Review of Toucan 512k Broadband and ToucanTalk All-You-Can
- 512k unlimited broadband
- Unlimited anytime calls to UK landlines
- Free modem
- 25Mb of free webspace
- 90-day free security suite software
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EVERYONE loves a toucan with their big, fat colourful beaks but not everyone loves Toucan with their big, fat disregard for customer service.
Complaints
It is hard to find a more complained-about broadband provider than hapless Toucan, which is surprising as they are part of the Pipex group who, we have found, are largely very reasonable on the service front.
But to make things more complicated, Pipex is now owned by Tiscali whose customer service record - whilst improving of late - leaves a lot to be desired.
Restrictive fair use policy
The problems no doubt stem from Toucan's rather restrictive fair-use policy of just 0.75Gb per week which kicks in for peak times (6pm - 11pm).
Users who haven't read the small print and who land up spending some time on Youtube or listening to internet radio soon exceed their limit and land up with super-low speeds as a result of being de-prioritised on Toucan's network.
Bundled talk package
Still, if you are prepared to live with this while other providers offer cheaper and less restrictive packages, you can enjoy 2001-style speeds of 512k.
The bundled Toucan talk package gives you free unlimited calls to UK landlines any time, any day.
It is worth pointing out that you must take Toucan's line rental (which is the cheapest we know of) in order to have this package.
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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All-You-Can |
| UK Weekend Tariff: |
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Free to UK landlines |
| UK Evening Tariff: |
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Free to UK landlines |
| UK Peak Tariff: |
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Free to UK landlines |
| 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: Unlimited anytime 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 free UK landline calls at anytime 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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