We're looking at hosting an FTP server so external clients can log in and pick up/drop off files. Hosting it on our already pitiful main connection is not an option so I'm looking at putting in on an ADSL connection. It's not likely to be particularly busy, the traffic is also going to be pretty asymmetrical so no need for SDSL. The only other technical stipulation is a fixed IP address.

Previous recommendations on this board have centered around A&A (Andrews & Arnold) so they're already on my shortlist. Can anyone personally recommend any others? Be caught my eye, basically because of the speed and price but they don't do invoicing, it's either Direct Debit or Credit Card payment only.

Do you have the option of making the "wide" side of the ADSL line the upload side? I don't think any providers in the US offer that.

No, the best you can get in the UK on that side of things is SDSL.

Probably beyond your budget, but A&A are also about to start doing 10mb Ethernet connections

http://aaisp.net/news-2009-01-ethernet.html

The only thing that seems to get close to that is an option that Be make available where they change some of the frequencies used for downstream to upstream.

I take it that A&A is realistically the only option.

The reason I asked is because when you say "FTP server", I was thinking you were going to be distributing files, which would make ADSL a bad choice. But I suppose it's perfectly reasonable that you're going to be receiving files, which would make ADSL a good choice.

Yes, it's more of a drop box than a server.

I'm using A&A and generally happy. However, recently i.e. last few months, they've had a huge amount of problems. You can read about them on their blog. I still very occasionally get weird short duration cutouts every now and then.

A customer of mine speaks very highly of http://www.spitfire.co.uk. Their telephone and email support is first class, so I'm told.

I'm told, perhaps mistakenly, that they cater for mostly "VIP" clients and the implication was they don't bother so much with us common folk! That said, I didn't see anything on their website that suggested as such.

While supporting this (also) "VIP" client, I can vouch for the fact that their support responses are quick, friendly and helpful. If they treat the man on the street in the same way then I can't see any reason not to seriously consider them.

Although this isn't much use to you from a business point of view. I am on o2 at the moment for my broadband, they use Be's network. I have to say I am really pleased with it. I pay a little extra for a fixed IP.

I get 1Mbps up and about 6Mbps down, I am about 4km from our local exchange. Speeds always seem really good, I assume that they would be the same on the BE side too.

Shame about their billing though.

Cheers

Cris

PS - Biting my lip about Spitfire

I know an organization that has had a lousy experience with spitfire

Still biting my lip

I would agree with Andy's comment above.

Cheers

Cris.

I've had no real problems with them since I started using them. I get a drop out every now and then (like once every 3-4 months for 10 minutes at a time, and I wouldn't have noticed if they hadn't texted me about it), but I'm more inclined to blame BT for those.

They were supposed to be upgrading me to ADSL2+ over the weekend, but that doesn't seem to have happened. Not too bothered. I'll chase them next week. Or maybe I just need to reboot my modem.