Zen Vs Origin Broadband

DavidT67

consider also consider the usage limits, traffic management and Downstream / Upstream profile that the provider is offering / going to apply to your account.

Plusnet getting flack for applying 40Mb down / 2Mb Up profiles when people where expect 40/20 or better. It's a minor cost saving for the ISP, but not good for customers with fast upload requirements. Not every ISP offers every wholesale package that BT Openreach has i.e. 55/10

Contention ratios with other customers, Traffic management and usage caps are differences between suppliers worth checking. Zen and A&A differ from the mainstream guys here.

Speed of ISP DNS servers, saturation of their Upstream pipes at peak times, reliablity of their webmail platforms also need to be considered.

As regards security, does package include Anti-virus for your devices, preconfigured router firewall, filtering at their end of your connection, parental controls at DNS, router or device level?

Factor in your landline, mobile and TV package requirements when considering bundled deals.

I'm afraid, it's a whole package of bundled options and services nowadays, not just an internet link.

Hargreaves1910

I heard Plusnet went through a cost saving exercise last year which caused their ratings to drop. As for Origin I'd never heard of them until I started looking for something a bit better than the mainstream low end providers.

My Origin supplied Asus router played up a bit and now appears to have died so I replaced it with my own TP-Link router which has been pretty well faultless. I did lose the connection early this week but rebooting the router brought it back. It used to be once a day so things do appear to be improving. The phone has always been spot on.

Kazzytc

Joined Zen 2013, service now diabolical. Tech support morons , read flow charts & blame YOUR equipment/router/Ethernet cable/micro filter/computer = never their fault &despite buying new router, micro filters & Ethernet cables, 1st guy I spoke to failed to diagnose trunk outage in area affecting many residents. 2nd failed to walk me though setting up new router I was told to buy by 1st guy blamed them for fault, I was asked,(despite telling the 2nd guy that I had had a stroke & heart attack & was struggling physically, to kneel on floor) to unscrew phone socket on wall to get at test socket +he had advised me to unscrew wrong one, so had to trace wiring to feed socket in garage -other side of house, he asked me to unscrew that, try phone in it, so had to go back to other side of house for phone then I was asked to go & get router from other side of house. Struggled to plug phone/router into a live test socket hanging off garage wall, 2nd tech guy decided it’s outage in area as both phone lines & internet by this time down he books BT, saying if I don't pay £120 to get private Broadband specialist out - check internal wiring I might be asked to pay BT £140-£178 for call out. Called Broadband specialist = £120, this + having to pay computer shop £75.91 on router, Ethernet cable & micro filters. Broadband specialist after he’d tested internal wiring asked neighbours if they’d any connectivity, they didn't. Called PC repair guy out= was suggested by 1st Tech guy it may be my computer = cost me £50, I’m losing income from booked in clients on busiest night of working week. PC repair guy migrated away from Zen Internet as found them rip off & incompetent- same problems. Phone to lodge complaint, 3rd tech guy = smarmy, condescending, rude & disrespectful, so lost my cool, he tried to justify actions of 1st & 2nd tech’s, as if I was at fault. I demanded manager called me Monday 11 am- 12 noon as started work at 12 noon. At 12.54 pm Monday Nick called claiming to be a Zen manager - he was only supervisor, he was equally obnoxious + unhelpful so asked for complaint to be escalated above him, he refused to reimburse for costs incurred from Broadband specialist PC repair man, only offered to pay for router claiming no tech guys recommended calling out Broadband specialist, fact is I never knew they existed until 2nd tech guy said to do so, so they endlessly back staff, have zero respect for customers. Support=diabolical amateur, useless, no 24/7 tech support. I pay £67.67 per month for 1 phone line + broadband & 1 without, no more than 5.85 mbps download speed & 0.84 mbps upload , diabolical customer service ,they know I ‘m self-employed & if I ‘m late paying bill, billing Rottweiler spams me with nasty threatening emails. Threaten to leave Zen & in smarmy voice they rudely tell you, you’ll never find as good a deal. I am done with Zen Internet they’re a disgrace, my advice - steer clear utter rip off utter rubbish, rude unpleasant.

unforeseen

And you joined just to have that little rant? Most of which sounds like a load of b***ocks with you not understanding what you have been told. Everybody warns that if Openreach find the fault is internal you have to pay the £130.

Your choice to buy another router. It sounds like your 'pc repair man' decided to get his moneys worth by ripping you off