moving rural

[#1]

I'm currently with PN on fibre - all is well.

However I'm soon to move to a rural location which appears to have the slowest internet <clarkson voice>"in the world"</clarkson voice>

the PN signup process offers me ADSL only at 1 - 3MBps.

So - I'd be grateful for any thoughts on alternative options for a total non-expert?

Thankyou

[#2]

@whistler2 

1. Check the mobile operators coverage maps and see if you can get mobile data. It's not that much more expensive these days and you can get a Mifi unit such as a Huawei E5577 to which you can fix an external Aerial.

2. Join an ISP such as BT who are co-operating with providing up to 10Mbps under the Universal Service Obligation where practicable, see  https://www.bt.com/broadband/USO

[#3]

Thanks @Baldrick1 - appreciate your reply.

I'll check those out but from a quick initial check it looks like I'll only get 3G at my new address and BT look like they take 30 days to even figure if you're eligible and the cost looks like it could be a concern.

[#4]

---

@whistler2 wrote:

I'm currently with PN on fibre - all is well.

However I'm soon to move to a rural location which appears to have the slowest internet <clarkson voice>"in the world"</clarkson voice>

the PN signup process offers me ADSL only at 1 - 3MBps.

So - I'd be grateful for any thoughts on alternative options for a total non-expert?

---

@whistler2 

Presumably you're presently on a VDSL2 "fibre" connection as opposed to being on FTTP as part of the PN FTTP trial?

I don't want to get your hopes up too much but just because your new location is rural doesn't necessarily mean you're limited to ADSL as there's a slight chance of having FTTP available, although the PN checker won't show that as they don't offer an official FTTP product.

Check https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL and go straight to the bottom of the page and click the 'Address Checker' link.

Enter just the PostCode and Captcha, then Submit.

You'll then get a list of addresses at the PostCode you entered, select yours and submit it.

If you can see 'WBC FTTP' in the left hand column (under 'Featured Products') then FTTP is available to you (ignore 'FTTP on Demand' as that is not relevant unless you have VERY deep pockets).

EDIT:  It looks like the link provided above by @Baldrick1 will already have confirmed that FTTP is not available to you.  

[#5]

Hi @RobPN - Thanks for your reply

Just seen your edit - as you imply - I think I'm doomed!!!

I tried your link anyway but just got this: "Your address has been successfully matched; however we cannot determine ADSL availability at this address. Please try the Telephone Number or Postcode Checker.
"

So I did as bid and got this: "There is no data available for this number. This could be either because it is not a BT line or it is a new BT number that has just been provided. Most new numbers will appear on the checker 24 hours after BT has installed the line"

I know it's not a new number so not sure what's occurring.

I'm thinking I have two options really: 1) ADSL with anywhere between 0.4Mbps (PN's on-line guarantee for that address/number) and 3Mbps with a following wind. OR 2) Apparently there is TrueSpeed available but I'm not sure I can justify the cost.

Please come back (anyone) with any other options before I commit to one of the above.

Thanks

[#6]

@whistler2 

Aren't Truespeed a provider of rural FTTP? If so then it's nearly twice the price for about 100 times rhe speed.

So it's a choice between country life living slowly and leisurely in the 20th Century or having all the advantages of the latest communications whilst also having all the advantages of living in the country.

In the coming years the POTS in much of the country will shut down and we will all have to pay FTTP prices.

[#7]

@Baldrick1 - I hear what you say. However, although TrueSpeed install should go without a hitch - reading through the T&Cs and the process, there is some scope for things to go pear-shaped and as a result expensive. Particularly in a property I don't yet own and therefore don't know the topology intimately. Moving home is stressful enough and with the added complexities of COVID I just don't need the grief.

Soooo.... I've decided to go the path of least resistance and stay with PN for the time being and I'll live with the crappy speed until I'm settled in. Then I may well pay the penalty and jump ship to TrueSpeed.

Anyway - thanks to you all that replied - you did help me in the thought process and it's appreciated.

Hopefully the move with PN will work out after a rocky start. Yesterday I got cut off whilst discussing my options and some muppet decided to terminate my service rather than ring me back. Then today after me ringing and starting over and sorting the move I got one set of emails reporting the process and another set of emails saying thanks for staying and that they would cancel the move process to another provider. Left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing but hopefully it will all come out in the wash - or not...

Ye gods - could be worse it could be TT - been there got the T-shirt and never again. Anyway - sorry for the ramble.

[#8]

Trust me, once you go full fibre you never go back. Having symmetric speeds is utter luxury and you won't regret it - provided you can get it, of course!. Their packages are a little pricey, but the service quality alone should justify it. And in these times of not-going-out-much, it's only a few beers down the pub each month you're not otherwise spending...

