One of the better ISPs going around

Hathway are definitely one of the better ISPs going around. They were one of the first ISPs to offer 256 Kbps unlimited plans (I'm told that this plan is not available everywhere (unverified)) and in my experience are generally a reliable crowd.

I subscribe to their 256 Kbps unlimited plan, which is about the norm as I write this. However, with its upload bandwidth capped at 64 Kbps, it's essentially a 1-way broadband which is rather pathetic, but there are no real alternatives available in the unlimited plan segment at the present moment.

Connections are via a cable modem (a Motorola SB5100i in my case) which usually come with an Ethernet and USB port; the installation was quick and easy. Tech support is about par, but their billing department leaves a lot to be desired. It is also a tad odd that this ISP does not accept online payments :S Currently, Hathway in Madras have this tedious mode of collection where the customer has to either drop off a cheque in a courier drop-off point, or wait for them to send curious people by your house to pick up the cheque.

Speed-wise, Hathway indulge in rather heavy-handed traffic shaping and (incoming) port blocking rendering your connection impotent with respect to a number of applications. Download speeds tend to vary a lot and generally meet the specified capacity only in the case of multiple (simultaneous) downloads or streams (which, sadly, is also how technical support at Hathway reassure their customers that their connections are working fine..).

However, all said and done, until other attractive alternatives arrive, I am reasonably satisfied with Hathway and will be sticking by them for the immediate future.