Zen service heading south.. anyone recommend an ISP

I've had an regular problem in last few weeks with line drops, packet loss etc.
As a professional engineer, I keep backup routers, filters etc. and tried various solutions and informed time numerous times.
The incompetence of Zen, usually blaming BT, ignoring details etc. is astounding compared to a few years ago.
When the line eventually stays up (with irregular packet loss) they seem to think the problem is resolved.
Its comical - if you buy a bun at Tesco, its Tescos' responsibility - that's where the buck stops!

Accumulate this with recent DNS problems (which they never even bothered to reply to) and you think that at least you would get their email addresses correct!
But no - ...
just sent an email to their PR dept and got the following reply (from From: Mail Delivery System <[email protected]>)

"This message was created automatically by mail delivery software.
A message that you sent could not be delivered to one or more of its
recipients. This is a permanent error. The following address(es) failed:
[email protected] Unrouteable address"

you couldn't make this up!

anyone suggest a competent rolling 1 month ISP!
"022" is last part of login if anyone from ZEN awake...don't call... if you can rectify the service, do it and stop talking!

"[email protected]" on google only brings up one result - your post (and no doubt this one in a short while), where did you get that address from?

Hi

Unless you go with an LLU provider such as O2/BE, TalkTalk or Sky or perhaps Virgin cable then unfortunately they are all at the mercy of BT whom they are a customer of.

That means that unless the fault falls within BT's definition of a fault it will be rejected and bounced back to the ISP to resolve.

I believe the packet loss threshold has to be 5% (had a bit myself last year that was traced to the exchange)

I gather from frequenting various ISP's forums that they (BT) have removed a lot of the diagnostic tools that ISPs used to have at their disposal unless its BT Retail I bet.

This means that unless the automated tools determine there's a line fault (its operating below specification) then there's not much more an ISP can do.

As for a DNS issue, are you referring to the subjct of a thread I started reporting intermittent DNS service? they fixed this within 24 hours, I'm not sure what more could be expected

as for the address you were trying to mail I think it should just be @zen.co.uk

the email address was [email protected]
its their internal system that redirects to the reject address

as for the BT story etc.., that cant compensate for the push-off at start (get a bt 'engineer' to check your line for interference, our system is fine etc)

I went from Zen to vivaciti.co.uk which worked for me. I am now on SKY for other reasons, but have just moved my domain to vivaciti. Worth a check, but if you select an LLU connection then I think it is 6 mths, but you could always phone them to ask for a 'deal'.

I gather from frequenting various ISP's forums that they (BT) have removed a lot of the diagnostic tools that ISPs used to have at their disposal unless its BT Retail I bet.

If that is the case then equivalence rules have been broked and big fine is likely. Reality probably removed for all, or have been hidden away and less friendly to use as IPStream switches to WBC.

Contacts

http://www.zen.co.uk/contact-us.aspx#2

[email protected] , but that is for press enquires. Other more suitable addresses at the link

i just gave up - better things to do than listen to excuses about the BT/Zen relationship - if it's a regulatory matter it's up to them to complain about access.

will move to another ISP when suits .... they just slide slowly downhill.... much the same as Nildram did years ago

Yawn.

"anyone suggest a competent rolling 1 month ISP!"

Yep... Newnet... though they are not the cheapest around.

I think their Customer Service is next to none. Had a problem recently and their people were onto BT like a corgi goes for your trouser legs! Even after the problem was sorted, I got several follow up calls from newnet to see that I was still happy.

I just wish there was a package between their 10GB and 50GB deals. Though they do have unlimited overnight downloads.

Edited by MrBeeline (Mon 26-Sep-11 15:29:08)