We have been supplied with broadband by Virgin Media (formerly Telewest and Blueyonder- that’s going back a bit) for many years.
My contract has come to an end so I have received the “Your new pricing” letter. SIXTY TWO QUID !!!
I know how to play this game – you call up, threaten to leave and they find a special offer.
I called up, whilst navigating to BT’s broadband website, and after connecting to Mary (in India) received the potentially good news. “As a long standing customer (18 years) we have a special deal just for you”. Looking good. “We can up your speed from 350 to 500”, the tension builds,” for fifty pounds per month”.
I slumped.
“How about, you leave the speed as it is (as I don’t need anywhere near those speeds), how much then?”
“Just checking”, Mary informs me, “… fifty two pounds”.
A quick bit of mental arithmetic is done.”So…”, I enquire, “For a slower speed, I have to pay more?”. “That is correct!”
Whilst being regaled with special offers, I’d check with BT and I can get, albeit nowhere near as quick, broadband for just shy of thirty quid. I inform Mary of this.
She gives me some spiel about having to fork out for equipment and installation, for which BT charge nothing. “I wish to quit” I tell her. She didn’t seem that bothered. Mary then informs me that I just need to sign up with BT and they’ll handle the switch (like other utilities do now).
I signed up for BT and have an installation date of 2nd October.
Technically, the BT hub will need to go in my IT cabinet so I’ll have to work out cable routes and then configure it to operate as a modem with my existing Ubiquiti kit handing the routing / DHCP etc.