topic Re: Pricing/Terms changes - October 2013 in Community Announcements

Pricing/Terms changes - October 2013

bobpullen — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 10:22:58 GMT

Over the coming weeks, most of you are likely to receive an email about some changes we'll be making in October to our terms and conditions. For some of you, this email will also include information about changes to your pricing.
Whilst nobody likes a price increase, we have taken this decision to both maintain and continue to improve our overall provision and service to customers. In the last year alone, Plusnet has won five awards and been officially recommended by Which? for the fourth consecutive time - we want to continue these high standards.
A summary of what's changing can be found on our website here.
If you have any questions about the email you've received then feel free to ask them in this thread and we'll do our best to help.
Before you do though ...
1. Please search for an answer to your question before posting, it's likely that it has already been answered in a preceding post.
2. If you haven't yet received an email then please be patient and try to refrain from posting until you have. The emails are tailored to each specific customer's circumstances and should answer the majority of your questions.
Thanks.

Re: Pricing/Terms changes - October 2013

VileReynard — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 11:14:39 GMT

I suggest you amend the bit that reads:-

Quote
2. What changes are we making to Value and Extra prices?
We will be introducing a surcharge of £1.50 on all Value and Extra broadband and fibre optic broadband only products (where line rental and calling plans are not held with Plusnet).
If you are affected by this change, you can avoid this surcharge by taking Plusnet Home Phone. If you chose to take Plusnet Home Phone before the 1st October 2013,
you will not receive this surcharge. If you chose to take Plusnet Home Phone after this date, you will stop paying the surcharge from your next billing date.

It's the first reference on that page to broadband prices.
Perhaps the inclusion of the word "legacy" for example?

Re: Pricing/Terms changes - October 2013

ITWorks — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 11:25:10 GMT

Does the price change also apply to John Lewis and Madasafish customers ?
Regards
Mike

Re: Pricing/Terms changes - October 2013

bobpullen — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 11:28:54 GMT

Quote from: vilefoxdemonofdoom
I suggest you amend the bit that reads:-
Quote
2. What changes are we making to Value and Extra prices?
We will be introducing a surcharge of £1.50 on all Value and Extra broadband and fibre optic broadband only products (where line rental and calling plans are not held with Plusnet).
If you are affected by this change, you can avoid this surcharge by taking Plusnet Home Phone. If you chose to take Plusnet Home Phone before the 1st October 2013,
you will not receive this surcharge. If you chose to take Plusnet Home Phone after this date, you will stop paying the surcharge from your next billing date.

It's the first reference on that page to broadband prices.
Perhaps the inclusion of the word "legacy" for example?

I'm not sure what you mean? Value and Extra accounts are legacy in name. We don't sell them any more.

Quote from: I
Does the price change also apply to John Lewis and Madasafish customers ?

No Mike, they don't.

Re: Pricing/Terms changes - October 2013

VileReynard — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 11:44:03 GMT

Plusnet are always inventing different names for essentially the same product.

Re: Pricing/Terms changes - October 2013

ricmelia — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 15:05:34 GMT

I'm confused.
In the main part of the email detailing the change in cancellation notice period and cessation fee it says:

Quote
You don't need to do a thing. These changes will come into effect from 1st October 2013 and will not have any effect on your monthly subscription costs.

Yet in the "small print" part, it says:

Quote
As of 1st October, a £1.50 surcharge will apply to broadband only subscriptions (where line rental and calling plans are not held with Plusnet).

On the web page you linked:

Quote
The changes affect the terms and conditions for all residential customers....We will be introducing a surcharge of £1.50 on all Value and Extra broadband and fibre optic broadband only products (where line rental and calling plans are not held with Plusnet).

And in this thread about "Broadband only price changes - June 2013" it says:

Quote
This does not affect existing customers unless they wish to switch onto a newer product.

So which is correct? And more specifically, does this £1.50 "broadband only" surcharge really affect existing customers? If so, I think a lot more notice should have been given, seeing as I'm tied in to BT because of Line Rental Saver for another 10 months so can't change even if I want to

Re: Pricing/Terms changes - October 2013

Chris — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 15:12:30 GMT

Quote
So which is correct?

All of them. I think the confusion has come from this part:

Quote
We will be introducing a surcharge of £1.50 on all Value and Extra broadband and fibre optic broadband only products (where line rental and calling plans are not held with Plusnet).

This is only for broadband only customers on Value or Extra, or Value/Extra Fibre.

Re: Pricing/Terms changes - October 2013

HairyMcbiker — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 15:17:18 GMT

So those of us who CURRENTLY have both with PN, but are thinking about moving phone to another provider WILL/NOT be charged more if we are on unlimited ?

