Zen Broadband

[darrensen]

Hi,

Is it me or have Zen put a 50gb Download limit on their Broadband service?

Looks like they all do it now!

[javers]

More and more broadband packages you see these days that are marketed as "Unlimited" seem to be subject to these "fair use policies." It doesn't help that more and more ISP's seem to be going down this route, personally I'm dead against the idea of any sort of restrictions. Also some phone companies are offering "Unlimited" call packages that are again in reality, restricted. If these companies do not have the infastructure to offer a truly unlimited service, why offer one?

Jon

[Norky]

Erp, they've changed all their ADSL services. Might have to look into upgrading.

[rough_neck]

Hi,

Is it me or have Zen put a 50gb Download limit on their Broadband service

On all new packages the old 256/512/1000/2000 have been replaced with the Zen 8000 services. The people who are still on the old style will still have unlimited downloads.

[arthurleung]

Would be a matter of time before I have to resort to mailing hdds from overseas instead of downloading. Yes I'm on Zen 2M now. Anyway it is a stupid idea to limit people downloading. It kind of resemble war-time ration which you're only allowed that much food.

And it is getting worse as the battle is going on...In long term the whole UK will just starve for bandwidth.

[Stoo]

It's not a stupid idea to put caps on these high bandwidth services, if they didn't the bandwidth charges would bankrupt them in no time (running an 8 meg line at full tilt for a month would cause them a loss of £1700 per month, per user that did it)

*nobody* will be running full uncapped/no AUP ADSLMax lines other than the odd business class one (circa £180 a month), certainly nobody that still expects to be in business in a year's time.

They are charged a fixed fee from BT for the BTCentral pipes, and those prices are kept artificially high to encourage competition via LLU, so until something changes, don't bet on it changing..

[peterb]

Zen isn't really capping - look on it more as an inclusive allowance. When you excee4d it, you cqan still download, but you pay (£1/Gb) over and above the limit for the service. There is no speed throttling, or trqaffic shaping - you simply pay for what you use.

[darrensen]

Zen isn't really capping - look on it more as an inclusive allowance. When you excee4d it, you cqan still download, but you pay (£1/Gb) over and above the limit for the service. There is no speed throttling, or trqaffic shaping - you simply pay for what you use.

This is a fair wayto do it, rather than plusnet's!!!!!!!!!!!!

[alexkoon]

I have been on zen for a while now and its been good - on a 1mb connection and wanted to move to a 2mb connection - but I guess I can't now......

So who is left who can offer a true uncapped connection and is as good or nearly as good as Zen?

[piranha]

Find it an insult to the whole basis of the Internet - freedom and access. think the ISP's that allow no caps will win in end (well hope so anyway).

[arthurleung]

Find it an insult to the whole basis of the Internet - freedom and access. think the ISP's that allow no caps will win in end (well hope so anyway).

No, morally the no cap ISPs are the winner, but financially the capped ISPs attack non-capped ISPs by throwing users over to other ISPs.

I think Zen made the wrong move by reducing the price, or they're about to kick heavy users out.

[Norky]

I sincerely doubt there are people who require over 20gb download per month for entirely legal purposes. If they do, then it's obviously a good enough reason to pay a bit more for no cap.

I've now upgraded to 8mbit 20gb cap

[Platinum]

Hmm Im on Zen and wasnt aware of this, So if I keep my 2mb connection ill still have unlimited downloads? if I move up to 8mb ill end up on 50gb capped? also do they tell you when your reaching 50gb or do they just add it to your bill?

[Stoo]

If you stay on 2MBit you are unlimited, move to either 8000 service and it's limited without further charges.

They have a checker in the works which should be online at the end of April, but they will also email you at 50, 75 & 90% capacity, then if you hit the pre-paid limit you'll be re-directed to a payment page where you can buy more bandwidth in chunks of 1GB/£1.

[peterb]

No, morally the no cap ISPs are the winner, but financially the capped ISPs attack non-capped ISPs by throwing users over to other ISPs.

I think Zen made the wrong move by reducing the price, or they're about to kick heavy users out.

As I said, Zen aren't actully capping, but they do require you to pay an additional amount per Gb once you have exceeded included monthly allowance - which seems entirely fair - bandwidth is an expensive resource - so you pay for what you use.

[Norky]

As I said, Zen aren't actully capping, but they do require you to pay an additional amount per Gb once you have exceeded included monthly allowance - which seems entirely fair - bandwidth is an expensive resource - so you pay for what you use.

Exactly. If I go over, I'll pay for extra.

Considering that I was paying £30 for uncapped 1mbit and I was probably only downloading 2-3gb a month, I think the new pricing is very reasonable.