Zen broadband

Touting itself as the only Which? Recommended Provider for Broadband (2022, 2021), Zen is certainly a favourite with those in the industry. But what does it mean for you as a customer? Let’s take a look.

Overview

Average Download Speeds	10Mbps – 900Mbps
Average Upload Speeds	1Mbps – 900Mbps
Broadband Type	ADSL & Fibre (FTTC/FTTP)
Home Phone line-rental	Yes
TV/Entertainment Bundles	No
Cost	From £32.99 per month

Broadband speeds and packages

Zen Broadband offers a range of packages over three tiers – ‘Fast’, ‘Superfast’ and ‘Ultrafast’.

First up is Zen’s most basic package, offered under the ‘Fast’ tier. This will give you average download speeds of 10Mbps on an ADSL connection, meaning your internet is delivered using traditional copper cable’s from BT’s Openreach exchange, so an active phone line is required.

If you’re after faster speeds, however, the packages across Zen’s ‘Superfast’ and ‘Ultrafast’ tiers may be more your thing. The ‘Superfast’ tier offers two packages: Unlimited Fibre 1 and Unlimited Fibre 2. The former offers average download speeds of 31Mbps while the latter gives download speeds of up to 67Mbps.

Last but not least is the ‘Ultrafast’ package, which boasts symmetrical download and upload speeds of 900Mbps. These lighting-fast speeds are achieved thanks to ‘full fibre’ or ‘Fibre to the Premises’ technology through BT’s Openreach network. Unfortunately however, because this type of infrastructure is still limited to where it’s available, you may not be able to get the Ultrafast package just yet.

Zen’s Fast package has a one-time activation fee of £29.99, while the set-up fees for packages on the Superfast and Ultrafast tiers are priced at £19.99.

Contract length

All packages through Zen broadband are on 12-month contracts.

Home phone

Zen offers a standard line rental for £16.99 a month. This base package comes with pay as you go calls as standard, and has three add-on bundles available: ‘Line Rental Plus’, ‘Calls to Mobiles’ and ‘International Calls’.

Zen’s most basic broadband package, ‘Fast’, comes with line rental included.

Installation

Zen currently offers fee-free installation for all its 12-month broadband packages. However, a one-off activation fee of £29.99 for the ‘Fast’ tier package, and £19.99 for the ‘Superfast’ or ‘Ultrafast’ packages applies.

If you’re switching from a provider that uses Openreach – the UK’s largest broadband network – you’ll be able to take advantage of the ‘one-switch system’. This means that Zen will handle the switchover on your behalf and you don’t have to lift a finger.

Zen also offers a 14-day cooling off period for new customers.

Router

When it comes to routers, Zen keeps it simple, offering the same one router across all packages – the FRITZ!Box 7530. Valued at £130 and complete with a lifetime guarantee, the router is free for all new customers who take out any package on a minimum 12-month contract.

With four Gigabit ethernet ports and with easy-to-use VPN functionality, the FRITZ! is perfect for not just families, but gamers and businesses, too.

For those concerned about privacy, this router hosts the ability for you to grant people ‘guest access’ – meaning they can access your WiFi without having full access to your private network or password.

Zen also provides you with a static IP address. This means you can access your computer remotely from anywhere in the world, and is a great selling point for any remote-workers, gamers or jet-setters who need access at a moment’s notice.

Zen EveryRoom

Zen understands that the broadband speeds you get may be affected by certain factors, including where your router is positioned. To help remedy connectivity issues, for an additional £10 a month Zen offers the ‘EveryRoom’ – a WiFi repeater that extends your connection to the furthest reaches of your home.

Customer service

Zen has been the recipient of the Which? Recommended Provider for Broadband Award two years running (2021, 2022). Over the years, Zen have also received accolades from the likes of Choose.co.uk, PC Pro, Broadband Genie, and The Sunday Times.

In terms of customer opinion, Zen has, at the time of writing, accrued over 6,000 reviews on Trustpilot with an average of 4.3 stars out of 5.

For customer support, Zen offers full phone support (01706 902 000) from 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday. Their website also offers an in-built email form or live chat options.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Static IP address:-

All Zen’s packages come with a static IP address as standard, something that with other providers, is usually only available on request and costs extra.

Customer service:-

Zen broadband has worked hard to build up a business with great customer service. Their UK-based customer service team is on-hand to help with sales queries and troubleshoot any network issues.

Zen is also regularly been bestowed awards – including ‘Most Trusted’ and ‘Best Recommended provider’ from industry-leading companies and institutions.

Cons

Cost:-

The price to access Zen’s broadband services is, compared to other providers, on the higher side. And, in March 2022, Zen dropped their popular ‘Lifetime price guarantee pledge’ – which meant no price rises for as long as you remained contracted with Zen. Now this feature has been discarded, some customers – both old and new – may be nervous about any price hikes.