Zen to O2..Should I?

**Cross-Posted to O2 forum for opinions****

Hi all,

Just after opinions really.

I am currently on the old Zen 2Mb tariff of 100Gb download only, non-shaped for �34.99 per month..which feels like a lot to pay in the current climate.

I am an O2 mobile customer which means I can get their service at a discounted rate...BUT..

I can only get their Home Access product as my village exchange has no LLU suppliers.

Also, if I move away from this old Zen tariff..then it's gone for good as they don't allow users to go back on it, which means an 8Mb service with a 50Gb download limit.

Looking at my Zen usage graphs, my download stats are around 35-45Gb per month with an additional 30-40Gb uploads (which don't count at Zen)

Is this level of throughput likely to cause me problems on the O2 Home Access service?

Lastly, I have been reading horror stories about BRAS profiles and if I move from a rock-solid 2Mb service to an 8Mb one, I suppose I can expect a torrid time whilst the profile sets itself?

I am very close to my local exchange, with line stats of


ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 2272 kbps 288 kbps
Line Attenuation 15.0 db 9.0 db
Noise Margin 30.1 db 31.0 db

Anyone got a view to how those figures will be reflected on an 8Mb service??

You should get the full 8128 down 448 up, I reckon. (Stats to kill for )

John.

I did reply on 02 forum, I did try it but it didn't work for me. I sync at 8128 (full rate) and have a very good line. My download speeds were mostly fine with o2 however the pings in the evening were really bad where it got to the stage that I dreaded turning the PC on as pages were so slow to load, my exchange is also uncongested. I had an excellent connection with Zen so I knew it was nothing to do with the line, anyway I took the 30 day opt out and went back to Zen and have an excellent connection again
Having said all that, some people are very happy with the o2 access product, maybe I was just unlucky, the reason I moved was to try to save some money but it didn't work for me unfortunately, if I was you I would check to see if the 30 day money back guarantee still applies although you wouldn't be able to get back your 2mb service

I was thinking of moving from Zen to O2 earlier this year but decided against it.

As you say, O2 do seem to still be providing a good service albeit with the loss of some of the more "useful" features such as newsgroups, webspace, etc.

Although I don't hammer newsgroups (typically 3 - 4GB a month total download for everything), access to them is good to have and I wouldn't be able to justify the required additional mobile phone use so the actual price difference, when I added in things I'd have to buy as "3rd party add-ons", was whittled away to about �3 a month - definitely not worth moving away from Zen for that!


John.

I can understand people looking for a cheaper product especially in the current climate, that's why I moved but to be totally honest I was so relieved to get back.
I can understand people ranting on forums as it's very frustrating when you have a problem and it can't be sorted out .
Moving to 02 Access (not LLU) really drove me nuts, the thing is I was so used to having a good connection that it really got me down, however I came back to Zen and it was sorted straight away, phew!

For the OP

Line Attenuation 16.0 db 9.0 db and I sync at full rate 8128

current speedtest on here http://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest/results/id/122606747725406528999.html

actual download speed is 6.6

Edited by deleted (Fri 07-Nov-08 14:20:12)