topic Re: No more broadband without phone packages? in Plusnet Feedback

No more broadband without phone packages?

jacobsladder71 — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 13:45:41 GMT

Hi.

Sorry, I'm new to the community, so apologies if this has been posted elsewhere, but looking to upgrade from my current unlimited broadband (without phone) package, and it seems that the only options that are available to me all require me to take line rental.

The whole purpose of my having the package which I currently do (& for which the contract has expired) was that I didn't have to change my phone line from BT (which is in my partner's name anyway). Are there no longer any available packages that DON'T require you to take a Plusnet line rental?

If there isn't, then I think I'll have to start looking for a new ISP, which would be a pity.

Re: No more broadband without phone packages?

Alex — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 14:44:41 GMT

Welcome to the forums @jacobsladder71

I can't see that being true, but I could be wrong.

As long as you have a landline and you're happy to stay with BT for that then you can order PlusNet on your BT landline. That's we do. Though our PlusNet account is old and our BT landline is even older - we've had the same landline number since we moved there in 1979!

Re: No more broadband without phone packages?

Baldrick1 — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 15:20:56 GMT

@jacobsladder71 Welcome to the forum.

I believe that this correct for new subscribers but as an existing customer I'm pretty sure that if you ring customer services they will agree a new broadband only contract with you.

Re: No more broadband without phone packages?

jacobsladder71 — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 15:23:51 GMT

Cheers, both.

Yeah, I think that'll be what I need to do, as no such packages were available to me when looking to upgrade via the website. I'll also have to ask them why my contract has suddenly shot up from £20.49 a month to £40.48 for my next bill!!

Thanks for your help.

Re: No more broadband without phone packages?

Baldrick1 — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 15:40:00 GMT

@jacobsladder71

£40.48 for broadband only? That's ridiculous. The out of contract price for 80/20 broadband AND line rental is only £40.98. .

Re: No more broadband without phone packages?

jacobsladder71 — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 15:42:41 GMT

Just a bit, like!!

I wouldn't even know how they've come to that figure - I originally thought it was a line rental charge, but given I don't have a Plusnet line...

... anyway, we'll see what they have to say!

Re: No more broadband without phone packages?

Minivanman — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 16:30:04 GMT

@jacobsladder71

A pre emptive strike by plusnet I'm afraid for new customers many of whom I suspect don't want to pay for a landline in a world where just about everybody not has a mobile phone.

As some readers will know, as an existing customer I went over to FTTP and cancelled my phone line (going over to VoIP) following which they hiked up my internet charge by a couple of quid in order to part compensate for their loss.

Nice eh, and yes ,it still bugs me.

The VoIP line I rarely if ever get incoming calls on it now as most come through to our mobile/s. The only reason I keep it is because overseas call are dirt cheap, and I mean, dirt cheap.

Re: No more broadband without phone packages?

TeeGee — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 16:55:36 GMT

This is all last century pricing and business practices and high time it was sorted out.

1. You need a land line to connect to the internet around the home so why not include this in the broadband price without reference to a specific price/value?

2. Phone calls should be included inclusively for a monthly fee as individual calls are highway robbery and should be blocked without the monthly payment.

3. It is now cheap to use mobiles for both calls and internet. For under a tenner a month you can get as much internet and calls as many individuals need, unless streaming hours of entertainment. £6 mobile with data v. £8 PN Anytime landline calls is one example.

The fly in the ointment is, of course BT owning the infrastructure.

Re: No more broadband without phone packages?

idonno — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 17:02:33 GMT

@Minivanman wrote: The VoIP line I rarely if ever get incoming calls on it now as most come through to our mobile/s. The only reason I keep it is because overseas call are dirt cheap, and I mean, dirt cheap.

I haven't paid for an overseas call in years. Last time I looked at Plusnets charges for the country I was interested in, I did a double take and then wondered who on earth would pay their charges e.g. over a £1 a minute. For instance, those same calls using my mobile telco would come in at a max charge of 8p a minute (no set up charges etc).

Nowadays though, as long as both parties use the same app (messenger, viber, whatever), all you need is the internet for free calls.

Re: No more broadband without phone packages?

Minivanman — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 18:33:16 GMT

@idonno

I pay a small nominal amount to company to host my original phone number and that really is just about it. Several family members living overseas yet my charges for calls last year were less than a fiver.

How times have changed eh.

Re: No more broadband without phone packages?

