http://distributedresearch.

net/blog/2008/03/16/best-broadband-deals

D ARn et
Distrib u te d Actio n Rese arch, co m m u nities of practice a n d social o b jects by A n dy Ro b erts

home sit e m a p a n d y r o b e r ts - m usic d ar wiki p yja m a n a tio n u k social o b jects about

Be st b r o a d b a n d d e a ls March 1 6, 2 0 0 8
Se arch
Post e d b y A n d y Ro b erts in : b e st b r o a d b a n d d e als , trac k b ac k

A u t h o r: A n d y Ro b e rts
is a n o nlin e p ro f essio n al
w h o initiate d D ARn et

@ e m ail

Be st b r o a d b a n d d e a ls - c h e a p b r o a d b a n d o r @ twitter

Fre e Sk y T V?
Wor k in g fro m h o m e o n t h e in t ern e t, o n e t hin g yo u a bsolu t ely h ave t o t o d e p e n d s u b scri b e i n a f e e d r e a d e r
u p o n is a relia ble a n d fast bro a d b a n d co n n ectio n. It’s a serio us m atter to
co nsid er ch a n gin g In t ern e t Service Provid er(ISP) a n d start lo o k in g aro u n d for t h e
b est broa d b an d d eals. OR

For e x a m ple it’s n o use b ein g a ch e a psk ate a n d p u ttin g u p wit h a n avera g e or b y e m ail - e n t er e m ail a d d ress:
p o or service w h e n it co m es t o h avin g a n efficie n t t o ol for t h e tra d e. O n t h e
o t h er h a n d, w hilst t h e ch e a p bro a d b a n d o p tio ns are sure t o b e co m pro m ise d Su bscrib e m e!
at so m e p oin t, t h e m ost e x p e nsive bro a d b a n d isn ’ t always t h e b est
broad band.

I m e n tio n e d o n twitter t h at I’ m lo o k in g for t h e b est b ro a d b a n d d e als a n d w as

Rece n t C o m m e n ts
t h e n reco m m e n d e d Tiscali. I fo u n d o u t t h at m y curre n t ISP h as act u ally b e e n
■ Pa ris Si g h ts o n Pa ris b r e a k s
ta k e n over by a co m p a ny w hich h as b e e n su bse q u e n tly b o u g h t u p by Tiscali, ■ C h ris M a r r o w o n F erry b e tw e e n Ilfraco m b e
so I’ m alre a dy a custo m er of t h eirs by d efa ult, yet t h eir w e bsite tells m e m y a n d Sw a nse a, Min e h e a d a n d Pe n art h b y
p h o n e lin e is in eligible?! 2008
■ Fra n k ie Ro b ert o o n H o w t o m a k e i m a g e lin ks
i n M e d iaWi k i
Sh if ti n g M a r k e t p lac e f o r c h e a p b r o a d b a n d ■ A n d y Ro b erts o n Social n e t w or k in g n o t a
b usin ess
T his is a co nsta n t ch a n g e sce n ario. A fe w ye ars b ac k I w as luc k y e n o u g h t o live ■ St eve Mills o n O p e n t h r e a d f o r l u r k e rs
in a n are a w h ere th e revolutio n ary H o m ech oice were pilotin g a n ew service. ■ St eve Mills o n Social n e t w or k in g n o t a
T his inclu d e d fast 1 M b bro a d b a n d in t ern e t at a ti m e w h e n everyw h ere else b usin ess
w as li m it e d t o 2 5 6 or 5 1 2 K, b u n dle d in wit h a n o n d e m a n d T V via co p p er wire ■ Si m o n o n Best b ro a d b a n d d e als
■ M usic.Po d fir e . o r g o n Eb bsfle e t Unit e d g oin g
(al m ost IPT V) w hich w as su p erb in f u nctio n ality.
t o We m bley
■ A n n e M arie McEw a n o n T h e e n d of
management
■ ff x i g il o n O p e n t h r e a d f o r l u r k e rs
■ ff x i g il o n Wh a t's in t h e m irr o r?
■ ff x i g il o n Best b ro a d b a n d d e als
■ Pa st y M u n c h e r o n Best b ro a d b a n d d e als

