Dave wrote:
There was a time I thought the NTL 3 in 1 idea a good one (TV, Phone and
internet). This was indeed a good deal and for a couple of years and it's worked
pretty well. But things are changing.

First the hardware setup. We have an NTL cable from the road to a Set Top box.
One line goes to the STB and another to the box that the 'phone plugs into.

Now the moans. For starters the FREE dialup is of course no longer free and
indeed has seen a few price rises since the freeness was removed some time ago.
Almost every week I get a ntl broadband offer which while cheap to start with, I
know from past experience will soon float upwards,

Since the ntl analogue box was changed for digital Set Top box (and I was 100%
assured NOTHING would change as regards setup, cost etc - and it was all done
for free) I find the new "Base Pack" (a collection of TV channels) just happens
to cost a few more pounds per month that the old analogue one. Of course no one
told me that even though I asked several times if the change would cost me more.
Even though the cost increase isn't great I very much dislike this not being
made clear to me until I got the first new bill after the digital STB was
installed.

So I'm just looking at ways to escape Castle NTL. Perhaps You can help along the
way with all/any of these…

Phone.
I suppose this is the easiest to escape from. We still have the old BT phone
lines installed. Simply sign up with BT then?

Or possibly other subscribers.. Or use VOIP ?

TV
Well Freeview has all the channels I want anyway. So if I buy a Freeview STB (I
am in a suitable postcode area to receive the signal). That removes the "Base
Pack" or any other "pack" costs.


Yup. Freeview is pretty good.

Internet
This is the most tricky aspect. I'd need to sign up with an ISP to at least
maintain my dialup system as now. However if I ever want to go broadband I only
have that BT phone line available. Is broadband possible down such a line, or do
I need some other line installing? The NTL digital STB has a nice cosy ethernet
port on the back - it looks oh so temping to keep ntl just for that - unless you
can tell me something different of course.

Any BT line that has a DSLAM at the exchange can be broadbanded with any
ISP.

Some of them offer a phone package as well, so although BT own the
lines, you are not their customer, the ISP is, and it buys bulk copper,
DSL access and frame relay backhaul off BT and runs its won phones over
that.


I used to be with Demon Internet (but switched to NTL for the 3in1). Now, I see
Demon do not do an "Unlimited" use dialup. Seems their cheapest dialup is pay
per call, which I don't want.

Well, that's the background. What to you think the chances of me escaping Castle
NTL?


100%.

If you are in a broadband area, and a freeview area.

Simplest is get a phone line from BT, cheapest option possible and
mention that you want it for digital use.

Then get in touch with any ISP and get broadband installed

Then buy a secondhand set top box on ebay for peanuts, and a decent
antenna for your location, if you haven't already got one, and go and
enjoy it all.

Dave wrote:
On Sun, 14 May 2006 01:36:53 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:


Dave wrote:

There was a time I thought the NTL 3 in 1 idea a good one (TV, Phone and
internet). This was indeed a good deal and for a couple of years and it's worked
pretty well. But things are changing.

My fellow escapers/ee's absconders, the pirate who might jump ship and all the
uncaptured, a huge thank-you for that weath of information. I've only just has
chance to get to look at the replies and am now going to read them again
properly.

Just one point while I'm on this, to the person who managed to de-select NTL TV
from the 3 in 1 (kept inet and phone), I didn't think such a feat was even
possible. I think that's akin to flying a glider out of the attic! Well done.

Despite being perhaps the most incompetent organisation on the planet, I
never quite get mad enough to leave. £9.99 a month broadband is pretty
competitive and the tv and phone work well most of the time.
Changes of any kind are always a nightmare though.

Dave wrote:
On Sun, 14 May 2006 01:36:53 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

Dave wrote:
There was a time I thought the NTL 3 in 1 idea a good one (TV, Phone and
internet). This was indeed a good deal and for a couple of years and it's worked
pretty well. But things are changing.
My fellow escapers/ee's absconders, the pirate who might jump ship and all the
uncaptured, a huge thank-you for that weath of information. I've only just has
chance to get to look at the replies and am now going to read them again
properly.

What has become a fact, is that bandwith is all about capital investment
in kit, and very little ongong cost (especailly if you emply Indian
speaking eejits for support in calcutta)..so that when faced with no
customer, or a low paying customers, its a no brainer.


Just one point while I'm on this, to the person who managed to de-select NTL TV
from the 3 in 1 (kept inet and phone), I didn't think such a feat was even
possible. I think that's akin to flying a glider out of the attic! Well done.

Stuart Noble wrote:
Dave wrote:
On Sun, 14 May 2006 01:36:53 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Dave wrote:

There was a time I thought the NTL 3 in 1 idea a good one (TV, Phone and
internet). This was indeed a good deal and for a couple of years and it's worked
pretty well. But things are changing.

My fellow escapers/ee's absconders, the pirate who might jump ship and all the
uncaptured, a huge thank-you for that weath of information. I've only just has
chance to get to look at the replies and am now going to read them again
properly.

Just one point while I'm on this, to the person who managed to de-select NTL TV
from the 3 in 1 (kept inet and phone), I didn't think such a feat was even
possible. I think that's akin to flying a glider out of the attic! Welldone.

Despite being perhaps the most incompetent organisation on the planet, I
never quite get mad enough to leave. £9.99 a month broadband is pretty
competitive and the tv and phone work well most of the time.
Changes of any kind are always a nightmare though.

£9.99 for ntl broadband? where? Cheapest I've seen offered is £25 for
phone line and bb - which no doubt will rise later.


NT

wrote:
Stuart Noble wrote:

Dave wrote:

On Sun, 14 May 2006 01:36:53 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

Dave wrote:


There was a time I thought the NTL 3 in 1 idea a good one (TV, Phone and
internet). This was indeed a good deal and for a couple of years and it's worked
pretty well. But things are changing.

My fellow escapers/ee's absconders, the pirate who might jump ship and all the
uncaptured, a huge thank-you for that weath of information. I've only just has
chance to get to look at the replies and am now going to read them again
properly.

Just one point while I'm on this, to the person who managed to de-select NTL TV
from the 3 in 1 (kept inet and phone), I didn't think such a feat was even
possible. I think that's akin to flying a glider out of the attic! Well done.


Despite being perhaps the most incompetent organisation on the planet, I
never quite get mad enough to leave. £9.99 a month broadband is pretty
competitive and the tv and phone work well most of the time.
Changes of any kind are always a nightmare though.


£9.99 for ntl broadband? where? Cheapest I've seen offered is £25 for
phone line and bb - which no doubt will rise later.


NT


I've given up trying to work out their charge structure but I get billed
separately £9.99 for bb, and £21.50 for a base pack, which I assume is
the phone line and free tv free channels. I don't know how that compares
to freeview/bb/phone line but, as I know I need a new aerial, I'm happy
to leave well alone for the moment. Also, I've never paid NTL for any
installation or equipment