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Old v New Tariff Speeds

MJJ68
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: ‎18-12-2010

Old v New Tariff Speeds

A question was raised about this on 18 December, but unfortunately no-one in Support has yet to reply to it, so I'll try here instead!
I'm on the very old "ADSL HomeSurf" tariff, which I guess shows a fair degree of loyalty to PlusNet! I'm looking at moving over to the "PlusNet Extra" tariff which offers a greater download limit, but I have no idea of speed comparison with my old tariff.
Question 1: Do the speeds for "ADSL HomeSurf" vary for different services at different periods of the day, as indicated on the "PlusNet Extra" speed chart; or do I always get "line speed" 24 hours a day as with the "PlusNet Pro" tariff?
Question 2: If I decide to move over the PlusNet Extra (or Pro), will I have to go through the whole process of re-establishing optimum line speeds with the usual "10 day bedding in" period when people sign up to PlusNet, or will my previous router results, line tests, etc, continue from the last 7 years of being a customer with PlusNet?
Hope someone can advise!
Regards
Mike

17 REPLIES 17
Force9Original
Grafter
Posts: 352
Registered: ‎05-02-2010

Re: Old v New Tariff Speeds

Useful Product Comparison  tool here..
Not sure if it goes back that far....... Shocked  but it shows Value's / Pro & shaping profiles  http://usergroup.plus.net/prodcomp1.php
Unless your moving from 20CN to 21CN the line shouldn't need a retrain......
Thx f9o
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Old v New Tariff Speeds

The only thing I know about Home Surf is that P2P and Usenet were blocked and that I think it had a 20GB usage limit (probably from 4.00pm to midnight - the new products are from 8.00am to midnight)
When that product was available it is likely that Plusnet weren't traffic shaping in the same way so comparable speeds aren't valid
What you could try is to download a file from a download site and see what speeds you get compared to those in the comparison chart linked to above
I assume that you have already been upgraded to ADSLmax as the original Home Surf was 512kbps
MJJ68
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: ‎18-12-2010

Re: Old v New Tariff Speeds

Thanks guys for getting back so quickly. Did a couple of speed tests which came out at around 3.7Mbps (download), which is line speed. Shouldn't be getting this at 10pm on the PlusNet Extra package, to my knowledge, so perhaps best to stick with what I have and pay for extra download allowance when needed. Of course the results may not be very accurate, but things have been good for me with PlusNet for several months now, so don't really want to take any chances. Would love to pay less for more bandwidth, but not if it reduces speed to a whimper.
Appreciate all your help. Any further thoughts, please let me know!
Regards
Mike
WWWombat
Grafter
Posts: 1,412
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎29-01-2009

Re: Old v New Tariff Speeds

We're also strictly on the ADSL Home Surf tariff too, so showing the same loyalty, even if my .sig says otherwise.
For the last few years, PlusNet had stated (amongst the "archived product" details) that the ADSL Home Surf was treated identically to the "Broadband Premier Option 1" tariff.
And indeed, our line behaves exactly that way.
Nowadays, the archive product descriptions only go back as far as the Premier packages, and no longer tell you about the HomeSurf equivalence, but you can still use this information for speed information for the different activities.
I haven't found a description of the prioritisation rules (Titanium, Gold, Bronze etc) that applies to any of the archive products, so you have to guess - and the current rules for "Extra" are probably about right..
That means that Peak is from 4PM to Midnight, and you can use 13GB of peak traffic without incurring any penalties. In this band, the speeds of different activities are managed to a somewhat lesser extent than "Extra", but not massively so (See F9O's link to the comparison tool, which shows data for Premier Option 1 in this "0-13GB" region).
Between 13GB and 17GB (of peak data), your peak speeds are cut (but only really noticeably on P2P, Usenet and FTP), and between 17GB and 20GB they are cut further. Above 20GB things are not pleasant.
The only serious downside to the "BB Premier" packages is thet you can't buy extra bandwidth - once you hit those 13GB, 17GB and especially the 20GB points, then you have to accept your internet access is off. At least on "Pro" and "Extra" you can choose to buy extra bandwidth if you need it (and are willing to pay £5 for each extra 5GB). Oh... and if you're in Market 3, then Extra is considerably cheaper.
We too are having to consider "Pro" or "Extra, for ADSL2+ reasons if nothing else. The biggest difference is probably that peak would then start at 8AM, so more of our data would be counted in the peak total, and we'd encounter some level of traffic management between 8AM and 4PM. We're hitting the 13GB of peak data and around 30-35GB total data, so "Pro" probably isn't suitable, while the allowance for "Extra" is probably suitable.
Plusnet Customer
Using FTTC since 2011. Currently on 80/20 Unlimited Fibre Extra.
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
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Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Old v New Tariff Speeds

How much are you paying for home surf and which market is your exchange?
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)
WWWombat
Grafter
Posts: 1,412
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎29-01-2009

