Pipex again

**Leather** · 27th November 2006

Ive been with them for 3 years and have had no problems with them apart from the odd time Ive need customer services.

Recently Ive been called by 'Pipex/Homecall' offering me upto 8mbs unlimited broadband and anytime local and national calls plus line rental for �29.99(Its called 'The Hoff Deal').

I am currently paying �33 /month with pipex for their solo 2000 so this sounds like a good deal........but.......
Pipex/homecall said that 'because you're allready with pipex you have to contact them'

They (Pipex) have said that their version is �27.99 + line rental so call pipex/homecall and explain that I want their deal that Pipex cant offer

.

Pipex/homecall say we can only offer you a reduced package because you are allready a pipex customer..blah blah.

Ive complained about this to pipex customer services but it looks like I only have 3 options and would like your advice please.

Do I:

A: carry on paying my �33/month and except it? I am happy with the service/speed and have no complaints on that side of things
B: cancel my contract (ask them to 'Remove Their Markers'). Pipex/homecall says that if I dont remove the markers and just get the mac code I will only be able to get the reduced package explained above.
C: If canceling my contract would there be a better alternative out there.

Thanks for indulging me.

**drdude** · 27th November 2006

PIPEX HomeCall does not use the PIPEX network, it infact uses the Tiscali network which is a pile of shite. That is one big reason to not make the switch to PIPEX HomeCall in my opinion.

A friend of mine has recently migrated from BT to PIPEX HomeCall, and regrets doing it 100%. At peak times the service is measly to say the least. Download speeds are low and latency is high. He was originally connected to a standard ADSL service, and by moving to PIPEX HomeCall, was shifted to an ADSLmax service.

Although it's nice synching at a higher rate than before, pings for online gaming are terrible. At peak times the ping rarely dips below 85ms, and usually favours 56k dial-up style > 150ms. In fairness when you are playing off-peak, the ping drops to 30-40ms.

This is caused partly by being routed through Tiscali's network, and partly from the router being forced to sync using Interleave instead of Fast mode.

He's offered to sacrifice speed in favour of lower pings, and PIPEX HomeCall customer services refuse flatly to change him.

Do yourself a favour mate, take a MAC from PIPEX and signup elsewhere. Members on the forum seem to sing praises for UKFSN (who are currently offering free migration), and there's no 12 month contract either. If you want to save some money on phone calls, signup to a service like 18185

**Leather** · 29th November 2006

Thanks for the reply.
I wasn't aware Pipex/Homecall was run through tiscali.
Thanks for the heads up, think Ill be avoiding them then

I wonder why pipex would put their name to a product that uses a competitor? Especially someone with their reputation.
The mind boggles

**Epiphany** · 30th November 2006

We switched to phone providers from BT to Pipex homecall....for a month and went back.
I used to be on PIPEX but found that their quality had dipped a lot recently. No downloads would go any faster than 60kb/s.

Switched back to BT and changed ISP to Eclipse and haven't had a problem since

**hearta** · 24th February 2007

I am on pipex homecall, dont do it they offer unlimited downloads at 8gb in reality if you download more than 1gb a week between 6pm and 11pm mon-fri they call it excessive!! you are in breach of their acceptable usage policy and you are shafted they choke the speed sub 500k. I had to call to report my slow speed to find this out, no warning email or letter. If you want out they want it in writting on 30 day notice you pay �29.99 a month for the remainder of your contract. You cant upgrade to a better deal. The tech support is poor if you manage to get through. Avoid pipex homecall like the plague.

**nedtheman** · 24th February 2007

I got pissed off with pipex, went to sky got a faster connection and am saving �156 a year

**marcode** · 24th February 2007

pipex are rapidly going downhill...

they are no longer the decent independant isp they once were..

plus, watch out if you decide to change package at any point, they will insist that you enter another 12 month contract despite how long youve been with them.. that plus the fact they were charging me 34 quid for 2 meg and giving new customers 8 meg for 28 quid pissed me off.. so i told them to shove it.

and im glad i left them when i did... dont go with sky either.. the previous poster must be one of the fortunate ones, but search this section for sky broadband and youll find no end of problems.

personally id leave pipex anyway.. they will only get worse. and as you say, they dont even have the good grace to adjust your payment, so your paying 33 quid for 2 meg when no one else in the country pays that for 2 meg any more.

your paying waaaay over the odds for what your getting.

**c0axial** · 24th February 2007

Originally Posted by marcode

pipex are rapidly going downhill...

they are no longer the decent independant isp they once were..

plus, watch out if you decide to change package at any point, they will insist that you enter another 12 month contract despite how long youve been with them.. that plus the fact they were charging me 34 quid for 2 meg and giving new customers 8 meg for 28 quid pissed me off.. so i told them to shove it.

and im glad i left them when i did... dont go with sky either.. the previous poster must be one of the fortunate ones, but search this section for sky broadband and youll find no end of problems.

personally id leave pipex anyway.. they will only get worse. and as you say, they dont even have the good grace to adjust your payment, so your paying 33 quid for 2 meg when no one else in the country pays that for 2 meg any more.

your paying waaaay over the odds for what your getting.

THou, where have you gone too Marcode ?