Voting Question: Seen UK top 5 broadband rip-offs? & how best to deal with 'em? What do you think is the best deal? How 2 beat?

I put this in Politics as Govt promise to roll out superfast broadband Is there a corrupt angle? UK's top broadband rip-offs, together with a few ideas on how you can combat them. 1) Super-fast broadband You might think super-fast broadband sounds amazing. Lightning-fast deals via next-generation fibre technology allow you to surf the net at more than 5 times the usual speed (50Mb). Unfortunately, however, super-fast broadband generally comes with a much higher price tag than packages with standard connection speeds. And I think, at £40 a month, providers are ripping us off - especially when you take into account a 8Mb package with a 10GB usage limit can cost less than £6 a month. The fact is, unless you need faster speeds for things like watching internet TV or downloading HD movies regularly, these packages probably have far greater capability than you really need. If you're not a heavy user, paying the higher monthly cost is a waste of money, frankly. 2) Restrictions on download limits Many broadband providers boast of unlimited download limits, only to accompany these bold statements with a little asterisk which, on closer inspection directs you to a fair use policy that restricts the amount you can actually download. Fair use policies are often a get out of jail free card for providers which advertise unlimited download limits, only to impose penalties or other restrictions if you exceed a certain threshold. And, to make things even more complicated, finding out about your own download habits can sometimes feel like trying to break into Fort Knox. For example, when I called my own provider to ask them about my usage, I was only told that I ‘need not worry'. This ambiguous phrasing may make little difference in my case, but in some circumstances you'll only realise you've exceeded your fair usage limit when you get a warning from your provider – or worse, when a hefty bill lands on your doormat. If you want to gauge your surfing habits, this data usage calculator from Virgin is a nifty tool which will give you an idea of your own monthly usage, which you can then use to get the best plan for you. Alternatively, providers Be and O2 offer super-fast broadband with truly unlimited download limits. 3) Broadband without a landline. If you move into a property without a BT landline in place, it will cost you £124.99 to connect yourself to the outside world, plus £10.50 a month in line rental, unless you commit to an 18-month contract. If you don't fancy forking out all this just to get connected, one alternative is Virgin media which, providing you live in a cabled area, will connect you without the need for a BT line (£30 connection fee applies). In addition, some providers such as Tiscali make use of local loop unbundling (LLU) to bypass BT and offer inclusive line rental. LLU enables ‘local loops' (or put simply, the cable through which you receive your broadband) to be freed up so other providers can design their own broadband packages to provide alternative, and often cheaper services. The third way you can get connected to the internet without the need for a BT landline is via a dongle . Dongles provide a convenient way of getting online, though from experience provide much slower download speeds than conventional broadband. Check out my latest article on dongles . 4) Tag on the line This is one of the sneakiest ways broadband providers can stop you from switching easily. They put what's known as a 'tag' on your line, which is difficult to remove. When you run into trouble, they often point the finger at your landline provider, who then points the finger back at the broadband provider, and so on. What many people don't realise is that you have to talk to the provider you want to switch to and ask them to remove it. Luckily, Broadband Choices offers a handy list of numbers on its website to contact with regards to having a tag on your line. 5) Long contract terms Last but not least, contract lengths for broadband, and indeed your mobile phone are slowly creeping up, and these days you'll often have to sign an 18 and sometimes a 24 month contract in order to secure the best deals. However, there is light at the end of the broadband tunnel, and if you don't want to be tied into a lengthy contract, you could always opt for a provider which doesn't impose one. For example, you can now get one-month only contracts from providers like Plusnet and Zen, which enable you to switch at any time. Obviously, your broadband service is unlikely to be 100% perfect, 100% of the time, but hopefully these small tips will help you on your way to a smoother surfing experience. Happy surfing!DJ I can't fib to ya, dude: it was simply the feature on Yahoo homepage as I came online earlier today As a conscientious ex-UK *1 sales rep, here is a simple google just done now:- http://www.google.com/#hl=en&source=hp&q=best+uk+broadband+deals&btnG=Google+Search&aq=0&aqi=g1&aql=&oq=best+uk+broadband+deal&gs_rfai=&fp=1df4639b9e375fe6 OG I nearly chose you now as best reply But instinct says that, as I'm very rarely in till much later on Sunday eves, I'd best link this Q to a few relevant others, asa test of Y/A volume of activity @ this time Anyone wanna do a Y/A search @:- Would it improve summer interest in Y/A to show number of views @ each question? Or a general daily hit counter, so folk can assess best times to join in here? Maybe an international time zones clock? Any other ideas to improve summer season in Y/A? Tellk ya wot: I'll C&P that lot as a new question Back to link ...http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100530105123AANVULG Enjoy! more

