BT Anytime further restrictions

[Tee]

BT recently restricted internet access under its "BT Anytime" package to 12 hours a day. Further restrictions from 1st November will impose a 150 hours a month limit - that's 5 hours a day - not a lot really. I can't believe their cheek - they tell us they've had to do it because we all wanted to use the unresticted access they sold us in the first place. Time to go elsewhere.

[Tartan Gannet]

I had a notification for BT that I was exceeding these time limits and suggesting I change to their Home 500 Broadband ADSL. Ive done so and am quite satisfied with it but would warn users that it has problems with Win ME and will if installed with that OS allow one to log in but will then not allow you to access any websites nor e-mail etc. I removed ME and re-installed Win 98 SE and it works perfectly. It is also okey with Win 2000 Professional as on my laptop. When Dell finally condescend to deliver the new computer I have ordered I will tell you how it works with Win XP Professional.

Frankly, although ME looks attractive and has the useful facility to save and restore a setup, it is full of instabilities to say the least and is better avoided.

Anyone else got WIN ME problems, in particular with the Internet?

[rob_frost]

Its BT. Nothing should surprise you.

[Nightrider]

The answer is OneTel, real 24/7 with no restrictions, maximum 2 cut offs per day but instant re-connection...
BT does not even consider that there are people out there who can do whatever they want and no Broadband available, unless you look at the extraorbitant price tag of satellite Internet....

[rob_frost]

I've been thinking about OneTel. You seem to have got it? Whats the speed like? I get on average 45Kbs with Freeserve Anytime, but you get cut off after 2hrs. Downloads are never above 5KBs consistently.

[Rollingthunder]

300 hours/month, no cut-offs unless idle more than 20 minutes (saves me time). Cheap as chips. ISP doesn't play silly games.

[Nightrider]

BT send me the note some time back...
searched a few hours and jumped on OneTel website.
Setup is extremely easy, excellent helpdesk if required.
I have ISDN, always 64k, since about 5 months absolutely no problem at all.
FTP transfer runs around 8-9 kb/sec, gives you about 30 MB an hour.
Don't know why, but it sometimes drops the line up to 2 times a day. Have setting on automatically reconnect on line loss and works fine. Onetel says that they change the IP address once a day, so they induce one drop.
No limits at all....
Also a side-effect, calls abroad are much cheaper with them compared to BT, but watch the local calls....
Setting up and starting to work with it happens instantly...
Not being able to join the broadband access this is an alternative to look at.

[KwikPhix]

I'm absolutely raging now :mad: 5 hours is nothing in my house, with my wife, 3 kids and myself all using the internet at different times of the day and night ( i work weird shifts days , backs and nights). I have been an Anytime customer since it started, but have watched with dismay as the service has been eroded, i notice they haven't reduced the prices though !!

The actual BT internet service has been rock solid for months now , with no glitches whatsoever. I don't want to cut off my nose to spite my face , but BT really don't deserve to have my custom and money any more- enough is enough.

I would subscribe to broadband , but unfortunatly it isn't available in my area/exchange. so....

Could somebody possibly provide a list of alternatives please.

must be genuine 'Anytime' type access and a good service.

will i have to change all of my family's e-mail addresses , which would be a major pain , or can i keep the '@ btinternet' address and just get them forwarded if i change ISP.

Thanks for any advice - I'm not an IT expert.

[Woff1965]

I am with AOL. I pay a flat rate fee per month and have virtually no restrictions. Connection speeds are OK ie never less than 45500 and often 48250. To date I have had zero problems with them since I signed up at Xmas 2001.

However during busy periods I do find it difficult to log on to the service.

I am considering braodband but I am waiting for prices to drop. AOL broadband is a definite no no as they want silly money per month to connect. I heard Pipex are ok but has anyone got any experience of their broadband service.