Haven and Viper were both very weak. Speedbird London were great, as was Canadian MACCS. USAF Global was a bit....variable.
Phonepatch to Artichoke to request Wx for somewhere not on VOLMET meant that the operator would have to write out the request message, hand it to someone else who would then ask the MetO to fax the information back...so it could take ages to get the info. Whereas Speedbird would simply type the ICAO into their system and read it out to you.
But it was easier to communicate with the dead than with Cyprus FW!
Surely all this is in the past now, though? Isn't it all sent via ACARS or similar to RAF aircraft these days?