topic Re: And so - after 20 years - it's farewell to Plusnet in Plusnet Feedback

And so - after 20 years - it's farewell to Plusnet

br1anst0rm — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 16:29:52 GMT

I've been with Plusnet for more than 20 years; and the fact that I have only rarely posted on the community forums reflects the fact that the service has been reliable and I have had few problems or reasons to complain and seek help.

But all good things, it seems, have to come to an end. And this is a "more in sorrow than in anger" post.

My current Plusnet contract ends in a fortnight's time, and having set the wheels in motion to transfer to another provider I have just had a conversation with the Plusnet "retention" team. As a longstanding and loyal customer I had secretly hoped that they might have come up with persuasive reasons for me to stay. Sadly, they didn't, so it's divorce time....

I thought I might share my thinking and my experience with the community, just to see if others have a similar perspective.

My contract with Plusnet has been for [standard] broadband via ADSL, and - for the last few years - also home phone using the traditional landline. That landline phone option is of course being phased out, even though the deadlines have slipped a bit. And as for broadband, I live in an area which does not yet have full-fibre (FTTP). So my options are somewhat limited.

I can - and want to - shift to part-fibre (FTTC) broadband, which Plusnet and all other providers do offer. And the time has come to move from the landline phone to Digital Voice (VOIP), but I want to keep and port my existing number. We do not yet want to rely only on mobiles for phone contacts.

Plusnet disappointed me on two particular aspects. First, on price. Their current broadband offers, most of which are for 24-month contracts, all have a built-in annual inflation increase every March. Some (not all) other providers guarantee a fixed price and no increases throughout a contract period. Plusnet's policy, which is shared by BT and EE, makes their prices less appealing. If I sign up for a fixed term, I want a fixed - and competitive - price.

Second, there is no Digital Voice (VOIP) option on offer. End of story. No ifs, no buts. If I stay with Plusnet, then I will now or before long have to make alternative arrangements for the phone, and with some other provider. So if I'm going to make changes, I reckoned it was as well to bite the bullet and review both the broadband and the phone service.

With Plusnet ruled out (even the offer of a £50 voucher isn't enough to overcome those two dealbreaking issues), the retention team unsurprisingly tried to steer me to a new package (broadband plus digital phone) with either BT or EE. But both still only offer long-ish contracts (24 months) with the pesky annual inflation increase on a starting price that isn't particularly competitive, and with a digital voice deal that offers no call allowance and a PAYG tariff that isn't cheap.

So I had to look at and compare a range of other providers, either for a combined broadband plus VOIP package, or for separate broadband and phone deals with different providers. This latter route led me to ISPs like IDNet and Aquiss (for broadband) and Voipfone (for digital phone). But for simplicity and convenience, my preference was for a combined package.

To cut to the chase - I've opted for Zen. Marginally more costly for broadband, but with no in-contract increases. They can include VOIP as well, with a generous call-allowance (1000 mins per month). All handled through a single piece of hardware, a new router provided free of charge. And (fingers crossed) Zen has a fairly decent reputation for reliability and customer service.

So we'll see how it goes. In another year or two, when - with luck - we'll finally get full fibre (FTTP) to the house, the situation will be different and we'll have a lot more choice.

Meanwhile, I bid farewell to Plusnet: it's been a long and pretty good innings, but things do have to move on.... My best wishes to all who remain part of the Plusnet community.

Re: And so - after 20 years - it's farewell to Plusnet

jab1 — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 17:01:35 GMT

@br1anst0rm I moved to Zen in May 2021 - not for the reasons you are doing, but because I saw the creeping BT Group thinking, which set alarm bells ringing - for me. Fortunately, I only ever really needed to call Support if the situation involved the Openreach infrastructure as most other problems I was/am capable of sorting myself.

When I joined them, they had a 'Price for Life' promise, and although, like you, they were a little more expensive at the time, by the time I was able to switch to FTTP in March this year, they were cheaper. When I switched, my quoted price (without the 1000 minutes option, as I use a mobile for all outgoing calls), was about £5.00/month more, but I actually asked what they could do for me as a current customer, they transferred me to Retentions and I am now paying less for 100/20 FTTP than I was for 40/10 FTTC, guaranteed to August next year, at which time I will negotiate again.

Fortunately, I have had very few problems in the last 3.1/2 years, and when I have had to call, you get to speak to individuals in Rochdale who speak perfect English - occasionally with a slight foreign accent - who are fully trained in the area they cover, no 'call centre' type behaviour, and actually listen to what you say rather than reading from a script.