Resolved Question: How to divide an Advertising Budget effectively?

We have a campaign to work for in the UK. The budget is 5 Million pounds & should cover all forms of media. its needs to run for one year. Production costs also need to be taken in account for. Would like to know how should we divide the 5 mil pounds effectively? more

Resolved Question: What's the cheapest or free way of making outbound international phone calls to Europe from the UK?

Being now self-employed after a long new media advertising sales career, I have a plenty of my sales leads that I would like to most cost effectively follow up from the comfort of my home. As you can now guess, my question here is very simple: What would be the cheapest or maybe free way for me to make outbound international calls to Europe from the UK? Many thanks in advance! more

Resolved Question: Europhiles? if the EU has no affect on our daily lives, What is this then?

Household: Home Information Packs (HIPs); Fortnightly bin collections; Higher household electricity bills, more wind turbines; Soaring water bills. Consumer affairs: Higher food prices; Written and pictorial health warnings on cigarette packets (including what font to be used); Disappearance of the Crown signs on pints; Lists of ingredients and warnings on food products; Phasing out of incandescent bulbs; Expensive electrical goods, and higher Council tax; New Royal Mail pricing rules; Bureaucracy at the bank; High price of energy saving products; Banning vitamins and minerals; Fewer and more expensive fish; Extinction of swathes of vegetable varieties; The end of selling in pounds and ounces only. Transport and motoring: Car booster seats for children; Photocard driving licences; End of many rural bus routes; Creation of Railtrack; Harder and more expensive motorcycle tests; Preventing the return of the Routemaster bus; In future, all new cars will need to keep headlights on during the day. Law and order: Government’s inability to expel EU criminals from the UK. Media, sport and Entertainment: TV airtime quotas; Banning caps on foreign football players, higher wages, higher ticket prices for fans; Abolition of the 192 inquiries service and replacement with 118; Television advertising rules. Workplace: Banning workers from earning higher wages instead of taking holidays. Economy: The run on Northern Rock; Northern Rock downsizing; Post office closures. Health: Fewer training hours for doctors, compromised patient safety; Higher costs for the NHS. Before you dismiss this, all this came from the horses mouth! Here are all the references to EU Directives implemented in the last decade! the EU’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (2002/91/EC), Fortnightly bin collections. The EU’s Landfill Directive (1999/31/EC) the EU Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC), the EU Tobacco Products Directive Television Without Frontiers Directive (89/552/EEC). Disappearance of the Crown signs on pints. The EU’s Measuring Instruments Directive (2004/22/EC), The EU’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (2002/96/EC), the EU Postal Services Directive (97/67/EC) The Insurance Mediation Directive (2002/92/EC), The Distance Marketing Directive (2002/65/EC) The EU’s Food Supplements Directive (2002/46/EC) EU law (Directive 80/181/EEC), EU Directives 2003/20/EC, 91/439/EC, 98/95/EC, 2003/33/EC, (2001/37/EC), 2003/641/EC. What do you think? ;)Sissel - at least people can email me if they don't agree with what i say, they i will be only happy to back up my point. you carry on hiding behind your sickle & hammer.....Oooops i meant EU flag. hehe. i think the correct term is BOOYAHH!!!! more

Resolved Question: Is it time to end the TV tax in Britain?

