140 characters Because sometimes, 140 characters aren’t enough

Yes, it is with a heavy heart that I have left my current broadband provider for beardy Branson’s baby.  After updating my PC last year and getting a new Laptop, along with my G1, Andy’s laptop, Sam’s laptop and the Wii (as well as Lee’s PS3 when he brings it over) I began to notice that the broadband wasn’t as robust as it had been.

I used all the tricks to get a better signal into the router – changing the microfilters, moving the router to the Master socket, rebooting it regularly, but it just wasn’t enough.

Don’t get me wrong, the service that I received from the team over at BE broadband was fantastic.  In fact, I’m following them over on twitter and will continue to do so.  My second account (which we set up for Andy’s mum) is also going to be kept, although with the updates to their prices I think the lower package may be the best for her.  There’ll be no difference in speed but if she exceeds the 40GB/month limit I’ll be wondering just what it is she’s doing with her computer!

I really like BE.  The team in their technical support and accounts call centres are fantastic.  They pitch their advice to the level you’re at, simple and straightforward for those who aren’t techie.  Slightly moreso for those who are, and I’m sure if you were some sort of l33t H@XX0r – they’d be able to match you acronym for acronym.  As a call centre worker I think the highest praise I can give them is that I don’t care that they’re not based in the UK.  Well, actually I do!  If they were I’d have applied for a job ;-D

They give the impression that they’re a small company who values it’s customers – and value each and every one of those customers.  They arrange socials, meetings and even conference calls to discuss changes to the service.  They are truly everything I look for in a company.

So why do you want to leave?  I’m sure you’re asking.

It’s simple and has nothing whatsoever to do with BE.  The simple answer is BT.

For years BT had a complete monopoly on telephone services, competition didn’t exist and any that did was swiftly quashed (anyone remember the Mercury button?) But the powers that be decided to break that monopoly (and quite rightly so).  But the problem is – like the gas companies with Transco – new broadband and telephone companies have to use BT Openreach and its outdated copper wires.  This means that they just can’t offer the speeds that we need in this always on, always connected world, because BT can’t keep up – never mind get ahead of the game for the future.

So, it is with a heavy heart that I have swallowed my dislike for Richard Branson and his awful media-pandering ways and gone to Virgin Media for my Broadband.  I’ve been assured that I’ll be able to get 18-20Mb through the fibre-optic cable that allegedly runs into my house, and I’ve also been told that they aren’t running a fair usage policy any more.  But we’ll wait to see.

In the meantime my advice to you is this.  If you’re not in a cable area, or the speed that you can get down a BT line is good enough for you then I urge you to look at BE.  Their customer service is second to none and they’re the company that Branson wants us to think Virgin are.  But if it’s speed you need then I’m afraid you’re going to have to head to the red too.  Sorry!

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