Re: Old v New Tariff Speeds

Was that to me, or MJJ68?
We're on a Market 3, and paying something like £18pm.
Plusnet Customer
Using FTTC since 2011. Currently on 80/20 Unlimited Fibre Extra.
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Old v New Tariff Speeds

It was for you. If your 8am to midnight usage can be kept below 20GB you should consider Pro which will be better than your current product and cost £16.49.
Above 20GB you need to look at Extra, but that will depend on whether you make much use of the types of traffic that will be slower.
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)
WWWombat
Grafter
Posts: 1,412
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎29-01-2009

Re: Old v New Tariff Speeds

I've recently started to capture our usage statistics better, to try to estimate whether we can get the 8am-midnight totals under 20GB, but I don't think we can now. 6 months ago we probably could, and I did think about it. But a 10-year old daughter means that we're probably on the start of a rising curve of additional bandwidth there - especially as she's discovered iPlayer. 3GB one afternoon required a little talking to!
However, I have a nefarious reason for not jumping package just yet... the cost for DSL gets partly covered as a work expense. Fibre is due any day (or not, depending which day you check the DSL checker), and I don't want work to see the DSL costs drop one month and then rise steeply again the next!
We don't make big use of the really-high bandwidth, highly-restricted, apps - an occasional P2P download of a Linux distribution aside. Perhaps some FTP.
But we do use SSH, SCP and VPN stuff, and work strange hours to match others around the globe, so it is a little worrying to see the VPN restriction in the evening.
Plusnet Customer
Using FTTC since 2011. Currently on 80/20 Unlimited Fibre Extra.
MJJ68
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: ‎18-12-2010

Re: Old v New Tariff Speeds

Interesting discussion guys!
How about this, though.  When I spoke to the Sales Assistant on 18th December, I spoke about *considering* moving to either PlusNet Extra (for extra download allowance) or stick with ADSL HomeSurf. As noted at the start of the thread, she had great difficulty finding out much about the old tariff's speeds, so I eventually decided to follow up with some questions through a Support ticket and, as suggested above, try some download tests.
Today I received an e-mail notifying me that my change to PlusNet Extra had gone through and was live as from 22nd December! I had not authorised this!
When I called the Sales line, I actually came through to the same adviser, who apologised for the error but informed me I couldn't go back to ADSL HomeSurf as it was no longer available for her to re-activate!  She placed me on hold and came back to offer me two options:
(a) stick with PlusNet Extra, or
(b) try PlusNet Extra for a month then, if there are issues, move over to PlusNet Pro for a reduced 12 month fee of £20.99 per month.  I guess with 20% VAT and having to pay 9 months at full price if I had chosen this, it could be described as a "discounted rate".
So, I'm now on PlusNet Extra, with the greater download limit, although I have no real idea of how I'll be affected by speeds yet. If there are indeed speed issues, I'll have no choice but move over to paying £2 more a month for "line speed" compared to the £18 a month ADSL HomeSurf I had been on until yesterday.
I guess the message is:
(a) be very careful what you think is understood by the sales assistant, and
(b) don't be so hasty to consider changing from an older tariff if things are more or less fine as they are.
To be fair, the young assistant was very apologetic and tried to do something for me. Just annoyed four days went by after posting my first of two support questions without anyone from PlusNet responding to it. If they had, I may not be in this position just now. (Both questions are still lying unanswered!)
No doubt I'll post back if there are any speed issues to report. If all goes well, WWWombat, you may wish to satisfy your daughter's thirst for iPlayer!
Regards
Mike
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Old v New Tariff Speeds

If this isn't what you want post here and I'm sure one of the Digital Care team will sort it out.
They have for a number of people let them try a new product for up to a month and if it doesn't suit move them back to their original product - it can be done!
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)
pierre_pierre
Grafter
Posts: 19,757
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Old v New Tariff Speeds

I had a sleepy agent do it to me last year, got moved back within 48 hours, but it took nearly six months to sort out the billing
orbrey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 10,540
Registered: ‎18-07-2007

Re: Old v New Tariff Speeds

Hi Mike,
It's true that most agents aren't able to move people back onto older account types, but it is possible for us to arrange for you - let us know if you're not happy on Extra and we'll see what we can do for you.
MJJ68
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: ‎18-12-2010

Re: Old v New Tariff Speeds

Thanks, Matt.
I appreciate your advice. I'll give things a go for a couple of weeks and see how I get on.  Hopefully things will be fine, but in the event that I may choose to move back to the original tariff, I assume it's a case of posting something here, rather than phoning sales?
Regards
Mike
orbrey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 10,540
Registered: ‎18-07-2007

Re: Old v New Tariff Speeds

Posting back here will definitely be the way forward (or backward, in this case :D) - just let us know here and we'll move you back.