Usenet not responding since the switchover

[#1]

[Running Outlook Express 6.00.2900.2180 on Windows XP Pro SP2 with all the latest updates]
Whatever I've tried so far has failed - the only news server I seem to be able to connect to is 84.92.1.10, which I understand is the old server and is going to be turned off imminently.
I've been flushing my DNS cache religiously after every attempt, clearing out the internet cache files, rebooting both my router and PC, and nothing.  I always get the same error message - cannot connect to server, error code 800ccc0e.
Pinging plusnet.vsrv-ams.supernews.net [138.199.67.64} with 32 bytes of
data:
Destination host unreachable.
Same with 138.199.67.64, news.plus.net, usenet.plus.net, ptn-cdns01.plus.net, 212.159.6.9:53, 138.199.67.64, the ports aren't blocked and I don't have PN's "safe surf" option enabled in the portal.
Time to raise a ticket, I suppose...

[#2]

Hmmm, very odd indeed.
Are you connecting via our network or the RIN platform?
Have you tried recreating your news account in OE? It's a stab in the dark but is there any possibility that you're trying to authenticate with your username and password? This will not work with the Supernews server.