Topic: UKOnline

Local loop ISP UKOnline have decided to have a spring sale and knock £5 a month off two of it's tariffs and also offer free connection, which would usually set you back £25.

Customers who sign up before the end of April to their ADSL 8Mbps service at £19.99 a month or it's 22Mbps ADSL2+ connection at £24.99 can save the cash. Both products come with a 12 month minimum contract term and both face a fair usage policy, which as with most FUPs is pretty vague as the what is excessive. Users wishing to connect to the ADSL2+ service have to buy their equipment from UKOnline, which is £59.99 for the router, but those wanting the ADSL connection can use their own equipment.

Although the LLU service is available to 4.4 million customers in the UK, those not on an enabled exchange (check here) can be connected at 2Mbps, but at £24.99 this is rather expensive to some of the deals available.

We have established a channel with UKOnline regarding claims we have received about the ISP of poor customer support, long "on hold" times, failing to provide whats promised when its promised etc. We have a number of such issues already, but we want more. The more the better as they say.

Long term outstanding issues are also welcome. We're not guaranteeing to fix them through this procedure, but we are going to use the data for identifying problems where they exist within UKOnline.

Please provide sufficient data so that your specific case can be identified, eg your UKOnline email address, your name, and a description of the problem(s) your encountering, delays you've experienced in getting through to Tech.Support & promises which have failed to materialise etc etc.

Most of all, please confirm that you are willing for us to forward these details onto UKOnline.

To those that send us information, but choose not to have their details forwarded. Your data will be anonymized and rolled up to form stats.

Please send all information to 'team@uk-bug.net' with the subject of 'UKOnline'.

This is a proactive movement, and not something intended to "take a pop" at the ISP. There's potentially 1000's of UKOnline customers who are saying "problems ? what problems?? My service is fine.". However, its the minority of an ISPs customer base that is the most vocal, and its these that we're soliciting for information.

Thanks.

Hardly a surprise, and something thats been in the wings for sometime, but UKOnline have today launched their ADSL2+ service offering up to 24Mbps downstream speeds priced at a pretty competitive £29.99 per month.

The price point matches that previously paid by the ISPs previous 8Mbps option - so clearly those customers will easily tempted by this offer, although its worthy of note, that with the launch of ADSL2+, existing 8Mbps customers will see no increase in upstream - as it stays at up to 768Kbps.

Existing UKOnline subscribers will not find upgrading particularly cheap though with a compulsory £79.99 ADSL2+ router purchase (Netgear DG834GT for those interested). The router purchase is fair for those who need to get an ADSL2+ router, but as many ADSL routers are either already ADSL2+ compatible or upgradable via firmware - some users may feel a little put off by this mandatory purchase. A similar tactic was employed by UKOnline when they first launched their 8Mbps service, although this was eventually dropped in favour of users having the option to either purchase a router from UKOnline, use their existing router, or source one for themselves.

A £25 connection fee applies to new customers, although existing UKOnline customers upgrading will be exempt from any upgrade or administration fee.

UKOnline's other packages are not ignored with todays announcement either. Given the 24Mbps pricing, UKOnline's 8Mbps service accordingly receives a reduction to £24.99 per month. UKOnline also have 2Mbps and 1Mbps services for those who are either unable, or simple do not need the higher speeds launched today.

UKOnline packages line up thus :

Existing and potential subscribers can find out more at UKOnline.net, although users will do well to have a read of this article regarding the actual possibility of getting the acclaimed, Holy Grail 24Mbps.

Those looking for a 1Mbps service from UKOnline would do well to signup before Monday 3rd October, as the ISP will be introducing a connection fee of £25 on this service. UKOnline recently reduced the price of its 1Mbps service to just £9.99 for customers opting for the LLU variant (£19.99 for those who's exchange is not LLU'ed and must use BT's network).

The ISPs other services, namely 2Mbps and 8Mbps, continue to have free connection for the foreseeable future.

UKOnline have announced some significant changes to its broadband service lineup today for those within its catchment area.

Probably the biggest news is that UKOnline's flagship service, "Broadband 8000" 8Mbps service, has had its upload speed increased to 768kbps almost doubled from its previous 400Kbps previous mark. The change is expected to come into effect during October 2005, to coincide with the ISPs launch of its ADSL2+ 24Mbps service.

No change on the pricing of this 8Mbps service though, and it remains as a fairly competitive £29.99 per month, inclusive of VAT.

On the price reduction scene, the ISPs 1Mbps service is now available for £9.99. In a similar ilk, a 2Mbps service is now available for £14.99. Prices include VAT, although to qualify you must be served by a UKOnline unbundled exchange. Those who fancy the thought of UKOnline as their ISP, but not served by one of their unbundled exchanges, can still signup, although prices are £10 more expensive, as the BT network is used as opposed to UKOnline's network provider, EasyNet's.

UKOnline have confirmed they will be launching a 24Mbps service from next month. No prices have been confirmed yet, although a spokesman for the ISP claimed that it will be under £30.

Yesterday saw Be announcing 24Mbps for London, quickly followed with a rumour of Bulldogs intention to launch 20Mbps.

UKOnline part of the LLU operator EasyNet, created mass hysteria back in November 2004 with the news of 8Mbps for under £40 a month. Currently UKOnline's headline service is slowly making progress in its availability currently standing at around 5% of all UK exchanges.

UKOnline, the ISP who first announced 8Mbps ADSL services back in November 2004, have announced its intentions to drop the price of its unlimited use 512Kbps to £9.99, and thats including VAT as well. The ISP will also offer a free modem to boot, although connection to the service will incur a one off £25 fee.

Those wanting something a little faster will also be pleased to hear that UKOnline's (also unlimited use) 2Mbps service is also shedding some of its winter pounds, reduced to £19.99. As with half meg service, a free modem, and £25 connection fee also apply.

Last week, UKOnline announced a reduction on its "8000" service - bringing its 8Mbps flagship service to home users for a penny under £30.

UKOnline, an "LLU'ed" ISP, is not available at all exchanges thoughout the UK, as the ISP needs to rollout its equipment to exchanges. Too see if your exchange is covered, visit the UKOnline website here.

UKOnline will drop the price on their flagship 8Mbps broadband service from today, to £29.99, saving £10 per month.
The new price will apply to new subscribers, and will also be extended to existing 8Mb customers.
The free router offer we reported in January is also still included, as is the 500GB per month download usage.

UKOnline have unbundled 230 exchanges across the UK a present, covering 4.4million homes or 18% of the UK.

UKOnline has extended its offer of it's free wireless router to new customers signing up to it's 8Mbps service. The ever extending offer was due to finish at the start of April, but will now continue until 3rd May.

The 8Mbps service costs £39.99 per month with a £50 setup fee

UK Online, the first consumer based ISP to offer ADSL speeds of up to 8Mbps is extending the promotional period for its free router offer on the 8Mbps service due to popular demand. Subscribers signing up to 8Mbps before 1st April 2005 will receive its WiFi capable router free of charge.

UK Online's 8Mbps service costs £39.99 per month with a £50 setup fee.