PN & JTN - Cohabitation or members of the same family???

[#1]

I recently received a notification of domain registration renewal being due for my domain.org.uk name at the princely sum of £50+ from PN.  Whilst I know that's PN's going rate - quite frankly it's well over the top, but moving it whilst keeping everything else with PN seems like too much hassel!! 
This weekend I was discussing a domain name purchase with a prospective referal (I like to keep things in PN as I've largely found them to be the at the better end of a very bad industry) and thus looked up DN registration with JTN (not somewhere I frequent).  Imagine my surprise when they only wanted £9.79 for the same service.
I thus raised ticket 30880709 expecting that the good folks at PN could sort this out...

Quote from: ticket

I note that PN has recently advised me that my domain name mydomainname.org.uk is due for renewal. The communication quoted a charge of some £50+. I observe that the 2 year registration charge for .org.uk addresses with your "other-half" http://www.just-the-name.co.uk is just £9.79.

Imagine my surprise at the reply from the service desk... 

Quote from: ticket

...We are different companies, but we're based in the same building...

Where as JTN's web site states...

Quote from: Just

...Just The Name is, along with Pay As You Host part of the Plusnet Family....

So what is the PlusNet - Just the Name relationship - cohabitation or a family affair? 
If its is cohabitation as suggested by the customer service desk, then why does the JTN website imply that there is an inter-relationship?  If there is an inter-relationship then why does the service desk not know this and why can PN not do domain name renewals at a more competitive cost? Oh yes, I recall...

Quote from: ticket

This is what we get charged to register your domain for 2 years. This is provided as an extra to our broadband, so we don't need to be competitive in regards to domain names. Ending... Earn up to £30 by recommending the UK's Best Overall Provider (uSwitch Survey, May 2007).

I was so very angry at this response at my last renewal that by the time I'd cooled down it was too late to address the issue, however since it has come up yet again, if "This is what we get charged" was (is) true then why does it not cost JTN the same?  AND whoever heard of a business venture which does not need to be competitive?
So is it in the family or just under a common roof?  I think you can do better than this for long standing loyal PN users - lets see PN domain renewals charges at the same rate as JTN.  I know that JTN guise of the PN family is not the cheapest in the market but it is a better deal that that from PN - the parent member of the family!

Kevin.

[#2]

Sadly this problem has been around for a long time now.  Recorded in the PUGIT database as Item 13 in July 2006.  in a Plusnet response of May 2008 there was an expectation that things were signed off and just needed a small amount of development time prior to introduction?
Priorities have changed since then and Plusnet no longer offer such a comprehensive web hosting package to new users, so this item is still 'stuck' in the queue unfortunately.  To raise any priority on this we will need to be able to justify either some significant  revenue opportunity or loss of business.  If enough people believe this has merit, please add your votes to the link above or add a comment in this thread over on the Usergroup Forums.
NOTE:  If you do not already have a Username you will have to sign up first.
Maurice

[#3]

Maurice,
Thanks for the prompt reply - however does the solution really need to be technology driven?
Other options might simply be to change the billing - instead of setting the charge at £50+ set it at £9.79 (or whatever).
If issue is that the methods used by PN to manage the registrations cause the charge to be so high, then why not admisitratively migrate all "PN" registered domains to JTN and use their optimisation?  Imagine the positive good will that would generate across the user base.
At the moment it just seems like this is a way to stiff more money out of the user base, so there can be little commercial incentive to make any change.  As for looking at the UG forum and voting, I'll have to wait until I'm back home on my PN circuit to register.
Thanks,
Kevin.

[#4]

@Townman
As I understand it, the Technology change is only to modify the product and billing system to 'know' about the revised charges and possible contract changes?  Every new or modified product has to go through the process - even within JTN.
Maurice

[#5]

You could try PM'ing Kevin Mawson
Just-the-Name| PAYH
Email: support@just-the-name.co.uk
Tel: 0114-296-5167
who is shown as Plusnet staff on this forum!

[#6]

JTN is a Plusnet company, however the systems are completely separate, including things like where the domain points etc.
Kev may be able to help, so worth dropping him a PM, and I'll give him a nudge tomorrow too.

[#7]

Mand,
Thank you for the response - much appreciated - I'll contact Kevin as suggested. 

Bob P,
If you find this - I PM'd you on the "good eggs" before I saw this glint of light!
Cheers,
Kevin

[#8]

Mand / Kevin Mawson,
Thank you for sorting this matter out and clarifying matters - excellent service!! 
Regards,
Kevin