ISP Help. 2 Hour Disconnect Problem.

[nips]

I've now become subject to BT's policy on showing your phone number while connecting to an ISP apparently.

I phoned my ISP (Breathe)and they said that 2 days ago BT got in contact with them, demanded that everyone show thier telephone number (or something to that effect) for some reason, and becuase of that, I'm not sure why, I'm now forced to disconnect every two hours. My ISP told me that it is nothing to do with them, but BT is cutting me off, or demainding they cut me off every two hours!

So now, I can't have over night downloads, and hence I can't download... well... anything really! So, I need help.

-Can anyone suggest a way around this so that I don't have to disconnect every two hours?
-Are there any programs out there that prevent that from happening?
-Are there any programs that automatically re-connect you whenever you are disconnected and download managers that will automatically resume downloads after disconnection?
-Are there any good, flat rate ISPs that do not go through BT so by extension will connect me for more than 2 hours a time, for under ?15 a month?
-Any other suggestions?

I'm so ****ed off! Bastards! Just as I Was starting to like them! Stu, have you got any connections with BT still? Can you pull a few strings, get someone assassinated?


ft: ft: ft:

[nips]

I just phoned them up again to double check, and apparently the one guy was talking ****. One of the stipulations of flat rate through BT is that you are disconencted every 2 hours so the system is not abused I assume. So BT phoned up Breathe on Monday and demanded that they adhere to that policy or they's shout at them some more. So breathe bent over for BT, who then proceed to **** me up the ass every 2 hours.

So, unless I go through Telewest or NTL I'm going to have the same problems with every other ISP eventually.

Is this correct, or have I been told **** again? Can you wonderful people see another way around this?

Thanks a lot:

-Mike

[demon9k]

"GetRight 5.02" lets you resume downloads and it will automatically reconnect to the internet when you get disconnected, if you tell it too.

I use it because like you I have got 2 hours only ft:

[MartyG]

The way around it would be to get broadband tbh, assuming you can get it in your area. It's really not much more expensive than dial up any more.

Demon never use to have a cut off period when I used them for dial up, although I don't know if that's still the case. Mind if it's a BT thing, then I guess it'd affect them too.

Regards
Marty

[yashiro]

If you intend to stay on dial-up.

Use Flashget or Getright to download stuff. They can be set to auto redial after disconnection.

[nips]

Marty, if I could get Broadband, I'd jump on it in a second, but of course, they don't have Broadband in my area. So I'm stuck on a 28k DACSd line. ft: Thanks for the suggestion though!

For some reason I can't get GetRight to dial up after I disconnect. I think it has something to do with my ISP being a bitch. I've tried to get it to dial through the existing connection, but it'll have none of it. I've got it to download whenever I connect, but the ****er won't connect automatically.

It says that it's trying to connect, but nothing happens and I remain off-line!

[E. Randy Dupre]

Download Accelerator Plus is pretty good for resuming downloads, too.

Just out of interest, I was subjected to the 2hr disconnect policy for the majority of the time I was with BT, but over January and February it suddenly stopped - I'd be connected for five or six hours before they kicked me off. I've no idea why this was happening, but it'd suggest that there is a way around it. Not that I did anything to make it happen that I'm aware of...

[Moodmon]

I'm sure there is a way to do this. I was on Tesco until I got broadband, and it was in the contract that they would cut you off after 2 hours. I never tried it, but my brother apparently has some success with Star Downloader.

[Super Stu]

Almost all Surftime (0844) and FRIACO (0808) unmetered ISPS carry a 2, 3 or 4 hour timeout on disconnection. There is no way around it, it is enforced through the ISP and not your PC.

Either force your PC to reconnect on disconnect and use Getright, Flashget etc, or find an ISP which requires no timeout.

As Marty pointed out, Demon is one such ISP, but be aware that you'll pay through the nose for dialup sans disconnects. Here's a break down of costs with Demon:

- Standard subscription charge (which only permits 0845 metered dialup) - ?11.75 a month, payable to Demon.

- Surftime Evenings and Weekends, ?5.99 to enable unmetered dialup from 6pm - 8am and all weekend, payable to BT.

Or if you want 24/7 unmetered:

- Premier subscription charge of ?19.99 a month payable to Demon, which allows use of:

- Surftime 24, ?19.99 a month to enable 24/7 unmetered dialup, payable to BT.


Essentially then, you're paying ~?18 a month for evenings and weekends or ?40 a month for 24/7 unmetered with no disconnects.

So you'll probably want to nip to www.downloads.com and get hold of Getright then, heh.