The horror of the slowband...

Since the 4G was turned off, we have been using our old Pipex/Tiscali/Talk Talk ISP connection. Although the max speed is around half a meg, the problem is actually the random disconnections and ridiculous slow downs from time to time.

For example, tonight I decided to post about the subject here on Blogger. I ended up closing the browser tab and attempting again a few minutes later. Not once, but several times did I do that - just to get onto Blogger and make a posting!

I intend to get the MAC and move to another provider soon.  Back when we signed up to Pipex, they gave up unlimited downloads for our 512kb connection. Although it is slow, I often downloaded .iso files of new Linux distro releases - either to work on them or to test and review.
Each successive buyout - from Pipex to Tiscali and from Tiscali to Talk Talk - brought more problems.
Talk Talk reduced our service from "unlimited" to 10Gb per month and increased the cost from 20 quid to £25 per month. Yes, I know those of you with cable will be laughing as you suck up your unlimited downloads, TV and phone for £15....

Although I hate BT with a vengeance (they raped their customers by sticking them through Phorm), they offer the same download allowance (10Gb) with their Openzone wifi use out and about for £13 and some free months to start you off...
They also reckon (as they di when "broadband" first arrived here) that we can get better general speeds (750kb - 1Mb).

Although I really find it frustrating to pay the same as someone getting 8Mb or more, I will probably end up going to BT.

Totally cheesed off with the whole internet rip off at the moment. 

PS - this took about 10 minutes to actually post. I had to attempt it several times. And this is after midnight in the UK, so hardly peak times....

Internets

Sooo.... with the imminent removal of the 4G trial (to be removed on Friday apparently), we were all advised to check our old ISP connection. I must admit that I didn't get around to it until yesterday, when, horror of horrors, the 4G connection went down! Actually, it went down the previous night but it was very late and nobody was really using it.

To appease the girls, I turned on the old 512kb connection and - nothing!  There was no attempt to sync the line or even connect by the looks of things.
After some fiddling, I tried connecting another router to the line - still nothing. Then I tried an old telephone, expecting to get a dial tone - but no.

This made me suspect the ADSL filter, fitted to the line. Luckily, as all good techies do, I have a stack of spare filters! One filter replaced and - voila! Internet back up and running.
Sadly, the speed hasn't improved. Coming from the 4G trial will make it seem even more shocking too.

Anyway, we are still using the 4G at the moment, but not at all looking forward to Friday.