M ai n ca t e g o ries
Actio n Rese arch
o nlin e co m m u nity
As a b ro a d b a n d service p rovid er t his w as e asily t h e b est d e al availa ble b u t e pid e m iolo gy
t h ey n ever m a n a g e d t o raise t h e cash t o b uy e n o u g h co n t e n t t o ta k e off. T h at
m icrojo bs
was b efore th e u n b u n dlin g of th e local lo o p for teleco m ms, so BT were a ble to
m usic
h old t hin gs b ac k for t h e m . Un fort u n at ely H o m ech oice p ulle d o u t of m y are a
Pa ris b r e a k s
w h e n th ey m ove d o n to th e n e x t g e n eratio n of th e IPT V service, a n d h ave since
t o ols
b e e n acq uire d by O 2. So I wo uld n ot reco m m e n d usin g a ny of th e s m aller
co m p a nies b eca use yo u n ever k n o w w h o yo u are g oin g t o e n d u p wit h. UK

Lo n d o n t h e a tre b re a k s
Fr e e SKY T V wiki
full site m a p
T his history m e a ns t h at I a m a m e n a ble to t h e id e a of fast bro a d b a n d in tern et
b ein g b u n dle d in wit h a T V service, w hich is w hy I’ m lo o kin g at SKY digital T V
a n d b ro a d b a n d. T h e in t erestin g b ro a d b a n d d e al o n offer curre n tly is t h e b asic
SKY T V a n d b r o a d b a n d p ac k a g e f o r £ 1 6. Yo u ca n lo o k at th at as eith er a f r e e
S K Y T V service, b u n dle d in with w h at yo u wo uld n or m ally p ay for ch e a p
b ro a d b a n d o nly, or as a f r e e b r o a d b a n d o f f e r for p e o ple w h o h ave alw ays
wa nte d th e h u g e n u m b er of e x tra T V ch a n n els. If yo u h ave intern et access o ut ● T o p C o m m e n t a t o rs
at w or k a n d m ainly o nly use t h e h o m e co n n ectio n for bro wsin g in t h e eve nin gs
Gra e m e (7)
a n d w e e k e n d s t h e n t h e b est b ro a d b a n d d e al is p ro b a b ly t h e SKY b ro a d b a n d
Be v T r a y n e r (6)
Base p ac k a g e, w h ere as a h o m e b usin ess w or k er or g a m er w o uld p ro b a bly
n e e d to u p gra d e to th e eve n faster sp e e ds with totally u nli m ite d b a n d wid th for Sa r a h St e w a rt (6)

a n e x tra £ 5 or £ 1 0 a m o n t h. joitsk e h ulse b osch (5)

C o n nie (4)
SKY + a n d SKY H D Bo b Ritchie (3)

I’ m n o t t h at b o t h ere d a b o u t t h e a d ditio n al e n t ertain m e n t ch a n n els o n offer at ff x i gil (3)

£ 1 a b u n dle, n or t h e p re m iu m fil m s or live fo o t b all b u t I m ust a d m it I’ ve alw ays
b e e n intereste d in th e h u g e n u m b er of nich e ch a n n els w hich b eco m e availa ble ● Po p u la r Po sts
fre e to air, u p o n b eco m in g a SKY su bscrib er. T u r k ish T V, Pu n ja b , A ra b ic a n d T h e atre bre a ks in Lo n d o n
N T V for a start, a n d t h e n t h e e n or m o us b ack catalo g u e of n at ure C o usco us Recip e
d ocu m e n taries a n d co m e dy w hich are n ot always availa ble a nyw h ere o n
T h e A rt o f T hre a din g
fre eview for e x a m ple. A n d th e g e e k in m e is dyin g to h ave a play with th e e x tra
Wh at is blu eto n g u e dise ase?
t ech n olo gy t h at ca n b e a d d e d as a o n e - off. T h e SKY PLUS (SKY + ) b o x w hich
gives TIV O lik e fu nctio n ality (p a use a n d re play live T V, record o n e or tw o Blo g A ctio n D ay - in d ivi d u al actio n is n o t
enough
ch a n n els w hile w atchin g so m e t hin g else) a n d clever softw are t o recor d lin k e d
series. T h e S k y M u l t i r o o m clie n t server n e tw or k co uld b e f u n or t h e Hig h F erry b e tw e e n Ilfraco m b e a n d Sw a nse a,
Min e h e a d a n d Pe n art h b y 2 0 0 8
D efinitio n T V S k y H D b o x . T h e r e ’s n o t m uch p oin t in g e ttin g t h e H D T V t h o u g h
T h e atre bre a ks m id we e k
wit h o u t g e ttin g a n e w T V se t t o d o it justice, b u t if a n e w T V is o n t h e cards
t h e n it m ig h t b e w ort h m a k in g sure t h e b est wirin g a n d co n n ectio ns are
installe d re a dy for it as p art of t h e se t u p d e al.
FEEDS FULL C O MMEN TS

