topic Re: Imminent Ofcom Market Re-Classification and Plusnet Pricing in Plusnet Feedback

Imminent Ofcom Market Re-Classification and Plusnet Pricing

ReedRichards — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 15:24:40 GMT

Now that my phone contract with BT is up I would quite like to move to Plusnet for telephone and broadband. But my Exchange is Market 1 despite the fact that there are now two LUU operators so the deal Plusnet can offer me would get better (seemingly by about £4 per month) when Ofcom reclassify exchanges in March or April or whenever. Should I wait in hope that the same deals are around in 3 or 4 months time? In principle that would save me quite a lot, since I was offered a new 24 month contract. Or should I go with the bird-in-the-hand principle? I'm grateful for any insight that will help me make up my mind.

Re: Imminent Ofcom Market Re-Classification and Plusnet Pricing

jelv — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 15:28:10 GMT

1. Find out what sort of deal you would get from the LLU operators.
2. Ring up and ask for your MAC and tell them you are leaving to get a better deal. You should get a pleasant surprise.

Re: Imminent Ofcom Market Re-Classification and Plusnet Pricing

Mayfly — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 15:35:57 GMT

Just ask what deal they'll give you if you take Home Phone and work it out from there. I'm Mkt1 with no hope of an exchange upgrade [I assume unlike yourself] and have just signed up another 24 mths with PN.

Re: Imminent Ofcom Market Re-Classification and Plusnet Pricing

ITWorks — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 15:37:05 GMT

ReedRichards
When i rang up last month (market 1 , with no LLU) was not expecting much, but got made an amazing offer for a new 24 month contract ( bb and phone )
Regards
Mike

Re: Imminent Ofcom Market Re-Classification and Plusnet Pricing

ReedRichards — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 16:47:00 GMT

What I would like to achieve is something akin to what Plusnet say they will offer new customers. I have been with Plusnet broadband for quite a few years now at the "standard" rate and if I switch my phone to Plusnet they will get my lucrative line rental. The advert on the main entry page says "from £2.50 plus line rental", which would be a fantastic deal compared to what I pay at present. But the Plusnet rep. I spoke to said he could not offer me something as good as that because I was on a Market 1 exchange. He still made me a pretty good offer but from what he said I implied that I might do better if I waited until my exchange was reclassified.

Re: Imminent Ofcom Market Re-Classification and Plusnet Pricing

James — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 17:27:54 GMT

Bear in mind we wouldn't offer that price to a new customer if they were on a Market 1 exchange.

Re: Imminent Ofcom Market Re-Classification and Plusnet Pricing

ReedRichards — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 19:44:34 GMT

Yes, I fully understand that, James. My dilemma is whether I should jump now or wait until I'm re-classified out of being a Market 1 customer.

Re: Imminent Ofcom Market Re-Classification and Plusnet Pricing

spraxyt — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 19:55:11 GMT

Why not contact the COT and ask if they can include a review option for three month's time to take advantage of price changes/offers that might be available then following any classification changes introduced by Ofcom?
Changing might necessite restarting any contract you agree to, but that would be no different from waiting (with fingers crossed) for three months before taking action.

Re: Imminent Ofcom Market Re-Classification and Plusnet Pricing

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 20:19:31 GMT

There is another variable that you might not have taken account of !
The OFCOM 'market review' due to happen around April, is expected to reclassify exchanges from areas "1", "2", and "3", to the new gradings of "A" and "B" - where "A" is the higher cost areas. From memory, pretty much all "Market 1" exchanges will become "Market A", and all "Market 3"s will become "Market B", but I don't remember how the "Market 2" exchanges will be split between "A" and "B".
If your exchange is currently "Market 1" plus two LLU operators, then presumably that would have become "Market 2", but because the "Market 2"s will be split between "A" and "B", you might still be unlucky in still being classified as a high cost area.
I don't know whether the Plusnet "Exchange Status Checker" tool would give you an accurate indication of your exchanges likely "Mkt2014" classification ?
Hopefully OFCOM will come to their senses and do away completely with tiered pricing, as the existing "Market" system clearly doesn't work.