198kHz — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 22:37:36 GMT

@Minivanman wrote:

How times have changed eh.

They certainly have.

I remember the time when it had to be something really important to even consider calling someone in Scotland, and as for calling abroad... 😮

It was always freezing in the hall anyway!

Re: No more broadband without phone packages?

Gandalf — Sat, 11 Jan 2020 00:49:48 GMT

Hi @jacobsladder71 thanks for your post.

Unfortunately if there's no option to upgrade to fibre online via your account without moving your phone service to us, there'd likely be no option for us too as the product change tool you'd use and we'd use is based off the same system.

Having said that, it's definitely worth calling our customer options team on 0800 013 2632 or chatting with them online Here to see if there's absolutely anything we can do for you.

With regards to your bill, have you viewed a breakdown from Here? (I'd normally check it myself but I'm not in the office at the moment, we'll pick this up either over the weekend or early next week if you still need help with that).

As there's been some talk about FTTP, bar a handful of people we've got on our legacy FTTP trial, all of our current products require line rental so you'd need this one way or another, and having broadband and line rental with one provider generally means it's cheaper as it's a bundled dual play product. It also makes fault finding (if you do ever experience a fault) so much easier, because if a line test detects a fault on the line even though your phone may be working perfectly fine, we'd need to pass you back to your phone provider to investigate the line, because we can't raise a broadband fault if a line tests as faulty.

@TeeGee Going a bit off topic here but our advertised prices do show broadband and line rental together although we itemise it so you know what you're buying, because there are still a lot of people who use their landline phone service. Phone calls are included in a monthly fee if you choose to take up a call plan. Granted there are some number ranges we don't offer in a call plan, but they're generally premium rate numbers.

I hope this helps.

Re: No more broadband without phone packages?

jacobsladder71 — Sat, 11 Jan 2020 16:34:51 GMT

Hmmm. Well, that might have made my mind up for me. I'll phone up on Monday, but to be honest, I think my hands will be tied, so I sense Ill be moving providers.

Re: No more broadband without phone packages?

Gandalf — Sat, 11 Jan 2020 16:40:00 GMT

Thanks for getting back to us @jacobsladder71

I'm sorry to see you're thinking of leaving. If we can't offer you a fibre broadband only package, have you considered moving your phone service to us (with your partner's permission of course if they're the account holder with BT)?

Re: No more broadband without phone packages?

dvorak — Sat, 11 Jan 2020 16:44:20 GMT

Moderators Note

This topic has been moved from ADSL Broadband to Plusnet Feedback

Re: No more broadband without phone packages?

jacobsladder71 — Sat, 11 Jan 2020 16:47:36 GMT

Moving the phone line isn't up for negotiation, I'm afraid. Let's see what happens when I phone on Monday & if a package can be agreed.

Re: No more broadband without phone packages?

Gandalf — Sat, 11 Jan 2020 16:53:02 GMT

No problem. Fingers crossed we can agree on something. Let us know how it goes.

Re: No more broadband without phone packages?

Danielc93 — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 15:02:48 GMT

Hi,

I'm curious about this also. Were you able to agree on a Broadband only deal?

Considering calling up myself, as we'll be moving to a new home and won't be using the landline; so hoping there is a deal for the Unlimited Fibre Extra Package (for the top speed, as I'm a heavy gamer) that doesn't require line rental. I was reading

https://www.uswitch.com/broadband/guides/broadband-no-landline/

and it looks like currently only Virgin supply the "Full Fibre" option, so I'd think it would be a question on whether Plusnet is able to provide the same service, or is looking into it at all.

Thanks!

Re: No more broadband without phone packages?

jab1 — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 15:49:23 GMT

@Danielc93 Welcome to the forums.

I don't think you'll get an answer from the OP, he/she hasn't been back since their last post.

As things stand, all those on BT supplied lines, i.e. anyone on ADSL/FTTC connections, must have a 'phone' package, as the 'last leg', from the cabinet/DP is over the copper phone cable. Even if FTTP is available to you, you can't get it from Plusnet (a BT policy where PN are regarded as the cheap and cheerful budget brand in their portfolio).

I believe Virgin do do a 'no phone' option, but they bump up the BB only price, so that it is only a couple of quid cheaper than the combined package.

Re: No more broadband without phone packages?

Thrall — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 15:49:58 GMT

Plusnet don’t provide FTTP, if it’s even available at your address on Openreach infrastructure so you’ll need line rental to buy either ADSL or FTTC.