Broadband
& Switching Guide
What is Broadband
Broadband is the term used to describe the fast internet connection over a standard telephone line (ADSL) over cable or over a satellite connection. It is used to transmit data both in-bound and out-bound from the user, enabling you to deliver data (out-bound) to other internet users i.e email, web-sites and file transfers or attachments. Also allowing Internet service providers to supply content and services to you (in-bound) via web content, text graphical or streaming video content and increasingly some providers are delivering fully fledged TV services over an internet connection.
The difference between these broadband services and the old dial-up or narrowband services is that all these services can be used simultaneously allowing you to use the telephone, watch the TV and surf the internet!
Once you've become a broadband customer you'll notice another big difference from dial-up is the permanent connection, no more waiting for your modem to dial-up your internet service provider, you'll have an always on internet connection.
Another difference with a broadband internet connection is the speed, compared the old dial-up modem connection, which can be in excess of a 160 times faster.
Yet another positive difference is the is the ability (with the correct kit installed in your home, which is available free or at a very modest cost) to connect multiple devices to the internet wirelessly all at once, thereby sharing your internet connection with other users at home at the same time.
What is Broadband
Broadband is the term used to describe the fast internet connection over a standard telephone line (ADSL) over cable or over a satellite connection. It is used to transmit data both in-bound and out-bound from the user, enabling you to deliver data (out-bound) to other internet users i.e email, web-sites and file transfers or attachments. Also allowing Internet service providers to supply content and services to you (in-bound) via web content, text graphical or streaming video content and increasingly some providers are delivering fully fledged TV services over an internet connection.
The difference between these broadband services and the old dial-up or narrowband services is that all these services can be used simultaneously allowing you to use the telephone, watch the TV and surf the internet!
Once you've become a broadband customer you'll notice another big difference from dial-up is the permanent connection, no more waiting for your modem to dial-up your internet service provider, you'll have an always on internet connection.
Another difference with a broadband internet connection is the speed, compared the old dial-up modem connection, which can be in excess of a 160 times faster.
Yet another positive difference is the is the ability (with the correct kit installed in your home, which is available free or at a very modest cost) to connect multiple devices to the internet wirelessly all at once, thereby sharing your internet connection with other users at home at the same time.
What
you can do with Broadband
No word of a lie, you can now watch TV over an internet connection, real TV not some Mickey Mouse, postage stamp size, stuttering, stalling, pixelated streaming, constantly re-buffering video, but the real thing! delivered in glorious High Definition to your new 42” LCD TV hanging on the wall - The Digital Age is truly here. You can even pause, rewind and record live TV, watch your favourite series back to back or even create your own TV schedule around your timetable not the TV listings. You can actually download and watch Films on-demand no need for nipping down the street to rent a DVD.
You can make telephone calls (VOIP) all over the world at massive savings if not for free using applications like Skype
You can communicate via Video Emails or Video Instant Messaging with helloworld you can even broadcast just like live TV to your own audience.
You can as always download music, albums, singles or now with some of the top services you can download entire music videos and create you own Music Video Channels (e.g with Tiscali)
On-line Shopping whether for the latest Harry potter from Amazon.co.uk or Play.com to your entire christmas shop on-line or your weekly shop a Tesco’s or Waitrose, I hate shopping wasting my weekend or evening fighting for the last item on the shelves putting up with the traffic and hassles of that weekly shop well no need for that any more you can do this all on-line, automated and delivered straight to your door!
On-line Banking, ever wasted most of your lunch-break waiting in queue at the bank? No need to any more, banking on-line with a broadband internet connection has never been easier, set up standing orders, check your statement, pay bills, move your money from account to account. Stay in control of your finances, do this all on-line now with far more control and in far less time, no more queueing.
Research on-line, kid’s homework or brushing up your skills well the internet is a wealth of knowledge the world’s library at your fingertips it really is an amazing resource, you have a question, the answer is out there on-line. There has never been a time like this.
On-line gaming, pit your skills against hundreds of thousands of other gamers worldwide by connecting up your Xbox 360 Wii or PS3. You can be competing in the Motorcycle GP at Philip Island against people from Anchorage, Alaska to Wellington, New Zealand talking and interacting in a complete on-line community!