Keep the PN line as a slowband backup and see if you can get a retention deal or discounted rate for the slow speed -- or move your service then switch to someone like Now Broadband on their base package with a cashback deal, making it very cheap/free. It's useful to have genuinely diverse internet routes, even if one is so slow it's only useful in emergencies.

[#9]

Thanks @ChrisWoods - like I say, I'll get settled in and then re-think and most likely will do TrueSpeed.

Meanwhile LOL - after pushing PN yesterday as hard as I could after them saying they couldn't cut me any sort of deal they eventually relented and knocked me off a couple of quid so I signed up. Lo and behold today, the left hand that doesn't know what the right hand is, texted me and asked me not to leave (I'm not PN - remember) and offered me a similar deal to what I signed up for yesterday but with £50 cashback if I stay.

Come on PN - get your act together - and you know what I'm not even going to call you and ask for the cashback because I know you won't actually pay it now.

[#10]

@whistler2  I am slightly confused, your opening post in this thread says "I'm currently with PN on fibre - all is well." 🙄

[#11]

@RealAleMadrid   too much, real ale, methinks...

the post is quite specific ... if you read it all

QUOTE

moving rural

Monday

I'm currently with PN on fibre - all is well.

However I'm soon to move to a rural location which appears to have the slowest internet <clarkson voice>"in the world"</clarkson voice>

the PN signup process offers me ADSL only at 1 - 3MBps.

So - I'd be grateful for any thoughts on alternative options for a total non-expert?

Thankyou

UNQUOTE...

Doh ! ....

[#12]

I'm currently with PN on fibre - all is well.

However I'm soon to move to a rural location which appears to have the slowest internet <clarkson voice>"in the world"</clarkson voice>

the PN signup process offers me ADSL only at 1 - 3MBps.

So - I'd be grateful for any thoughts on alternative options for a total non-expert?

Thankyou

UNQUOTE...

Doh ! ....

[#13]

@shutter  Thanks for your overblown response but you have completely missed the point of what I was getting at, perhaps you should read message #9 more carefully where the op states ......(Plusnet) "texted me and asked me not to leave (I'm not PN - remember) and offered me a similar deal to what I signed up for yesterday".

According to the opening post he is a plusnet customer so what does "I'm not PN mean?"

I haven't had a drop of ale ... yet.😛

[#14]

@RealAleMadrid  You see..... you caused the confusion, by not referring to the second part, in the first part, which thereby caused confusion in the third part, but now, hopefully having read the fourth part requiring the first and second part to be read together with the fourth part, which, if it had been presented in a concise manner, would have eliminated the third and fifth part .

Or have I missed something somewhere  ? ? ?

[#15]

Hmm, as said - I would consider getting a data only SIM. You won't be able to go mental such as streaming HD video and downloading films et al. However it will get you out of trouble. Then get a 4G USB dongle for it.

There are sites where you can put your new postcode in and it will tell you where your local masts are, so it'll give you an idea. I won't list the one I tried, as it doesn't seem to work. I know my local EE mast is in the street next to me (I walk past it often enough!) hence I get full reception here. It is not showing up. I get a 25Gb EE allowance which is better than nothing, but can be used easily if apps or decide sneakily decide to auto-update without telling you. My iPhone decides to do this when it feels like it and tells me afterwards (though I assume it will only do that when you're on Wi-Fi).

Find the new nearest mast at your new place, I wouldn't commit to any new deal, as I assume that will mean you agreeing to a year, year and a half or two year contract which you won't be happy with if the reception and speed are poor. I would get a PAYG sim, try it for a bit and if reception and speed are fine then consider a contract with the network you get on with.

[#16]

@whistler2  I`m no expert...but maybe MIFI would be a "way to go"....

apparently, you can get a Pay as you go card from EE, Vodafone and Three... You need to buy the MIFI thing outright from the likes of PCWorld or an online supplier maybe.. ( think I saw one in TESCO a couple of years back, but wasn`t sure what I was looking at ! ! ! ) .

This page should give you some ideas.

https://www.broadbandcompared.co.uk/guides/what-is-mifi-and-how-does-it-work

From that page...

How does MiFi work?

MiFi works in a similar way to a home broadband router, but instead a MiFi device taps into a 4G or 3G network to create what’s called an ‘ad-hoc’ network.

How fast is MiFi?

MiFi mobile broadband tends to provide speeds up to 25Mbps, depending on location and the type of MiFi tariff you have signed up to.

Three and EE are the main providers of MiFi in the UK and they both offer contract and pay as you go tariffs.

How much does MiFi cost?

Most UK networks offer MiFi (or mobile WiFi) contracts. Vodafone offers MiFi tariffs of 12 months or 30 days, Three offer MiFi in 1 or 24-month contracts and EE offer pay monthly or pay as you go options.

Be sure to keep an eye on data usage caps on any deal you sign up to. 30 day or 1-month contracts tend to have quite low data limits, so if you are going to be using a lot of data on the move it may be worth looking at 12-month tariffs.