Re: Pricing/Terms changes - October 2013

ricmelia — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 15:18:26 GMT

Thanks for that Chris - sounds like the email was missing the reference to "Value/Extra"?
I presume that as I am on Fibre Unlimited I will see no change then ?

Re: Pricing/Terms changes - October 2013

bobpullen — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 15:23:00 GMT

Quote from: ricmelia
Thanks for that Chris - sounds like the email was missing the reference to "Value/Extra"?
I presume that as I am on Fibre Unlimited I will see no change then ?

No, you wont.

Quote from: Hairy
So those of us who CURRENTLY have both with PN, but are thinking about moving phone to another provider WILL/NOT be charged more if we are on unlimited ?

That all depends on when you signed up. If you've signed up since May 8th or moved to one of the newer 'dual-play' packages since then, then you'll be charged the surcharge as AFAIK (this will have been in the terms you agreed to when signing up or changing account).

Re: Pricing/Terms changes - October 2013

VileReynard — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 16:17:16 GMT

I'm even more confused.
BTW Do new and future customers pay this surcharge?

Re: Pricing/Terms changes - October 2013

bobpullen — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 16:20:03 GMT

Quote from: vilefoxdemonofdoom
BTW Do new and future customers pay this surcharge?

If you mean 'do customers signing up today pay extra for a broadband only product?' then yes, they do. They have done since June.

Re: Pricing/Terms changes - October 2013

VileReynard — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 16:47:08 GMT

Quote from: Bob
If you mean 'do customers signing up today pay extra for a broadband only product?' then yes, they do. They have done since June.

News to me - luckily I didn't recommend Plusnet to anyone.
Won't be in the future, either.
I think it will be Catch 22 for existing customers.
Plusnet will bring in a new product, thereby rendering all existing products "a legacy".
Fees will be charged if you move to the new product or stay with the old product.

Re: Pricing/Terms changes - October 2013

newlay — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 16:55:53 GMT

Really unimpressed with the way Plusnet seems to have done this. Whilst I respect Plusnet's right to change their prices with warning, this smacks of deliberately trying to hide it.
I've received an email today which in the main section, states:
"What does this mean for me?
You don't need to do a thing. These changes will come into effect from 1st October 2013 and will not have any effect on your monthly subscription costs."
Yet in the small text below that it's presumably hoped I don't read:
"As of 1st October, a £1.50 surcharge will apply to broadband only subscriptions (where line rental and calling plans are not held with Plusnet)."
Anyone official care to comment on why I've (presumably) been lied to in the main text?

Re: Pricing/Terms changes - October 2013

MisterW — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 17:27:17 GMT

Quote
Anyone official care to comment on why I've (presumably) been lied to in the main text?

As I understand it you haven't, it's just an extremely badly worded email. Assuming you are on one of the current products , Essentials or Unlimited, then the price isn't going up.
The small print doesn't mention the fact that it's only the legacy Value or Extra products which are affected ( it does clarify that in the full T & C link ).

Re: Pricing/Terms changes - October 2013

Chris — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 17:29:36 GMT

MisterW is correct (I think), there are quite a lot of variations of the email so apologies for not being 100% sure!
As you're not on Value or Extra then you shouldn't get the £1.50 charge.
http://www.plus.net/support/october-changes-guide.shtml

Re: Pricing/Terms changes - October 2013

MisterW — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 17:31:54 GMT

Quote
MisterW is correct (I think),

He'd better be, because my email says exactly the same as newlays and I'm on Unlimited.

Re: Pricing/Terms changes - October 2013

HairyMcbiker — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 17:36:13 GMT

Sorry but home phone is JUST NOT COMPETITIVE any more.
E.g. primus have just DROPPED there costs to £6.99/month with e/we calls included and you are INCREASING yours

Re: Pricing/Terms changes - October 2013

ITWorks — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 18:23:03 GMT

Agree you you there Hairy Biker, my way of thinking on this, lets keep the cheap headline grabbing broadband prices, and make the money from the line rental, calls and call packages.
Regards
Mike

Re: Pricing/Terms changes - October 2013

alanf — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 18:40:01 GMT

I have just received the email.
Email:
Monthly Line Rental: "Inclusive evening and weekend calls to UK landlines and 0845 and 0870 numbers "

"If you currently pay for 12 months line rental in advance, we'll send you a reminder before your Line Rental Saver expires, with details on how to renew. The renewal charge will be £137.88 equivalent to £11.49 a month after 1st October 2013, this equates to a saving of £42.00 a year."
But Ts&Cs
"Line Rental Saver taken out on/after 8th May 2013 includes no calls as standard."
So this is a dishonest comparison. One does not save £42 per year because what you get with LRS is not what you get by paying monthly.