topic Re: Can I order a new broadband-only line from PlusNet in addition to my existing BT phone line in Everything else

Can I order a new broadband-only line from PlusNet in addition to my existing BT phone line

HPsauce — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 16:10:48 GMT

Without (as advised) giving any personal information circumstances mean I would like to order an additional line to my property for FTTC broadband (no phone service) whilst retaining the existing BT copper phone line/number. This existing line also has ADSL broadband from PlusNet which also needs to be retained. An upgrade is not appropriate.

I understand that the new line will need a new account as described here: https://community.plus.net/t5/My-Order/second-broadband-line-with-Plusnet/m-p/1834017 but is this still possible, if so how?

Re: Can I order a new broadband-only line from PlusNet in addition to my existing BT phone line

Baldrick1 — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 16:17:00 GMT

@HPsauce

Contact the Customer Options Team on 0800 013 2632 and ask.

Re: Can I order a new broadband-only line from PlusNet in addition to my existing BT phone line

HPsauce — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 14:30:56 GMT

Thanks for that @Baldrick1 though as far as I can tell that phone number just takes you into the standard PN inbound telephone menu.

I chose to work my way through to the "I'm thinking of leaving" option as that usually gets a quick answer!

They confirmed they can install an extra broadband-only line which in my area HAS to be FTTC. £49.99 installation and £25.99 a month (about to go up) for a 24-month contract.

They also recommended that I phone to order to avoid any confusion with my existing line as I made it clear that HAD to be left alone.

Re: Can I order a new broadband-only line from PlusNet in addition to my existing BT phone line

HPsauce — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 18:30:18 GMT

Sadly there seems to be no incentive to retain existing long-standing customers, the price is the same as a new property and no discounts are offered or available. 😒 And it's a 2-year contract with annual prices rises, the first being this March!

Having a look at alternatives there seem to be plenty of suppliers offering similar or lower monthly charges with free/minimal installation charges and cashback/discount incentives. Various contract terms of 12/18/24 months after which there are potentially significant increases on some.

So I'll do my research and possibly go for the best deal to tide me over the next 2 years until VOIP is more prevalent/standard. Maybe by then the future FTP options will be clearer for my exchange as well. 🤣

Re: Can I order a new broadband-only line from PlusNet in addition to my existing BT phone line

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 19:10:00 GMT

@HPsauce wrote:

the future FTP options will be clearer for my exchange as well. 🤣

Have you checked whether there are any alternative FTTP providers in your area ?

Try putting your postcode and address in to the Ofcom Broadband Availability Checker,

then see whether "Ultrafast" is available ?

or under the Ultrafast line, does it list any "Networks in your area" ?, or "Fixed Wireless Access" providers ?

Another thing to try is open the ThinkBroadband UK Broadband Coverage map

then at the bottom right hand side, put your postcode in to the search box, and click on the magnifying glass

then zoom in as close as you like

then on the right hand side, toggle the checkbox for "Any FTTP provider postcodes" to see who nearby has FTTP

also check "Speed Test Results" to view nearby speeds and click on the blue bubble to see what network they're using.

Re: Can I order a new broadband-only line from PlusNet in addition to my existing BT phone line

HPsauce — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 19:12:17 GMT

Virgin cable or Openreach FTTC only. ☹️

Re: Can I order a new broadband-only line from PlusNet in addition to my existing BT phone line

HPsauce — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 17:11:26 GMT

So this afternoon I "bit the bullet" and ordered a new/additional line from PlusNet - FTTC/SOGEA as is the only option in my area. And I now have two PlusNet accounts. 😎

It was a bit fraught at first as the sales rep couldn't see any way to order a second line and was pretty insistent that taking over my current line was the ONLY option. But after some lengthy discussion and conferring with colleagues the correct procedure was identified. 😅 I even had my new account added as a referral to the original, so I get a saving during the time (however long that turns out to be...) that I have parallel connections. The price (as quoted previously) was explained further and it does already include a new customer discount (shown in my T's and C's) so in 2 years time I'll revisit the "competitive situation" and hopefully staying with PlusNet will still make sense.

An engineer is scheduled to visit (and hopefully install and connect the second master socket) a week tomorrow, which isn't bad at all. 😊

Meanwhile I'll be monitoring my existing BT Retail phone and PlusNet ADSL services very closely just in case "wires get crossed"! 😲

Re: Can I order a new broadband-only line from PlusNet in addition to my existing BT phone line

HPsauce — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 17:50:56 GMT

Slight correction, engineer scheduled for the morning of Wednesday 21st (not Tuesday).

Re: Can I order a new broadband-only line from PlusNet in addition to my existing BT phone line

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 18:05:47 GMT

Will you be buying in a packet of Openreach cable installer's legendary favourite biscuits, to ensure things go smoothly ?

