quick broadband question

[Saint Keith]

im just starting work on a research thesis about why customers switch broadband providers

 

im just trying to list the factors which people take into account when they choose an isp in the first place. so far ive got

 

price per month / package

contract length

equipment provided

usage allowance

speed

customer support

reliability of service

brand reputation

 

anything that ive missed?

 

(appreciate that recommendation often comes into it, but that would usually be based on one of the above factors)

Edited 7 February, 2010 by Saint Keith

[saint_stevo]

im just starting work on a research thesis about why customers switch broadband providers

 

im just trying to list the factors which people take into account when they choose an isp in the first place. so far ive got

 

price per month / package

contract length

equipment provided

usage allowance

speed

customer support

reliability of service

brand reputation

 

anything that ive missed?

 

(appreciate that recommendation often comes into it, but that would usually be based on one of the above factors)

 

Pretty much all i have bolded. I'll normally change the router anyways, but talking to some moron on a phone who can barely speak english asking me if i have the thing switched on really ****s me off

[Block 5]

I would add convenience to your list.

Sky, BT and Virgin all offer packages that include TV and phone.

Having one package that covers all means more convenience by only paying one bill (and also getting a better deal too).

[Thedelldays]

I have virgin BB

 

never had a problem and always (it seems) near to the advertised speed

[Saint Keith]

I would add convenience to your list.

Sky, BT and Virgin all offer packages that include TV and phone.

Having one package that covers all means more convenience by only paying one bill (and also getting a better deal too).

 

thanks, i appreciate that. i thought id covered the bundled package under the price bit, but i guess convenience comes into it as well. which going to be the point of the research really, is it too much aggro for people to switch, and the ones that do, why

[Sev]

im just starting work on a research thesis about why customers switch broadband providers

Three times I have switched provider because I was moving house/flat to somewhere where my existing provider wasn't available, eg moving to/from BT/cable areas or from a ADSL2+ enabled exchange to one that isn't. I've never switched broadband provider without it being part of a move to a new place, either because I can't be bothered with the hassle or because I don't trust them not to balls it up and leave me without a connection for days.

 

im just trying to list the factors which people take into account when they choose an isp in the first place. so far ive got

 

price per month / package

contract length

equipment provided

usage allowance

speed

customer support

reliability of service

brand reputation

 

anything that ive missed?

- whether or not you get a static IP address

- how many IP addresses can you have allocated to your connection?

- if you move office/home can you keep the IP addresses or are they tied to a particular exchange?

- ease of administration, eg can you maintain multiple broadband accounts for different locations and pay and print associated invoices all from a single control panel?

- upstream bandwidth - I know you mentioned "speed" already, but the majority of advertising is about the download speeds, however a poor upload speed can be significant enough for some people to prefer a competitor with a better upload speed despite a slower download speed.

 

The above are all factors which I or people I've worked with have had to consider over the last 5 years.

[Saint Keith]

Three times I have switched provider because I was moving house/flat to somewhere where my existing provider wasn't available, eg moving to/from BT/cable areas or from a ADSL2+ enabled exchange to one that isn't. I've never switched broadband provider without it being part of a move to a new place, either because I can't be bothered with the hassle or because I don't trust them not to balls it up and leave me without a connection for days.

 

 

- whether or not you get a static IP address

- how many IP addresses can you have allocated to your connection?

- if you move office/home can you keep the IP addresses or are they tied to a particular exchange?

- ease of administration, eg can you maintain multiple broadband accounts for different locations and pay and print associated invoices all from a single control panel?

- upstream bandwidth - I know you mentioned "speed" already, but the majority of advertising is about the download speeds, however a poor upload speed can be significant enough for some people to prefer a competitor with a better upload speed despite a slower download speed.

 

The above are all factors which I or people I've worked with have had to consider over the last 5 years.

 

thanks. i think you are what researchers refer to as an outlier

[Patrick Bateman]

im just starting work on a research thesis about why customers switch broadband providers

 

im just trying to list the factors which people take into account when they choose an isp in the first place. so far ive got

 

price per month / package

contract length

equipment provided

usage allowance

speed

customer support

reliability of service

brand reputation

 

anything that ive missed?

 

(appreciate that recommendation often comes into it, but that would usually be based on one of the above factors)

 

Don't forget:

- Ease of install (with options; can you do it yourself, does the installer have to do it, does the CSR offer a date/dates that suit you etc.)

- On-shore contact centres (this still affects people's opinions)

- Upstream and downstream speeds

- VAS (for e.g. vStuff with Virgin Media where you can upload and share photos and get free prints. Also PCGuard which is free etc.)

- Overall package (i.e. Quadplay - DTV, BB, Telco, Mobile) and price (add a convenience factor in to this

- Actual speed (ADSL providors, i.e. BT, Sky offer BB speeds "up to" a certain level, depending on where you are from the exchange. Virgin Media offer gauranteed speeds - you want 10meg, 20meg, 50meg, you get that, or within 99% of that)

- Latency (If you're a gamer, you want minimal "hops" to the servers to ensure your gaming accuracy - although I may have got that terminology wrong, not being a gamer myself)

- Fault rates (how does the ISP you've chosen stack up against others)

- High street presence (how easy is it to order. i.e. with Virgin Media you can order instore, on the phone, on the web)

- What's available in your area (i.e. not all area is cabled, so has lower speeds, then you're back looking at all the ADSL ISPs, or Virgin Media off-net)

- Do you know someone who works for an ISP and can get you "mates' rates"

- Is the company local to you and you want to support local employement?

- Is the company ethical with green credentials and a clear CO2 reduction statement

 

There is SO much you can consider ...

[Sev]

thanks. i think you are what researchers refer to as an outlier

I suspect so. However I also suspect - without any evidence whatsoever mind - that there are increasing numbers of people working from home, small companies using consumer broadband for business, geeks wanting to run servers from home, people wanting to monitor CCTV remotely etc, for whom these considerations influence their choice.

[hamster]

I know that most of the techie ones above are absolutely correct for those with a bit of 'knowldge', but I like to think that o know my limits (ie very limited) and would and have previously gotten advice from this very forum. I trust the people on here ergo the techie stuff means nothing I just ask the questiuon and take the advice.

 

Anyway, one that is missing is how noice the router looks, a part of marketing really but I suppose it can be summed up in one word - FASHION.

[saint_stevo]

the uglier the router the better it works IME......

 

I would look for a QoS enabled router if i could, that would definatly be on my checklist for an ISP and BB package, although as a rule i change the router anyway, usually for a Linksys box (reliable and decent interface IMO) but for the benefit of a survey such as this QoS would be important to me

[hamster]

This man has a lot to answer for, promotong inferior products etc.

 

 

My last point was about people buying stuff because they like the people who advertise them. Krs M endorsing something will shgift lorry loads to people who have not a clue and could not care less about what is inside the case. People like myself, hence why I ask you people.

Edited 11 February, 2010 by hamster

[Patrick Bateman]

I know that most of the techie ones above are absolutely correct for those with a bit of 'knowldge', but I like to think that o know my limits (ie very limited) and would and have previously gotten advice from this very forum. I trust the people on here ergo the techie stuff means nothing I just ask the questiuon and take the advice.

 

Anyway, one that is missing is how noice the router looks, a part of marketing really but I suppose it can be summed up in one word - FASHION.[/QUOTE]

 

Being addressed :-)

[Sheaf Saint]

I would also consider things like...

 

Cost of domain registration

Cost of domain hosting

Webspace allowance

Speed restrictions for various protocols during peak/off-peak times.