In reply to a post by din100:

I use Zen mainly their contract length is shorter and a good overall ISP. They are independent isp where plus net is owned by BT group.

What happened with your iPlayer buffering issue? You say you didn't have buffering when on Be but did with BT Fibre. Any noticeable difference with this (or anything else) between BT and Zen fibre?

Just to add, I've been a Zen customer for around 10 years now - always have had great uptime. Been very happy with the service. The only thing that might move me away is the lack of Fibre to my cabinet and the current 100gb monthly limit on ADSL.

Still holding out that a few hundred of us locals contacting Openreach,MP and local councillors (one of whom is up for election next year!) might do something.

Zen have been really good over the last years I've used them and we only use them for work but I'm finding their price (£45 per month) hard to justify over £22.50 with PlusNet as I'd save £270 per year by moving.

Having a long hard think over the weekend but will probably get Mac code and move.

In reply to a post by MartinBen:

Zen have been really good over the last years I've used them and we only use them for work but I'm finding their price (£45 per month) hard to justify over £22.50 with PlusNet as I'd save £270 per year by moving.

Having a long hard think over the weekend but will probably get Mac code and move.

j

Like for like fibre the difference is £10 but complicated by Plusnet's special offers and pre payment for line rental.

You could just about get 2 broadband services for that price, well you could not, as you would need to pay an extra £15 for another phone line.

You just need to look for a service that has all of the options that you want and then, if you can afford or want to pay the price, then that's the one for you. Most are now commodity, with little or no difference between them. They just work.

In reply to a post by MartinBen:

Zen have been really good over the last years I've used them and we only use them for work but I'm finding their price (£45 per month) hard to justify over £22.50 with PlusNet as I'd save £270 per year by moving.

What service(s) do you current have with Zen, and what service(s) are you looking to take from PlusNet.

£22.50 is PlusNet's monthly charge for unlimited fibre broadband, assuming, like the majority of people, that you're in a PlusNet "low cost" area. The same service can be had from Zen for £35.40/month for Fibre Unlimited 2 without Zen line rental, or £30/month for Fibre Unlimited 2 with Zen rental at £15.44. Zen's FTTC minimum contract period for FTTC is 12 months, whilst PlusNet's is 18 months.


Zen's ADSL pricing may well be revisited within the next few months, as it has been a while since those products were refreshed.

Currently on Zen Fibre Pro

The PlusNet one I'm looking at is called Unlimited Fibre Broadband at £22.49/month

I could not see any option on Zen's website to stay with them on a broadband only setup as they all include phone line which I dont need/want.

If they offered a broadband only package then I might reconsider - if they do have one they keep it very well hidden.

"There is a premium charge of £4.50 (£5.40 inc VAT) for taking Fibre only" http://www.zen.co.uk/blog/fibre-phone-packages-quest... and you will have to take a new 12 months minimum term for Unlimited Fibre 2

As 4M2 says, Zen Unlimited Fibre 2 is £35.40 per month (including VAT) if taken 'broadband only'. If you change to this or any of the other new tariffs, you make a new 12 month commitment to Zen.

Existing customers wanting to change tariff need to call Zen sales. As you get Unlimited Fibre 2 'broadband only' for the old Fibre Active price, it's a considerable saving.

So Zen Unlimited is £35.40 per month but PlusNet unlimited is £22.49 per month so just under £13 per month cheaper - or £155 cheaper per year.

So yes, Zen may offer a slightly cheaper package than the £45/month I'm currently paying but still considerably more that other providers.