Hoping I will be moving soon, so will need a new ISP. Have been told that NTL is available in my area (not checked it out myself personally tho, so this may all be academic really) and I think they might be the ones to go with. Not the cheapest @ £17.99 a month for 2mb broadband, but I am told it is 100% uncapped with no fair usage policy (ie, if I download like a whore, I won't get any hidden charges or suffer having my speed cut down)

But what are NTL like as an ISP? Reliable? Not had cable internet before, only phone line ADSL - what do I need in terms or modem, router etc? Currently it will only be for one PC, but at some point I would like a cheapo laptop to use wirelessly - how upgradeable is cable broadband? Like at home now, if I want wireless all I need to do is plug a wireless access point into one of the spare ports of the 4port ethernet router (built in modem) I have.....

 

to be honest Ive always been with NTL and have had good and bad cases with them. but after speaking with various friends I decided that all ISP's are pretty much the same. When they are good there good and when theyre bad their customer service is flippin' awful !

They're cheap, and as good as all the rest AND they've also brought out the TVdrive so HD tv is on the way

Now theyre merged with telewest and are beinf relabeled Virgin then I can only see an improvment in them.

Only my opinion though

 

NTL are good as an ISP

I am on the 10mb service and, touch wood, have never had an issue with them in the 18 months I have been with them.

Wireless isnt an issue. I got a Netgear router (not ADSL modem as this is no good) with the modem/STB cable plugged into the back.

Currently run 4 machines wireless on this setup.

XBOX live runs too, but ideally you need the 4mb service to do this.

Issues with them? have a look at http://forums.ntlhell.co.uk to give you an idea.

 

I've never had a problem with them. 9 time sout of 10 a problme with NTL can be fixed by rebooting the modem, if not (and it's definately not you) it's normally due to work being carried out.
or faulty hardware, which normally after an hour or so explaingin they'll agree to send an engineer out to fix it, who will infact just repalce it

 

yeah another vote for NTL from me too,
Even though i have the 10mb connection i dont think it really is but reliabilty wise been absolute perfect not had a single issue in the last 2 years that i can think of



Martin

 

Well, popped over to the house I hope to be buying this eve, and had a chat with the current owner - just go over a few finer points etc...

Turns otu he had NTL as his ISP and the spare bedroom (will be PC room) already has an NTL line installed - so all I have to do is call em up and get em to turn it on

Looks like I will go with NTL then I reckon. Which means I can junk the BT phone line that I will never use!!!!

 

Specifiy that you want a cable modem and nut a usb one, and if they say why don't you want a usb one, simply say you have camera, ipod, printer scanner and no free usb ports

Then, get a linksys wireless router from ebuyer, and then a linksys pcmcia wireless adaptor for laptop if it doesnt have one and within ten wins you too can have a secure wireless network

 

Dan - you're on NTL right? How you finding the service?

 

Well, i'm with Telewest, which have merged with NTL, but I still call it telewest

Never had a single problem with it since I got it

I can walk down my road with my laptop and get good signal

And for anyone that want's to sit outside my house and poach my net, fook orf

 

had nthell for around 2 years now .. been fine, never had a problem .. except the one time when the engineer was installing someone elses he unplugged mine as he was a thickit ....
got a linksys wireless router from pcworld and has been ok except a few issues