ISP Recomendations

[#1]

Hi, I've been with Force9 for about 5 years..maybe more, and signed an expensive unlimited download contract. I have had very few problems with my connection and I have been pleased with that,however. During the past few years I have noticed that F9 have moved the goalposts on several occasions and for a few years now it hasn't been unlimited download and they want to monitor the big down loaders so they changed the times for unlimited download then changed them again where they have stayed for a while. I totally agree with their fair usage policy but when asked about the contract I signed and why they changed it without asking...well you can guess the answer. I am supposed to get 8mb speed but I get lass than 4mb ( 3256 ) but no one from F9 has helped me to sort this out, its a case of if you dont know what your doing then tough...I don't have a clue how to get a faster speed. Now F9 has got together with Plusnet, I know its the same company but we are now as one, so how long is it going to be before my expensive £21.99 for 40gb of downloads actually goes down to 20gb for £19.99, or will they let me pay the same as I am now!
I am a novice when it comes to modems and downloading speeds etc and there seems to be no place for people like me on these forums, when I read all the talk about how bad this ISP is and slow speeds and all the technical jargon that comes into it I just log off. What I do is expect more communication from F9 or Plusnet, an email for a change for novices, ask us how we are coping, how the service is etc, is it too much to ask to be included in whats going on and how to get the best out of the connection etc? After all I am a paying customer...it seems I am the one causing the problems.
One other problem is, if I don't visit these technical forums then i dont find out whats going on, I'm afraid these forums are not for me,I just want everything to run quickly and smoothly and to get what I pay for instead of having to come here and look for what changes have happened or about to happen, F9 always say if for the best..the best for who?
My next door neighbour is with Orange and they are supposed to be crap,his download speed is 2mb faster than mine and he pays less and he's on a BT line like myself...so how can I tell people Plusnet are good? where is the evidence to support that?
I really feel its about time to change my ISP but how do I go about that,whats a mac code and do all ISP's need one, which is the best ISP to go to I would be grateful for any recommendations.
Sorry for going on a bit but I am really confused and frustrated with all of this technical stuff that I know nothing about and that F9 and Plusnet seem to add to.

Thanks

[#2]

Hi there,
I tyhink I replied to you earlier, offering my assistance?
For what it's worth, we only advertised an unlimited product for a brief period in summer 2005.
Do you read the newsletters that we send out?  they should give you plenty of information about what's going on?
Also, looking at your usage, if you were to consider scheduling your large downloads between midnight and 8am (I appreciate that you seem to alrerady do this between midnight and 4pm) we could knock £6 off your monthly tariff.

[#3]

Hi, For what its worth, I'm glad you realised and emailed me about your statement here that "you only advertised an unlimited product for a brief period in summer 2005" and that it was actually unlimited in 2002 when i signed up.
The newsletters that are posted out are what F9 and Plusnet have decided to do,I can't ever remember being asked my view and doubt I would agree to get less and pay the same.
I'm not going to downgrade my service, I would rather look for another ISP,I will bide my time and go when the time is right for me.
Its a real shame,because Force9 was exceptionally good in 2002 it was a real gem, it seems to have forgotten that its the customers who pay the wages.

[#4]

Hi there,
Sorry I didn't get a chance to speak to you yesterday, but thanks for replying to my tickets.
I'm sorry to hear that you'll be eventually moving away and if there is anything I can do for you in the meantime, then please let me know.

[#5]

Quote from: cannylad

… I am supposed to get 8mb speed but I get lass than 4mb (3256) but no one from F9 has helped me to sort this out, its a case of if you don't know what your doing then tough...I don't have a clue how to get a faster speed. …

ADSL max has always been referred to as "up-to 8Mbps",  the actual speed available depends on the characteristics of the particular line - the length of the line for starters.  Since the value you quoted, 3256, is not a multiple of 32 is that an actual throughput speed rather than modem sync speed?  If that is the case, if your sync speed is much higher then changing certain settings on your computer might improve your throughput speed.
Users on these forums will help you to work through this; you don't need to be a technical expert though you will be asked to provide information from your modem/router - and, if need be helped to get that information.  I hope you will take up this offer of help; the first questions I would ask are what version of Windows do you use? and what is the make and model of your router/modem?  If you aren't sure the latter information will be printed on the label on the bottom of the hardware.

[#6]

It is up to you whether you go elsewhere, but you should be aware that the actual speed you get will not change by moving to another ISP. As spraxyt said, speed depends on the losses and noise levels on your telephone line, and to some extent your own hardware. Moving to another ISP will not change this.
Also, nobody offers unlimited downloads nowadays. If anyone says they do, look carefully at the small print!

[#7]

Quote from: Denzil

Also, nobody offers unlimited downloads nowadays. If anyone says they do, look carefully at the small print!

Not totally true - you can get totally unlimited - but the cost would make your eyes water (probably more per month than you currently pay for a whole year).