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Author Topic: IDNet or Zen  (Read 4108 times)

jaydub

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IDNet or Zen
« on: February 26, 2017, 09:49:18 AM »

I have pretty much decided to migrate my existing Pulse8/TTB connection and have run into issues migrating the TTB MPF connection to other providers without having to take a new line and therefore new phone number.

However both IDNet and Zen say they can offer a suitable migration path.  I believe I will be on Zen LLU if I go with Zen, but not sure with IDNet where it might be BTW, Zen or Fluid One.

I have been customers of both before, but that was six years ago, so would welcome any recent experiences with either.

Thanks.
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NEXUS2345

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Re: IDNet or Zen
« Reply #1 on: February 26, 2017, 02:07:12 PM »

I am on Zen ADSL through BTW and can honestly say that I don't think any other ISP could beat them for my line. I get a solid 16-20ms ping and 18.6Mbps down, 1.2Mbps up. They have not a single traffic management measure and I have only once encountered issues where their network has been congested, and that was over the Christmas period, so was to be expected. Some users have complained in the past of issues with Zen LLU, but Zen support are very good about it and will likely be able to fix any problems if they do arise at all. Their core network is very efficient from my experience and their peering to major providers is top notch!
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Security improvement and remediation consultant with infrastructure specialisation

IDNet Openreach FTTP 1000/115 + Asus RT-AX92U | Virgin Media 200 + SuperHub 3 + Synology MR2200ac mesh | Sky 80/20 with WiFi Guarantee on Huawei 288 cabinet

psychopomp1

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Re: IDNet or Zen
« Reply #2 on: February 26, 2017, 05:47:37 PM »

OP, just be aware that the grass isn't always greener on the other side. Might be worth reading these threads on TBB about single thread speed issues which are/were affecting many Zen users, both on Zen LLU and BT WBC backhaul:
http://forums.thinkbroadband.com/zen/4509738-poor-single-thread-performance-problems-return.html?page=1&fpart=all
http://forums.thinkbroadband.com/zen/4458979-slow-downloads.html?page=3&fpart=all

And it seems IDNet users are not immune to peak time slowdowns either....
http://forums.thinkbroadband.com/zen/4512514-off-to-new-pastures-with-new-idnet-offerings.html?page=1&fpart=all


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NEXUS2345

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Re: IDNet or Zen
« Reply #3 on: February 26, 2017, 07:37:36 PM »

OP, just be aware that the grass isn't always greener on the other side. Might be worth reading these threads on TBB about single thread speed issues which are/were affecting many Zen users, both on Zen LLU and BT WBC backhaul:
http://forums.thinkbroadband.com/zen/4509738-poor-single-thread-performance-problems-return.html?page=1&fpart=all
http://forums.thinkbroadband.com/zen/4458979-slow-downloads.html?page=3&fpart=all

And it seems IDNet users are not immune to peak time slowdowns either....
http://forums.thinkbroadband.com/zen/4512514-off-to-new-pastures-with-new-idnet-offerings.html?page=1&fpart=all



Looking at the two threads from TBB, Zen seem to have fixed the issue, as there are no longer any posts about it on there. I wouldn't be too concerned about IDNet though either, as they are known to have great tech support too. Both are good choices.
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Security improvement and remediation consultant with infrastructure specialisation

IDNet Openreach FTTP 1000/115 + Asus RT-AX92U | Virgin Media 200 + SuperHub 3 + Synology MR2200ac mesh | Sky 80/20 with WiFi Guarantee on Huawei 288 cabinet

jaydub

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Re: IDNet or Zen
« Reply #4 on: February 26, 2017, 07:49:09 PM »


Looking at the two threads from TBB, Zen seem to have fixed the issue, as there are no longer any posts about it on there. I wouldn't be too concerned about IDNet though either, as they are known to have great tech support too. Both are good choices.

I've already read through the two Zen threads in some detail and came to the same conclusion as you.  I've not had anybody respond to my requests for TBB speed tests / BQN on TBB, so have had to rely on the before and after postings in that thread to give me a confidence measure.  I am also aware there is a small number of people posting on TBB with issues.

In comparison, the IDNet forums are quiet, even IDNetters which used to be a hive of activity, but there is very little negativity posted.

Downside of IDNet is the bigger migration charge; downside of Zen is their call costs. Jury still undecided. ;)
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NEXUS2345

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Re: IDNet or Zen
« Reply #5 on: February 26, 2017, 11:26:48 PM »

I've already read through the two Zen threads in some detail and came to the same conclusion as you.  I've not had anybody respond to my requests for TBB speed tests / BQN on TBB, so have had to rely on the before and after postings in that thread to give me a confidence measure.  I am also aware there is a small number of people posting on TBB with issues.

In comparison, the IDNet forums are quiet, even IDNetters which used to be a hive of activity, but there is very little negativity posted.

Downside of IDNet is the bigger migration charge; downside of Zen is their call costs. Jury still undecided. ;)

We are subscribed to Zen's Line Rental Plus, mainly to avoid the call charges. The additional £6.51 a month isn't too bad if you make a lot of phone calls.
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Security improvement and remediation consultant with infrastructure specialisation

IDNet Openreach FTTP 1000/115 + Asus RT-AX92U | Virgin Media 200 + SuperHub 3 + Synology MR2200ac mesh | Sky 80/20 with WiFi Guarantee on Huawei 288 cabinet

jaydub

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Re: IDNet or Zen
« Reply #6 on: February 27, 2017, 12:01:23 AM »

We are subscribed to Zen's Line Rental Plus, mainly to avoid the call charges. The additional £6.51 a month isn't too bad if you make a lot of phone calls.

We don't use the house phone a lot.  Even so, calculating the cost of our usage over the last 12 months suggests Line RentalPlus may have a very marginal benefit.

Putting our calls through IDNet is likely to work out over £60 a year cheaper though.
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Weaver

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Re: IDNet or Zen
« Reply #7 on: March 04, 2017, 02:57:35 AM »

> I have only once encountered issues where their network has been congested, and that was over the Christmas period, so was to be expected

Not by me it isn't. I would go beresk.

For example, I was expecting to watch the Wimbledon Men's Final without even the slightest chance of any glitch, and all was indeed good, absolutely no slowdown here at Weaver Towers. I would have been Mr. Angry otherwise. Zen did actually know Xmas was coming, it's quite predictable, to be fair.

I have used Zen, they were good in my experience (over BT). Fast ADSL link.

Hear good things about IdNet.

[Moderator edited to merge two consecutive postings into one.]
« Last Edit: March 04, 2017, 05:49:45 PM by burakkucat »
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psychopomp1

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Re: IDNet or Zen
« Reply #8 on: March 09, 2017, 05:35:34 AM »

OP, you may have had a lucky escape from Zen as the single thread speed issue has returned....

http://forums.thinkbroadband.com/zen/4509738-poor-single-thread-performance-problems-return.html?fpart=all&vc=1
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jaydub

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Re: IDNet or Zen
« Reply #9 on: March 09, 2017, 08:15:21 AM »

Maybe, although looking at Scottish_Pete's posts in that thread, it's not clear he ever saw a fix to his single thread issues.

I'm reasonably confident that Jon Green managed to resolve most if not all of the single thread issues for people on their LLU network.  Just nor sure this guy is not an outlier.

What is undoubtedly true is that there is a low but fairly constant level of negative postings on the Zen forum at TBB that you don't seem to see for IDNet.

My 80/20 fibre bill from Pulse8 is about to reduce by over £4 a month and with my single thread issues seemingly fixed, there isn't much of a driver for me to move to either IDNet or Zen at the moment.
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