I haven't decided on whether to try BT Anytime or AOL yet, but AOL seems better value as the helpline no. is free whereas it's premium rate with BT, but then AOL is more intrusive......Anyone know what happens to the contents of your IE 'favourites' folder? Do they automatically transfer to AOL favourites?

After all my comments about Freeserve, I tried AOL. I lasted less than 2 weeks!
I found it very difficult to get used to having been "brought up" using Outlook Express and IE. It seemed to take over everything and my PC ran slower. The Norton CPU usage meter ran at 70%+ whenever AOL was open regardless of whether or not I was actually using it.
If you can put up with the differences then AOL is OK (20m+ people can't be wrong, can they?) but it is IMHO an acquired taste.
I'm still with Freeserve for now on the unlimited time package (closed for new subscriptions). They're "anytime" is £3 pm cheaper than both AOL and BT so may be worth considering. I can't believe I wrote that!

Cossack:

(20m+ people can't be wrong, can they?)

Are you serious? Did you see how many people voted for Bush?

Unwell
Nuff said!!! :)

Does anyone else use Plusnet?

I changed to them from Demon last July because they could offer me 24/7 access in conjunction with Surftime and on the recommendation of a satisfied friend.

Service has been fine until the last few days when I am having lots of problems logging on a) in connecting at all, and b) having connected, having the message 'unable to extablish a connection' on verifying user name and password.

At times I'm having to connect via another ISP, paying local calls, thus defeating the object of the 24/7 access.

Agent P:

That's exactly what made me dump Freeserve Time (i.e the unlimited deal). There was no explanation or apology, just a consistent failure to connect. I knew that this was a management decision, and it was just the insult to my intelligence that I resented.

Sod 'em!

Agent P, if you want to find out why your plusnet connection doesn't work now, see http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/For...ML/000711.html
:mad:

Many thanks for that information mik...explains a lot.

Demon's connectivity WAS excellent but 24/7 is expensive with them. I would really like to install adsl but can't get it on my exchange.

I think I will have to change isps sooner rather than later.

I've been on freeserve for ages, on the off peak deal. All fine until a couple of weeks ago when I couldn't connect for about 3 days. Rang them and discovered that for new members they have a new off peak freephone number, which existing customers may also use.
So if you are having trouble getting through on 0844 040 2001
Try changing the number to 0844 040 4951.
Its really easy to do, just change it in the properties section.
Since then I had one problem using the old number, tried the new, and connected straight away.
So there's a good tip for you all.

Telewest: It's a con! I called them this morning to ask about it. We have a cable phone at our student house in Birmingham, so we regularly rack up in excess of £40 of calls every month. I read in the Birmingham Cable (= Telewest) booklet that the deal is like that of NTL... spend £10 or more on phone bills, and get your internet free. Otherwise, your monthly bill is made up to £10. Not so!!!! There's a £10/month charge, AND you have to spend more than £10 a month on telephone bills.

I hate to hear myself say it, but AOL I have found to be the best value for money. The really annoying thing is that software... aaargh!!! I hate it. BUT, as an individual user it would only cost me £15.99 (or whatever) per month, with no requirement to clock up x amount of telephone calls.

Disadvantages with AOL= The software and the fact that often I have to leave the computer about 5 minutes before I hear the 'Welcome to AOL' message, signalling when I can start my PPRuNing.

But, the best internet access I've ever used HAS to be the University's connection to ja.net. Lightning quick: even at peak times (11am to 3pm). And if you are on campus at 6pm, after everyone's gone home... well, let's just say I have quite a bit of MP3 too. If you're serious about your surfing, then a fixed line connection cannot be beaten.

Have to agree,

I have just had blueyonder high speed (500/250k)cable modem put in.

Its quick ;-)

Oh thanks. We do our best to keep PPRuNe running as fast as possible and you go and do you best to overload our server with your T3 university connections, high speed cable modems, direct fibre-optic links, ...

Time to talk to Danny about upgrading the PPRuNe server to a 64-CPU Unix box I've got my eye on :)

Actually we do have plans to significantly upgrade the hardware very shortly. Stay tuned!

---PPD

I have BT Openworld and when it works it is great, but it can be very hit and miss.

Lots of connection problems and I was even without it for 3 days as there was a "problem woth the line".

Not what I would expect when paying £40.00 pm!

Love

ClaraNet (if you don't want to use it during the day - cos it costs!)

Hate

AOL - The software really mucks up your machine.

Freeserve - All been said before
BtInternet - All been said before

Just had a flyer in from Madasafish who are offering a service similar to Clara at 11.99 or all the time at 27.99.

In my experience you get what you pay for

Others have said this, but I'll re-iterate it anyway:

BTInternet Anytime - £14.99 pcm, never had a problem logging in, good connection speed, not intrusive, uses bog-standard browser, unlike AOL (ptui)... :)

Just into my second week of the AOL trial and have to agree with the above comments about the software. I think I'll just have to learn to live with it though. Of all the ISP's I've tried, it consistently gives the fastest connection speeds and coupled with a free support number, that I haven't as yet tried, would seem to offer the best value for money. I just wish they'd stuck with IE/Netscape front-end.

Just to update my previous post re PlusNet.

I am currently having no problems logging on which is great. However I'm not sure whether I trust them enough to go with them on their FRIACO deal when I WOULD be at their mercy.

Still mulling it over...

I use ntlworld.

The price has just gone up, to 14.99 UKP /month from 9.99 UKP <grumble, grumble>.

This gives 24/7 access via freecall number as well as 14.99 UKP worth of phone calls.

There's a one-off 10 quid charge for a phone adapter that divert calls through the NTL network.

Calls charges over 14.99 in value are charged at NTL's rates ~ 1 p/min less than BT / plus 3.5 p connection. National calls are charged at local rates.

I used to connect at 44k (max 48) but since Xmas the line speed has dropped to about 38k (max 42).