Telewest and NTL crank up the speed

[zulu9812]

quote from http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/index.cfm?go=news.view&news=3924

Telewest will this month crank up its top of the range broadband service from 2Mpbs to 3Mbps, ensuring the cable company retains its top speed ISP crown.

What’s more, the company has vowed to make the necessary upgrade to its network, without increasing the cost to customers.

According to the company its 3Mbps service will primarily appeal to gamers and households that need to share their broadband connection.

The move comes as part of a 50 percent speed hike across two of the companies other broadband offerings: users of the 512kbps service are being upgraded to 750kpbs, while 1Mbps customers are now officially 1.5Mbps customers.

These will cost £25, £35 and £50 per month respectively. This means 450,000 broadband-connected customers should benefit, according to the company. And all without paying an extra penny.

Low-end Telewest broadband (256Kb) customers, however, won't see any benefit as for them the speed remains the same.

The UK’s only other cable operator and long term future spouse – NTL - has responded to Telewest’s move by playing copycat.

NTL is raising its 150kbps service to 300Kbps for £17.99; the 600kbs service hits 770kbs for £24.99 and NTL's 1Mb service now offers 1.5Mbps for £37.99.

Ramped-up services will be rolled out across the network in the coming weeks.

The company has also disclosed plans to improve the company's email and newsgroup services. This means the company claims it will be offering a "state-of-the-art" email platform and "one of the largest" newsgroup platforms in Europe.

The company also released details of upcoming improvements to its Broadband Plus service. Subscribers to this £3.99-a-month option will benefit from a new channel - MTV Live and digital photo services from PhotoBox.

More speed? No more money? Woo-hoo!

 

[Turner]

Yeah, Time Warner did this with Road Runner in Kansas City. Not sure if they did it elsewhere, too. When I signed up for it back in 2001, they were advertising 1.5mbps. I was paying around $49.00 a month for it. We got rid of it for a while, and when I went back to it after a year and a half, it was the same price, but advertised at 3mbps. I was clocking about 3.8.

I'd really like to know what they're paying for the network if they can ramp up the speed like that and not have to increase rates.

 

[Goober]

This sounds great, now if only my stupid ISP, Telus, would do the same. Currently, it is a slow bugger . . .

But there must have been a fee increase, it doesn't seem logical without one . . .

 

[HAND]

Omg 3mbps? lol! I'm still on 56k! lol! (Plz laugh with me.. not at me!)

 

[Goober]

Well, actually, for a site like this, 56k is probably ok. I remember accessing CFC through a 56k, and it loaded pretty fast, not blistering, not slow and crappy like this stupid DSL thing I have, but it was reliable, if you don't mind waiting a bit longer for each . . .

 

[Wolfe Tone]

I just wish there would be some decent broadband availible where I live. Unfortuantly there is nothing for a resonable price.

 

[Ankka]

They crank speed up in America and UK... in Finland they propably only crank the price up...

 

[Goober]

Originally posted by Ankka
They crank speed up in America and UK... in Finland they propably only crank the price up...

Ya, they would crank the speed up in the US, here, it just cranks, occaisionally, thus my frequent ranting about the stupidities of my ISP, which is the biggest [INSERT RANT HERE] I have ever seen.

Knowing my ISP, they operate like a Finnish company . . .

 

[ellie]

I use telewest broadband at home.

Its top notch imho best available for home use in the UK

Because telewest dont do broadband for business we use a demon/BT
router at work and its awful.

 

[Archer 007]

Good news for people. They are suppost to be laying cable lines in my town soon.

 

[Sanaz]

Not too long ago, the UK was lagging in the broadband internet game. I'm glad that's turned around now. Those speeds are similar to what I have here at home. Of course at work I'd feel crippled if I ever went that slow, but I'm not expecting dual T3 speeds at home any time soon, especially not for what I pay for my cable internet.