Monthly contract price, reliability and speed are the top three factors when choosing a broadband provider research carried out on behalf of Zen Internet has revealed.*

Over two fifths of UK adults have experienced a mid-contract price rise within the last year, leaving people feeling angry (45%), frustrated (40%), and deceived (25%)

Over two in five (44%) are likely to consider switching broadband provider in the next year or when their contract is up for renewal as they continue to feel angry, frustrated, and deceived by mid-contract price rises. Now, residents of Reading can access a new full fibre service from Zen Internet, delivered over the CityFibre network.

The findings come as many providers will be adding the UK Consumer Price Index (CPI) of 4% plus an additional margin, usually of 3.9%, to their customer’s monthly bills this spring. Zen, the UK’s only Which? recommended provider for broadband offers a contract price promise, meaning the price a customer signs up for will remain fixed for the duration of the contract.

Reading Chronicle: The service can be accessed at several speed options The service can be accessed at several speed options (Image: Shutterstock)

Full fibre broadband from Zen over the CityFibre network will provide homes in Reading with a faster and more reliable service.

Zen has committed to deliver broadband services to consumers over CityFibre’s £4bn network, to eventually reach eight million homes in the UK.

David Barber, Strategy Director at Zen Internet, said: “The next few years will be pivotal for connectivity in the home. Deemed the gold rush decade, the 2020s will see implementation of full fibre across the nation. By 2030, everyone will have made the switch to full fibre. Today, people in Reading can get ahead of the curve by accessing full fibre with Zen over CityFibre’s high quality infrastructure.

Reading Chronicle: David Barber, Strategy Director at Zen Internet David Barber, Strategy Director at Zen Internet (Image: Zen Internet)

“Unfortunately, our industry has a poor reputation for managing customer expectations and being transparent with communications, with many broadband providers enticing customers in with exclusive offers and then introducing mid-contract price rises down the line. This comes at a time where households need to be able to plan their monthly spends. Residents in Reading can benefit from access to Zen’s contract price promise, a guarantee that prices are fixed for the duration of a contract.”

What can you do with gigabit speeds?

Reading Chronicle: Full fibre has the capability to unlock the full potential of every smart device in the home Full fibre has the capability to unlock the full potential of every smart device in the home (Image: Shutterstock)

Full fibre broadband is a different type of connection than the UK has traditionally deployed. The old-fashioned copper wires that delivered traditional broadband were great for carrying phone calls but can cause problems when used for data. Full fibre swaps these old-fashioned copper wires for a faster, more modern, and reliable connection delivered via fibre optic cables.

Full fibre is currently available to circa 67% of the UK with speeds of up to 900Mbps. It has the capability to unlock the full potential of every smart device in the home and provides a solid platform for future proofing a home’s connectivity requirements with the capability to unlock any number of smart home applications and Internet of Things (IoT) devices of the future.

The service can be accessed at several speed options ranging from £28 per month for Full Fibre 100 up to £40 per month for the fastest product available, Full Fibre 900, all with free set-up. The service is available now to thousands of homes, with Zen continuing to follow the CityFibre rollout across Reading.

To check if the service is already available at your home or to sign up for availability updates visit www.zen.co.uk/CityFibre or call 01706 902 745.

About the research 

*The research for Zen Internet was carried out online by Opinion matters throughout December 2023 amongst a panel resulting in 2,004 UK adults (16+) responding. All research conducted adheres to the MRS Codes of Conduct (2010) in the UK and ICC/ESOMAR World Research Guidelines. Opinion Matters is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office and is fully compliant with the Data Protection Act (1998). 

Reading Chronicle: