UK: Net access is finally getting OK

Subject: UK: Net access is finally getting OK
From: GUEST,Ed Pellow
Date: 06 Mar 00 - 06:25 PM

Have just signed up to the BT offer of evening and weekend access for under 10 pounds

To not have to bother about how much every minute online costs is wonderful - can't wait until it's totally free (it's coming)

Ed

Subject: RE: UK: Net access is finally getting OK
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 06 Mar 00 - 06:33 PM

Screaming/ Localtel have been offering free ISP 6pm-8am and all weekend for some time now and that is how I stay on line as long as I do.

I heard something today that AltaVista were starting a service with something like a £30 flat fee including freephone (0800) internet calls at all times of day. This to me sounds like the best deal going for a lot of people in the UK.

Jon.

Subject: RE: UK: Net access is finally getting OK
From: Ed Pellow
Date: 06 Mar 00 - 06:48 PM

Depending on who you beleive, the Alta Vista deal will involve half your screen being filled with adverts.

For Screaming/Localtel you have to live in the right part of the country (ie the south) Completely free access is coming - and we should all rejoice at that - for the moment, us northerners can be more than happy that for less money than it used to cost to get an ISP we can get free calls at the times that most of us want to make them.

Ed

I can even reset my cookie for free!

Subject: RE: UK: Net access is finally getting OK
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 06 Mar 00 - 06:55 PM

Ed,
Just caught the BT advert on Virgin radio today.. was going to check out the BT website.. but have you seen it?.. talk about explosion in a paint factory.. they need some serious web designers.. like me..
So tell me.. what's the catch?.. Having worked for the illustrious BT in the past there must be one.. or I am being cynical?
It would be certainly beneficial to me to pay a flat fee of ten quid a month for "free" internet access during the evenings and weekends.. especially as my average phone bill is about £200, the majority being due to surfing.. so what's the definition of "evening" as far as BT are concerned?

Mick

Subject: RE: UK: Net access is finally getting OK
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 06 Mar 00 - 06:58 PM

I believe that Alta Vista will only be taking on limited numbers to begin with; not sure of the details as they've been unreachable since the announcement!  Fingers crossed...

Malcolm

Subject: RE: UK: Net access is finally getting OK
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 06 Mar 00 - 07:01 PM

Ed, I believe you but you do surprise me on the Sceaming deal. I live in Llandudno, North Wales and we are often left out of "Southern deals".

I doubt that there is a catch with BT, I think (possibly wrongly) that with growing competition and a loss of monopoly that they are being forced to be more reasonable.

Jon

Subject: RE: UK: Net access is finally getting OK
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 06 Mar 00 - 07:02 PM

First I've heard there's any geographical limitation on screaming.net, within the UK. There might be difficulties picking up the relevant CDRom from Tempo if there's no Tempo where you are, but that's what smail mail is for.

As for the adverts on screeen, that surely only applies if you actually go to the home page of the Internet Service Provider when you open your browser - the only time I do that is when I want to complain about something going wrong. Otherwise set the browser to use your own home page as an opening screeen -- or Mudcat. Or the Hunger Site

Subject: RE: UK: Net access is finally getting OK
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 06 Mar 00 - 07:06 PM

McGrath ..
Who are you using for an ISP?.. if you don't mind me asking?

Mick

Subject: RE: UK: Net access is finally getting OK
From: Llanfair
Date: 06 Mar 00 - 07:29 PM

It won't be long before the different servers will all be free, and vying for our buisiness. Hooray!!! Bron.

Subject: RE: UK: Net access is finally getting OK
From: GeorgeH
Date: 07 Mar 00 - 11:12 AM

Guys, there's no such thing as a free lunch . . The lower the rates fall the more advertising you'll be submerged in every time you log on, the less the ISP will give a sh** about spammers or performance, and the more the whole thing will grind to a halt . . . And time and again ISPs can't cope with the response to their offers (Screaming.net being a case in point; ncl being a more current one).

G.

