UK ISP Recomendations?

[Martin Naef]

paul.maddox.mail-list at synth.net wrote:
>  I've had enough of my current ISP (freedom2surf), crap service and
> utterly useless support... Don't beleive me, I just ran this test, check
> out that download speed!
> 
> http://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest/results/id/12080973426322723111.html
> 
>  Can anyone recomend a GOOD uk supplier of broadband?

I don't think that exists... I'm currently with Orange as I was 
interested in their phone package that includes free international 
calls. They've been reasonably reliable (not perfect), speed is ok 
(measured 6MB downstream with the test above), and unlike BT, their 
customer service is actually reachable. But they are just as horrible 
when comes to actually providing service as BT - I had a phone number 
change which resulted in a full month downtime for Internet because 
somebody messed up the configuration... Earlier on, BT took about 6 
weeks to just give us a phone line (they messed up the phone number 
transfer though, which was good fun...).

Trouble is, ADSL is provided by BT all over the UK, so you're stuck with 
their non-existent service. At the previous place, I was with NTL (-> 
Virgin). I didn't have any major problems there, but it wasn't exactly 
the pinnacle of service either, and I'm sure you'll find just as many 
horror stories as I had with BT (I think the problem with the number 
transfer started at Virgin...).

Welcome to the UK "service"-industry.

Bye
Martin