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Best Fibre Provider ? How does Plusnet compare to BT Infinity ?

Justin7
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Registered: ‎28-10-2012

Best Fibre Provider ? How does Plusnet compare to BT Infinity ?

I have been with Plusnet Fibre for a while now and considering whether to take out a  Fibre Unlimited contract or sign up for BT Infinity.
I have found good quality customer service and decent speeds with Plusnet. I use the broadband for surfing, gaming and watching netflix, sky etc mainly at peak times, no P2P usage.
At peak times pings are a little slower than off peak and broadband speeds are reasonable.
1. How does Plusnet traffic shaping / prioritisation compare to BT?
2. How do speeds and pings compare
3. How does Peak time usage compare
I realise that BT probably offer a few more extras like higher spec router, free sport channels, etc but just after the best quality broadband.
16 REPLIES 16
dvorak
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Re: Best Fibre Provider ? How does Plusnet compare to BT Infinity ?

it's exactly the same product, so 1,2 and 3 are the same for the unlimited product.
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pwatson
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Re: Best Fibre Provider ? How does Plusnet compare to BT Infinity ?

It's not the same product!
It's the same technology but the product provided is different.  Traffic prioritisation policies are different and ping/utilisation issues will differ down to different ISP network topologies...
AIUI the unlimited BT Infinity product is pretty much the same as Plusnet Unlimited with the Pro option as far as prioritisation is concerned i.e the ISP<>Customer link is completely unmanaged and therefore high usage (by the individual subscriber) can impact streaming video & VOIP performance.
Justin7
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Re: Best Fibre Provider ? How does Plusnet compare to BT Infinity ?

Does anyone know for sure / have any experience of both services ?   
Justin7
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Re: Best Fibre Provider ? How does Plusnet compare to BT Infinity ?

So is the Plusnet Unlimited Fibre  completely  identical to BT INfinity 2 fibre?
James
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Re: Best Fibre Provider ? How does Plusnet compare to BT Infinity ?

From a BT Wholesale product, yes.
pwatson
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Re: Best Fibre Provider ? How does Plusnet compare to BT Infinity ?

From a user perspective, no (see my reply above...)
There's a useful article about traffic prioritisation on the Unlimited product here:
http://community.plus.net/blog/2012/12/21/its-unlimited-why-is-it-still-traffic-managed/
If you add the Pro option to the unlimited product this management is removed so bandwidth on your becomes a free for all - This is how the BT Infinity unlimited product works.
Plusnet and BT Retail's networks are completely different so expect to see different utilisation and routing.
Justin7
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Re: Best Fibre Provider ? How does Plusnet compare to BT Infinity ?

Thanks for the posts.
If a line has plenty of bandwidth (ie a fibre line with >50Mb download speeds) does the prioritisation have any real benefit to the ping and speeds if you do not utilise all of the bandwidth and so avoiding the need to put the Pro option on ?Huh
James
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Re: Best Fibre Provider ? How does Plusnet compare to BT Infinity ?

It does.
Suppose that you are downloading a massive patch whilst wanting to play a game on the XBOX at the same time.  The prioritisation means that your XBOX traffic will be of a higgher level, meaning you will be able to game.  Without prioritisation, it's likely you would lag.
Justin7
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Re: Best Fibre Provider ? How does Plusnet compare to BT Infinity ?

Thanks James.
So actually Plusnets Unlimited Fibre offering sounds superior to the Infinity option ?!
James
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Re: Best Fibre Provider ? How does Plusnet compare to BT Infinity ?

We'd like to think so Smiley
nanotm
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Re: Best Fibre Provider ? How does Plusnet compare to BT Infinity ?

Quote from: Justin7
Thanks James.
So actually Plusnets Unlimited Fibre offering sounds superior to the Infinity option ?!

and not just because the call centre staff speak English as a first language rather than repeating what's on there flip cards and not understanding anything that's said to them if its not one of the key words listed for them .....and then there's the not so unlimited product they offer with infinity never mind the fact they actively disable more than 8 internet connected device lines during peak times (its in there ToS that they can do it ....)  well and I wont go into all the problems they create with there dodgy billing system (which to be fair are 99.999% down to the overseas call centre staff not having a clue...)
to be honest so long as PlusNet keeps itself as wholly UK based instead of following all the other companies in farming out there jobs overseas on sub par crackly lines it will continue to be superior to other Telco's no matter if all the others started to offer the exact same unlimited product Smiley
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NorthEasterner
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Re: Best Fibre Provider ? How does Plusnet compare to BT Infinity ?

I've got BT infinity unlimited 2 and find the speeds really decent 5mb more than PN and a lower ping MS rate which is better.  BT wifi is great if you are waiting for the bus (if theres a WiFi hotspot nearby) and their CS is great dial 150 and you are straight to an advisor.
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Justin7
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Registered: ‎28-10-2012

Re: Best Fibre Provider ? How does Plusnet compare to BT Infinity ?

How can you get faster downloads and lower pings with BT infinity if the cabling is the same - I'd have thought it would be the same?Huh
Do you need to have the Pro option to get the best connection with Plusnet Fibre Unlimited?
Oldjim
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Re: Best Fibre Provider ? How does Plusnet compare to BT Infinity ?

I would have thought the same but the post doesn't say whether it is download speed, IP profile or the connection speed from a hacked modem
The Pro option has no effect whatsoever on the connection speed