Changing broadband supplier

[JBR]

Having experienced well over six months' of unreliable broadband internet connections with Virgin Media, we have at last decided to cancel our contract with them and arrange for an alternative supplier. I might add that querying the problem several times with VM, by telephone and in writing, resulted in their stating that they 'cannot guarantee a constant reliable connection' and that, as far as they are concerned, is as much as they can do.
Other broadband suppliers, being non-cable of course, cannot offer as fast a connection but I am more concerned about reliability than speed.

I have several questions which I hope some people on here may be able to help with.

1. Once having paid for a new BT connection, I realise that we shall have to take out a new contract with an alternative supplier. Any recommendations for a RELIABLE company?

2. Then we shall need our own modem/router, our present one being supplied by VM. Any recommendations please?

3. We shall need to arrange to tansfer our existing telephone number. I understand that this is possible, but how long does it normally take?

4. My wife uses her employer's e-mail address, which she will be able to keep, but I shall need to arrange for a new one. I've heard of Google and Hotmail, for example, but can anyone recommend a good one?

5. Finally, and most importantly, all my e-mail messages (received and sent) are retained on VM's servers (I use IMAP connections) and, I am told, they will remain accessible for a maximum of 90 days. Obviously, I shall need to back them up somehow but I have no idea how to do this. I'd like to keep them (or at least the more recent ones) accessible on my computer indefinitely. I would be very grateful if someone could tell me how best to do this.

Sorry for such a long post and so many questions. Please, can someone offer their advice?

 

[jockscott]

I don't know anything about BB speeds with other suppliers, but at least VM do offer the fastest speeds. Being as BT would be the main "other supplier" and that all other suppliers piggyback on BT lines, then BT surely are the natural choice?? BT Infinity (if available in your area) do offer at least the fastest connection speeds of all the others.. Transferring your existing phone number , should take place either on the day you swap suppliers, or very shortly afterwards.
Routers?? Surely your new supplier will supply a router? (I think they all do anyway)

Wife's employers email.. She should be able to keep this (as she must have all the relevant email settings on her computer anyway) Shouldn't make any difference with a new supplier.

Your VM emails that you want to keep... Personally I'd back these up. Even when VM drop your email connection, these should stay on your computer (even though your email account with VM will no longer be able to connect to VM email,,, Just keep the account settings, no matter how many "errors during the processing " you get) Alternatively, once you have your new email account with your new supplier, forward your VM emails to your new email address, before deleting the VM email account from your email client.
Easy.

 

[JBR]

Thanks, Jock. That sounds pretty easy, although I don't understand your reference to 'errors during the processing'. What does that mean?

 

[jockscott]

Once your VM email account is closed, your present email server settings still try to access it. Of course it won't get the response it's expecting so your email client will throw up an error, something like "Can't access the email server for [email protected]... Please check your settings and retry.
What I have done in the past is , once an email account has been closed by the provider, I delete the email account off my email client ( I currently use Mozilla Thunderbird as mine and have a Sky, Gmail and VM email accounts , all working fine on it)

 

[JBR]

Thanks for that, Jock.

 

[MarkBarl]

1. Once having paid for a new BT connection, I realise that we shall have to take out a new contract with an alternative supplier. Any recommendations for a RELIABLE company?
Get your BB with your phone connection, no need for separate BT contract, most BB supplier will include the line rental.

2. Then we shall need our own modem/router, our present one being supplied by VM. Any recommendations please?
Most supplier will supply one free, usually about £5 p&p

3. We shall need to arrange to tansfer our existing telephone number. I understand that this is possible, but how long does it normally take?
Generally will all happen within 2 weeks.

4. My wife uses her employer's e-mail address, which she will be able to keep, but I shall need to arrange for a new one. I've heard of Google and Hotmail, for example, but can anyone recommend a good one?
Either would be fine.

5. Finally, and most importantly, all my e-mail messages (received and sent) are retained on VM's servers (I use IMAP connections) and, I am told, they will remain accessible for a maximum of 90 days. Obviously, I shall need to back them up somehow but I have no idea how to do this. I'd like to keep them (or at least the more recent ones) accessible on my computer indefinitely. I would be very grateful if someone could tell me how best to do this.
You need to change your email setup to POP. This will download all your emails to your PC.