All this can be done at the same time, make a call watching TV one of the kid’s in the house could be gaming online playing Halo 3 whilst the other is doing what other should be doing, his homework on-line!
Publish your photographs on-line create your own content on-line maybe your own web-site and a blog your own interactive diary, get involved in social networking facebook, helloworld, youtube, the possibilities are endless when you’ve a broadband internet connection it just seems to open up your whole world or maybe this is just a whole new world.
No word of a lie, you can now watch TV over an internet connection, real TV not some Mickey Mouse, postage stamp size, stuttering, stalling, pixelated streaming, constantly re-buffering video, but the real thing! delivered in glorious High Definition to your new 42” LCD TV hanging on the wall - The Digital Age is truly here. You can even pause, rewind and record live TV, watch your favourite series back to back or even create your own TV schedule around your timetable not the TV listings. You can actually download and watch Films on-demand no need for nipping down the street to rent a DVD.
You can make telephone calls (VOIP) all over the world at massive savings if not for free using applications like Skype
You can communicate via Video Emails or Video Instant Messaging with helloworld you can even broadcast just like live TV to your own audience.
You can as always download music, albums, singles or now with some of the top services you can download entire music videos and create you own Music Video Channels (e.g with Tiscali)
On-line Shopping whether for the latest Harry potter from Amazon.co.uk or Play.com to your entire christmas shop on-line or your weekly shop a Tesco’s or Waitrose, I hate shopping wasting my weekend or evening fighting for the last item on the shelves putting up with the traffic and hassles of that weekly shop well no need for that any more you can do this all on-line, automated and delivered straight to your door!
On-line Banking, ever wasted most of your lunch-break waiting in queue at the bank? No need to any more, banking on-line with a broadband internet connection has never been easier, set up standing orders, check your statement, pay bills, move your money from account to account. Stay in control of your finances, do this all on-line now with far more control and in far less time, no more queueing.
Research on-line, kid’s homework or brushing up your skills well the internet is a wealth of knowledge the world’s library at your fingertips it really is an amazing resource, you have a question, the answer is out there on-line. There has never been a time like this.
On-line gaming, pit your skills against hundreds of thousands of other gamers worldwide by connecting up your Xbox 360 Wii or PS3. You can be competing in the Motorcycle GP at Philip Island against people from Anchorage, Alaska to Wellington, New Zealand talking and interacting in a complete on-line community!
All this can be done at the same time, make a call watching TV one of the kid’s in the house could be gaming online playing Halo 3 whilst the other is doing what other should be doing, his homework on-line!
Publish your photographs on-line create your own content on-line maybe your own web-site and a blog your own interactive diary, get involved in social networking facebook, helloworld, youtube, the possibilities are endless when you’ve a broadband internet connection it just seems to open up your whole world or maybe this is just a whole new world.
Switch
From Your Existing ISP Without Losing Your
Connection
How to Switch Providers
To migrate from one internet provider to another is pretty straight forward with no or minimal down-time probably no more than 20 to 30 minutes.
Part One deals with migrating from one ADSL provider to another (basically a standard BT phone line)
Part Two Deals with migrating from Cable to ADSL (to a standard BT phone line)
Part Three Deals with Migrating from ADSL to Cable
Part One
Step 1: You firstly need to ensure that you've served out your existing contract with your current provider, this could be as much as 18 months but is typically 12 months on broadband it is still possible to exit your existing contract in most cases would likely have to pay you way out by paying a cancellation fee, to clarify this you would need to check you current service providers terms and conditions. Even so there are deals out there that would still save you money even if you decided to leave a contract early and pay a cancellation fee, it really is a very competitive market and consequently the deals are amazing, so do your homework and you are in the right place to find the best possible deals on the market at the moment.
Step 2: Call your current internet provider and inform them that you wish to cancel you service, request a Migration Code or MAC Code this is better supplied by email as mistakes can be made in translation this is normally 15 alpha numeric characters, insist on immediate delivery of the code as providers have been known to drag their feet,...
Step 3: Order your new broadband service through this web-site of course :-) This is best done on-line as you can take it step by step and generally are able to better choose what you want and tailor your package rather than be sold to. At some point in the ordering process you will be able to enter you MAC Code enter your payment details and process your order. Job done!
