Barrs Court Red Posted March 20, 2007 Report Share Posted March 20, 2007 http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews77097.htmlIt seems to me, like with their TV service, they are trying to do everything on the cheap and blaming everyone else. Like the Sky channnels fiasco, they refuse to spend the money to provide a service they provide.Luckily I got my tv through Sky, and untill yesterday was convinced my slow net speed was down to a configuration error with my router, but now it all becomes clear.Virgin are a waste of time - I should have known not to touch anything associated with NTL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted March 20, 2007 Report Share Posted March 20, 2007 I'm moving to Sky in a few months however, I'm keeping the 10MB Blueyonder/Virgin Media broadband which has been flawless in my experience. The TV ain't great & I want a Sky+ box nor am I precious about the phone service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrs Court Red Posted March 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2007 I take it your using cable broadband? When i booked all this they said the option wasn't available where I live, now it says it is yet wont let me transfer, and besides, I shelled out on an adsl router so would lose out if I switched to cable.If you do have cable, apparently that service is unneffected by this latest farce.Worryingly it looks like it may be difficult to get out of my contract. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topbuzz Posted March 20, 2007 Report Share Posted March 20, 2007 Ive stayed with Virgin for my Net n phone which i found pretty good Moved 2 Sky few weeks back sky plus isnt as good as the virgin tv drive box And generally most of channels are same but with more rubbish I would of stayed with Virgin if not for Sky 1 n Sky sports news Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrs Court Red Posted March 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2007 Are you on a cable or DSL connection?I terms of value for money, the virgin packages are good. Suprised your dissapointed with Sky, first time I've gone with Sky and have been really impressed. Do find times where there is nothing on remotely interesting, but then I suppose you'll get that whatever type of telly you go for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topbuzz Posted March 20, 2007 Report Share Posted March 20, 2007 The recording time on the TV drive was 80 hours on sky plus 40 Apart from that not much different Just was used 2 t'west I suppose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted March 20, 2007 Report Share Posted March 20, 2007 I take it your using cable broadband?Yes. I wouldn't touch ADSL ever again. Also, Blueyonder/Virgin media support the 10MB service with a free wireless modem that has been excellent. At it's weakest (where it has 2 walls to contend with before the signal reaches my laptop), it still connects at around 3MB.As for Virgin Media TV...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrs Court Red Posted March 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2007 Just found what could well be a 30 day money back clause! http://allyours.virginmedia.com/money_back_guarantee.htmlIt sounds like it may be to do with the telly, but it's worth a try! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted March 20, 2007 Report Share Posted March 20, 2007 Just found what could well be a 30 day money back clause! http://allyours.virginmedia.com/money_back_guarantee.htmlIt sounds like it may be to do with the telly, but it's worth a try!Post up your results when you get them as I'm sure there will be others in the same boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zookeeper Posted March 20, 2007 Report Share Posted March 20, 2007 Has everyone been transferred over to Virgin TV yet or are people like me still on a very jerky blueyonder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrs Court Red Posted March 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2007 Everyone should have/will be moved over.It seems slow lines aren't just restricted to Virgin right now, the whole national roll out of 8mb ADSL seems a right cock up.I might just sit tight and wait for 1) Things to improve 2) Some to provide cable broadband in my area apart from sodding Virgin! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dollymarie Posted March 20, 2007 Report Share Posted March 20, 2007 It seems slow lines aren't just restricted to Virgin right now, the whole national roll out of 8mb ADSL seems a right cock up.You got that right. Please don't get me started on bloody Pipex, however cheap it sounds please don't SIGN UP TO THEM!!!Worst mistake I made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrs Court Red Posted March 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2007 APPARENTLY, a number of ISP's are advising a lower mb connection will be more stable.If you want to know how far from the exchange you are http://www.samknows.com/broadband/search.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nibor Posted March 20, 2007 Report Share Posted March 20, 2007 I've always used Telewest Blueyonder cable broadband for internet (not TV, can't stand the ghey menu).Their internet service has been nothing short of superb in terms of reliability, the fact that it's increased from 1meg to 8meg over a number of years without any price increases, and it's never been capped in any way.I can get free BT DSL broadband from Orange or Sky if I want and I still pay Telewest £35 a month because the service has been excellent. I have a residential connection and get away with running a web site, a file share, the odd bit of online gaming, a VPN for when I work away and obviously tonnes of surfing. I've noticed absolutely no difference whatsoever since Virgin bought Telewest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted March 20, 2007 Report Share Posted March 20, 2007 Here here. Smashing service, excellent download & upload rates & the 10MB often connects nearer 12MB. Like you I use it for running several websites, file sharing, gaming, networking etc. I'd need to be very convinced to move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrs Court Red Posted March 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2007 Like I said chaps, it's not the cable internet that is the problem........