Get More Call-Charge-Free Time Out Of My ISP?

[newton's cat]

I'm using an ISP that provides call-charge-free Internet access for 60 minutes at a time. In theory one can reconnect and get up to 113 hrs a week of cost-free time on the Net - however - they have three ways to prevent people using their DUNs to auto-dial until a connection is made:

A piercing, continuous note - forcing a manual cancel.

When 'Verifying User Name and Password' appears their is either a "nervewracking" delay - ended by either making a connection or getting 'Unable to Establish a Connection' - forcing a manual cancel.

Sometimes 'Verifying User Name and Password' appears for a second or two then - "Ah! a connection! - but NO!"

'Invalid User Name or Password' appears!

Again forcing a manual cancel (Those of us "in the Know" ignore this last "devious" method of preventing us from milking the ISP of as much free-time as possible.)

They also cut the connection after anytime between 60-70 minutes - this prevents people calculating when is the best time to log-on.

In effect one can only guarantee getting a connection if one logs-on when the service begins at 6 pm.

My question is: Are their any "super" DUNs out there that can foil this ISPs most uncharitable attempts to prevent me from spending most of my free-time on the Net - for free?

The connection is - when I get on - fast and reliable.

Newton's Cat

[andyb]

You know - I have exactly the same problem with my BT Internet free connection (except the connection limit is 2HRs).

I experience exactly the same problems as you - although intermittant. I do not belive your symptoms are a deliberate deterant. They should be contractually forbidden from denying you service.
To set a maximum connection time is easy for them to do (ask anyone who's played around with RAS) and most ISP's just use this.

The connection problems you are having sound like the usual story - over subscribed ISP that cannot handle the number of connection requests adequetly. It happens accross the board - BT Internet are one of the biggest ISP's in the UK and their free service is diabolical. Like you - once I connect its fine - but connecting... thats a whole different ball game.

I'd be interested if you have anything concrete saying that these connection errors are deliberate, I actually pay for my free service (an irony that could only happen in England) and if they are deliberatly stopping me connecting I'll deliberatly stop my account debit.

[Recall]

Just to add my 2p worth.

I subscribed to BT Freetime to. Now there was a bad idea .. wouldnt connect .. SO I phone their Techie.

£30 later in phone charge .. good old 50p a min. It still aint working and I have cancelled my account.
He must have blamed everything Multi-homed TCP/IP sessions on my PC to the fact my Modem is too old (3 months to be precise). (Its worth mentioning I have an MCP Networking Essentials here).

However I now use LibertySurf who despite their original problems are now fantastic. I ALWAYS connect first time .. no 2 hour disconnect .. only 20 quid a year not 9:99 a month. Trouble is no-one can subscribe anymore as its full .... shame cos they pretty good.

[andyb]

Ok - I've we're going to have a BT gripe - we should probably take this to a different forum... but...

I just applied for ADSL from Demon internet... and BT have even managed to shaft that for me...

Aparently, and this should make you giggle Recall, ADSL technology requires the presence of... a BT fully functional phone line. Now I've worked with DSL technology before and know full well that all it requires is a router or modem and on the client end and a termination unit at the exchange (and of course a bit of wire running between).

But BT in all there wisdom have set out contracts that prevent people like me (I have a phone service from my cable provider) from having access to ADSL. I now am looking at having to add £30 a quater to my ADSL subscription for a phone connection I neither want or need...

Arrgghhhh!!!!!