wanadoo 8 mb - any competition

[Tonypowell2]

I currently have an ADSL 1mb connection with Gamboo (€30 per month, pretty reliable). However I have been looking around and it seems that Wanadoo can give me "Extensis Debit Max " for €30 per month, rising to €40 after 6 months. According to a test site (www.degrouptest.com), I am only 710 metres from the exchange with an Affaiblissement (Attenuation?) of 0.15db, which means I can get 8192 kbps now and 25600 with ADSL 2+.

So, I am thinking of changing, but was wondering if there is any competition or am I in a zone that has yet to be "degrouped" and therefore Wanadoo/France Telecom are the only players.? I live in Plouescat and my postcode is 29430. Are Wanadoo any good?

It also seems hard to find out what the upload speed is on debit max, as 128 is a bit slow for video conferencing with iChat.

[LesLauriers]

Tony, take a look at www.free.fr their offer for 29.90€ a month is for:

Up to 15mb download (depends on distance)

Free local and national calls in France

International calls at .03€ a minute (UK)no credit temps or minimum, charge by sec

Free ADSL2+ modem and router

Wi Fi for a one off 27€

An extra phone line with an 0870 number (calling you is a local call)

Free message service with lots of whistles and bells

No charge over the monthly one other than a charge of 96€ to leave, however this reduces by 3€ a month.

Stikes me that you will have a good deal with this offer!

[BJSLIV]

Its a good package but it doesn't help Tony unless his area becomes Degrouped , which is likely to be a long wait!

[Tonypowell2]

Thanks all, seems I am constrained by geography. Mind you, my gamboo connection failed this afternoon - must be the bad karma of me thinking about leaving them.

I have now decided to sign up with wanadoo 8 mb service - will let you know how I got on.

[Punch]

[quote]Its a good package but it doesn't help Tony unless his area becomes Degrouped , which is likely to be a long wait![/quote]

can you tell me what "degrouped" actually means in terms of ADSL please?

Paul

[BJSLIV]

Degroupage.

In France, as in the UK, the majority of people who have ADSL are in fact buying a service which depends, for the ADSL line infrastructure , on the network provided by the historic telecoms operator ie BT or FT. The internet supplier provides the internet part of the package but resells the local telecom part of the service is based on services bought in from France Telecom.

However for once France is ahead of the UK in terms of encouraging competition in the use of the local loop, ie the part of the network between the exchange and the customer.

This means that in areas where there are high levels of demand suppliers such as Free, Tiscali etc can put their own equipment in the exchanges and can themselves rent the loop between the exchange and the customer enabling them to offer packages comprising ADSL, calls, and line rental. The customer  no longer rents his line from FT, the whole lot comes on one bill for the new supplier. An alternative is to have ADSL degrouped , whilst still renting the old style calls line from FT, even if it is on the same pair of wires!

 

 

[Mazan]

[quote]Its a good package but it doesn't help Tony unless his area becomes Degrouped , which is likely to be a long wait![/quote]

The Free package is the same in non-degrouped areas. The only difference is that speed is limited to 2mb (at the moment) and you don't get video.

Free still offers the best all-round value for €30 per month.

[Redcap]

I am with Wanadoo broadband and ever since I installed their software 'espace Wanadoo' I've had nothing but problems with my e-mail program, O/express.  It has installed OE over my exsisting OE6, so I've lost my address book and e-mails, and the system crashes every time I resume from standby!  We are still trying to sort it with the tech line but they just seem to want to re set passwords.  I wish I could just connect to the net without all the Wanadoo rubbish!

So on the basis of having to use their software to connect, I would not recommend them.

Regards,

Bob

[Mazan]

I  agree that the Wanadoo software is a total mess but at least you never have to install and use it if you don't want to.

Windows dial-up networking will handle Wanadoo analogue or IDSN dial-up with no trouble and even if you have ADSL you need only install the modem drivers (for a USB modem) and not the Wanadoo software. An ethernet modem or router/modem doesn't even need drivers.

OE also works perfectly well with a Wanadoo email account when set up manually.

[Tonypowell2]

Well, I am impressed by wanadoo

Signed up with them on Saturday morning, got no e-mail confirmation, but the web site gave me my user name and password. On Saturday afternoon my ADSL connection stopped working. Got in touch with Gamboo - they suggested problem with DSLAM card in exchange.

Got to thinking - could Wanadoo/FT have changed the connection over?

Fired up my iMac this morning, changed the name and password to the one Wanadoo gave me and ADSL working again.

Only now I am getting 7616 down and 320 up.

So, no software to install, no modem change, just name and password, everything working fine.

[Redcap]

[quote]I agree that the Wanadoo software is a total mess but at least you never have to install and use it if you don't want to. Windows dial-up networking will handle Wanadoo analogue or IDSN dial-up with...[/quote]

Hello Mazan,

Are you saying that I can uninstall the wanadoo kit, leave the modem and then manually configure my connection?  I think this was mentioned recently by Puccette (I think). However, when I tried to set it manually using the connection wizard, it asks 'how do you want to connect?'  There are 3 choices, dial up, broadband with p/word, & b/band always on. I chose b/band but was told I already had a b/band connection (even though I had uninstalled wanadoo, which I note does not actually get rid of it as sitting on the start menu programs is the option to re install Wanadoo!)

Should I have chosen dial up? and then configured with manual settings, putting P8,35 for the phone number?  I would love to get rid of the Wanadoo kit!!  I look forward to your advice,

Regards,

Bob (In foggy 22)

[Mazan]

This is more complex than can be easily explained in a text message.

Basically for XP and a Wanadoo USB modem you must remove Wanadoo, install the modem drivers (get the pre-configured French ones on the Sagem website) and then configure the connection from the "connect to" sub-menu in the start menu or from the internet options in IE.

You only need to enter the login (fti/etc.) and password. No more.

 

As for Wanadoo being quick to make changes to ADSL lines: of course they are, they are owned by FT and FT make all the changes and run all the equipment in non-degrouped areas. Every other ISP has to ask FT to do things for them.