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted March 20, 2007 Report Share Posted March 20, 2007 Like I said chaps, it's not the cable internet that is the problem...........Yeah, sorry Matt, not here to rub it in. Good luck with it all & as Dolly says, don't opt for Pipex....ever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 21, 2007 Report Share Posted March 21, 2007 Yeah, sorry Matt, not here to rub it in. Good luck with it all & as Dolly says, don't opt for Pipex....ever!Trouble with pipex and the others is they are keen to update you to 8mb over 2mb, what they don't always tell you is that contention ratios of 20:1 now could rise as high as 100:1 due to the capacity increase.Therefore 2mb might seem a world better than 8mb on ASDL.Pipex are getting out of the ISP market anyway, they can't compete anymore.BY DSL by far the best, mainly because its not using the BT infrastructure thats still stuck in between the first and second world war in places.Y'see if some wise communications company had bought up the old BR communications system which was DC based it would have kicked ADSL's arse about 10 years ago.*end of geek rant* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrs Court Red Posted March 21, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2007 Tom, do you know of how long it will roughly take for all this to improve and blow over? I've been told a few months Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 21, 2007 Report Share Posted March 21, 2007 Tom, do you know of how long it will roughly take for all this to improve and blow over? I've been told a few monthsAbout the same time it's taken us to get out of Division 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nibor Posted March 21, 2007 Report Share Posted March 21, 2007 Get cable internet folks, you'll never go back. ADSL is so 1998. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RED4LIFE Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 Moomin, your problems pale in comparison to the fun and games I have had with Sky BB.Basically, I switched from Tiscali (who were awful), to Sky mainly because I had enough of Tiscali, it was cheaper and the connection was loads faster.I had trouble getting my MAC code from tiscali, but eventually got it from them, and switched to Sky.Everything worked really well for exactly a week, then nothing, no connection at all. Eventually got through to someone from Sky and they told me it was an exchange fault, that should be sorted within a few days, but someone will call me within a week if it doesnt come back on. 10 days later still no call, so I decided to give them another call. After being shunted around from place to place, I eventually spoke to someone in scotland who told me, my previous ISP (Tiscali) have hi-jacked my phone line and its down to BT to sort out. When I asked for my MAC code from Sky, I was told that they don't have one to give me, which annoyed me as an ISP HAS to give you a MAC code on request.When I asked her when I will be back on-line she said, I'm not sure but I will look into it and definatley call within 3 days. Guess what, no phone call. This tuesday I sent them a shitty email explaining they are useless. They actually called me back yesterday, to explain what is happening, which is basically Tiscali have put their tags back on my phone line so no other ISP can give me broadband, and it is down to BT to sort out. They cant give me a date as to when this might happen, and said its pointless giving my MAC code (although I could have it if I wanted), as the same would happen with a new supplier.I can basically wait to come back on-line, or ring BT and get them to sort it out, or get BT to turn my phone line off, and re-activate it the next day.An absolute nightmare from start to finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nibor Posted March 23, 2007 Report Share Posted March 23, 2007 Moomin, your problems pale in comparison to the fun and games I have had with Sky BB.Basically, I switched from Tiscali (who were awful), to Sky mainly because I had enough of Tiscali, it was cheaper and the connection was loads faster.I had trouble getting my MAC code from tiscali, but eventually got it from them, and switched to Sky.Everything worked really well for exactly a week, then nothing, no connection at all. Eventually got through to someone from Sky and they told me it was an exchange fault, that should be sorted within a few days, but someone will call me within a week if it doesnt come back on. 10 days later still no call, so I decided to give them another call. After being shunted around from place to place, I eventually spoke to someone in scotland who told me, my previous ISP (Tiscali) have hi-jacked my phone line and its down to BT to sort out. When I asked for my MAC code from Sky, I was told that they don't have one to give me, which annoyed me as an ISP HAS to give you a MAC code on request.When I asked her when I will be back on-line she said, I'm not sure but I will look into it and definatley call within 3 days. Guess what, no phone call. This tuesday I sent them a shitty email explaining they are useless. They actually called me back yesterday, to explain what is happening, which is basically Tiscali have put their tags back on my phone line so no other ISP can give me broadband, and it is down to BT to sort out. They cant give me a date as to when this might happen, and said its pointless giving my MAC code (although I could have it if I wanted), as the same would happen with a new supplier.I can basically wait to come back on-line, or ring BT and get them to sort it out, or get BT to turn my phone line off, and re-activate it the next day.An absolute nightmare from start to finish. Your MAC address isn't like the code you get when you switch mobile phones, it's actually on your PC, it's a unique identifier hard coded into your network card/port and ISPs use it to identify your computer for security.You can discover this yourself by selecting start->run and typing cmd. In the DOS window that pops up type "ipconfig /all" without the quotes and hit enter. You will get output that looks something like this:Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection: Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Description . . . . . . . . . . . : NVIDIA nForce Networking Controller Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-11-XX-D3-33-19 DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.101 Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0 Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1 DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1 DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1 Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 21 March 2007 19:27:43 Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 28 March 2007 19:27:43You MAC address is the sequence of numbers/letters marked "Physical Address".On the problems you're having with Sky/Tiscali. These really stem from the whole system. BT own all the (non-cable) phone lines and exchanges and operate them. They're