Review of Toucan 512k Broadband and ToucanTalk Saver
- 512k unlimited broadband
- Cheaper evening and weekend calls to UK landlines
- Free modem when you sign up online
- UK's cheapest line rental (£8.99)
- Now owned by Tiscali
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TRY looking for user comments about Toucan broadband and you will plunge yourself into a pool of acidic vitriol!
It would be hard to find another broadband provider in the UK who receives more bad reviews than old Toucan - the broadband and telecommunications company owned by the excellent Pipex (which in turn is now owned by Tiscali!)
Unpopular
We know why they are so unpopular though: While this Toucan broadband package claims to be unlimited, it is governed by a very restrictive fair use policy that, put mildly, makes a mockery of the term 'unlimited'.
Hidden away in Toucan's small print is a provision that thou shalt not use more than 0.75GB per week during peak hours (ie. 6pm - 11pm).
Exceeding that limit will see your connection totally de-prioritised and Toucan's already slow 512k speeds will trickle down to a pace that some claim is slower than dialup!
Just about okay
So, if you think you'll be using the Toucan connection very lightly in the evenings, and you don't mind that you can get much higher speeds for less from other providers, the this Toucan 512k Broadband and Toucan Talk Saver is, well, just about okay.
The bundled Toucan talk package - ToucanTalk Saver - gives you up to 60 minutes talktime to UK landlines during evenings and weekends for just 3p and only 1p/minute thereafter, and Toucan's compulsory line rental is actually the cheapest line rental in the UK.
This is probably Toucan's only really positive selling point!
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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Saver |
| UK Weekend Tariff: |
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3p per call (for the first hour, then 1p per minute thereafter) |
| UK Evening Tariff: |
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3p per call (for the first hour, then 1p per minute thereafter) |
| UK Peak Tariff: |
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3p 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: Cheaper evening and 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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