UK: O2 Broadband users?

[arkitect]

Just wondering if anyone has signed up for O2's £15/month "Ultimate" Broadband package? (£15/month for Pay monthly customers). Up to 20MB and unlimited.

I am with VirginMedia right now — my contract has just expired so the time is right to move… It'll more than half my Broadband bill (paying £37.00/mth) for the same speed service.

The VirginMedia speeds have been great (for me) so am hesitant to "fix what ain't broke" Is the monthly saving worth the inevitable pain and agony of a new ISP?
On the other hand saving some £'s is always a good idea, if only for that it allows me to go spend it elsewhere!

Any advice?

 

[Applespider]

I've got regular Be broadband - which is what the O2 badged service is - and have it for nearly 2 years with few problems. There were a couple of 30 minute outages early on which were resolved quickly.

Occasionally, they'll send a mail to say that they'll be working at the exchange and you might lose the service for an hour or so but to be honest, it's never really affected me.

Bear in mind that the speed you get will depend on how close to the exchange you are. I live less than a km a way and synch at about 18MB. The further away you are, the lower the speed you'll get.

 

[arkitect]

I've got regular Be broadband - which is what the O2 badged service is - and have it for nearly 2 years with few problems. There were a couple of 30 minute outages early on which were resolved quickly.

Bear in mind that the speed you get will depend on how close to the exchange you are.

Thanks for the reply…
I am reassured if it is just a rebranded Be — have always heard good things about them.

Yes, the distance thing… Myself on VMedia 20MB am getting around 17-19MB which is fine. So I have to be reasonably close to an exchange…

I see O2 have a 100 day money back guarantee… hmm. Maybe I'll give it a try.

 

[bigandy]

I would not touch that, but then again I wouldn't touch any broadband service that said "Unlimited" and then "fair usage policy applies".

arkitect, if you're on VMedia, and you're getting 20mb, doesn't that mean you're on cable? If you are and it works well, don't change.

 

[arkitect]

I would not touch that, but then again I wouldn't touch any broadband service that said "Unlimited" and then "fair usage policy applies".

Well right now my existing VirginMedia agreement also says "unlimited" with a "fair usage policy clause" — never had any problem with it… thus far.

arkitect, if you're on VMedia, and you're getting 20mb, doesn't that mean you're on cable? If you are and it works well, don't change.

Yup. That's what has me thinking twice about jumping to O2… Maybe I can negotiate a better deal with Virgin.

 

[Applespider]

I would not touch that, but then again I wouldn't touch any broadband service that said "Unlimited" and then "fair usage policy applies".

I've never noticed any traffic shaping on my Be service. It comes down at the same speed all the time. I watch NFL streamed games at weekend which adds up to about 3GB of data each Sunday evening plus regular browsing/downloading traffic and there's never been any problem. Be's fair usage policy appears to be 'don't take the proverbial' as opposed to others where you go 1GB over a small limit and you're screwed. Virgin's fair limit before they start traffic shaping is pitiful in comparison.

 

[nuttyboy78]

If you are really that concerned about switching from cable to broadband via telephone, try out the sky broadband website. If you enter your landline number in the box provided, it will let you know what your maximum speed is likely to be. That should give you an idea. I've looked long and hard at this and almost switched to O2 from BT but didn't as I had to leave O2 mobile as they gave me a raw deal after 2 years of being on their service.