The ISP with a reputation for quality, Zen Internet UK, has today announced the launch of a new "lower priced entry-level fibre optic broadband package" ( FTTC ) that offers download speeds of up to 40Mbps (2Mbps uploads) at £27.60 inc. VAT per month with a 10GB (GigaByte) usage allowance.

At that price Zen's new package certainly seems less attractive than its wider competition, with providers such as IDNet , PlusNet and BT-Infinity being able to offer significantly bigger allowances for the same sort of money or even less.


Customers will also need to pay a standard one-off activation fee of £90 inc. VAT, which includes a VDSL modem and service installation; not to mention the usual 12 month contract. The other feature highlights are UK phone support, unlimited uploads, a choice of 1-8 Static IP addresses, 11 POP3 emails, email anti-virus, 2GB of webspace, backup dialup and webmail.

It's important to point out that Zen is perhaps more targeted towards the home workers and business people market, which typically seek premium quality connections. Meanwhile others might argue that there's little point in having a costly superfast service if it's going to be hobbled by a tiny allowance.

Separately Zen claims that it's trial of BT's new fully fibre optic and 110Mbps capable broadband services are going well. FTTP trial participants are apparently seeing download speeds that frequently exceed 90Mbps, more than 10 times the UK’s average.