Wanadoo cannadoo

[RVF500]

So we finally get broadband in our area. Shocked and stunned, I didn't think it would be there in my lifetime. Ok, well I have b/band at the flat I was renting while working away so I'll just shift it. No problem, £25 fee and Wanadoo can go on at home. That'll be 20 working days sir....... Well, I'm stuck. The initial contract is for a year so I have to go with it. This is the lead time BT gives them so I'm told. Sounds like a cr@p SLA to me but not much I can do about it.

20 working days later.....'scuse me wanadoo, where's my b/band?
ummmm....oh, it doesn't seem to have gone through I'll do it now. Should be on in......20 working days.
What?!?!?!?!?! you're 'avin' a bubble barf mate.
Nope, and you are still under contract so wind yer neck in.
But at least they refunded me the downtime so I begrudgingly took it on the chin.

20 working days later (have you noticed a pattern forming here?) ......'scuse me wanadoo, where's my b/band?
ummmm....oh, it doesn't seem to have gone through I'll do it now.
Hold up, it's been two months already.
OK, we'll put it through as a new install, 10 working days.
Why couldn't you have done that?....oh, never mind.

10 working days later (getting repetitive innit?)......'scuse me wanadoo, where's my b/band?
ummmm....oh, it doesn't seem to have gone through I'll do it now.
*censored*

10 working days later (bet that surprised you)......ok...what's the excuse now?
Ummm...what's your phone number? oh we don't have that one for you.
Still had the phone number I left 3 months ago.
I'll do it n.... no you won't. Stuff the contract. Cancel me NOW!!!!

At least they had the good grace not to quibble the outstanding contract.

Hello Zen, can you give me a b/band connection? Certainly sir be at least 5 working days (5?.....5 working days? ). Here's a url so you can track your order...3 working days later I have b/band and my router I ordered at the same time will be here tomorrow which will be 5 working days. Now wasn't that so much easier? To really p*ss me off Zen are dropping their prices and have tied me in to a massive 1 month contract. Well, maybe I'm not that p*ssed off

[Lee H]

Great news ( about you not using wanadoo - not about being faffed about for broadband )

I never use ANY of the known ISP's such as BTOpenworld or Fleaswerve or whatever they are called now. The main reason is that companies like Nildram, Pipex, Plus, Bulldog etc all provide BETTER value and services to the customer than the BIG players.

For example - a tracert to a gameserver I have access to in telehouse London on BTOpenworld gives on average a tracert of 13-14 hops, yet a nildram or bulldog trace is only 4 hops. Less hops = better transfers and less likely to get ping spikes and loss.

At least you've gone for a good ISP (Zen) and the 1 month contract is a huge bonus... It looks as if you've been very lucky indeed to get away from wannadoo

[shiato storm]

i'm in a similar situation...well, sort of. I've been using Griffin at the rental's houses; top service, but now having moved to own abode I'm looking for a decent, yet cheap service. there are a lot of £17.99 and £19.99 type 'deals' out at the moment but I'm not sure how great these are...
are there any reliable services that don't charge this rather unnecessary fee of £50 connection?...why do some charge this and others don't?

!

[Lee H]

Some ISP's do not charge as they have "promotion" offers and some require a 1 year contract with a free connection, or a connection fee and a 1 month "rolling" contract, so basically its all swings and roundabouts to be honest.

For a more scoped looked at the ISP's and their prices and offers I would read over www.adslguide.org.uk and check the speedtest results from ISP's users as well

[Stoo]

Zen r0x0rz my b0x0rz

[MAS]

Wannadoo = French.

Nuff said, methinks.

[RVF500]

The router has arrived and it took me about 30 mins to set up. Home network now up and running.