BROADBAND & PHONE PACKAGES

Wed 19 Sep 2018, 11:32

We use Plusnet for broadband and find them very good. Their service desk is based in the UK and as mentioned elsewhere has real people who answer the phone.

There is one, rather big, consideration however. If you use Plusnet's email system to send messages to gmail accounts, they are often delayed by Google, sometimes for several days. There are many complaints about this on the Plusnet Forum, and elsewhere, of the problems this causes and is because Plusnet does not use some of the security settings that Google insists on. There is a work around, that we use, and is described in detail on many web sites, and basically uses the fact that Google allows anyone with a Google account to use its outgoing sever to send messages using Plusnet's email system. It's a little involved setting all this up unfortunately.

Tue 18 Sep 2018, 23:19

Many thanks for the very helpful comments posted.

Tue 18 Sep 2018, 15:38 (last edited on Tue 18 Sep 2018, 15:39)

I'm happy to recommend the Phone Coop too. I've had several accounts with them over a number of years and have always received excellent service. Not only do you speak to real people, many of them are based up the road in Chipping Norton.
I have no connection other than being a customer.
www.thephone.coop/

Tue 18 Sep 2018, 10:33 (last edited on Tue 18 Sep 2018, 10:40)

I would strongly recommend our local phone provider - the Phone Coop (I'm a customer and member). It doesn't advertise widely - but it gives a very good (and ethical) service. The key is its less expensive than many - but run out of Chipping Norton, and you quite often get the same person if you want to speak to customer services. I had the "ordinary" service at 17mbs and it worked fine, they offer super fast for a couple of pounds a month more. Details at https://www.thephone.coop

Just to note that they are now part of the midcounties - our regional retail cooperative - so are backed by an organisation with considerable financial muscle (and you get dividends based on phone bill if a midcounties member)

Mon 17 Sep 2018, 22:19

Brian,

Plusnet ( discounted BT) is good ( but they demand an 18 month contract) for a rolling monthly contract SSE provide a good service too. With respect to negotiation on rates, a new provider has to give the same offerings to all new customers. Your existing provider is not bound by these restrictions imposed by the Regulator. Securing the best quote you can ( irrespective if whether or not it is any good) is a good starting point for a discussion with your existing provider. I pay £33pcm for 66Mbps which delivers 76Mbps and phone calls to Plusnet

Mon 17 Sep 2018, 19:51

Have you tried suggesting to EE/Orange that if they can not give a decent discount you will move elsewhere; it's what I did and I managed to get them to reduce my monthly cost to the equal of others that I had already asked for quotes.
EE sometimes gets poor reviews but having used them for a few years now I have always received excellent service; fast connection (I get 37 Mb/s from the 38Mb/s I pay for), and it has not dropped out ever that I can remember.

Mon 17 Sep 2018, 19:06

Have a look at Utility Warehouse; you can also get electricity, gas, mobile phone, cashback card and home insurance from them. The more services you take the cheaper it becomes.

Mon 17 Sep 2018, 13:55

I have used Plus Net for the past few years. It nearly always works and costs me about £35 a month including telephone calls. If something does go wrong you can speak to a real person!

Mon 17 Sep 2018, 11:35

Can anyone help with advice re a good broadband provider please, as we feel that Orange/E E are now charging us too much.

We don't need super fast, just a good reliable service with landline calls included in a package.

Many thanks.