broadband help needed!

[seb]

I am currently with AOL on a 1mp uncapped connection. This costs £17.99 a month

I have a standard £10.50 bt phone line which i have a direct debit for £25 a month to cover my calls. I am currently £50 in credit with BT as i don't normally spend £25 a month on calls.

So in total i pay £42.99 a moth for BB and telephone.

Several BB providers offer free calls for evening and during the daytime. I would prefer free callss all the time as i do shift work.

for example:

tiscali:

* £14.99 per month for unlimited 2Mb (40x speed) broadband
+ phone bundle including free weekend calls
* £17.99 per month for unlimited up to 8Mb (160x speed) broadband
+ phone bundle including free weekend calls
* £19.99 per month for unlimited 2Mb (40x speed) broadband
+ unlimited free local and national UK calls
* Free connection - save £50
* Free modem - save £50
* Free local and national phone calls every weekend
- savings on standard BT call rates at other times
* Free e-mail anti-spam & anti-virus service

BT:

* £9.95 per month up to 8Mb (160x speed) BT Total Broadband
- special offer for first 6 months (usually £17.99 per month)
- upgrade to BT Home Hub wireless for only £30 (on-line orders only)
- 2GB monthly usage allowance included (regular user)
* £14.99 per month for up to 8Mb (160x speed) BT Total Broadband
- special offer for first 3 months (usually £22.99 per month)
- free wireless BT Home Hub router (on-line orders only)
share your broadband connection without wires
- free PC security software from Norton + identity theft support
- 6GB monthly usage allowance included (heavy user)
- upgrade to 40GB monthly usage allowance for £22.99 per month
* Free connection
* Free modem/router for online orders - save £25
* 24-hour support line at local call rates
* E-mail with anti-spam and anti-virus protection
* Parental controls and enhanced security features for total protection
* Free 250 minutes of Openzone Wi-Fi access a month
- keep connected away from home
* Free evening and weekend BroadbandTalk calls
* Compatible with Playstation Net, Xbox Live and Apple Mac
* Single bill for broadband and BT phone

orange:

* £14.99 per month for 1Mb (20x speed) broadband
- 30-day risk free trial - get your money back if it’s not right for you
- 2GB monthly usage allowance (regular user)
* £17.99 per month for up to 8Mb (160x speed) broadband
- free evening and weekend calls to UK landlines
- 2GB monthly usage allowance (regular user)
* £27.99 per month for up to 8Mb (160x speed) unlimited broadband
- free calls to UK landlines 24 hours a day
- free calls to Orange mobiles for Orange pay monthly mobile customers
* Free connection - save £30
* Free modem - save up to £80
* Free wireless home network with free phone calls package
- connect up to 6 computers to the Internet wire-free
- includes Livebox wireless equipment - save £80
- provides a second broadband phone line with no line rental to pay
- exclusive to Orange Broadband 8Mb services
* Free upgrade to 8Mb service when available in your area
- nationwide upgrade programme now underway
- sign-up to any 8Mb service to qualify
* Free McAfee parental controls and privacy service
* Unlimited e-mail addresses and free web space
* Fully compatible with Playstation Net and Xbox Live

pipex:

* £14.99 per month for up to 8Mb (160x speed) broadband
- only £6.50 when ordered with Pipex Anytime unlimited calls package
- 2GB monthly usage allowance (regular user)
* £23.99 per month for up to 8Mb (160x speed) broadband
- only £9.99 when ordered with Pipex Anytime unlimited calls package
- 15GB monthly usage allowance (heavy user)
* £33.99 per month for unlimited up to 8Mb (160x speed) broadband
- only £14.99 when ordered with Pipex Anytime unlimited calls package
* Free connection for online orders
* Free modem for online orders
* Free firewall and anti-virus software
* Includes web space and 100MB e-mail storage

talk talk:

* £20.99 per month for up to 8Mb (160x speed) broadband
- unlimited UK landline calls
- unlimited International calls to 28 countries
- includes phone line rental - no need to pay BT
- 40GB monthly usage allowance included (heavy user)
* Free modem for on-line orders
* £29.99 connection charge
* Single bill for broadband and phone
* Earn Nectar loyalty points on every bill
* TalkTalk are part of the Carphone Warehouse group
* This service currently has limited UK coverage and potentially long delays for broadband connection. You may be offered an alternative broadband service for an extra £9.99 a month

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I am getting really confused with all the options!

As i can see only talk talk offer the package that includes the BT line rental cost of £10.50.

All the others i presume you still have to pay the line rental. I have checked the websites but detials about the calls are very vague.

Basically, i want free calls and a better conenction (wouldn't mind wireless for xbox when i get it). I have checked and my line will accept 4.5mb as a max.

Does anyone know if the free calls is for the phone calls andf not for calls made though the broadband connection, like skype is?

Please help a very confused cs moderator!!!!

I am verging towards pipex or tiscali as i think i would need an uncapped connection.

 

[Munson]

From what I can gather the Talk Talk package is very popular and a veritable bargain. I'd go for that if I didnt have the option of cable. I use 10mb NTL & 10mb Telewest at my home and rented home respectively. I wouldnt settle for anything less than 8mb now, and Talk Talk seems to offer the goods.

 

[seb]

yeah i am leaning towards a 4.5mp connection. I just seem to be paying a lot for what i get including the phone.

I am jsut about to enquire with aol about whether their free calls are via a skype system or via nornal means if you get me.

 

[Munson]

Its a lot simpler for me dude. At home I pay £34.99 for NTL 10mb and at my other place up north I pay £40 for 10mb plus cable TV included.

If I were you I'd get the Talk Talk deal though

 

[KyleB]

if your planning on using it for games, dont go for a capped 2g/b a month connection, you will use that up in no time.

demon.net do a 19.99/month for unlimited 2 meg but you still have to pay for your calls on top and line rental.

 

[seb]

yeah i have just signed up to aol free calls for £7 a mth as it will cut my bt bill form £25 to £17.50.

it has no minimum contract so i can cancel it at anypoint

will continue to try and find a better value bb supplier.

 

[KyleB]

also i have heard nothing but bad things about tiscali.

and there are people posting on the net that talk talk broadband stops you using certain applications, namely peer to peer and some games. I havent experienced this first hand however

 

[seb]

cheers^^^

bit of a wild card - bt total broadband. seems good value and ideal for me as they will soon be releasing their freeview tv service as i can't currently get that where i am living.