Re: Can I order a new broadband-only line from PlusNet in addition to my existing BT phone line

HPsauce — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 18:19:35 GMT

I need an "insider" to update me on the current preferred options. 😄 Or is it just Hobnobs? 🤣

Re: Can I order a new broadband-only line from PlusNet in addition to my existing BT phone line

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 18:39:24 GMT

The topic of which biscuits are the favourite of Openreach cable installers, has been discussed on several occasions on the ThinkBroadband forum, and consistently they have replied "Fig Newtons"

Re: Can I order a new broadband-only line from PlusNet in addition to my existing BT phone line

HPsauce — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 12:05:53 GMT

Fig rolls at my shop/supermarket. Isn't Fig Newton what they're called "over the pond"? 🤣

Re: Can I order a new broadband-only line from PlusNet in addition to my existing BT phone line

HPsauce — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 15:50:01 GMT

Well it seems that Openreach also want to be double sure. 😮 Earlier today I got a lengthy text from them explaining there was already a line at my property (no [-Censored-] Sherlock!) which they could reuse without an engineers visit and wanted me to say:

A- I want an Additional Line

B- I want to use the Existing Line

Obviously I replied A for Additional and after further exchanges of messages they confirmed my engineer visit for a week today. 😎

Moderator's note by Mike (Mav): Avoidance of swear filter edited as per Forum rules.

Re: Can I order a new broadband-only line from PlusNet in addition to my existing BT phone line

Anonymous — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 14:44:14 GMT

Try texting back and ask them to choose -

A - Fig rolls

B - Hobnobs

Re: Can I order a new broadband-only line from PlusNet in addition to my existing BT phone line

HPsauce — Sat, 17 Feb 2024 11:30:17 GMT

Fig rolls included in my Supermarket delivery due on Monday. 😁

Also, in contrast to a number of complaints here, my new Hub2 router arrived today, well ahead of installation/activation on Wednesday/Thursday. 😎

Though I probably won't actually use it as I prefer to separate 2.4 and 5GHz channels by name. I conveniently have a BT Smart Hub 6 (Type A) which can do that and also has all 4 LAN ports available.

Re: Can I order a new broadband-only line from PlusNet in addition to my existing BT phone line

HPsauce — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 10:09:25 GMT

Well the engineer has arrived and it's a miserable wet and windy day. After a good look round he's decided he needs a cherry-picker platform to get up the pole over the road. Possibly my house too, though he can use ladders if the platform can't get close enough (tree problems).

Offered a hot drink but he's fine at present, so the fig rolls etc. are on standby! 😁

Not sure when the platform will arrive, so meanwhile he's gone off to find a spare pair from the cabinet...........

Re: Can I order a new broadband-only line from PlusNet in addition to my existing BT phone line

HPsauce — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 13:45:37 GMT

All done, drop wire apparently has four pairs in it. He ran a new 4-pair cable from the eaves down to a new socket, using my pre-drilled hole into the house and backplate I'd already mounted; the cable just pushed straight through from outside and it was swiftly trimmed and terminated. Sadly I get a big bulky NTE5C with VDSL faceplate. 😒

He connected some test kit and went off to the cabinet to finalise connections and test, on return I was asked to plug in my router. Coffee and biscuits were provided at this stage - fig roll, shortbread finger and chocolate digestive all "sampled"! 😄

Router connected OK and tests up to 56/10Mb down/up which is usefully faster than the 36-49/5-7Mb estimates. 👍

The new house wire has two pairs connected to two of the three spare pairs in the drop wire. Just in case you need one in future he said. Sensible.

Re: Can I order a new broadband-only line from PlusNet in addition to my existing BT phone line

HPsauce — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 13:51:52 GMT

Just to add that actual sync speeds (from the router) are 60.249Mbps/11.733Mbps.

Re: Can I order a new broadband-only line from PlusNet in addition to my existing BT phone line

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 14:03:53 GMT

@HPsauce - do you want to take a snapshot of the speed and latency that you are getting right now, so that you have something to compare with in a couple of weeks when DLM has settled and your line training period has completed.

https://www.waveform.com/tools/bufferbloat and post the "Share Your Results:" link at the bottom of the results.

It's probably worth also keeping a screenshot of your router's modem stats, as snapshot of actual and max sync, SNR, etc.

Re: Can I order a new broadband-only line from PlusNet in addition to my existing BT phone line

HPsauce — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 14:37:19 GMT

@Anonymous I'm not too bothered about exact speeds as it's way more now than I need. I've been swapping routers around and reconfiguring them and currently have 61.821Mbps/12.687Mbps.

Not sure how DLM works on FTTC lines but I assume there are parallels to the ADSL version.

Just had to change my Plusnet account password as one of the special characters isn't acceptable to the BT Smart Hub! 🤣