NTL turns back on Linux users

[mdwh2]

@KennyR

Sure, there are NTL users who have problems. Is there evidence to suggest that these outnumber problems on other ISPs?

[lempkee]

as i said before "NTL ROXX" ,  PC ROXX , LINUX SUXX , AMIGA SUXX , MAC SUXX.

internet belongs only on pc , all providers should follow NTL on this , SMART MOVE!!!


[/sarcastic]

[Ryu]

http://www.nthellworld.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40882&page=6&pp=15

oh yes and I forgot to mention, when I was arguing with the customer support guy I did ask about linux support and he told me "oh the linux community is only small, we wont loose out on many customers"

I was told I HAD to download this new software to obtain the new dialup number otherwise they couldnt provide me with a service.

[mdwh2]

Does anyone know what this software does, and is it actually needed?

I remember a while ago they changed their dialup services, and if you chose one of the options, you have to use a different number. Except instead of telling us the new number, they provided a Windows-only program to edit your settings appropriately. I mean - why?? Aside from the problem of it being Windows-only, and being a ridiculously inefficient method of transmitting a few bytes of information, I'd be reluctant to run something that might mess up my system (either accidentally, or possibly more maliciously, eg, things like spyware). Thankfully I'd just switched to cable, so it didn't matter to me..

[KennyR]

As a guess (and *only* a guess), I'd maybe say they're switching to a new custom dialup protocol. Why they're doing this I have no idea, but improving services for their customers sounds like a line of bull, especially since their service is hardly famous for customer support, and other ISPs with better services seem to manage ok on PPP, PPPoE and DHCP.



My favourite is that MS is paying them to eliminate non-Windows users. But then, Apple users can still use it, so there goes that one.

[the_leander]

As a guess (and *only* a guess), I'd maybe say they're switching to a new custom dialup protocol. Why they're doing this I have no idea, but improving services for their customers sounds like a line of bull, especially since their service is hardly famous for customer support, and other ISPs with better services seem to manage ok on PPP, PPPoE and DHCP.

Do you actually want to know what this "Super Software" actually is?? Do Ya??? Well all it is is a custom dialer with NTL stuck on the front of it, nothing more, nothing less, oh, and it occationally hangs, its the same software Tesco.net use (whose service coincidentally hangs off of NTL). So, copy down the number, discard buggy software, tap in your details and vioala! Instant internet connection. I do however feel that providing second rate software when there are perfectly capable built in systems (indeed, the built in Windows Dialer pops up when you get disconnected and can be set to automatically reconnect - the ntl dialer doesn't have that option) astounds me. Also, the software forces your browser to go to the ntl homepage (as the tesco.net one sends you to the tesco homepage) wether or not its actually set as your homepage when you first connect...
Freeserve lost my custom because they were forever messing me around with poor service and ever changing numbers... ending up with... you guessed it - a custom dialer...

Way to go F%cktards....

[olegil]

You forget that Microsoft supports MacOS with some of their products. No?

[JurassicCamper]

NTL suck anyway.

Only ever had a bit of trouble due to a faulty modem. I've had a cable modem for 3 years.

They offer a very poor service

Thats only since they moved the helpdesk to one call centre in swansea. Saying that they spend most of their time answering calls from people who realy should just put the PC back in the box and send it to PCWorld.

they have a 1GB download cap

But it is not enforced. ntl: home is split into six companies (regions). I can't speak for other regions but its not enforced in NE.

I strongly recommend Telewest's Blueyonder service for anyone living in cable areas in the UK.

Same stuff different name... beside ntl: and telewest are soon to merge. That will please you  :-P

[Linchpin]

Only ever had a problem with NTL once - faulty cable modem. Was replaced within 48 hours. Amazin :-)

[bhoggett]

@the_leander

It's the same everywhere. Tiscali do it with their broadband service. Of course, all this does is make the connection and log you in, plus forcing the Tiscali page to come up on every connection.

You are quite free to connect without the dialler too, but they refuse to offer "support" in any such cases. I guess the same goes for NTL, but they don't want to advertise it that way.

[kd7ota]

Meh,

Most linux users are really smart, so if they do that software to block them, then they will soup up their own software to log in. :-D

[amigamad]

1GB download cap,

Bt also have this :-?

[amigamad]

Been downloading something around 3-4 gigs per day for months now and not had a warning yet, i did get a warning for uploading stuff to newsgroups but that was my own fault.

My sisters boyfriends brother got a letter from ntl but then he did have the computer on non stop for days at a time downloading films.

[Seehund]

Insanity!

BTW, of course this does not only affect Linux users, like the headline suggests. The members at this site should know that there are other OSes than Windows, MacOS and Linux...

[KennyR]

JurrassicCamper wrote:
But it is not enforced. ntl: home is split into six companies (regions). I can't speak for other regions but its not enforced in NE.

It's my understanding that if you overstep the 1GB cap too much, you get lettered. If you continue to do it, you get lettered some more. If you keep on doing it, you get cut off.

If that was the case with my ISP, I'd have lasted a month and not 12 months!

Same stuff different name... beside ntl: and telewest are soon to merge. That will please you :-P

ARGH

[the_leander]

It's the same everywhere.

I wouldn't mind so much the poor service that I seem to have universally recieved (IE, every time I've ever phoned up customer support I have had a really bad time of it - they surely can't be this thick in real life???) doesn't justify the costs, also with dialup the "two hour cuttoff" would be entirely unnecesary if they bothered to invest in enough equipment in the first place. I wouldn't mind paying £20 a month for dialup provided that the service that went with that was damned good. But no one seems to recognise this need for a good service anywhere in this country, everything is "on the cheep"...