NTL broadband

[whiplash]

Hi all,

first of all can anybody get onto ? I've tried to access the site a number of times last week and I'm still getting HTTP 500 error?

I want to view their boardband deals. Is NTL any good? Do they fliter traffic and block different ports on their boardband service?

I'm shopping around for the best deal for boardband and trying to avoid using a landline just for boardband.

 

[CCOVICH]

If you are looking for info on NTL broadband, try www.upc.ie which is the new web adress as far as I know.

 

[ClubMan]

Hi all,

first of all can anybody get onto ? I've tried to access the site a number of times last week and I'm still getting HTTP 500 error?

Works fine for me.

I want to view their boardband deals. Is NTL any good? Do they fliter traffic and block different ports on their boardband service?

First question is - is it available in our area. You'll need to call them to find out. They don't answer emails in my experience.

I'm shopping around for the best deal for boardband and trying to avoid using a landline just for boardband.

Any use?

Key Post: Broadband packages & availability - check here if shopping around

 

[ClubMan]

Update: the seem to have an online service availability checker now which is reporting that cable broadband is available at my address even though they told me over the phone that it was not a few weeks ago...

 

[OhPinchy]

I'd advise anybody considering NTL/UPC broadband to check the Broadband forum on boards.ie before making the decision. Some of the experiences, including my own, have been terrible. My experience has been that when it works, their broadband is fine (though not near the 6MB I'm paying for), but when things go wrong, their support is a disgrace.

 

[ClubMan]

though not near the 6MB I'm paying for

Actual performance will generally never reach the nominal rated throughput on any broadband connection due to protocol overhead etc. And when there is a contention ratio applicable then this also influences actual performance. I think that the contention ratio on ntl: is 17:1 which means that you are only guaranteed a maximum nominal speed of 350Kbps although you may get more depending on who is online at any time.

 

[podgerodge]

Update: the seem to have an online service availability checker now which is reporting that cable broadband is available at my address even though they told me over the phone that it was not a few weeks ago...

Just another example of NTL's incompetence.
Try selecting Dublin 6 (where they certainly don't cover some addresses I know of) and type in an address like 6 The Walk, then answer that you have their cable tv service and they tell you that broadband is available at your address.

actually if you say you have NO ntl services at the same address it says you can't get broadband...!!

 

[ClubMan]

Update: the seem to have an online service availability checker now which is reporting that cable broadband is available at my address even though they told me over the phone that it was not a few weeks ago...

So at least they did email me back this time - to tell me that in spite of the website saying that it is available their BB service is NOT available at my address.

 

[OhPinchy]

Actual performance will generally never reach the nominal rated throughput on any broadband connection due to protocol overhead etc. And when there is a contention ratio applicable then this also influences actual performance. I think that the contention ratio on ntl: is 17:1 which means that you are only guaranteed a maximum nominal speed of 350Kbps although you may get more depending on who is online at any time.

Hi Clubman,

Yep, it does go above 350Kbps sometimes, but its the far too frequent periods where it runs at 200Kbps at most that I have a problem with. Oh, and the frequent total outages.