forced to sub let lines to companies like Sky and Tiscali by anti-monopoly laws designed to give the consumer more choice/better prices. Because of this the administration of lines is not centralized and controlled by one company, not well organised, and governed by a cluster**** of badly thought out regulations to act as a buffer between companies that really don't want to co-operate with each other. Sky can't use the line while Tiscali have it marked as theirs, BT can't remove the flag saying it's Tiscali's - only Tiscali can. Tiscali have no motivation to do so and no penalty for dragging theit feet, in fact it benefits them because it makes Sky look bad. It works the same no matter who you switch from or to. Unfortunately the consumer suffers as a result of legislation supposed to protect them.That's why cable is great - one company, they own the whole network, their motivation is to keep you so happy you won't leave and get your money every month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Ian M Posted March 23, 2007 Admin Report Share Posted March 23, 2007 That's why cable is great - one company, they own the whole network, their motivation is to keep you so happy you won't leave and get your money every month.Apart from if you live in areas without it. The cable companies don't seem to be that interested in rolling out to new areas (in Bristol at least), just in getting as many people in existing serviced areas to sign up as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nibor Posted March 23, 2007 Report Share Posted March 23, 2007 Apart from if you live in areas without it. The cable companies don't seem to be that interested in rolling out to new areas (in Bristol at least), just in getting as many people in existing serviced areas to sign up as possible.Yep that would suck. I guess they're not keen on rolling it out further whilst they can still make grow off the existing network because doing so is really expensive. Maybe with Virgin buying it they'll be doing some investment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bh_red Posted March 23, 2007 Report Share Posted March 23, 2007 Got to say, I've always been with Telewest for years for TV, Phone and Internet and never had a problem and found it AMAZING, I moved a few months ago and couldn't get Telewest and had to switch over to Sky and ADSL through a BT Home Hub.Sky - AMAZING! can't fault it!BT - Yuk, Yuk, Yuk - Constant firmware updates for my box causing tons of downtime, plus had 2 occasions where the firmware updates failed and ended up after hours of phone calls to BT on my 3rd box in 3 months!I'm moving again into a house I'm buying in the next week or so, and can get Telewest/Virgin.although most say the Internet is unaffected? how is the TV service now? never had any problems in the past, but the loss of Sky One/Sports News is awful? so the question is? is Virgin TV worth getting now?I'm 95% sure I'm going to stay with sky and probably move straight upto SKY HD..........yummy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bh_red Posted March 23, 2007 Report Share Posted March 23, 2007 Your MAC address isn't like the code you get when you switch mobile phones, it's actually on your PC, it's a unique identifier hard coded into your network card/port and ISPs use it to identify your computer for security.You can discover this yourself by selecting start->run and typing cmd. In the DOS window that pops up type "ipconfig /all" without the quotes and hit enter. You will get output that looks something like this:You MAC address is the sequence of numbers/letters marked "Physical Address".On the problems you're having with Sky/Tiscali. These really stem from the whole system. BT own all the (non-cable) phone lines and exchanges and operate them. They're forced to sub let lines to companies like Sky and Tiscali by anti-monopoly laws designed to give the consumer more choice/better prices. Because of this the administration of lines is not centralized and controlled by one company, not well organised, and governed by a cluster**** of badly thought out regulations to act as a buffer between companies that really don't want to co-operate with each other. Sky can't use the line while Tiscali have it marked as theirs, BT can't remove the flag saying it's Tiscali's - only Tiscali can. Tiscali have no motivation to do so and no penalty for dragging theit feet, in fact it benefits them because it makes Sky look bad. It works the same no matter who you switch from or to. Unfortunately the consumer suffers as a result of legislation supposed to protect them.That's why cable is great - one company, they own the whole network, their motivation is to keep you so happy you won't leave and get your money every month.correct however, that's not the MAC Code that they companys want, for example if like me you have 4 network devices in your home, which one do you give them? plus of course, your adsl modem has one too.what the transfering company requires is a "MAC code" (why such similar names is bloody stupid and confusing for many) it is a unique reference that is obtained from your current ISP enabling us to migrate your ADSL, it is basically a MAC address for your Phone line itself at the BT end. (well kinda)either way.........as Nibor already said for internet, CABLE is the ONLY way to go, plus there is no bloody download limits! seriously though, how the hell do BT expect me to manage on 8gb per month!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nibor Posted March 23, 2007 Report Share Posted March 23, 2007 correct however, that's not the MAC Code that they companys want, for example if like me you have 4 network devices in your home, which one do you give them? plus of course, your adsl modem has one too.what the transfering company requires is a "MAC code" (why such similar names is bloody stupid and confusing for many) it is a unique reference that is obtained from your current ISP enabling us to migrate your ADSL, it is basically a MAC address for your Phone line itself at the BT end. (well kinda)Didn't know that, what a bloody stupid thing to do calling it such a confusing name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richwwtk Posted March 23, 2007 Report Share Posted March 23, 2007 Didn't know that, what a bloody stupid thing to do calling it such a confusing name.Migration Authorisation Code I believe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bh_red Posted March 23, 2007 Report Share Posted March 23, 2007 Migration Authorisation Code I believecorrect as opposed to.........Media Access Control Address (MAC address) yes, i am a computer geek, but a very clever one I'll have you know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.