Best Br o a d b a n d D e als
Bac k t o t h e b ro a d b a n d t h o u g h, w hich co uld b e t h e re al justificatio n for
su bscribin g t o SKY. I’ ve n o tice d t h a t t h e fre e b asic b ro a d b a n d p ac k a g e is a t
2Me g a bits p er seco n d, w hich is actu ally twice as fast as m y old H o m ech oice
co n n ectio n use d t o b e. T h e o n e t h at every b o d y e nvie d. So t h at m ig h t w ell
su ffice give n t h at a lo t of w h at I d o is t e x t a n d gra p hic b ase d in t eractio n a n d
bro wsin g. It’s pro b a bly o nly if a lot of larg e d ow nlo a ds or stre a m in g vid e o are
re q uire d t h a t t h e u p gra d es w o uld b e re q uire d , b u t t h a t’s co m ple t ely fle x ible
o n a m o n t h b y m o n t h b asis a nyw ay, so for t h e a dva n ta g e of g e ttin g all t h ose
e x tra T V ch a n n els, fu nctio n ality a n d g a d g ets t h e fre e bro a d b a n d ‘ b a s e ’ h as t o
b e o n e of th e b e s t b r o a d b a n d d e a l s aro u n d. T h a t’s wit h o u t eve n
m e n tio nin g t h e fre e w e e k e n d a n d eve nin g tele p h o n e calls, ch e a p er t h a n BT
T o g e t h er for calls t o m o biles a n d in t ern atio n al n u m b ers, n or t h e “SKY A nyw h ere
via T V” o n - d e m a n d service w hich is inclu d e d with a ny SKY + b o x .

Reserva tio ns
My o nly reservatio ns are t h at sat ellit e T V is p erh a ps n o t t h e f u t ure. In t h e
lo n g er ru n, so m e p e o ple t hin k t h at T V ch a n n els w o n t e x ist in t h e p rese n t
for m at at all. It will all b e “o n d e m a n d” so n o b o dy is ever watchin g th e sa m e
pro gra m m e at th e sa m e ti m e. But th e availa bility of o n - d e m a n d m usic h asn ’ t
k ille d ra dio h as it? I h ave a t h e ory t h at ch a n n els will b e wit h us for a lo n g ti m e
t o co m e, alo n gsid e all of t h e p erso n alise d b ro wsin g, o n - d e m a n d , s k i p a n d f ast
forward st uff. Besid es it’s still t h e b e s t b r o a d b a n d d e a l t h at is t h e m ain
co nsid eratio n for b usin ess, wit h t h e fre e Sk y T V as a nice b o n us for m yself.

Best Br o a d b a n d D e als r e p o rt (p d f)

RSS f e e d | T r a c k b a c k URI

5 C o m m e n ts »

C o m m e n t b y b e st b r o a d b a n d d e als
2008 - 03 - 17 19:37:16

I use d t o g et b a dly a n n oye d w h e n ever a nyb o dy ra n g t h e d o orb ell or calle d

in t h e m id dle m y favo urit e t elly, b u t n o w I ca n just p u t it o n p a use w hile I
g et rid of th e m , a n d I h ave n’ t m isse d a nyt hin g. So d effo g e t t h e sk y plus
box.

