Zen double their allowances

Tacitus · Mar 20, 2012, 16:29:32

According to this http://www.zen.co.uk/latest-news.aspx?page=11367 Zen have doubled their download allowances across the whole range of their products.
Should put the cat amongst the pigeons, although one wonders whether they have the available bandwidth to cope

t22design · Mar 20, 2012, 17:31:25

It's certainly caught my eye. More and more of my usage is peak time and IDNet's limits are starting to get in the way of me using services like Netflix / LoveFilm and iPlayer as much as I would like.

I can't complain about the quality of IDNet's service though, I've been very happy with them.

Tacitus · Mar 20, 2012, 19:01:12

Quote from: t22design on Mar 20, 2012, 17:31:25
I can't complain about the quality of IDNet's service though, I've been very happy with them.

Me neither and the current iDNet allowances are OK for me. It does though suggest that competition in the Broadband space is hotting up again.

pctech · Mar 20, 2012, 22:12:18

They are doing a lot of upgrades on the network at the moment so I would think so.

Like IDNet they are pretty hot on ensuring utilisation doesn't get too high before upgrading equipment or adding to/upgrading the capacity of their connections.

Tacitus · Mar 21, 2012, 07:17:57

Quote from: pctech on Mar 20, 2012, 22:12:18
Like IDNet they are pretty hot on ensuring utilisation doesn't get too high before upgrading equipment or adding to/upgrading the capacity of their connections.

Yes I agree that iDNet are pretty good at ensuring adequate capacity exists. Regarding competition I think the downside from iDNet's pov is that as Zen increases its subscriber numbers, the amount of muscle it can use with BT massively increases. As a monopoly supplier BT doesn't have to bother about its customers and can afford to direct its efforts to those with the largest numbers.

Since any problems I have are not with iDNet but with BTs poor lines, it is the one downside of being with them rather than one of the bigger operators which might be able to put more pressure on BT.

That said, there are straws in the wind that we *may* be getting ADSL2 sometime before 2017. Believe it when I see it.

Steve · Mar 21, 2012, 07:30:26

Have we any evidence that Zen is increasing subscriber numbers? Or is this an attempt to halt a decline?

Tacitus · Mar 21, 2012, 08:20:50

Quote from: Steve on Mar 21, 2012, 07:30:26
Have we any evidence that Zen is increasing subscriber numbers? Or is this an attempt to halt a decline?

I think that's fair comment, but the argument regarding size carrying greater weight with BT still holds. If Zen are doing work to increase bandwidth either they already have the numbers or they must be fairly sure of getting them.

Time will tell I suppose. Either way I've no plans to move

Steve · Mar 21, 2012, 08:58:54

Sorry I'm not delibrately obtuse and I agree size as force against BT is uimportant. A quote from the original link in the first post does not mention any network upgrades unless usage demands it.

QuoteTo support the increase in usage limits and avoid FUP and traffic shaping Zen is continually measuring the usage across it network and predicting future requirements. It then ensures that upgrades are implemented in a timely fashion so that capacity is available ready to satisfy actual demand. This will mean Zen's customers can look forward to this year's Olympics safe in the knowledge that their online viewing won't be compromised.

I'm not aware of any reduction ( that doesn't mean that there hasn't been) in data charges from BTw to the ISP, so perhaps they're having to cut their margins to remain competitive.

pctech · Mar 21, 2012, 11:36:14

Steve, I keep a close eye on the Service Alerts so thats how I can infer that they have been doing upgrades.

They also activated some new hostlinks on the London POP last year.

They also upgraded their secondary link to LINX from 2 Gig to 10 Gig and transit changed from Level 3 and Sprint to Tinet and NTT and at the time the link capacity was upgraded from 2 Gig to 10 Gig.

sat_mad · Mar 25, 2012, 19:49:42

Yep,certainly tempting... we find 10GB peak quite a struggle most months.

pctech · Mar 25, 2012, 19:57:07

I think IDNet are a terrific company and my main phone line will be coming back in August when my BT contract is up but I'd be spending a small fortune on overage charges each month if I used the broadband.

