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Author Topic: zen - thoughts?  (Read 9398 times)

j0hn

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Re: zen - thoughts?
« Reply #30 on: October 20, 2017, 02:27:15 PM »

so you wouldn't really know until you started using the service then i guess.
Zen would know though. I'm sure they would tell you prior to ordering if you asked them.
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Chrysalis

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Re: zen - thoughts?
« Reply #31 on: October 20, 2017, 05:32:59 PM »

There is another checker somewhere, but cannot remember where it is, I do know I was able to determine my exchange does not have ZEN LLU using it, but cannot remember what checker it was.
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tommy45

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Re: zen - thoughts?
« Reply #32 on: October 20, 2017, 10:35:17 PM »

The Sam list is outdated as far as Zen is concerned.
 
Also the way FTTC works, Zen doesnt need to have a presence at your local exchange, but instead at the head-end exchange.
I know where they are hoping to expand, but the difficulty even with having this data is trying to find a way to integrate it into the checker without having a complete BT list of which Headend exchanges serve what local exchanges.   I tried to build something in my checker several months ago, but until I know Openreach parent and child exchanges I'm a bit stuck.
I can recall reading  something about parent /child exchanges several years ago now,  i found that  the bigger exchange  which is an ATME is a child  to a smaller sub-exchange  , i don't recall where  that info was
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kitz

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Re: zen - thoughts?
« Reply #33 on: October 20, 2017, 10:55:26 PM »

Possibly here?   The head-end exchange is parent to many smaller exchanges.   When it comes to VDSL, the cab's fibre backhaul is fed direct to the parent exchange rather than the local one.  Openreach call them head-end exchanges.  I posted a simplified drawing I did a while back to show how it worked.

What I don't have is a full list of Openerach parent -> child exchanges.

I do have several thousand of them, but that is far from the complete list nor is it in a particularly friendly format to put into a database.
But.. for example this one which I've just pulled out because it has quite a lot of child exchanges.. and also because it may be of interest to a certain black cat.

Code: [Select]
Parent Code EABSE     

Child Code
EABEY Beyton
EABRR Barrow
EABSE Bury St Edmunds
EACFD Cockfield Green
EACHT Chevington
EACUL Culford
EACWT Coney Weston
EAGBN Great Barton
EAHKD Hawkedon
EAHRR Horringer
EAHTT Hartest
EAPAK Pakenham
EASIC Sicklesmere
EASTT Stanton
EAWLW Walsham Le Willows


 
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burakkucat

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Re: zen - thoughts?
« Reply #34 on: October 20, 2017, 11:13:02 PM »

Ah, EABSE. I know it well.  :)

Perhaps I should clarify that it is not an East Anglian form of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy . . .  :D
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chenks

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Re: zen - thoughts?
« Reply #35 on: October 23, 2017, 02:00:12 PM »

the other option i have (or will soon have ) it Virgin Media.
they have just finished cabling my street, but i'm not at all convinced by Virgin.

yes they have great "advertised" speeds, but in reality i believe you are unlikely to every get anywhere near that?
their base 50Mbps package has a very low upstream i believe? and it priced at £27pm (broadband only)
even the 100Mbps package has an appaperent very low upstream
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highpriest

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Re: zen - thoughts?
« Reply #36 on: November 11, 2017, 10:50:33 AM »

Did you go for Zen in the end? I'm considering them too, when my current PN contract expires in a month. Thanks.
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Chunkers

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Re: zen - thoughts?
« Reply #37 on: November 12, 2017, 09:49:51 AM »

I have been with Zen for over 10 years, they are not perfect and I did have some issues a few years ago with what appeared to be congestion.  I am on the Tenbury Wells exchange, I don't think Zen have their own local loop connection (or whatever).

In general though they have been very good, both from a connectivity point of view and also customer service, they always pick up the phone, the people are always polite and seem to know what they are talking about.

I also have a PlusNet line, works OK but good luck trying to get any support from them. 

Thing about support is, most of the time its completely irrelevant, but when you DO need it ..... its REALLY important.

So, I like Zen.

