Review of Toucan 512k Broadband and ToucanTalk 2-For-All
- 512k unlimited broadband
- Free weekend calls to all UK landlines
- Free modem
- Unlimited usage (with fair use policy)
- Cheap-as-chips line rental
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SEVEN years ago, we all would have leaped at the chance to get 512k broadband and a bundled phone package for this princely sum.
But someone forgot to tell Toucan that broadband has moved on and 512k speeds with overly restrictive fair use policies simply don't cut it anymore.
Overly restrictive
Speaking of overly restrictive fair use policies, this appears to be the sole cause of Toucan's extremely poor reputation, and its not hard to see why.
If you're planning to use the Toucan broadband connection during peak times - 6pm to 11pm in the evenings - then you'd better not exceed 0.75GB per week, or Toucan will throttle your connection and de-prioritise you on the network.
Slowed down
You don't have to be a computer scientist to work out what happens when Toucan's already slow 512k connection is slowed down even more!
Still, if you are prepared to live with this while other providers offer cheaper and less restrictive packages, you can enjoy the type of broadband speeds we used to enjoy back in 2001!
Toucan's bundled talk package gives you free weekend calls to UK landlines and 2p per minute calls at all other times.
Cheapest line rental
On a positive note, the line rental which you have to take with Toucan in order to get this package is the cheapest on the market.
So perhaps every cloud does have a silver lining?
A little more detail
Broadband
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Special Note.. |
Any good? |
| Package Name: |
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512k Broadband |
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| Connection Type: |
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ADSL |
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| Max Speed: |
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512Kb |
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| Usage Limit: |
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Unlimited |
Fair usage policy applies |
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| Hardware: |
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Modem |
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| Anti-virus Protection: |
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No |
Free 90 day trial of Zonelabs Internet Security Suite is available |
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| Firewall: |
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No |
Free 90 day trial of Zonelabs Internet Security Suite is available |
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| E-mail Account: |
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Yes |
Up to 5 email addresses |
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| Webspace Provided: |
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Yes |
25MB of webspace |
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| Domain Included: |
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No |
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| Backup Dialup: |
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No |
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| Consoles Supported: |
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No |
512kb broadband is too slow for serious online gaming |
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Home Phone
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| Package Name: |
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2-For-All |
| UK Weekend Tariff: |
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Free to UK landlines |
| UK Evening Tariff: |
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2p per minute |
| UK Peak Tariff: |
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2p per minute |
| International Tariff: |
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From 3p per minute to USA and Australia. Discounted rates to all other countries. |
Payment, Installation and Contract
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| Payment Method(s): |
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Direct Debit / Credit Card |
| Activation Fee: |
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Free |
| Installation: |
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Free |
| Minimum Contract: |
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12 months |
| Line Rental: |
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Cheapest UK line rental |
| Support: |
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10p per minute technical support from BT landline, or 5p per minute from a Toucan line |
Actual User Ratings
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At a Glance
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Bundle details: |
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Phone: Weekend calls to UK landlines |
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TV: Not included |
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Mobile: Not included |
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It is best suited for: |
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Very light users who don't require a particularly fast connection, but want discounted landline calls and cheaper line rental. |
Customer Reviews
Remember, the customer reviews below are subjective (and are not the opinions of ChooseISP.co.uk).
David Snape from Newton Abbot writes... 05/11/2007 "Avoid Toucan.
Bad technical support, dont speak english and prolong the calls on a premium rate number.
Toucan customer services totally unable to do anything right.
They are so bad I made a video about choosing an ISP:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkPWc1xPwhA"
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