Broadband advice needed please

Cadiz Seagull · Feb 22, 2016

I'm taking over a flat in Sussex on Saturday and I need an intenet connection. Things have moved on hugely since I last lived in UK and the options are far more varied than they are here in rural Spain so I thought I'd ask for some suggestions on here.

I might regret that

I don't need superfast speeds, just something everyday for emailing and browsing, Skype sometimes, uploading photos. At the moment I just have a laptop and I may or may not get a desktop. I will have a smart phone - I'm probably the only person on here who hasn't already got one. I'm unlikely to get a tablet. Not into gaming, unless Solitaire counts?

I'll want something that can allow me to watch stuff on a TV (which I haven't yet bought) via my laptop via such as Albion games and cricket, as I'm too tight to shell out for Sky.

Do I need a landline? I don't need one to make calls so is one really necessary?

Any jargon free idiot proof suggestions would be much appreciated!

Thunder Bolt · Feb 22, 2016

http://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/ask-our-expert/without-landline

nickbrighton · Feb 22, 2016

Cadiz Seagull said:
I'm taking over a flat in Sussex on Saturday and I need an intenet connection. Things have moved on hugely since I last lived in UK and the options are far more varied than they are here in rural Spain so I thought I'd ask for some suggestions on here.

I might regret that

I don't need superfast speeds, just something everyday for emailing and browsing, Skype sometimes, uploading photos. At the moment I just have a laptop and I may or may not get a desktop. I will have a smart phone - I'm probably the only person on here who hasn't already got one. I'm unlikely to get a tablet. Not into gaming, unless Solitaire counts?

I'll want something that can allow me to watch stuff on a TV (which I haven't yet bought) via my laptop via such as Albion games and cricket, as I'm too tight to shell out for Sky.

Do I need a landline? I don't need one to make calls so is one really necessary?

Any jargon free idiot proof suggestions would be much appreciated!

Hiya
I have been with what are now Virgin Media for years now. The broadband has been very reliable, and has only ever been down for more than an hour or so a couple of times. Anecdotal evidence from friends who use other providers seems to indicate that the other providers are much less reliable, and speeds appear to be much more consistant with Virgin.
There customer service has a really bad reoutation, however on the rare occasionswhen I have had to deal with them over the past few years I have to say its been fine, other than the annoyingly condesending voice they use on the automated system.

Its fine for all types of steaming such as Kodi, iplayer etc

We have a superfast hub and frequently have 2 mobiles, 2 laptops all using the connection whilst we are watching streaminmg tv with no problems at all

I would recomend them, but not sure if you have to have a landline or not.

Im sure others will have horror stories about virgin, but in all honesty I would recomend them . We have cable broadband and landline

Cadiz Seagull · Feb 22, 2016

I just checked and I can't get Virgin Media so presumably that means I will have to have a landline

Puppet Master · Feb 22, 2016

Dongle? Think you'll have to be tied into a monthly contract though, dunno as I haven't used one for years.

spring hall convert · Feb 22, 2016

nickbrighton said:
Hiya
I have been with what are now Virgin Media for years now. The broadband has been very reliable, and has only ever been down for more than an hour or so a couple of times. Anecdotal evidence from friends who use other providers seems to indicate that the other providers are much less reliable, and speeds appear to be much more consistant with Virgin.
There customer service has a really bad reoutation, however on the rare occasionswhen I have had to deal with them over the past few years I have to say its been fine, other than the annoyingly condesending voice they use on the automated system.

Its fine for all types of steaming such as Kodi, iplayer etc

We have a superfast hub and frequently have 2 mobiles, 2 laptops all using the connection whilst we are watching streaminmg tv with no problems at all

I would recomend them, but not sure if you have to have a landline or not.

Im sure others will have horror stories about virgin, but in all honesty I would recomend them . We have cable broadband and landline

Hi Richard.

beorhthelm · Feb 22, 2016

yes, you'll need a landline. you'll probably be fine with one of the lower priced, limited bandwidth packages (say 30-40GB limit)

if your bandwidth need (how much data, not speed) is lowish a mobile solution might work out.

nickbrighton · Feb 22, 2016

spring hall convert said:
Hi Richard.

haha, Im just posting what I have experienced, I know others have had problems but I genuinly found them to be fine for a very long time now.

mr sheen · Feb 22, 2016

nickbrighton said:
haha, Im just posting what I have experienced, I know others have had problems but I genuinly found them to be fine for a very long time now.

I was, until last week, a long standing virgin customer. I have now moved to Sky. The customer service provided by virgin is wonderful compared to what I've experienced so far from Sky.

Acker79 · Feb 22, 2016

Other than a few teething issues, and a problem with the phone line, Sky was very reliable for me, until I switched to BT, which has also been mostly reliable (though a friend and a family member both had an inexplicable issue - engineers had investigated and couldn't find a cause - where their connection was rarely on with BT)

spence · Feb 22, 2016

Virgin broadband all day long. Sky for tv.

Giraffe · Feb 22, 2016

I have always been with Virgin (and its previous names and ownership) and have to say it gets better and better. But more expensive. But I see that you can't get Virgin Media where you are so I guess this isn't too relevant to you.

Cadiz Seagull · Feb 22, 2016

I'm probably only going to be in this flat for 6 months until moving to something larger. Most contracts seem to be 12 - 18 months or even longer, if I take one of these can I change address after 6 months or should I just look for a six month contract?

Rugrat · Feb 22, 2016

Cadiz Seagull said:
I'm probably only going to be in this flat for 6 months until moving to something larger. Most contracts seem to be 12 - 18 months or even longer, if I take one of these can I change address after 6 months or should I just look for a six month contract?

You can take it with you when you move.

TBH most will push this or that when you ask but if i were you I'd go somewhere like uswitch or moneysavingsexpert and just pull down the list and go for the cheapest that gives you a standard service.

They all use the same infrastructure (aside from Virgin I believe) and there's nothing to chose between any of them, bit like gas and electricity. If you get lucky it will all be set up OK and you will never have a need to call. If you don't then you will and if you get lucky it will all get sorted in an instant or it could be a nightmare

I did it in Spain, same thing applies here too as you'll know

sully · Feb 22, 2016

Cadiz Seagull said:
I'm probably only going to be in this flat for 6 months until moving to something larger. Most contracts seem to be 12 - 18 months or even longer, if I take one of these can I change address after 6 months or should I just look for a six month contract?

I'm pretty sure most contracts will be portable as long as the service can be provided to your new address.

Personally, I've been a Sky phone and broadband customer for a few years now and haven't had many problems. We've even had two lodgers who seem to be permanently on Skype with no real issues. When things have fallen over, I've been quite impressed at how quickly the technical hotline has diagnosed and remedied them.

Official Old Man · Feb 22, 2016

This one-
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/cheap-broadband#plusnetbb
But the offer runs out Tuesday 23rd but another offer will come along.

BensGrandad · Feb 22, 2016

O2 do a sim that can be either put into a dongle or into a tablet. The prices vary but I think when I topped mine up last week they were showing unlimited broadband for 12 months at £75. To 1GB for 7 days at £10

neilbard · Feb 22, 2016

Checkout PlusNet will need a landline

happypig · Feb 22, 2016

You'll need more data than you think. I've used 100+ GB in the last 11 days. We've watched a couple of programs off Amazon video, downloaded about 10gb of TV programs & Streamed the Cardiff game. Then there's general browsing (3 of us) and my son plays games/skypes.
If I were you, I'd go for unlimited BT Infinity if you can get it

BensGrandad · Feb 22, 2016

happypig said:
You'll need more data than you think. I've used 100+ GB in the last 11 days. We've watched a couple of programs off Amazon video, downloaded about 10gb of TV programs & Streamed the Cardiff game. Then there's general browsing (3 of us) and my son plays games/skypes.
If I were you, I'd go for unlimited BT Infinity if you can get it

It is expensive though, I was quoted £44.14 phone and broadband which I agreed o buy then found I could get the same from Vodafone for £21.99 so cancelled BT.

Received an e mail from BT saying that Vodafone hadnt requested closing of Broadband. So I rang BT and they then offered me the same original deal at £24.99 and as I told them had they offered that in the first place I wouldnt have changed

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