Forced transfer to BT - keep Plusnet IP address?

[#1]

We have had a Plusnet static IP address for over a decade (two decades?) . It is listed in so many firewealls and routers that changing it will be a total pain in the ass. The only thing that would persuade me to transfer our broadband to (the absolutely awful) BT would be if we could keep our IP address. I can't get a sensible answer out of Plusness so does anyone here know if we can?

If it's any use to anyone I have had it confirmed that we don't need to move before our contract ends (which is not what we were told when a rather impolite man rang us up to inform us Plusnet were closing their business service... or to be exact, BT were closing Plusnet's business service).

[#2]

@ModelCitizen2 I am open to correction here by wiser counsel, but I am 99.9% certain your IP will have to change if you move to BT.

[#3]

so does anyone here know if we can?

You can't! BT will not be able to allocate an IP from the Plusnet IP range(s)

[#4]

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@ModelCitizen2 wrote:

If it's any use to anyone I have had it confirmed that we don't need to move before our contract ends (which is not what we were told when a rather impolite man rang us up to inform us Plusnet were closing their business service... or to be exact, BT were closing Plusnet's business service).

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When does your contract end?

There is a subtle difference from users being permitted to run to THEIR contract end and YOUR contract end being prior to a closure date.

My business referral received a call this week advising that business will close 31st Dec 2023 ... however enquiries elsewhere suggests that no definitive date has yet been determined.  Somewhere in this space I suspect that BT is making direct contact and hustling users to move.  The claimed "this is Plusnet" phone call did not leave any evidence of contact in the CRM (ticket) system.

[#5]

Not that subtle! But yes, you are right, we were talking about our contract, which has six months to run. However the impression given was that Plusnet Business would not close till contracts had expired. Personally I'd be looking for some sort of compensation if Plusnet renegade on their contract.

What is really galling about this is that the best and obvious option, the option that should allow us to keep our IP address, is not open to us as Plusnet will not itemise VAT on their Domestic/Home offering bills. If they did we'd just swap from Business to their Domestic product. It's doubly galling as many other ISPs provide bills to their domestic customers that include VAT as a distinct item. Why Plusnet aren't willing to do it is beyond me.

[#6]

That approach would still not allow you to keep your fixed IP address. The IP address is attached to the account: switching to a residential product would entail creating a new account with the consequence that anything attached to the existing account (IP address, email service, website and referrals) will be lost.

She me business have switched to residential accounts which are personal accounts without VAT invoices. Plusnet will not permit limited companies to contract for residential grade services.

[#7]

The IP address is within the Plusnet range so transferring it to a new account shouldn't be an issue for them. If I remember rightly when we were forced to move from Home to Business due to Plusnet's removal of itemised VAT from their Home invoices we kept the same IP address.

Btw. VAT and Limited Companies are different and distinct things. You do not need to be VAT registered to form a limited company.

[#8]

What we think should be possible and what is offered are not the same. Plusnet has been very clear on these forums that retaining an IP address on changing accounts is not assured / the norm.

Indeed being a limited company and VAT registered are indeed distinct things as are Plusnet’s policy of not allowing limited companies to take residential products and not issuing VAT invoices on residential accounts, even where the customer is VAT registered.

[#9]

As a loyal customer and champion of Plusnet for nigh on twenty years and responsible for many other signups I'd  just like to say....

                 THIS STINKS!

Screw BT. We're off to Zen Internet.