Mr. P's Opinion, FREE 0800 Internet Access, FREE 0800 ISPS, Stray Duck, X-Stream, ic24

I received this email and thought it would be useful to post it to the site (with permission) (29th April 2000)

----- Original Message ----- From: M.P To: webmaster --- /// --- @ --- /// --- allforfree.co.uk Sent: Saturday, April 29, 2000 11:09 AM Subject: Free ISPs

Hi
I was very interested in your website this week, and have some observations you may be interested in hearing.

I think the only true way of getting low-priced unmetered access to the internet is via BT, because they are the only ones capable of handling the load. Also, it will never be free, only a subscriber-based service.

To date, I have tried many "free" ISPs, and so far I have not had so much as one minute of free access.

For your interest, here are some results:

X-Stream - No Access - Permanently engaged. They had an idiotic system of sending emails to registered users telling them when they could use the free service, which was only two hours over the weekend anyway, which forced users to keep checking their emails for these messages. It didn't matter I could never get past the "the line is busy" message.

CallNet0800 - Registered nine weeks ago - no replies to any communication, even on their premium rate line, and no registration or telephone box has been delivered.

ic24 - registered successfully today, but the 0800 service is either engaged or refusing to connect, giving only the dreaded "unable to estblish a connection" message. This is clearly a fault at their end, because I followed their instructions to the letter, and even printed out all the instrucitons to do it all properly.

Redhotant - demanded Ł50 to register, but they are having bad problems dealing with the demand, and will raise their fees to about Ł100 next week. Friends tell me that lines are almost permanently engaged, and they are frequently cut off without warning or explanation.

Freedomi / 0800Freedom - registered with them sixmonths ago, but they keep putting off the starting date for service. So far, they should have started in January, March and April, but have failed every time. All correspondance to 0800Freedom receives the standard reply "we will be launcing the service in a few weeks", which is what they were saying six months ago.

I could go on, but I am too hungry.

Maybe you know where there is a genuinely good free or low cost service, in which case I would be most happy to use it, based upon your recommendation, but I certainly can't recommend one to you.

Respectfully,

Mr M.P

This is my reply:

Hello Mr. M. P

Thank you for your email, I read it with interest.

>>I think the only true way of getting low-priced unmetered
>>access to the internet is via BT, because they are
>>the only ones capable of handling the load. Also, it
>>will never be free, only a subscriber-based service.
>>To date, I have tried many "free" ISPs, and so far I
>>have not had so much as one minute of free access.

My own experience has been very different from yours.

I am currently getting free 0800 access (without paying any subscription charges) from X-Stream, Stray Duck and IC24.NET

X-Stream
X-Stream are very busy, so I leave the dialler running until it connects, can take up to an hour usually. The best time I have found, apart from the middle of the night, is just after 6:00pm weekdays. I always get a good connect within 5 or 10 minutes at this time. I suppose it is because many office and business accounts are logging off at this time. I then get two hours totally FREE access.

Stray Duck
Stray Duck are very straight forward to use. For every three minutes I surf with their local call dial up number I get one minute added to my account to use on the FREE 0800 number. This can be used one week in three. The great thing about this service is that although the FREE minutes can be earned by surfing after 6:00 pm and at weekends, they can be used at PEAK times. I use them therefore during the week between 9:00 and 5:00 when I get the most value from them. I have never had any problems or engaged tones connecting to Stray Duck.

IC24.net
This one is a real bonus. Just by signing up with them in the same way as you would for FreeServe or TescoNet or any of the other big providers, you are entitled to 0800 access on Saturday and Sunday between 9:00am and 5:00pm. I have been using the service for four or five months now and it is excellent. I never have to wait longer than 5 or 10 minutes to connect and the connects I get are 50,000bps + (which amazes me - they are the best connects I get from ANY provider).

Based on your experiences I think you should persevere with IC24.Net and X-Stream, and hope you have some successful connects, let me know.
I would like to post your email and this response (or extracts from them) on my web-site.
Let me know if I have your permission and permission to include your email (or not).
No problem if you decide you would rather it wasn't published, it just seems like a good opportunity to echo the frustrations that I am sure lots of people are having with the current FREE 0800 Internet Market in the UK.
Regards,
John

To read an email from another user, that continues this thread click here.

I really appreciate this kind of information, it is useful to users of the page. If anyone else would like to submit a review or has a strong opinion on any aspect of the FREE 0800 Internet market, email me at . ( Sorry, email currently disabled ). Let me know if you want your name/email address included otherwise I won't post them.

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