 

[big-all]

money saving expert/martin lewis has good information
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/?_ga=1.29202683.691880801.1452170945

 

[JBR]

1. Once having paid for a new BT connection, I realise that we shall have to take out a new contract with an alternative supplier. Any recommendations for a RELIABLE company?
Get your BB with your phone connection, no need for separate BT contract, most BB supplier will include the line rental.

Thanks, but we don't have a phone connection. Some time ago, we had a Virgin Media phone line alongside the broadband connection, but for some reason this broke down and VM were unable to fix it. We then decided to use VOIP (Vonage) over the broadband connection, so we don't have a telephone line.

5. Finally, and most importantly, all my e-mail messages (received and sent) are retained on VM's servers (I use IMAP connections) and, I am told, they will remain accessible for a maximum of 90 days. Obviously, I shall need to back them up somehow but I have no idea how to do this. I'd like to keep them (or at least the more recent ones) accessible on my computer indefinitely. I would be very grateful if someone could tell me how best to do this.
You need to change your email setup to POP. This will download all your emails to your PC.

I have. Since getting a new laptop, I decided to use Microsoft Office Outlook 2007, as my previous mail clients Thunderbird and Sea Monkey suddently both failed to work. Both were IMAP, as is my web-based VM mail service. The problem is that Outlook won't work with IMAP and automatically sets itself up as POP. Unfortunately, the only inbox and sent items that appear to be available are those which I have sent/received since using Outlook.
If you know of some way to get Outlook to import or otherwise access all my earlier IMAP messages (or perhaps only those of the past year or so - there must be thousands on the VM servers) I'd be very grateful.

 

[PBC_1966]

Being as BT would be the main "other supplier" and that all other suppliers piggyback on BT lines

Yes and no. As far as the physical lines from the exchange to your home are concerned, they are now owned and maintained by BT's OpenReach division*, so yes, whoever you get DSL service with they will be using these BT lines for the actual connection from the DSLAM in the exchange to your home.

But the connection to the exchange from the outside world is a slightly different matter. In many areas now there is what is known as LLU (Local Loop Unbundling), which means that other providers rent space in the exchange from BT and install their own equipment and their own links to the outside world. If you get service from one of these providers, or some other provider who in turn uses one of these, then your DSLAM port is jumpered to that proider's equipment in the exchange, so it's just BT's line to your house being used.

If you are served by an exchange which has no LLU, or you use a provider (or dependent) which doesn't have facilities there, then you'll be operating over the BT Wholesale network links.


* Residents of the Hull area excepted.

 

[foxhole]

Changing supplier is no guarantee of a reliable connection, have had problems with all the main suppliers.

 

[ericmark]

I know my daughter had problems. I also know when she did the last change the provider got a new line put in by Open Reach which resulted in a change in telephone number and her broad band improved very much. Sorry don't know who she used.

I have also had problems over the years, it is still not what I would say is A1. However there was a vast improvement when we went to Sky fibre still copper into house but the boxes changed. The old box did three jobs.
1) It took the 50 volt line and reduced it to a much lower voltage.
2) It had a router which took all internal computers etc and linked them together.
3) It had a wireless connection to wireless devices.
The first job is now done by a new box, so we have two boxes.
1) Openreach box takes the 50 volt line and converts to extra low voltage.
2) Sky box has the router and wireless router.
Because two separate boxes we some times get it where we know it is line fault or know it is internal routing fault.

About 3 weeks ago they changed the street lamp outside my house from a son to LED. Since that point all problems with internet have vanished.

 

[jaysta]

Many of my friends who are in non-cabled areas have good things to say about Plusnet

HTH

 

[PBC_1966]

Many of my friends who are in non-cabled areas have good things to say about Plusnet

PlusNet was my ISP for my last few years in England, and I had no major issues. I think about twice the service went out for a couple of hours over a period of 4 to 5 years, but that was down to local BT Wholesale network issues as I was out in the sticks with no LLU, so the outages would have affected the line no matter who the provder. (PlusNet is now owned by BT, by the way - Unless it's changed again since I left!)