Would you (still) recommend Zen ?

It is time to change ISP. Is Zen still providing good performance and good support service? There are some very negative comments at TrustPilot recently.

Their £22 per month for unlimited FTTC, a fixed IP4 Address, and a new FritzBox router are all very attractive. At this time I do not want their telephone service.

I already use a FritzBox 7390 for its IPv6 and VOIP/DECT support. Getting a fixed IP and up-to-date router is a big pull. It's just the negative comments that are off-putting. Any FTTC performance will be limited by 900m to the cabinet and possibly by cross-talk on the local line, but it has to be better than ADSL2+ at 2.2km which, for stability, maintains a 13dB SNR downstream margin.

I think so. I've been on their DSL product for over 9 years now, and that's been running nicely for (I'd guesstimate) over 95% of that time. I haven't contacted support for many years though, so I don't know how that is these days.

The IPv6 support also works really well. I think you still have to opt-in to it though.

I was looking at moving to their FTTC service, but I don't think I'm allowed because clause 3.4 of the T&Cs suggests the telephone line has to be in my name. It belongs to another family member. Therefore I can't commend Zen on that. (I only mention this because you also don't want their telephone service.)

I have been with them for over 5 years and know of 2 others with them. We have all had faults in that time, but it was Openreach equipment that was to blame. Each time, we were always kept fully informed and the faults repaired within hours.

My broadband was down - no sync on router - when I got up this am. I reported it 0800 when the support desk was open. Within 5 minutes they had confirmed that the FTTC cabinet in the village had lost power - checking my BQM, looks like the cabinet died at midnight when the batteries went flat. Zen had already reported it to OR when they rang me back after carrying out more checks their end.

By 11am, it was back on, SSE having replaced a section of power cable in the verge. Top marks, to Zen for the info, OR for getting SSE out swiftly, and SSE for the quick repair.

Interestingly my line is currently showing 1.5dB noise margin on the download and therefore a couple of Megs more speed. It had been stable at 2.5dB for over a year. I kept my router powered up during the outage (its on UPS) and I guess it was therefore the first to establish sync. I expect the DLM will probably resync overnight though.

In a very short and simple word, yes.

Thanks AndrewNI, sidef and flilot for those positive comments and detail. I'll be making a decision in the next few days. I have always liked to put my business with smaller companies and have had good experience with my choices. It looks like that should continue with Zen.

"Their £22 per month for unlimited FTTC"

?????

Zen's minimum FTTC pricing is £29.99 per month plus the £19.99 activation fee to be included for new customers.

£22 for Unlimited Fibre 1 if you elect to keep your phone line with another provider, which is what the OP wants to do.

Thanks. That was my interpretation too.

no way just talked to chris whos going to set up a monitor yet again. promised a call back from duty manager tomorrow.................

rubbish company. needs to be taught a lesson.

In reply to a post by bigbadpirate:

no way just talked to chris whos going to set up a monitor yet again. promised a call back from duty manager tomorrow.................lets see .

rubbish company. needs to be taught a lesson. one way or another.