Below is my review from 2012. I went back to ICUK after I had been disconnected whilst away from home for a while after being given assurances that they could provide a decent service. Despite a written promise that they prioritised streaming, the speeds were so poor that streaming anything was impossible. Service buffered so frequently that not even a single sentence from a programme could be completed without pauses and breaks. I gave up watching my first streamed programme after 8 minutes, I just could not watch it.
Download checks via BBC IPlayer not only showed that their download speed was well below those that I should expect on my exchange, but that ICUK throttled streaming services which were about a quarter of the speed of other general download traffic, less than 0.7 mbps. The BBC streaming checker rates this as only suitable for audio streaming and not suitable for any video traffic even the lowest quality. I previously received 7.8 mbps from Zen on my exchange which is still on the first 8mbps ADSL system. My house is just yards from the exchange.
I do not know why this company have a good rating. I was previosuly with Zen who managed much faster service with little or no buffering. After just a few days with ICUK, I intend to move away and either go back to Zen, IDNet or another company whose reputation is justified.
Do not touch this company, they are dishonest about the service they offer.
Below is my original review from 2012:
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ICUK are not that great. They shape traffic, which although they say is only to restrict gamers at peak times, I have real trouble with streaming services such as BBC iPlayer. It constantly buffers and pauses and makes programmes unwatchable.
I live only yards from the telephone exchange and there are only a couple of hundred houses on the exchange so it is not the ADSL equipment at the exchange or the line distance. My previous provider did not have this issue at all and I was with them for around four years, I now wish I hadn't left them. Support was mediocre and email only at the weekend. Sometimes you have to wait until Monday to get a reply to your email.
I found the peak/off-peak bandwidth limiting unless you pay quite highly for a large peak time download limit.
Whilst I wouldn't they are terrible, neither is it outstanding. After a few months with ICUK I am now moving on.
EDIT: Just switched to IDNet and have both services live on my line at present on Saturday morning. What a difference, ICUK have all the usual delays and buffering, IDNet have no buffering and such a fast experience I wish I had never been with ICUK at all or at least switched away from them six months ago.
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