International ISP
 

Please may I have recommendations on a good ISP for use on a worldwide basis, but mainly UK. I currently use Aol but am becoming increasingly annoyed that they do not allow use of any e-mail program other than their own, I would like to use Outlook. They also have some very high surcharges in some parts of Europe. Would like to hear first hand experience of others and where to go to sign up.

Thanks!

CompuServe worked well for me this summer in France and Spain; but I won't recommend it over any others for the simple reason that I have no knowledge of any others.

The access 'phone number available from the CompuServe program itself worked; but we had to call the French HelpLine number to find out that to get the WWW Server you had to configure CompuServe to use the "National" network and not the "CompuServe" network. Very confusing. If all you want is the use of the Mail Server you may get by with Outlook or Outlook Express but there may be a problem because CompuServe uses a script file to log on. Before I go again, I shall experiment more here in the UK without using CompuServe's own software.

I spent a small fortune in mobile 'phone charges but, as luck would have it, it was worth it from the money we saved on our next holiday by being able to rearrange it!

I'm talking here about CompuServe 4 not CompuServe 2000.

Also used compuserve around Asia, Australia and Europe. Only one not successful was Thailand.
Costs me around 10GBP per month, and all th ephone calls are local.

Try www.cix.co.uk

They have good global roaming and are a reliable UK ISP

If you want to compare ISPs take a look at www.ispreview.co.uk

IBM Global Net - but it's not cheap and does not cover everywhere(I am also using AOL).

If you are in a country on a regular basis you can often get Internet access at very low cost. I am being charged $10 a month 'unlimited access' for an ISP in West Africa and I use it with AOL (advanced dial up 'with ISP' option, cheaper than AOL surcharge) and my colleagues use it with POP3 connection to their ISP's.

I understand that the new Netscape 6 will be similar to Outlook Express and allow use of AOL as well (they do own Netscape now of course).

[This message has been edited by Boss Raptor (edited 24 November 2000).]