Finally, my broadband connection is up permanently, thanks to actions taken by Virgin. My rant regards specifically UK Online.

I initiated bb line transfer on the 2nd of July and waited 2 weeks for the line to be activated at my new location. It was activated, but UK Online overlooked a problem at the local exchange during that time and so the line didn't work even though it was activated. From then on, for one and a half months of almost daily calls to UKO's tech support and chasing after them they failed to solve the problem. In fact, they didn't even look into it properly. All they did was pass the buck between BT Openreach and themselves. For 3/2 months.

After that I got tired of waiting, switched to Virgin (no 12month contract, 8meg unlimited) and hit the same problem again. This time around Virgin got off their backsides, called BT Wholesale (so what was all that about Openreach I wonder..) and solved a problem at the local exchange.

UK Online could not provied more than 2meg at my location, provided piss-poor customer service and tech support, save the several months' free bb offer they made to stop me from leaving. To top it off, they gave me a MAC code despite saying they will cancel my contract, but then didn't cancel it because they gave me the MAC code and didn't bother to tell me they changed their minds.

Sod off UK Online, props to Virgin.

illepall

What's up with British ISP's anyway? It seems like you guys are getting pretty bad deals when it comes to broadband. I mean lots of UK racers seem to have complaints about poor customer service, poor network quality, traffic limits/shaping, "fair use" policies and relatively high prices. Does BT charge a fortune for using their local loop or is there another reason broadband offers are so bad?

UKO's inability to manage customer accounts appears to be becoming pretty common knowledge. I'm beginning to think there's a fundamental problem with the business logic processing of their accounts system. Your experiences are definitely not unique

PlusNet's frequent changes to their T&C, almost invariably adjusting their fair usage policy and squeezing customers tighter and tighter also seems to have its customers constantly throwing their arms up in the air.

And now, I've noticed, the net cost of broadband appears to be creeping back up, and ISPs are beginning to charge heavier setup fees again. It doesn't look like the future's bright for customers, but the culture in Britain means that companies will charge what the market will bear, rather than a fair/competitive price for a product or service, and the fact that cartels are effectively illegal in name only in the UK.. the British customer is, in essence, stuffed.

UK needs to get rid of the (virtual) BT monopoly on phone lines, rebuild its internet infrastructure completely and customers meanwhile need to go NTL/Telewest (cable) which is a decent service. Having said that, it's just as annoying not to be able to get NTL/Telewest services near smack in the middle of Southampton. It's really silly.

What I find ridiculous is that one can still find 512mbit contracts with a 5gb pcm cap for £19.99, areas close to city centres where some ISPs can't provide more than 2mbit, yet there are also unlimited 8meg contracts for about £20-25. Where's the sense in that, lol. I'll be happy to get off this island once I'm done with uni