Subject: RE: UK: Net access is finally getting OK
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 07 Mar 00 - 05:26 PM

Is that ncl or ntl George?.. the latter I see announced this morning that they are now offering free web access for a one off fee of about 10 quid... and the catch... you have to transfer to them for your standard phone service .. I haven't checked out how their prices compare with say BT.. I might chew the cud for a while and wait for the dust to settle before deciding whether to change my ISP or not... No doubt it's going to get interesting over the next few weeks or so...

Mick

Subject: RE: UK: Net access is finally getting OK
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 07 Mar 00 - 05:32 PM

whoops.. I forgot to add.. even Mr Smugarse himself is getting in on the act (that's Tony Blair to those unenlightened souls).. apparently he made a speech (there's a surprise) also today demanding that British ISPs reduce their rates to a level on par with American providers... He also wants everyone in this country (sorry the UK for those not knowing where I live) online within 4 years.. He's got more chance of becoming Pope than getting my folks on the internet..

Mick (again)

Subject: RE: UK: Net access is finally getting OK
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 07 Mar 00 - 05:44 PM

On the phone costs, part of the Screaming deal involves changing from BT but they do guarantee something like 10% lower phone call charges than the BT rates. ISP wise, they have had problems but seem to have improved somwhat with the number of attempts it took to connect, although the last couple of days have been awful.

Personally, I would rather put up with the odd advert for free online time but it is the phone side of the connection that is the real problem and the costs can be crippling. I'd like to think that we will end up tying in line with the US and offering free local calls.

Jon

Subject: RE: UK: Net access is finally getting OK
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 07 Mar 00 - 09:42 PM

I use screaming.net, Mick (which is the same as localtel) - most of the time these days it is reasonably good. And I couldn't afford to Mudcat if I didn't have free calls to the Internet connection, which I get from 6pm till 8am, and at weekends.

As I said above, the first thing I've always done when I've signed up with any ISP has been to adjust my browser so that I use my own home page as an opening screen, and I never see the ISP adverts at all. Are there some ISPs where you can't do that? Because otherwise, why are the adverts seen as a problem?

Yes the adverts on lots of websites are a pain, but you can avoid them.(In fact there are programs you can get which take out the adverts for you, I believe.)

I think free lunches are often to be found in this world, in the short run, and lunch is a short run thing anyway. All right, when I had a couple of free drinks in the pub tonight, it was because I was playing music - but if I'd been playing in another pub I'd have had to but my drinks. I call that free, more or less.

Subject: RE: UK: Net access is finally getting OK
From: roopoo
Date: 08 Mar 00 - 03:43 AM

The BT definition of evening is 6pm to midnight. I've been with them (and grumbling at the bills until recently) for a few years, but am going on the "better the devil you know.." track, plus that any competition is going to make them get their act into gear. To be honest, I don't really have any complaints as I am a relatively casual user, and use the e-mail more than anything. I only normally spend any time online during the freebie period. (Ok I'm on at peak just now). Actually there was a mention about them doing something as a result of the Alta Vista announcement on the news this morning, but I didn't catch it. There was nothing new on their homepage when I looked just now. My son is doing a degree in Information Systems, and he says the main problem with BT (apart from the charges) is the connection speeds. Their university has just installed the latest fancy cable type (all I know is that it's faster than fibre-optic)and the download time has dropped to negligible. Of course, with a few exceptions, UK users are limited to what BT provides.

mouldy

Subject: RE: UK: Net access is finally getting OK
From: Llanfair
Date: 08 Mar 00 - 07:19 AM

Lunchtime News said that BT are offering £30 a month charge! That's still £90 a quarter before rental charges.I'll stick with AOL at a penny a minute till something better comes along. Bron.

Subject: RE: UK: Net access is finally getting OK
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 08 Mar 00 - 01:03 PM

I heard something about the 30quid charge yet in one of the tabloid newspapers this morning it said something about a £5 monthly fee... if the so called news agencies don't know what's happening what chance have we got...

Mick

Subject: RE: UK: Net access is finally getting OK
From: Ed Pellow
Date: 08 Mar 00 - 02:43 PM

ITN news this evening got it completely wrong and quoted the prices that BT charged before the recent change to 9.99 a month for unlimited evening (6-12) and weekend use.

