.. Customer..
What are your experiences with the NTL / Virgin Broadband..
I've been using ADSL but I'm considering the whole package with Virgin. Specifically:
1. 20mb connections.. what are your speed tests coming in at?
2. Modem / Router options.. are any of you guys using wireless?
3. any of you using a fixed IP (do they offer such a thing?) and your own domain name?
Thanks..
NF
been with telewest for about 5 years and Virgin for the last few months. My 20Mb connection gives me about 18Mb down and full 768k upload from sites that can support it. However, if the network is real busy you will see that drop off - there are also lots of servers out there that restrict your downloads to to a few 10s of kbps.
I take VIP package which is free calls (only pay 6p connection charge then speak for an hour), full TV package (inc Sky movies/Sport/Setanta etc) and XL Broadband (20Mb).
I use a Draytek router with a 3com Access Point, they supplied a Scientific Atlanta modem. basically, its an ethernet so just run a cable from modem to any router you want.
NB that they have recently introduced a rate capping exercise for those who hog all the bandwidth at peak times. If you download more than 3Gb between 1600 and 2400 (if I remember correctly) then you get cut back from 20Mb to 5Mb. I just set my downloads for other times if they are large and revel in the fact that the net is reasonably responsive in the evening because of it :)
However, I know there are many who are frustrated with the whole Virgin media thing and some are having lots of probs with speeds (overloaded UBRs etc) but I guess the majority are happy.
You do not get a fixed IP (they will not give you one unless you take a business package) but I leave my modem on 24/7 and have had the same IP for 3 years - I use dyndns to act as a DNS server to allow me access via a domain name.
You can find lots of people grumbling and a few praising at:
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=7
I was looking at this too, for just £29 it seems a bargin. I'm already with them and get good speeds when it's not busy. And since the modem they give is separate and is plugged into a router it is always connected to the internet (so static ip - short of a power cut. I used to be able to find the link on their website for detail of a static IP but can't anymore but I'm sure if you rang...)
To answer question two, just plug the modem via cat5 into your router and it can work through the routers wireless and wired conections.
I'm with Virgin under the 20mb broadband, and currently getting similiar speeds as BB, fairly happy overall. They are usually pretty helpful on the phone. All other broadband companies are copper wire i believe, so we're sticking with Virgin anyway.
Ok i have been an ntl customer and then virgin customer. I have always been impressed with their customer service and technical support with the speeds always exceeding my expectations. My connection from the bromley exchange is stable and gives a good upload and download. I have done a few tests at both peak and off peak times and i have been getting speeds of around 19999kb/s. My other account which i setup with virgin media was for my university house at the poole exchange which was provided with tv, phone and internet for £39 per month. This included sky sports, setanta plus XL tv and small telephone. Recently i have been annoyed at the costs that have been implemented with virgins tech support and wrote a letter explaining that i would no longer be ringing in with heads up calls as the calls were going to be charged at 10p connection charge with 25p per minute afterwards. I haven't heard back since. Apart from that i am happy with my 20mb line at home and just got my bioshock demo at 1.8gb's in less than 10 minutes. New customers seem to be charged £25 for installation when this was usually free before.
Quote from: Lee;202420I'm with Virgin under the 20mb broadband, and currently getting similiar speeds as BB, fairly happy overall. They are usually pretty helpful on the phone. All other broadband companies are copper wire i believe, so we're sticking with Virgin anyway.
Useful customer support unless you're complaining. I think the longest I was on hold (not including the time I spent sorting out the problem) was 48:30 mins. I've got a home phone with speaker so when I went to switch it off I checked the time. I got transfered 4 times, all to the wrong departments (this was using a phone line other than the one they provided...if I use their phone I'm transfered less times).
I'm pretty good with computers and live in a house with 3 (yes 3) computer scientists, so if it's a fault at our end we can usually fix it ourselves. But when we have to complain, it's usually too much for any of us to bare. (P.S: When using the "we'll ring you back" service, it seems the ringing back is optional for them)
I have 20mb broadband and get close to that almost all the time. However you'd be surprised how few sites can feed you 20 megs a second when you download. Popular BitTorrents go like greased lightening though.
Two negatives are
1. 25pence a minute to phone for technical support. However if the cause of your problem is down to Virgin i.e. network outage you don't pay for the call. Plus at that price no one phones them so you get straight through to a UK call centre
2. They still have multiple billing systems they picked up from NTL, Telewest etc. I was speaking to a Customer Support person who told me they started out with 15 billing systems that couldn't talk to each other. They now have it down to three and it will all be on one system by Xmas. However I still need two account numbers and get two bills, one for the phone and one for the broadband.
However it gets a big thumbs up from me.
I have the 20 meg leased line
20 meg up/down.. (posh git with servers real servers not home made ones)
works fine always
have the netgear WNR854T gigabit router and an 8 port netgear switch..
wireless is built in and runs at 300mbits/sec (upgraded internal wifi on sony lappy).. also a 24 port cisco switch also gig and managed
not really had any probs with diamond cable/ntl/virgin (pick name that sticks) when i was a residential customer cmr service was crap now im paying through nose resolution times are within 6 hours so not bad really