For those of you who don't know. Every home in Britain that has a TV must purchase a yearly TV "licence" at a cost of £142.50. The money then goes to fund the BBC. Even if you never watch the BBC you must pay the licence fee, or face going to jail. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/jan/18/broadcasting.bbc In these days of cable and satellite TV, wouldn't it be fairer for the BBC to get it's funding from subscriptions and advertising like other channels do? more

Voting Question: Could you check my mistakes in my witting ?

Hi! Could someone be so kind and check my writing? Thank you! "Product Development Identifying product Development Opportunities Online appearance may be used to gather, record and analyse data about customers. It helps to discover what people need or want. This allows a business to have better knowledge of their customers, market and makes possible the successful development of new services or products. Many businesses use their website to gather information about their customers and their wants. For example Pc world uses online feedback form to gather information about customer perceptions of their products, prices and services. The English language school may use online research methods to help the business to make better decisions about marketing and development of new products/services. The internet also enables the English language school to offer digital delivery of new information. The language school may use newsletter. It is a regularly distributed publication generally about one main topic that is of interest to its subscribers which is delivered electronically via email. Newsletter helps to keep customers updated on the new important information which they may be interested in." "Market Development and costs Many businesses use its website to appear on other markets. It is relatively cheap comparing to advertising in media and allows a business to expand into new markets without huge costs. Cost of setting up a website depends from type and size of the website. The business will need to choose between building its website itself or hiring web designers. Using a web designer can be expensive, but they have a better knowledge of what works on the web and build a more effective and more safety websites using the latest techniques. A website can break down geographical barriers and create new ways of communication. The Internet gives smaller businesses a relatively low cost strategy for competing on the same online terms as much larger competitors. Using a web appearance helps to reach into a new areas which may not normally be able to reach because of limited capital and expand markets more cost-effectively. Often using web designer or web design agency mean that the business can use existing connections to secure payments system which is very important for businesses like English language school because most of people are concerned about payment security. A web presents will help the English language school to became available for everyone."Alphabeat No.1 fan it doesn't take long... more

Resolved Question: How much do adverts cost?

I'm just trying to finish of my Media Studies coursework on advertising but I can't find my sheet on the prices anywhere. So would one of you be kind enough to tell me the price of a tv advert on Prime Time Uk telly and cheaper times to put an advert on? I also need to know how much it'd cost to place an AD in a national newspaper,fashion magazine,teen mag,on a billboard and an advert on the radio as well. I just need prices nothing else even if you can only answer one out of my lists ,It'd be a great help. Thanks more

Resolved Question: Do businesses still use yellow pages as an advertising medium..........?

to promote there company as much now, as opposed to say. 10 years ago? If so, do you find it cost effective. I am planning to advertise my company in the plumbing section of central london, it is extremely expensive in the larger format, so i was hoping for some feed back, particularly from plumbing companies, or other small bussinesses, also how would you say it fares up against internet advertising. Thanks in advance more

Resolved Question: Do businesses still use yellow pages as an advertising medium..........?

to promote there company as much now, as opposed to say. 10 years ago? If so, do you find it cost effective. I am planning to advertise my company in the plumbing section of central london, it is extremely expensive in the larger format, so i was hoping for some feed back, particularly from plumbing companies, or other small bussinesses, also how would you say it fares up against internet advertising. Thanks in advance more

Resolved Question: Do businesses still use yellow pages as an advertising medium..........?

to promote there company as much now, as opposed to say. 10 years ago? If so, do you find it cost effective. I am planning to advertise my company in the plumbing section of central london, it is extremely expensive in the larger format, so i was hoping for some feed back, particularly from plumbing companies, or other small bussinesses, also how would you say it fares up against internet advertising. Thanks in advance more

Resolved Question: Do businesses still use yellow pages as an advertising medium..........?

to promote there company as much now, as opposed to say. 10 years ago? If so, do you find it cost effective. I am planning to advertise my company in the plumbing section of central london, it is extremely expensive in the larger format, so i was hoping for some feed back, particularly from plumbing companies, or other small bussinesses, also how would you say it fares up against internet advertising. Thanks in advance more