Some ISPs
Tiscali.
Yes - I'm with Pipex which is owned by them. Although if this continues
I'll move when the contract is up.

Exactly the same problem for me with Pipex just under two years ago -
NIN was taking 15-20 mins to download headers for my subscribed
groups, and a single message could take 5 mins to download. They
ignored the support request, and I ditched them less than two months
later.

If you have Sky, and are on an LLU'd exchange* (samknows.com can tell
you) - don't walk away from Tiscali, RUN LIKE FSCK !

* non-LLU'd exchanges use a "bought in" service which isn't that good
apparently.