Only two providers offer anything other than a 12 month contract: Virgin, and AOL. on general principles I refuse to do business with AOL. Whenever I've had to endure their service, it's always been poor.
So I've gone for Virgin, and their adorable Plan 3. 1 Mbps download time, 3 GB monthly download allowance, £14.99 per month with a potential £50 penalty charge if I cancel before the end of the 12 month period. In other words, they want a 12 month contract; they're just too chicken to say so. They're also happy to charge me well over the odds (their plan 2 is 8 Mbps, 6 GB download allowance @ £14.99 - but oh lookie, there's a 12 month contract involved) for a substandard service.
Everyone else wants a 12 month contract. They're quite happy to supply me with inferior tat (modems and cables) but they're even happier to levy a whopping penalty charge should I dare to leave their service before the 12 months are up.
[deep breath]
The English are a nation of bare-faced thieves and spineless victims. The predators fleece their prey with ease, because the prey don't bother to complain or demand anything like a real service from their service providers. It's like doing business with Capone's incompetent younger brother Reggie. One day, one day soon, I'll go back to a land where sanity prevails.
Soon.