Gary · Mar 26, 2012, 07:48:56

Quote from: pctech on Mar 25, 2012, 19:57:07
I think IDNet are a terrific company and my main phone line will be coming back in August when my BT contract is up but I'd be spending a small fortune on overage charges each month if I used the broadband.

Good job you are not then, wouldn't want you going over your allowance, Mitch. I agree with the off peak vs peak argument, but in my mind Zen are to big, which is why I came to idnet in the first place, looking at individual reviews for Zen, its not all picket fences and roses, like any other company they have an ugly side, and the potential of being put on hold while waiting for a support call makes shudder.

pctech · Mar 26, 2012, 12:15:15

Yep you do have to wait for support sometimes but to their credit they do publish stats from their phone system straight to the web so you can get a better idea when to call though thats no use if you have no internet access and your mobile cannot browse the net

However when you do get through they are always very pleasant and when I needed to get BT here to sort the socket they did not mess about and made sure the issue was thoroughly documented (they send a link to the fault report) so that a broadband engineer was dispatched so I wouldn't be charged.

If Zen were swallowed up by the likes of Timico as Newnet were I'd definitely jump ship as yes they would be too big but for the moment they suit my needs quite nicely.

Tacitus · Mar 26, 2012, 16:23:28

Quote from: pctech on Mar 26, 2012, 12:15:15
If Zen were swallowed up by the likes of Timico as Newnet were I'd definitely jump ship as yes they would be too big but for the moment they suit my needs quite nicely.

It may be that Zen's domestic subscriber base is too large for Timico since they concentrate on the business side with integrated VOIP and stuff. Ditching the NewNet domestic customers may have made sense in relation to the price paid but I doubt the same would apply if they tried to swallow Zen.

Timico might find iDNet would make a better fit.....

Simon · Mar 26, 2012, 16:31:12

Rik · Mar 26, 2012, 17:35:42

They haven't met us, Tac.

Tacitus · Mar 26, 2012, 18:57:49

Quote from: Rik on Mar 26, 2012, 17:35:42

They haven't met us, Tac.

I think they'd bite off more than they could chew Rik. Good to see you back here

pctech · Mar 26, 2012, 19:31:15

I think you'd find this forum would disappear very quickly if Timico took over.

Newnet set up a customer forum a few months before Peter Coates-Buglear sold up and it disappeared pretty shortly after Timico took control.

They also started to dismantle the LLU POPs too.

Newnet weren't bad but I used to hit up against the caps quite a bit as went for the cheapest package and any additional usage was just for the month it wa purchased for and would expire if not used.

With Zen it rolls over until used.

Rik · Mar 27, 2012, 08:39:56

Quote from: Tacitus on Mar 26, 2012, 18:57:49
I think they'd bite off more than they could chew Rik. Good to see you back here

Good to be back, Tac.

Rik · Mar 27, 2012, 08:40:25

Quote from: pctech on Mar 26, 2012, 19:31:15
I think you'd find this forum would disappear very quickly if Timico took over.

We have contingency plans.

Simon · Mar 27, 2012, 11:20:35

We do?

pctech · Mar 27, 2012, 12:37:27

You'd proibably not be able to use IDNetters though, how about completenutters.co.uk? I've checked and its available

Lance · Mar 27, 2012, 13:16:11

We'd get the domain transferred before any sale

Rik · Mar 27, 2012, 17:40:39

And have one in reserve anyway.

pctech · Mar 27, 2012, 19:25:10

I think most varients of Donald Russell are taken Rik and the company might object if you register one that isn't.

Would someone be kind enough to edit my earlier post to include to use so that the sentence makes sense please, I was typing in a quick break on that 'orrible keyboard at work and I missed it out, I've put a request in for one of the keyboards I bought for home on the grounds it will increase my productivity.