ISP Choices

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MikeGayner

183 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#16697 23-Oct-2007 21:33

What's everyone's choice for ISP's these days? I've been with XNet for about 3 months now, and 2 months of that has been absolutely useless. To keep it short, it doesn't matter how fast you answer the phones if your internet sucks. My budget is $70/month all up (excl phone obviously), and I dont use tolls so that doesn't entice me. Frankly, TC PDQ seems expensive (I'm likely to use 20gb - 30gb per month) mostly because they force you to top up on their $10 tolls. What's everyone's opinion of Orcon these days? They're priced similarly, but without the need for tolls.

Realistically, I've learned from being with Xnet that going for the cheapest isn't a great idea - if I have to pay the extra for PDQ then I will, but I'd like some input on other ISP's please.

PS: Ihug are not an option. I was with them for about 5 years, and they went from bad to worse - never again will I be blind sided by their spontaneous plan nerfing.

(pps: this is a copy/paste from my thread in GP in case it sounds familiar)

tonyhughes

Hawkes Bay
8476 posts

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#92139 23-Oct-2007 21:34

I am with Telecom, we get our broadband free under a staff concession.

If I had to pay for broadband, it would probably be with Xnet, or if I was in a cable area, would definitley be on Telstra.

MikeGayner

183 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#92141 23-Oct-2007 21:41

Hmm, I appreciate your input, but as I've said, Xnet have just been trouble in my experience. I certainly dont want to go with Xtra, and cannot get cable. However, TC still tops my list, despite the extra cost, until I get some input regarding Orcon. Anyone with positive/negative experience with Orcon?

skyplonk

451 posts

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#92145 23-Oct-2007 21:58

I am bias towards Xnet. We have been moving a lot of our customers to Xnet HIS Flood with nothing but the best results, with both service and performance.

My folks have signed up for the Orcon and Home line promo that they had awhile back, even in the middle of the sticks they get good performance, nice and fast, and our one little connection issue was solved very fast and I did not have to follow up with anyone at Orcon to get it sorted.

lonney

85 posts

Master Geek

#92234 24-Oct-2007 15:17

xnet has always been good for me, I got some of my friends and family onto it over a year ago has been ok for them too.

You dont say what exactly the trouble is you are having?

I also had adsl from Orcon, speed was fine, but I got overbilled a couple times.

MikeGayner

183 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#92235 24-Oct-2007 15:23

You dont say what exactly the trouble is you are having?

I'm having the same trouble as a lot of other users at the moment - but to be honest, I dont want to get into a discussion about Xnet, as I only mentioned them as a matter of background. Suffice to say I'm dissatisfied and am seeking a new ISP.

Does anyone here have any experience with Actrix?

adventdesigns

115 posts

Master Geek

#92241 24-Oct-2007 15:59

Well I love xnet too, definitly provide a good service and if you are having trouble with quality from them I doubt changing ISP's will help.

If you really want help we need to know some background as to why you are changing, what you are looking for in terms of service and what hardware you are using.

Edit: a note on orcon, My folks have been roped into orcon for the last 12months and they hate it, it has been very unrealiable and slow. However.... It may have a lot to do with the hardware they are using at the moment.

Hardware is a big deal when it comes to speed and quality of your adsl, if your using one of the cheap dlink's telecom hands out chances are thats your problem.

lonney

85 posts

Master Geek

#92245 24-Oct-2007 16:34

There is another thread on geekzone about xnet being slow at night; it may be related to that... Where is the "slow"?..

How well your adsl hardware gets on with your line wither it is good, average or bad in your house or up the street for what ever reason.

The number of other users that share the same exchange backhaul, once past all this it comes down to the ISP’s own network performance, then ultimately upstream from them.

Pointing out the obvious, if the issue is with your hardware / line / exchange backhaul, it won’t make any difference which ISP you choose, they’ll all suck ;)

I guess the quick way to see is to switch to another ISP, if the "problems" go away all good and fine, if they dont, its back to square 1.

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Gigs

95 posts

Master Geek

#92247 24-Oct-2007 16:48

Would help to know if you have any particular needs, eg good gaming ping etc.

Me, I'm with Slingshot and apart from the odd international hitch I can't say 've had a bad run at all. Would I reccomend them, sure, they have their cons and pro's. Con's would be at night it can often be a wait to get someone on the phone, and of course you do have the odd tech et all that doesn't understand what is happening. (So it's like every other ISP ;))

Pro's, Price is fine to me, and I find the speeds are fine as well.

I think though you'll generally get a pretty mixed bag of replies, there are those that have both good and bad experiences with most ISPs so in the end if it's not going to cost alot to move, then it may be best to just try another one and see how it goes.

MikeGayner

183 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#92249 24-Oct-2007 17:04

Thanks fellas. Guys, as I said, I dont want to get into a conversation regarding Xnet in this thread. My problems ARE related to them, not my hardware/exchange. Promises have been made and broken (and not just in relation to this issue), so it's time to move on.

As far as my requirements - I need an ISP who is reasonably quite consistent, who acheives good speeds even during peak times. I'm fine if my exchange bottlenecks me - there's nothing that can be done here. But if my ISP is the issue, I'm happy to vote with my feet and walk. At the end of the day, if Xnet improve, I may go back to them.

National and international latency is also of reasonable importance to me.

lonney

85 posts

Master Geek

#92267 24-Oct-2007 18:02

In that case I'd say go Telstraclear, Maxnet? or maybe ICONZ.

When I was with Orcon on a FS/FS plan the speed was always good, their billing computer foobared a couple times.

coffeebaron

6236 posts

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#92270 24-Oct-2007 18:33

I'm with xnet too, and know exactly what you are going through with very slow night time speeds. It is is a real pain! Anyway, as for other ISP's, Maxnet could be a good choice. They are a bit more expensive than some, but they are also quite business focused, so I think you will find them to have quite consistent service. I used them sometime ago, and they were always quite helpful and I never had speed issues.

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stu28

273 posts

Ultimate Geek

#92392 25-Oct-2007 13:38

MikeGayner: As far as my requirements - I need an ISP who is reasonably quite consistent, who acheives good speeds even during peak times.

Your will be lucky if you get that!!

MikeGayner

183 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#92400 25-Oct-2007 14:26

stu28:
MikeGayner: As far as my requirements - I need an ISP who is reasonably quite consistent, who acheives good speeds even during peak times.

Your will be lucky if you get that!!

Xnet used to deliver this service. As did ihug about 75% of the time I was with them. As I understand, TC customers experience good on-peak speeds. No rational person expects the same performance at 7.30pm as at 2am, but there's not really any good excuse for an ISP to perform extremely poorly at peak times. Exchange issues aside, users should be able to have fast internet any time of the day.

GEOMAX

450 posts

Ultimate Geek

#92404 25-Oct-2007 14:56

If I had been 3 months with Xnet and had poor service like Mike has had for the last two months I would also be looking to move on. I have been with Xnet for three years though and had excellent service until the last six weeks. I had a good look around first and came due too the cheapest price. I think it is about time Xnet made some statement about why this is occuring rather than say someone from operations would ring me (they haven't). With out a lot of facts though there seems to be a lot of complaints in the Waikato Bay of Plenty so it may well be a backhaul problem. Does anybody know what is wrong? cheers George