Re: [Hampshire] ISPs (again): Recommendation and warning

On Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:39:52 -0000
"Rob Malpass" <rd.malpass@???> wrote:

> 1) I want a largely bog standard home ADSL 2Mb connection but I'm
> fed up of very polite but entirely clueless tech folks (see below)
> wasting my time with pointless instructions so, rightly or wrongly,
> I'm looking for an ISP with UK call centre tech support. I'm
> thinking of Zen - but didn't I hear (maybe on this list) recently
> that Zen are being taken over by someone so we can expect a drop in
> service standards? If so, what ISP would folks recommend for my
> pretty standard needs? I'm not into gaming or TV downloading -
> though an unlimited but fair use policy would be good. Apparently
> Zen give you emails telling you how close you are to your limit.

I've had a Zen 8000 account for some while and have no problems with
them. They aren't by any means the cheapest provider but I chose them
because they consistently rate highly in user surveys

I have not heard anything about them being taken over.

They have a 'customer portal' site where, once you have signed up to
it, you can check your average usage and suchlike.

Checking this just now it tells me that I have a 20 Gb monthly
download allowance of which I have used 2.71 Gb this month. My
highest ever since Jun 2006 was in Feb 2007 when I downloaded 8.371
Gb. My average monthly download usage: 3.309 GB

As far as uploads are concerned I have yet to exceed 0.5 Gb per
month

So I guess I am a not going to exceed my limits if my current
pattern of usage continues. I don't download videos or music (I get
the odd LUG video) so downloads are mainly package updates and email.

It also tells me that "Your current maximum download speed is 1500
kbps" So although in theory I can get 8Mb the line just isn't good
enough to give me this despite being no more than a couple of miles
as the crow flies from the exchange.

--
John Lewis
Debian (Sid) & the GeneWeb genealogical data server