Here in Hampstead ( and in West Kensington) we have been without the internet from Friday at about 11am.

Finally back online at about 2.20pm today, with no real explanation for the failure.

I feel sorry for their tech. staff who have to field the calls from subscribers when they are kept as much in the dark as we have been.

I have stayed because I have been too idle to swap, but if I could find a 24/7 local and national phone service for approx. £5 per month with 8mb internet for a reasonable charge and good customer service I would be off.

I have Sky for the TV and Sky Plus, so I should go to them, but it seems they are pants too.

Really cheesed off.

Has anyone else found something better?

Zen. But they are not cheap.

Thanks for that, Peter.

I note that their telephone offer is VoiP.

I prefer just to pay a flat fee for calls if possible.

Do you know of any such service.

Sky's service is extremly good, I have had no problems with it and I have got the 16mb option. The only other bet would be to go to AOL and get their special offer at the moment or go to Virgin Media.

Yeah, sky are great until you try to cancel, then someone who sounds like Rab C Nesbit will mumble something unintelligible and put you on hold for 80 minutes.

Then you haven't tried quitting Tiscali then have you!!! Sorry but you will have far more problems leaving Tiscali than you would do leaving Sky. I know this from personal experience. Having said that you will have that with any company as they want to try and coax you to keep you on their service. I had big problems when I left Telewest for Homechoice. They couldn't understand why I wanted to leave thier service and was on the phone to the same advisor for about half an hour. Sorry but CS's at most companies are like that now, not just Sky!!