Re: Imminent Ofcom Market Re-Classification and Plusnet Pricing

gswindale — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 20:29:26 GMT

In an ideal world; they would do away with the "market" pricing; however they would also sort out the issues that mean I cannot switch product without paying substantially more as I don't wish to (& can't) switch my phoneline away from BT (this is not just PN - having spoken with Sky; line rental with Sky is mandatory to get any of their packages )

Re: Imminent Ofcom Market Re-Classification and Plusnet Pricing

TORPC — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 20:31:42 GMT

For informational purposes only
From http://usertools.plus.net/exchanges/
My Exchange is going from 3 to B

Quote
Enabled: 27 May 2002
Market: 3
Mkt2014: B

Re: Imminent Ofcom Market Re-Classification and Plusnet Pricing

ReedRichards — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 22:34:22 GMT

Thank you everyone, my exchange will go from Market 1 to B; I did not know I could look this up. Spraxyt's idea of a review option seems to be the best one, lets hope my negotiating skills are up to it.

Re: Imminent Ofcom Market Re-Classification and Plusnet Pricing

pint — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 21:52:44 GMT

Like the above, im in the same boat. due to go from high cost market 1 to market B but the question is when?

Re: Imminent Ofcom Market Re-Classification and Plusnet Pricing

spraxyt — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 15:45:02 GMT

I believe the intention was that the revised regulatory framework would be introduced in April 2014. However that depends on Ofcom publishing their final report in February 2014 to allow BT to give the required 28 days notice of any pricing changes.

Re: Imminent Ofcom Market Re-Classification and Plusnet Pricing

pint — Tue, 18 Feb 2014 19:32:21 GMT

Any sign of this report due in February?
At the moment im hanging off renewing a line rental saver with plusnet as the LLU options availablet to me ( on an exchange where apparently BT are the sole provider) are somewhat cheaper

Re: Imminent Ofcom Market Re-Classification and Plusnet Pricing

ReedRichards — Sat, 08 Mar 2014 07:48:04 GMT

Typically of Ofcom, they don't seem to have managed to do this in a timely manner. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

Re: Imminent Ofcom Market Re-Classification and Plusnet Pricing

pint — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 17:55:52 GMT

just been on the Talk talk site, adn they are offering this ( talk talk prices compared to plusnet)
Broadband TT=£2.50, PN £19.99
Line rental TT£15.40, PN £15
Anytime Calls, TT £5.50, Pn £5.00
Talk Talk = £ 23.40
Plusnet = £39.99
12 months cost
TT £280
PN £479.88
Switching to talk talk will save me £199.98 over a year, all beacuse plusnet appear to be enjoying the extra ££££'s they are getting form offcom at their customers expense.

Re: Imminent Ofcom Market Re-Classification and Plusnet Pricing

Oldjim — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 18:08:27 GMT

I agree with the conclusion - being cheaper - but the reason why Plusnet have a higher price on a Market 1 exchange is that OFCOM have fixed the price Plusnet have to pay BT Wholesale with no discounts possible

Re: Imminent Ofcom Market Re-Classification and Plusnet Pricing

Apprentice — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 21:54:06 GMT

Quote
Switching to talk talk will save me £199.98 over a year, all beacuse plusnet appear to be enjoying the extra ££££'s they are getting form offcom at their customers expense. [sic]

I guess that will apply to all the other ISPs who don't have any LLU provision in the exchange. Various resellers use the TT network for some of their products ..... check out the prices they're not as cheap as TT's retail products either.

Re: Imminent Ofcom Market Re-Classification and Plusnet Pricing

pint — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 17:34:14 GMT

Quote
I agree with the conclusion - being cheaper - but the reason why Plusnet have a higher price on a Market 1 exchange is that OFCOM have fixed the price Plusnet have to pay BT Wholesale with no discounts possible

So why is there no pressure from plusnet for offcom to get off their backsides?
Wheres this report that was supposed to be published in February?
Will the new prices come into effect in April 2014 ( next month ) ?
will this market A/B thing happen at all, or will it remain 1/2/3 for the foreseeable future?
Do plusnet actually care?