Broadband connection in Stafford.

kilmaccumsey

Well-Known Forumite
I am currently with BT and its pretty poor for tinternet connection , thinking of moving to either virgin or sky , what does local peeps think with the service they get , any recommendations ??
 

wmrcomputers

Stafford PC & laptop repair specialist
I've always highly recommended virgin media for stability. Had only 2 minor problems in over 10 years. The bonus is that you can have high speed broadband without even having a phone line or tv service. (They insist that you must take at least 2 services, but trust me if you insist on ONLY broadband they CAN do it)
 

wmrcomputers

Stafford PC & laptop repair specialist
It always amazes me how many customers switch from one provider to another due to promises of a "more reliable service" or "faster speeds" etc. If it comes through your phone line then the only real difference is who bills you for it!

Virgin fibre optic = virgin, everyone else = BT.
 

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
It always amazes me how many customers switch from one provider to another due to promises of a "more reliable service" or "faster speeds" etc. If it comes through your phone line then the only real difference is who bills you for it!

Virgin fibre optic = virgin, everyone else = BT.

It never seems to matter how often you tell people this, they always seem to fall for the patter. And then, express surprise and frustration that the 2 week switch over period doesn't stick to deadline (which you had warned them of before because openreach are crap) and they are left with nothing for a few days.
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
I will say that if you can get fibre it may be worthwhile, but again it doesn't matter who you pay as you'll get the same speeds regardless. I know someone who can be sold 38Mb or 76Mb fibre but her line wont give more than about 15Mb anyway, doesn't stop people trying to sell her the 76Mb one!
 

John Marwood

I ♥ cryptic crosswords
Are the copper wires in the willages underground or overground?

Only there's a bloke from Tipton who pays cash

Womberling free
 

Timeflies

The Weatherman
Virgin Media always always for me... as long as you can get a proper fiber connection. I regularly get 11 MB/second download on mine...
 

Dawz

Well-Known Forumite
Yeah virgin for me too. I've only had a couple of issues over the 10+ years I've been with them.

There doing a speed boost in the area too, the basic 30 mb is getting upgraded to 50 mb. Should blow everything else out of the water.
 

Jonah

Spouting nonsense since the day I learned to talk
Just tested the speed of my Virgin connection. I'm on a 60Mb package, ST17 area.

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When I thought about leaving and going to BT, I did their 'speed approximation' test and got 3-4Mb. I didn't leave.
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
What can BT offer you on fibre? I was on the 60Mb package and its costing me less for fibre at around 75/15 speeds. The upstream was the deal clincher for me, I have a dozen media boxes spread around town that stream from me!
 

wmrcomputers

Stafford PC & laptop repair specialist
Upstream is upload speed - to many this doesn't make a huge difference which is why it's generally unquoted. However if you use cloub storage or backup, or upload large files etc then it makes a huge difference. I'm on 30Mb down, 2Mb upload.

@tek - what package are you on to get that 15Mb upstream mate? That's IMPRESSIVE!
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Now you are talking a foreign language :(


Broadband has 2 bits, how fast you can download and how fast you can upload. For most people the download is all that matters, the internet is about consuming. I needed to be able to send files much faster than virgin allowed so went with fibre, for most people this is irrelevant.
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Is that with Virgin?


No, I moved to talk talk. Virgin could offer me at best 10Mb if I upgraded to the 120Mb package, I couldn't justify the expense and I don't need 120Mb. Most of my 'activity' takes place overnight anyway, I don't care if it takes 1 hour or 2!
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Interestingly I just found out that Coppenhall can now get fibre. Only 13Mb, but thats better than the 1.2Mb my OH's mum gets at the moment!
 

wmrcomputers

Stafford PC & laptop repair specialist
I had customers in Derrington a few years ago that cancelled their ADSL broadband as the 0.3Mb was totally unacceptable! They all ended up using three dongles as that was their best option. I don't know if things have changed now out there or not.
 
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