The order will typically take between 10-15 days to complete, you will have a full internet service with your existing provider you’ll lose connection when you’re old provider is notified by your new internet provider that you are now live, just enter your new username and password into for example your router and you’re on the internet again with your new provider in minutes hopefully enjoying new and expanded services and reduced costs.
If you do have any issues you can contact me and will help and or advise as to the best course of action.
Part Two You need to have an active standard BT telephone line if it is inactive you can call BT on 0808 100 5152. Once your line is active then you can proceed with you order, normally you can place this order after approximately 24-48 hours after your BT line has been activated.
Really all you need to do is follow Step 3 of Part One above, the one thing you will not need or have is a migration code or MAC code this order will be a fresh order on a new line with no existing tags on the line from other providers so just follow the steps and complete your order on-line, you will likely go live with you new ADSL internet provider within about 10 to 15 days sometimes a lot sooner the average with some providers I’ve found can be as little as 7 days. You new ADSL equipment will be sent by post with very simple self install instructions. So as to avoid a prolonged period off-line it may be worth timing your cancellation with your cable provider so as there is a slight overlap in services.
Part Three
Transferring to a cable service is dependent on you living in a cabled area the foot print is not nation-wide you can check on-line here at the Virgin Media link provided on the comparison page.
The services are engineer installed and of course you will not need a MAC Code as there is now only one cable provider.
Again as above, to avoid a prolonged time off-line time your cancellation with your ADSL internet provider so that there is a slight overlap in services.
How to Switch Providers
To migrate from one internet provider to another is pretty straight forward with no or minimal down-time probably no more than 20 to 30 minutes.
Part One deals with migrating from one ADSL provider to another (basically a standard BT phone line)
Part Two Deals with migrating from Cable to ADSL (to a standard BT phone line)
Part Three Deals with Migrating from ADSL to Cable
Part One
Step 1: You firstly need to ensure that you've served out your existing contract with your current provider, this could be as much as 18 months but is typically 12 months on broadband it is still possible to exit your existing contract in most cases would likely have to pay you way out by paying a cancellation fee, to clarify this you would need to check you current service providers terms and conditions. Even so there are deals out there that would still save you money even if you decided to leave a contract early and pay a cancellation fee, it really is a very competitive market and consequently the deals are amazing, so do your homework and you are in the right place to find the best possible deals on the market at the moment.
Step 2: Call your current internet provider and inform them that you wish to cancel you service, request a Migration Code or MAC Code this is better supplied by email as mistakes can be made in translation this is normally 15 alpha numeric characters, insist on immediate delivery of the code as providers have been known to drag their feet,...
Step 3: Order your new broadband service through this web-site of course :-) This is best done on-line as you can take it step by step and generally are able to better choose what you want and tailor your package rather than be sold to. At some point in the ordering process you will be able to enter you MAC Code enter your payment details and process your order. Job done!
The order will typically take between 10-15 days to complete, you will have a full internet service with your existing provider you’ll lose connection when you’re old provider is notified by your new internet provider that you are now live, just enter your new username and password into for example your router and you’re on the internet again with your new provider in minutes hopefully enjoying new and expanded services and reduced costs.
If you do have any issues you can contact me and will help and or advise as to the best course of action.
Part Two You need to have an active standard BT telephone line if it is inactive you can call BT on 0808 100 5152. Once your line is active then you can proceed with you order, normally you can place this order after approximately 24-48 hours after your BT line has been activated.
Really all you need to do is follow Step 3 of Part One above, the one thing you will not need or have is a migration code or MAC code this order will be a fresh order on a new line with no existing tags on the line from other providers so just follow the steps and complete your order on-line, you will likely go live with you new ADSL internet provider within about 10 to 15 days sometimes a lot sooner the average with some providers I’ve found can be as little as 7 days. You new ADSL equipment will be sent by post with very simple self install instructions. So as to avoid a prolonged period off-line it may be worth timing your cancellation with your cable provider so as there is a slight overlap in services.
Part Three
Transferring to a cable service is dependent on you living in a cabled area the foot print is not nation-wide you can check on-line here at the Virgin Media link provided on the comparison page.
The services are engineer installed and of course you will not need a MAC Code as there is now only one cable provider.
Again as above, to avoid a prolonged time off-line time your cancellation with your ADSL internet provider so that there is a slight overlap in services.