Broadband in Murkle

[ecb]

Does can anybody give me some advice on broadband internet access in the Murkle area. It is a few km from the nearest telephone exchange, which I believe will reduce the available bandwidth.

From reading Which reports etc. there are many ISPs offering broadband internet access, but from my understanding of the subject, the ISP has to have its communications equipment installed in the nearest telephone exchange to be able to offer broadband (is this correct?), in which case it is likely that a lot of these ISPs won't offer broadband in rural Caithness.

What ISPs do offer broadband in this area, and which gives the best value for money?

[blueivy]

Does can anybody give me some advice on broadband internet access in the Murkle area. It is a few km from the nearest telephone exchange, which I believe will reduce the available bandwidth.

From reading Which reports etc. there are many ISPs offering broadband internet access, but from my understanding of the subject, the ISP has to have its communications equipment installed in the nearest telephone exchange to be able to offer broadband (is this correct?), in which case it is likely that a lot of these ISPs won't offer broadband in rural Caithness.

What ISPs do offer broadband in this area, and which gives the best value for money?

Hi ecb,

If the exchange is enabled for broadband then almost any ISP will be able to supply you with it. They don't generally have their own equipment in the exchange (although some do) they do it through BT's equipment. There are many ISP's out there and you know some of them including BT, Tiscali, Orange, Wanadoo etc. etc. I also offer broadband through The Utility Warehouse including modem installation and talking you through the setup at your home. I can also recommend Vispa

Some people will say I'm being biased, but I would avoid simply going for the cheapest option. If you're not technically minded a big thing to look out for is their support. You can get an idea of what's good and bad at ADSL Guide

[DRM]

I live in West Murkle and have broadband at 1 mb I use orange (was Freeserve) but anybody should do it for you

[Bobinovich]

I've found that out 'in the sticks' you can sometimes be limited to just BT and AOL, although I do know of someone in your area who is on Orange.

The easiest way of finding out is to visit the various ISPs broadband sign-up page and type in your phone number - if they allow you to proceed then you're usually fine.

Also worth considering with rural locations is that you may well be limited to 512k or 1Mb speed - regardless of the maximum speed shown by the ISPs (often 8Mb). This is still much better than dial up and you will get the benefit of being able to use the phone while on the Net. However it means that there is little benefit in paying for faster speeds if it's unlikely you're going to get them.

Also when you are looking at the various packages available you should check the usage limits. If you are planning downloading lots of music or video then such limits could hinder your plans.

If you're looking for a low cost package with 1Mb speed but "unlimited" usage (perfectly for general e-mailing and surfing) then Tiscali's current £12.99 per month with Free Weekend Calls offer might suit. If you don't want their calls package then they also do a £14.99 per month 2Mb package. Both these deals are good value and I've set Tiscali up for a number of customers and haven't had any problems to date.

If you need any assistance then feel free to PM me.