The media seems very confused but as far as I can tell, the charges announced today are:

6.00 pounds a month for unlimited evening / weekend use, and 20.00 pounds a month for 24 hour access. If you want to install a seperate phone line and have permanent access, you'll obviously need to pay an extra line rental charge which will hike it up to about 30 pounds a month.

If like me, you are only at home during the evenings and at weekends, and don't want an extra line, this is a bargin. 1.50 a week for all the access I need...

Llanfair, the current AOL deal is in comparison rubbish. After you've paid your subscription, 5 pounds a month? you only need to be online for 10 minutes or so a day to get charged more.

As long as the connection is reliable (and I don't think that BT can afford it not to be) this is excellent news for those of us don't want the hassle of changing to a cable provider.

Ed

Subject: RE: UK: Net access is finally getting OK
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 08 Mar 00 - 03:50 PM

Don't depend on the media for that kind of information - they aren't any better than the rest of us, if we hunt around a bit.

As I said, screaming.net free call evenings start at 6pm and don't stop till 8 in the morning. Connection is a bit slower than it may be with some ISPs, you need two calls on average to get connected, and occasionally you get an evening when you can't get through - but then that happens with the Mudcat as well. Now they've ironed the kinks out, I reckon it's a good deal. I used to quite enjoy writing rude complaining letters to them, but I haven't had to for a long time now.

Subject: RE: UK: Net access is finally getting OK
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 01:33 PM

Ed...I presume you've got BT SurfTime... How did you sign up for it.. I've just been on their site to "register my interest" and they say something about hoping to contact me within the next few months...

Mick

Subject: RE: UK: Net access is finally getting OK
From: roopoo
Date: 11 Mar 00 - 01:38 AM

If by "surf time" you mean the free evening and weekend use, you have to be a full BT Internet subscriber to use it. The othe packages such as LineOne and Talk21 are not elegible. Once you are a paid up subscriber, the facility to use the 0800 number is downloadable from the homepage.

As BT are not as yet posting their new plans on their homepage, and are not intending to implement them until June, I am waiting to see if they get pressured into giving away some more.

mouldy

Subject: RE: UK: Net access is finally getting OK
From: GUEST,cori
Date: 11 Mar 00 - 03:17 AM

I have just checked out what my ISP posted on this. It looks to me like Surftime will be available for 5.99 month plus your current ISP charge. As I get 0800 dial up at weekends already for £10 a month not sure it's worth it!!!! Whatever, cheaper internet access is always a good thing!!!!!

Subject: RE: UK: Net access is finally getting OK
From: Ed Pellow
Date: 11 Mar 00 - 06:59 AM

Mick,

You can register with BT Internet by calling 0800 800001.

You can also register on-line at www.btinternet.com and download the software from there.

Either way, you'll need a Mastercard or Visa to do it.

Cori,

As it will work with 'free' ISPs, a four quid a month saving strikes me as worth it. How many ISPs will sign on for it is not yet known

Ed

Hoping he's not starting to sound like a BT salesman.

Subject: RE: UK: Net access is finally getting OK
From: Ed Pellow
Date: 15 Mar 00 - 05:44 PM

Just found this at www.freeserve.net/time

Free Internet Calls at Anytime

Freeserve Time, which re-launches in April, will allow anyone who spends £10 per month on national or international calls to get all Internet phone calls for free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You won't even need to change your BT line or phone number.

If you are an existing Freeserve Time customer, you will be able to switch to the new package and save even more money on your phone bill.

And if you do not spend £10 per month on national or international calls, you can still benefit from free Internet phone calls by paying £10 per month standard charge.

You will need to buy an inexpensive, easy to use plug-in telephone adapter for this service. The adapters will be available shortly in Dixons, PC World, Currys, The Link and @jakarta stores.

Ed

Subject: RE: UK: Net access is finally getting OK
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 15 Mar 00 - 06:23 PM

Looks like things are hotting up. I wish the oter ISP I use offered a free call deal. I have found freeuk very satisfactory - the best of the ones I hhave tried.

Jon