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Should I Stay or Should I Go?

The time has come to decide whether to stay with, or leave Pipex, and now it comes down to it, I really don't know what to do.

Currently, I am on the Max service, and I have uncapped downloads, at the maximum speed my line will allow, which is usually around 2.8Mbps. If I move, I will be lucky to get another provider, for the same price, with free webspace and emails, and I will have the hassle of having to transfer my webspace, and changing my primary email address. Port throttling isn't an issue (well, it is, but there's a way round it), and my connection is rock solid, with no downtime in the last 12 months.

The problem is, it's Pipex. They are sh*t to their existing customers (new intakes get all the best deals), they screw up billing and direct debits, they don't bother to tell us about changes to the T&Cs, such as now charging for the full year, plus cancellation fee, if you cancel before the end of the 12 month contract, they didn't see fit to inform us about the new FUP, and there's all this stuff going round about them being up for sale / sold to Tiscali / sold to BT, etc, so the future is uncertain. When I last spoke to CS, they said that the Tiscali take over was just rumour, and that nothing was set in stone, but didn't deny that it might happen. I really don't want to suddenly find myself LLUed to Tiscali, and on a new 12 month, escape proof contract, and this is what worries me, if I stay.

Question: Does anyone know if, once the minimum 12 month contract term has been satisfied, the option is available to leave without penalties, or does a new 12 month contract start each year? They have already stitched me up twice over this - once when I moved house, and once when I upgraded to the Max service, and I really don't want a ball and chain around my PC for another year.

Should I leave Pipex, I have narrowed down my options to a couple of other ISPs, one being IDNet, the other being Firefly. One thing I do require is sensible email addresses, not something like me@this.that.theother.com.uk.net, and both of these ISPs tick that box, with IDNet coming out in front. The only trouble with IDNet is that they don't offer any webspace, whereas Firefly give 200Mb free. Both ISPs also have good, friendly support forums, which is another ticked box, but both have 30Gb capped download limits, although I think this increases to 300Gb off-peak.

So, what to do? Stay with the familiar, reliable, uncapped Pipex, but with an uncertain future, or get out before the going gets bad, and fall into bed with a new, unknown ISP, with a capped service, but only a 1 month contract? I suppose it could be argued that with Pipex, at least there will be a future, whereas, smaller ISPs can suddenly vanish in a puff of ether.

Decisions, decisions... any advice appreciated.

01-cheers-sig.gif
 
Pipex HAVE been sold to Tiscali, in fact Tiscali have been quietly running some Pipex's services for a while; HomeCall for example.

Normally the 12 month contract is just for the first 12 months, after that it is a one month rolling contract, you can get out after giving one months notice; but now Tiscali are taking over I expect the accounting department to be debiting your account until the year 3000AD.
If you pay via a Credit or Debit Card be very, very afraid, you do not have the protections offered by a Direct Debit.

I used to be a Pipex customer, as you say, speeds and up time excellent, but I tried to get an answer out of them over missing goods for 8 months without getting a single human reply.
 
Pipex HAVE been sold to Tiscali, in fact Tiscali have been quietly running some Pipex's services for a while; HomeCall for example.

Not doubting you at all, but is there anywhere 'official' that I can verify this, so that I have something to throw back at them when they deny it again? I suspect, also, that they will try to offer me all sorts of incentives to stay, such as a reduction in the monthly fee, but if this it at the cost of a new contract, they can stick it. In fact, I'm 70% swinging towards leaving anyway, and I just need that final push. It's just the venturing into the relatively unknown that's slightly unsettling. I sound like a wuss, don't I? :laugh:
 
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I have heard on thr grape vine that Tiscali have already put in the migration orders to move all pipex lines to their LLU.
 
I wasnt billed by pipex last month. i'm not sure if that is a good or bad thing because it seems like their biling system is all over the place.
 
I am with IDNet Simon, I left Plusnet last November, I can only speak as I find, IDNet have been fantastic, no problems whatsoever.

They have just come out top of the ISP satisfaction list at ThinkBroadband, no mean achievement.;)
 
Try the ISPReview front page. look at the news stream for the 17th; was also on the BBC News website.
i think I saw it on The Register as well, but cannot find the link.

Tiscali have had their fingers into the Pipex pot for over a year, building up their percentage of the shares in the company and , as I said, they already host the servers for HomeCall.
This buyout was referred to OFT months ago; it is only ever referred to OFT AFTER the two companies have agreed the sale.
 
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Well, I've requested my MAC key. As they enforce the 30 day cancellation notice, I won't be able to do anything now, until about this time next month, or I will be paying for a month I don't use. If I invoke the MAC around 20th Sept, that should be enough time to switch by the 30th, shouldn't it? The next question is who to go to. I am very tempted by NDO / Namesco, but the only problem there is no webspace. Got a few weeks now to make my mind up, then it's bye bye Tippex!
 
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i put my migration in the day i recieved the code and was migrated away in about a week. pipex tried to charge me until my next billing date. i refused and told them i was not paying for somthing i couldnt use even if i had wanted to. in the end after me saying no they just waived the fee. there systems were so good they didnt know i was on there max service and still had me on there xtreme service. this was lucky for me as it meant i didnt have to pay the full cancelation fee. also isnt the fact that tiscali have now bought them mean there is sufficient reason to be able to leave without penalties?
 
I eventually extracted my MAC key out of them, which they failed to email within the 5 days, so I had to ring again for it. This, in itself, I believe is breaking the law, which now states that MAC keys must be issued within 5 days of request. My migration date to IDNet is going to be 20th September, but that's only because I asked for it to be delayed until then, so that I wouldn't be paying twice for the month. I probably could have argued the case against Poopex, but quite honestly, I can't be arsed, and just want to be free of them. I will be certain to cancel the direct debit myself, once they have taken the final payment, which will be on the 1st Sept, but this 30 days thing is just a con. Why should anyone have to give them this notice? It seems to be just a convenient way of getting their last drop of blood from you before you leave, as it's very difficult to avoid the extra payment, without losing connectivity for a few days.
 
Once you request your mac you have infact given them notice that you are leaving if you use the mac then you have left some ppl do decide to stay.

The Mac lasts for 30 days so the notice is covered by the mac and many can set to migrate just before the next billing date to save.
 
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