Unbiased comparison please

"Andrew" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 30 Oct 2006 11:48:51 -0000, "Zimmy" wrote:

These days I have a Topfield 5800 PVR for my TV needs and just use the
2mb Telewest net service for 18 quid a month and use Skype for all my
home telephony needs.

...except phoning the emergency services?

I have managed to go through 40 years of life without ever having to
do so and I have a mobile.

So almost all your home telephony needs then.
I've thought of doing this too, but knowing my luck my mobile's battery will
be flat just when I need it most. :-)
Plus you need to keep your computer on all the time to receive calls.

Z

On Mon, 30 Oct 2006 12:23:22 -0000, "Zimmy" wrote:

So almost all your home telephony needs then.

No, all *my* needs, which is why I said what I did.

I've thought of doing this too, but knowing my luck my mobile's battery will
be flat just when I need it most. :-)
Plus you need to keep your computer on all the time to receive calls.

You can divert the calls to a landline/mobile number or run Skype on a
wireless phone/PDA.

For me Skype is great, and saves me £100 a year, plus at the moment I
have 6 months of calls free to UK landlines.
--
Andrew, contact via http://interpleb.googlepages.com
Help make Usenet a better place: English is read downwards,
please don't top post. Trim replies to quote only relevant text.
Check groups.google.com before asking an obvious question.

On Mon, 30 Oct 2006 12:06:01 -0000, Zimmy wrote:

My Freeview box has refused me three times this afternoon so I'm heading
TW
way.

Seems strange to pay an extra £60 per year when you could buy a new box that
worked for a one-off £30 or less?

I had full telewest for a year, but left due to their high telephone
charges. Now back with BT at 20-30% less, plus the option of other
providers, and paying a fiver a month for Sky One wasn't enough to keep me.
I now just use telewest for broadband as I am quite far from the BT
exchange.
Bear in mind that you won't get as fast an upload speed with basic TW as Max
ADSL, and the bundles only include 2Mbps/256k, but that might not worry
you.
Also, never pay the full price, TW are open to haggling to keep you with
them.

Z

Thanks.
I'm on my third box, the other two being replaced within the same week.
If that was the only problem I wouldn't bother, but it's compounded by my
unreliable broadband.
--
Jim S
Tyneside UK
http://www.jimscott.co.uk

"Jim S" wrote in message
...
I have tried to get an unbiased comparison of the "Three for £30" option
being offered by Telewest to what I have.

What I have is as follows:
Freeview box which works well on a good aerial 'most of the time', but needs
re-setting a couple of times a week.

If you actually have poor reception or interference you might get a blocky
picture and sound drop outs, but the STB should not need resetting.


Plusnet broadband @ £14.99 pm. When it works I get ~6Mbps, but Plusnet is
notoriously prone to slowdowns and is having real problems with USENET,
which is text only. (I do not really need speeds as high as 6Mbps.)
BT telephone @ ~£11 pm plus calls which seldom exceed £3pm.
My wife uses teletext on Freeview and conventional TV quite a lot.

The difference in price is only ~£5, but that would be a reasonable price to
pay to overcome the crashes in Freeview and the unreliability of Plusnet if
indeed Telewest is more reliable and teletext is as good.

Is the Sky 'Free' broadband available in your area and have you considered that
option?


--

Michael Chare

On Mon, 30 Oct 2006 19:31:51 -0000, Michael Chare wrote:

"Jim S" wrote in message
...
I have tried to get an unbiased comparison of the "Three for £30" option
being offered by Telewest to what I have.

What I have is as follows:
Freeview box which works well on a good aerial 'most of the time', but needs
re-setting a couple of times a week.

If you actually have poor reception or interference you might get a blocky
picture and sound drop outs, but the STB should not need resetting.

Plusnet broadband @ £14.99 pm. When it works I get ~6Mbps, but Plusnet is
notoriously prone to slowdowns and is having real problems with USENET,
which is text only. (I do not really need speeds as high as 6Mbps.)
BT telephone @ ~£11 pm plus calls which seldom exceed £3pm.
My wife uses teletext on Freeview and conventional TV quite a lot.

The difference in price is only ~£5, but that would be a reasonable price to
pay to overcome the crashes in Freeview and the unreliability of Plusnet if
indeed Telewest is more reliable and teletext is as good.

Is the Sky 'Free' broadband available in your area and have you considered that
option?

I had a look, but after initial offers wear out, it looks more expensive
than above.
--
Jim S
Tyneside UK
http://www.jimscott.co.uk