Last night, I went home, entered some details in the settings of my recalcitrant router, and was online within 30 minutes, with a reasonable broadband speed and no problems as yet.
Compare that to the times I’ve spent re-typing the same details in the vague hope that something will have magically changed since the last time I tried to connect.
So while the I-Phone and free mobile broadband are inevitable, and wired broadband will have to follow suit eventually, I’m pretty glad I picked a slightly more expensive provider by going with Zen. Not only has it saved me time and effort, but the one month contract means that when everything is free, I can pick the best time to switch….
That also means I’m back on Xbox Live, which is still one of the best examples of new technology being used to make something previously quite complex (Online PC gaming), simple and easy to use. If only the connectivity between Xbox Live, Xbox.com and MSN Live Spaces was fixed, and didn’t make Internet Explorer crash.
YOu can already get what amounts to free “wired” broadband from Sky and Carphone Warehouse among others
True. But it’s still bundled as a package deal, and there have been huge complaints about the Carphone Warehouse.
Meanwhile Sky only offers free broadband if you’re a Sky customer.
So I wouldn’t actually judge either to really be ‘free’…more an added incentive…
But I’ll make the distiction a bit clearer next time
My point is that,if you want broadband then you might as wellget something free as well. Paying forty quid for connection these days is ridiculous. There are any number of ISPs who will offer you the same for cheaper. Concerns with most suppliers over Customer Service are overstated – you are unlikely to run into too many problems and, even if you do, drop them an email claiming that the problems amount to a breach of contract, threaten to leave and then wait for them to offer you a discount.
I take your point. But before Christmas I was with V21, and ended up disconnected due to the problems between them and their supplier…
I’ve looked at Pipex, Virgin etc, and also at the Sky and Carphone Warehouse deals, and I could save a little bit of money each month, and have saved on the connection fee, so I know what you mean.
But for that little extra I’m with a supplier that consistently wins awards for being the best ISP, and has a great reputation for customer service etc. It’s certainly the most informed I’ve been about the status of my order, and the least hassle I’ve ever had connecting to a new ISP…
Plus it’s on a one month contract, which is a bonus. For instance BT’s new offer of free wifi access at BT Openzone points for home broadband customers is rather tempting, and if I’d gone with a bundle deal, I wouldn’t be able to switch for another 12 months if I decided to…
Can I ask which supplier you’re with?
I get a 4 meg connection from work. I highly recommend it. Previously I have been with Virgin – no problems with set up and no yearly contract – and Telewest Broadband – no problems with setup and,on the one occasion where I did have a problem for an evening with my service, I called them, made a big fuss and managed to persuade them to give me a £30 discount. The market for broadband is mature and the focus has switched from customer acquisition to retention – threatening to leave is an increasingly powerful bartering tool.