Firstly, I apologise if my questions have been answered before in these forums ... but I'm looking for a quick set of answers to make a 'mission-critical' decision, as I am under sever time constraints here.

*** Update *** I am thinking of using Wired Country -- any good/bad experiences with this?

I am a backend web developer with clients in the UK, the USA and here in NZ. One is a VoIP outfit. These are the web protocols/apps I use every day. They are all vital to my business.

1. ssh

2. standard SIP-based VoIP

3. Skype

4. The ususal web, mail etc. of course.

Since the 'unleashed' event (I will refrain from using emotive terms as I know they are unpopular here), I have had a very unreliable connection. I am on the Explorer plan (5GB cap). I decided against switching to Go Large as I was worried about telecom's shaping policies.

It has become a nightmare trying to work over ssh. It keeps hanging. VoIP calls keep getting cut. My connection freezes about every 10-15 mins, although obviously it's a random event.

Before 'unleashed', my connection was pretty much rock solid, although there were occasional annoyances at peak times.

These are my questions:

1. Is Telecom on to these problems? (Some of you guys seem to know what Telecom is doing.)

2. If so, does anyone know of any timescales? (I know that's probably a very silly question ...)

2. Are any of you on plans with other companies that don't have these problems? (I'm guessing not, because it all flows through Telecom eventually.)

I need to make a decision in the next couple of days, because I can't afford to have my work interrupted all the time like this. I don't want so switch, and find I'm no better off with my new provider.

Rob