Chunks
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Ixel

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Re: zen - thoughts?
« Reply #38 on: November 12, 2017, 10:27:35 AM »

I have been with Zen for over 10 years, they are not perfect and I did have some issues a few years ago with what appeared to be congestion.  I am on the Tenbury Wells exchange, I don't think Zen have their own local loop connection (or whatever).

In general though they have been very good, both from a connectivity point of view and also customer service, they always pick up the phone, the people are always polite and seem to know what they are talking about.

I also have a PlusNet line, works OK but good luck trying to get any support from them. 

Thing about support is, most of the time its completely irrelevant, but when you DO need it ..... its REALLY important.

So, I like Zen.

Chunks

Just wondering, when was the last time you had to contact support? I assume it was quite some time ago. You might find their support not as efficient as it was once stated to be if so.

As I believe you already know/heard, I had a problem with my Zen connection probably now two months ago which wasn't resolved where AAISP took on the problem on my new line and got it resolved after four SFI engineer visits (excessive errors on downstream causing heavy interleaving). All I had from Zen was one voice/line engineer visit where I should've had an SFI engineer as it was a broadband related issue. The only positive thing I can say is that Zen disputed the charge from Openreach, otherwise they considered the problem resolved when there was still an underlying problem on that line (and still is last I checked). Then there's the issue of some intermittent packet loss or slow single threaded download speed, while partly resolved in the end it seems the problem started happening again at peak times (e.g. evenings) before I stopped using Zen, instead of previously almost throughout the day every day. I used to like Zen but when I needed their customer service probably two months ago they didn't fight my corner with Openreach like AAISP (and TTB?) did. I'm just waiting for my contract minimum term to end with Zen later next year so I can cancel FTTC, as last I heard if I cancel now I would have to pay the full value of the remainder of the contract which makes no sense for me to do so.

On the other hand the second line (AAISP) is performing much better with no excessive errors any longer and a much higher sync rate, no possible congestion issues and negligible packet loss. I'm even getting just under 6ms latency to YouTube when pinging it over the new TalkTalk backhaul that I'm currently trialling (https://i.imgur.com/5ihudAa.png)!
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Chunkers

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Re: zen - thoughts?
« Reply #39 on: November 12, 2017, 11:20:23 AM »

Just wondering, when was the last time you had to contact support?
Its been a while for sure, sorry you have been having trouble with them.  I can only really comment on my own experience but it sounds like they haven't lived up to expectations in your case.

A&A certainly have a fab reputation but last time I checked they were quite expensive?  So perhaps they are no so much a mass-market competitor to Zen?
Not sure what their basic ADSL package costs, I pay £22pm + VAT for basic unlimited ADSL connection (not including line rental). 

Chunks
Cheers

Chunks
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Ixel

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Re: zen - thoughts?
« Reply #40 on: November 12, 2017, 11:38:20 AM »

Its been a while for sure, sorry you have been having trouble with them.  I can only really comment on my own experience but it sounds like they haven't lived up to expectations in your case.

A&A certainly have a fab reputation but last time I checked they were quite expensive?  So perhaps they are no so much a mass-market competitor to Zen?
Not sure what their basic ADSL package costs, I pay £22pm + VAT for basic unlimited ADSL connection (not including line rental). 

Chunks
Cheers

Chunks

Indeed, AAISP are definitely not the cheapest nor do they aim to be. They are more of a specialist ISP that has certain standards which they uphold proudly.

Their cheapest ADSL package is 200GB (up to I believe 400GB allowing for 'quota bonus' depending on usage) at 25 pounds per month (or 35 pounds per month if you want PSTN/copper line rental with them) over the BT backhaul. The highest home package for ADSL is 1000GB (up to I believe 2000GB allowing for 'quota bonus' depending on usage) at 40 pounds per month (or 50 pounds per month if you want line rental with them) over I believe TalkTalk Business backhaul.
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Chunkers

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Re: zen - thoughts?
« Reply #41 on: November 12, 2017, 11:45:43 AM »

Their cheapest ADSL package is 200GB (up to I believe 400GB allowing for 'quota bonus' depending on usage) at 25 pounds per month (or 35 pounds per month if you want PSTN/copper line rental with them) over the BT backhaul

Thats actually not bad, 200GB would be plenty.

Cheers

Chunks
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