V-Fast ISP - Anybody?

[brucemillar]

Folks

Has anybody on here used V-Fast as an ISP?

I am in Kent and BT's Broadband is less than 1Mgb at best. After fifteen years of complaining I need to give up and get another provider. I tried a Mobile Dongle with 3 but that was hopeless, it just could not hold a signal no matter where in the house it was located.

V-Fast offer what seems to be a great service here including VOIP so I could get rid of my BT line all together. But I read mixed reviews. Some great some pretty poor regarding their claims to a fast reliable service.

Any help appreciated.

 

[mickday]

The problem you have is if you are a distance away from your exchange almost all ISP will use BT Infrastructure to the exchange

So chances are they will all provide pretty much the same speed to your location

This is a useful tool: https://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange_search

 

[brucemillar]

Mick

Thank you. VFast use wireless with a small dish on the roof and a big transmitter in line of sight. So no BT infrastructure.

Sent from my iPhone using MBClub UK

 

[grober]

there's also satellite?
Hybeam - Broadband Satellite Everywhere
you can check reception on http://www.dishpointer.com/ type in your postcode. In the drop down below your postcode choose the satellite 33.5w HYLAS 1. If you get a green line that signifies good reception. Different satellite providers may use different satellites if you have a poor line of sight to a particular one.

 

[brucemillar]

Graeme

That's neat. Thank you. Pricey though. Vfast seem to have what I need and do seem good in this area. Just wondered if anybody has experience.

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[grober]

Graeme

That's neat. Thank you. Pricey though. Vfast seem to have what I need and do seem good in this area. Just wondered if anybody has experience.

Sent from my iPhone using MBClub UK

Reviews seem thin on the ground- just note the download limits for data for the various packages. It may be one of these services which is fine as long as it doesn't get too popular and that stretches capacity. Local harmonic interference from other strong RF sources particular to your location might be a problem but unlikely.

 

[Dryce]

there's also satellite?

Latency can be a bit of a pain with satellite when browsing.

 

[Benzowner]

They use satellite on cruise ships, it can sometimes be slower than dial up

Do you have Virgin in your area, I am currently at 53Meg

 

[bolide]

Satellite has lots of latency but I don't think this is a satellite system. I've had experience of Urban Wimax, a company that delivers high-speed broadband by point-to-point links in London. This sounds like a similar system

They fit a dish on your property, align it to one of their installations and deliver broadband that way

It's relatively expensive, but it's a good solution if you can't get good broadband any other way

There are lots of options re upstream & downstream bandwidth, contention ratios, fixed IP addresses & etc

If there is an Easynet installation in your local exchange you may be able to get an Easynet managed connection. It uses an ADSL or SDSL modem each end and can get very good bandwidth out of a copper pair. Easynet manage the whole thing so you don't get the usual "It's BT's fault" answer when it all goes t1ts up

Nick Froome

 

[brucemillar]

Nick

No Easynet. Just VFast which is as you describe.

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[markjay]

Nick, this is correct, LLU means Easynet have their own routers inside the local BT Exchange, though the Local Loop is still BT - the last leg is a copper wire run by BT (effectively acting as subcontractors for Easynet).

 

[brucemillar]

Some background:

BT have been stating since 2000 that they are "about" to upgrade the broadband in my area (rural Kent). Every year another promise is made that this will be the year. Every year it doesn't happen. I am therefore limited to BT's 1.0Mgb Broadband (that's on a good day) some days this drops to 0.5Mgb. If anybody uses the telephone it just drops all together.

I have tried a mobile dongle, which works but is very intermittent. I am advised this due mainly to my house being partially surrounded by trees? Although the Local 3 transmitter is actually in line of sight.

Along come V-Fast, about 2 years ago offering what appears to be great service. They worked with the local Parish Council to install a mast on the church roof and several repeaters around the local area. Take up, seems good and their prices are actually on a par with BT's. The main difference being that they are offering up 30Mgb unlimited BB with VOIP via a small router. They do have a "fair use" policy that is capped at 300Mgb per month. But apart from that I see no downside. They are surveying my property this week to check that I am OK to proceed.

BT on the other hand. Well last year I threatened to cancel their service due to them increasing my bills without my permission. I wrote to their chairman complaining. They responded by moving me onto an "unlimited BB and Calls package @ £46pm.

My latest three bills have all exceeded that amount. This on an "unlimited" package.

What they are saying is that BT have a different dictionary definition of unlimited. It actually means "charge what we want when we want" but if they wrote that down you might not take up the service! so they re-named it to unlimited.

Bizarrely they accept that this is the case. If anything they are actually proud that this is the case.

So I want to move away from having anything to do with them. That includes any line rental etc.