Re ply t o t his co m m e n t

T rac k b ac k b y h e alt h ra n k er
2008 - 03 - 17 21:37:39

Be st b r o a d b a n d d e als - c h e a p b r o a d b a n d o r Fr e e Sk y T V…

b est b ro a d b a n d d e als revie w e d wit h d oct or wit h fre e SKY T V a n d t h e ch e a p

b ro a d b a n d o ff er. Se e m s re aso n a b le…

Re ply t o t his co m m e n t

C o m m e n t b y Pasty Mu nch er
2008 - 03 - 18 13:29:03

I a d d e d t his co m m e n t over at pyja m a n atio n

i w as very disa p p oin t e d t h a t t h eir p ac k a g e as yo u d e t ail a b ove a d d e d o n
a n d e x tra £ 1 7 p er m o n t h f or t h e Mid Bro a d b a n d - it se e m s I live in t h e
wro n g are a. I d o n ’ t q uite u n d ersta n d w hy t h er is a differe nce - I t h o u g h t Sk y
use d t h e sa m e wires t h at BT su p ply

Re ply t o t his co m m e n t

C o m m e n t b y ff x i gil
2008 - 03 - 18 14:49:25

We h ave BT Bro a d b a n d, re n e w e d t h e co n tract rece n tly t o g e t fre e BT Visio n

(a fre evie w versio n of Sk y Plus). We’ve d ecid e d n o t t o install it rig h t a w ay as
w e live in a n old b uildin g a n d d o n ’ t h ave a digital a erial (h avin g p revio usly
o nly h a d Sk y T V).

In 3 m o n t hs, w e ’ ve receive d 1 0 p h o n e calls askin g w hy w e’ve n o t installe d

BT Visio n a n d w h e n w e e x p ect to d o so. T h ey’ re n ot offerin g to install it for
us, b ut th ey se e m very a n x io us to k n ow we h ave installe d it. Very stra n g e.

I w o uld reco m m e n d BT Bro a d b a n d - q uit e co nsist e n t, t h o u g h t h e cust o m er

su p p ort is q uite p o or.

Re ply t o t his co m m e n t

C o m m e n t b y Si m o n
2008 - 03 - 26 01:51:43

Perso n ally I’ m a ca b l e b r o a d b a n d m a n . A ft er livin g for a n u m b er of ye ars

with b oth A DSL a n d C a ble, th ere re ally is n o co m p ariso n. T h e co n n ectio n is
n o tice a bly sn a p pier a n d just se e m s a w h ole lo t m ore sta ble. I’ m act u ally
g ettin g 2.5Mb ps d o w nlo a d sp e e d at th e m o m e nt, eve n th o u g h this ca ble
co n n ectio ns is su p p ose dly slo w er t h a n m y old A DSL co n n ectio n a n d t h e m a x
I ever g ot o u t of t h at was 8 0 0 K b.

T h e o nly tw o dra w b ac ks are t h at yo u h ave t o b e in a ca ble are a a n d yo u d o

p ay a p re m iu m over a d sl. I’ ve also h e ar d t h at t h e Virgin su p p ort isn ’ t gre at,
b u t I’ ve n o t h a d t o d e al wit h t h e m ye t. A n d eith er way, th ey ca n’ t b e a s b a d
as t h e BT p e o p le I’ ve h a d to d e al with previo usly.

Re ply t o t his co m m e n t

N a m e (r e q u ir e d)

E - m ail (re q uire d - n ever sh o w n p u blicly)

URI

gcef Su bscrib e to co m m e nts via e m ail

d
Yo ur C o m m e n t (s m aller si z e | larg er si z e)
 Yo u m ay use < a href = " " title = " " > < a b br title = " " > < acro ny m title = " " > < b >
< bloc k q u o t e cit e = " " > < co d e > < e m > < i > < stri k e > < stro n g > in yo ur
co m m e n t.
A d d co m m e n t

Re l a t e d Po sts fr o m t h e Past:
● Most of us in UK sp e n d at le ast t hre e h o urs a d ay o nlin e
● Bro a d b a n d d e m o gra p hics evid e n t at Glast o n b ury Festival
● Pro ject T e asp o o n
● UK at th e h u b of V C invest m e nt for We b 2.0 startu ps
● T h e atre bre a ks in Lo n d o n

gcef g e t e m ail n o tificatio n of f urt h er co m m e n ts o n t his p ost?

d
b

...
© 2 0 0 5 - 2 0 0 8 D ARn e t C r e a t e d wit h Wo r dPr e ss Top