From my experience I can whole-heartedly recommend them.

Re: And so - after 20 years - it's farewell to Plusnet

bmc — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 17:02:05 GMT

@br1anst0rm

I assume you know you lose PN email on the day you move - if you use it.

Brian

Re: And so - after 20 years - it's farewell to Plusnet

br1anst0rm — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 17:18:13 GMT

Thanks @jab1 , that's both reassuring and encouraging. I share your misgivings about the BT/Plusnet/EE direction of travel, which seems bound to weaken and perhaps eventually destroy Plusnet's image as a quality provider.

Like you I tend increasingly to use a mobile for phone calls so may not need a generous VOIP package. But what was my landline number is still likely to be necessary for some inbound calls, so I want to make the transition from traditional phone to mobile-only gradual rather than sudden.

I hope I encounter the same level of good service from Zen as you have evidently had....

Re: And so - after 20 years - it's farewell to Plusnet

br1anst0rm — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 17:27:50 GMT

Yes, @bmc , I realised that departure would mean losing the Plusnet email facility.

It is - or might have been - an inconvenience to give up that email account.

But I already have several other email accounts. As a matter of normal practice I have always tried to manage separately my email messages about work, friends and family, personal admin like banking, and other contacts eg for online shopping, by using different email accounts.

So I had already over the past year or so been phasing out usage of the ".... plus.com" email account and advising my contacts there to use a different email address instead. I just have to hope that I've managed to notify them all!

Re: And so - after 20 years - it's farewell to Plusnet

jab1 — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 17:27:59 GMT

I think you can drop the call package without affecting your 'broadband' price, @br1anst0rm , but best to check should you wish to do so in the future - I still have my 'landline' operational for some inbound calls, but the outbound charge of 40p/minute without the calls add-on means I don't use it. I understand your thinking, though.

I don't see why you shouldn't get the same service I have, although I do see moans on Thinkbroadband, but they are usually from real 'techy' types - I am fairly aware, but some of the posts I read there leave me scratching my head. 😀

Re: And so - after 20 years - it's farewell to Plusnet

br1anst0rm — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 17:38:47 GMT

As regards the Zen phone package, @jab1 , I think I'll just "suck it and see".

I see my move to a new provider as part of a transition process as the situation (and the availability of fibre etc) evolves. I'm signing up to Zen for 18 months, so I'll aim to judge during that time what to do about the VOIP element.

Just a quick comment about the "moans" in some online forums about Zen. I too saw these and it made me wobble slightly over my choice. Yes, it was/is a techy problem: apparently a recent software update to the Zen router caused it to misbehave. I phoned Zen's technical support before committing to the switchover, and their response was that yes, there had been a problem affecting some users, but it had been identified and sorted. They promised that the [new] router they send out to me or any new customer would be OK.

I hope they are right: we'll just have to wait and see!

Re: And so - after 20 years - it's farewell to Plusnet

jab1 — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 17:48:48 GMT

My Fritz!Box is on the software release before the 'problem' one (7.59 as against 8.0) but I do understand that there is an 8.1 which appears to have sorted it.

Re: And so - after 20 years - it's farewell to Plusnet

MisterW — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 17:54:21 GMT

@br1anst0rm We use Zen for our office connection and their customer service has always been excellent.

Re: And so - after 20 years - it's farewell to Plusnet

198kHz — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 18:47:18 GMT

After the first 18 month contract with Zen broadband with digital voice, I shall have no hesitation in renewing later this month.

I've had the same experience as @jab1 when phoning them. They can also be contacted via emails, which they answer promptly, without boilerplate responses.

Re: And so - after 20 years - it's farewell to Plusnet

Anonymous — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 21:13:46 GMT

I moved to Zen via CityFibre in the middle of last month.

Like most people, we use mobiles for most calls these days, but wanted to keep a "landline" backup as some of my family have medical problems that have needed an ambulance.

Zen's VOIP offering was too expensive for our needs, so last week our home phone number ported to Andrews and Arnold. It cost a one off £12 to set up, then £1.44 per month "line rental". Their call charges look very reasonable too.

To cap it all, the Zen supplied Fritz!Box router was easily configured to activate its RJ11 telephone port for A&A's service and the router is also a DECT cordless base station - so no extra ATA adapter required!

Just waiting for my Plusnet account to close down fully now.