Broadband Provider?

It's my understanding that there's lots of fiber out there that was installed/controlled by OpenReach. So unless one is a customer of, say, Virgin Media, you're on the OpenReach network. The fiber is down the main routes, but you're almost assuredly on copper phone wire from the point where it branches off the main cable. Unless you're one of the lucky ones who has had fiber installed all the way into the house.

Yeah, I'm curious about SSE's service, as they say they will lock in a rate for 3 years for me with no contracts. But they also "flex" their service depending on need, so it could well slow down in the evenings when I actually want to watch a movie or something, so that's not good. Will see if I can get Sky back down to what we were paying and would be happy enough for that - the line was free in our original package. I don't actually need a landline, so they had better be willing to be flexible or I'll phone up someone else.

Nice to have a variety of internet providers!  In S.D. we had two. Both of which were poor.

Interesting. John Lewis is offering what is apparently the same basic internet + phone that I have through Sky, for 22pounds, and is throwing in a Lenovo IdeaPad 120s and free setup and modem.

They run on PlusNet's network. Which has in-country tech support. And it's John Lewis.

Hmmmmm. On the downside, I'd have to change my phone number.

On the up-side, I'd get the Meerkat Movies tickets for a year and the IdeaPad.

On the downside, the IdeaPad runs Windows 10 and I'd have to listen to the Daughter rail on for some time about how evil Windows 10 would be. And the few people (like HMRC and the IRS) who have my current phone number would not have my new one to reach me if they need to reach me about the tax returns that are currently still in progress.

On the up-side, the telemarketers who periodically bug me wouldn't have the new number.

On the down side the Daughter gave our number to some of her friends, but they use our cell phone almost exclusively anyway.

On the up-side if the speed isn't good enough (they promise an absolute minimum of 4mb, which ~should~ be enough to properly stream stuff off of Youtube, BBC, etc., not in Hi-Def) I believe I will have a period of time in which to cancel service....

Decisions, decisions.  I'll wait until the Daughter is home and see what she thinks. Sky internet has been fine for the last year, rarely hangs up on us when we're streaming on the Roku. Too bad they jacked the price up from 19 to 34 pounds! It is tremendously appealing to think I can just put my info in and within 10 days they'll switch it all over for me - all I'll have to do is plug my computer into the modem and the modem into the wall, etc.

I feel like I just have to chime in and say VODAFONE! (because I work for VF hahaha) 

Well, Sky is offering my old rate (20 pounds) and next month "free". Since they've already charged me 3/4ths of that month's rate in the increased rate this month, that's really not much of an incentive on its own. So far the only things going for them, aside from being the Devil I do know, is that I wouldn't have to change my home phone number and go through the hoo-haw of getting another provider set up.

Given I'm not doing much all day, I don't see that dealing with the initial setup would be that much of an inconvenience, really.

SSE's promising to not raise the rate for 3 years, and having no setup fee, and having no contract is appealing more.  As expected, the Daughter's eyebrow shot up at the Windows 10 Ideapad, which she says isn't actually a PC but just one of those units you would use to be on the internet. (Which is pretty much all I use my laptop and my PC for anyway, so...hey, it'd be free! Plus the Meerkat free movie tickets. Of course, there's not many movies to see, but....)

I told the guy I wanted to think about it. So when he calls back tonight, as scheduled, perhaps I'll see if he'll throw in a free voice/text cell plan. I would like to have my own cell phone, for those times when I'm out and the Daughter is also out.

Interesting. John Lewis is offering what is apparently the same basic internet + phone that I have through Sky, for 22pounds, and is throwing in a Lenovo IdeaPad 120s and free setup and modem.

They run on PlusNet's network. Which has in-country tech support. And it's John Lewis.

PlusNet is owned by BT, so it's BT's network.

Yeah, there are two networks. The BT one and the Virgin one. So....

EE just phoned and offered me 21.95 a month for 18 months, plus a 100 pound mastercard card.