure about their business package, though).
I have also heard good reports about zen, and 02 as well, but they might not be in your part of the country (yet).
... See more If you go to this website:
http://www.thinkbroadband.com/isp/compare.html
then you can compare all the different ISPs for speed, reliability, customer service etc. This includes tiscali (not sure about their business package, though).
I have also heard good reports about zen, and 02 as well, but they might not be in your part of the country (yet).
I am with Orange, and although I've not had any problems with them personally, their customer service is pretty rubbish and apparently people are leaving them in droves. They pay my phone line rental too, but you have to sign an 18 month contract...
If you are serious about switching providers, make sure you get a MAC code from your current provider (they can't withhold it) and theoretically then there should be no problems during the switchover from your old to your new broadband supplier.
I don't know a great deal about web hosting so I can't help you on that. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Rebecca Hendry
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:30
Member (2005)
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Sonja Allen
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:30
English to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Thank you all for your help | Aug 27, 2008 |
It was very useful. As to the backup, I have a Blackberry which has already made it possible to receive my email while I couldn't get to it via my computer. But when Tiscali's server completely packed in on two days (no email, no internet), there was nothing I could do as a backup, and that was when I lost out on the jobs which came in via email (which I could not check even from a different connection) and the clients did not follow up by phone after I hadn't replied.
Unfortunatel... See more It was very useful. As to the backup, I have a Blackberry which has already made it possible to receive my email while I couldn't get to it via my computer. But when Tiscali's server completely packed in on two days (no email, no internet), there was nothing I could do as a backup, and that was when I lost out on the jobs which came in via email (which I could not check even from a different connection) and the clients did not follow up by phone after I hadn't replied.
Unfortunately, I also live in a small town so alternatives are quite restricted. WiFi Hotspots are unheard of here and we have a little internet cafe which is ok for just sending off a job and checking some emails but their PCs are slow and the environment very noisy so completing a large project there with a tight deadline would not be recommendable. In the local library, use of the computer is restricted to two hours and often prebooking is necessary. So again not something you could 100 % rely on in an emergency. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Rotten Orange | Aug 27, 2008 |
John Paul Weir wrote: If you go to this website: http://www.thinkbroadband.com/isp/compare.html then you can compare all the different ISPs for speed, reliability, customer service etc. This includes tiscali (not sure about their business package, though). I have also heard good reports about zen, and 02 as well, but they might not be in your part of the country (yet). I am with Orange, and although I've not had any problems with them personally, their customer service is pretty rubbish and apparently people are leaving them in droves. They pay my phone line rental too, but you have to sign an 18 month contract... If you are serious about switching providers, make sure you get a MAC code from your current provider (they can't withhold it) and theoretically then there should be no problems during the switchover from your old to your new broadband supplier. I don't know a great deal about web hosting so I can't help you on that.
Well, John Paul, I'm with Orange too, and today I've been unable to use email at all, though I can use the Internet. This is the third time in two months that they've messed me about. Their on-screen message says they're servicing their email accounts and will be back in action at 3pm today, but it's now 4.30 and they're not.
Their "customer service" system is useless (and very expensive). At present, I can't even get through to them to request the Mac Code to enable me to change to another provider - although my local computer wizards tell me that all providers are much the same.
Sickening,
Jenny.
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