Time for a rethink on ISP pricing?

[#1]

I've been with Plusnet broadband for 9 months or so and recently my speeds have been really poor. The common answer is 'why don't you just upgrade to fibre?' This is an option but why should I?

The way I see it the structure for pricing data delivery is biased and flawed.

Plusnet advertise their line speeds as up to 17Mb for broadband, up to 38Mb for fibre and up to 76Mb for fibre extra. Now, because I have a very poor broadband service it is extremely likely I'd get a similar performance from a fibre service (pro-rata). So if I did choose to subscribe to fibre I'd be paying more for a service that in theory could perform worse than normal broadband with a better line.

Data should be priced at what speed at is delivered at rather than the method of delivery.

[#2]

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@woober wrote:

Now, because I have a very poor broadband service it is extremely likely I'd get a similar performance from a fibre service (pro-rata).

That's not necessarily the case as with FTTC it's the distance from the cabinet that is important rather than distance from the excahange.

[#3]

Would you get a worse service pro-rata?

Pop your number in here to see.

[#4]

I don't wan't to get into my line speeds here in case this discussion gets merged like the other did :-(

I'm talking about paying for the service you actually receive rather than paying for a service that fails to fulfill it's potential.

[#5]

My service doesn't reach it's potential...

[#6]

I don't know what those figures mean or what service you are on, but if you are not getting near the maximum specified then that's case in point...........

[#7]

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@woober wrote:

I've been with Plusnet broadband for 9 months or so and recently my speeds have been really poor. The common answer is 'why don't you just upgrade to fibre?' This is an option but why should I?

The way I see it the structure for pricing data delivery is biased and flawed.

Plusnet advertise their line speeds as up to 17Mb for broadband, up to 38Mb for fibre and up to 76Mb for fibre extra. Now, because I have a very poor broadband service it is extremely likely I'd get a similar performance from a fibre service (pro-rata). So if I did choose to subscribe to fibre I'd be paying more for a service that in theory could perform worse than normal broadband with a better line.

Data should be priced at what speed at is delivered at rather than the method of delivery.

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Hi,

I believe we should consider that it will cost PN the same amount to provide your service as it does to provide the service for other customers who are lucky enough to have shorter lines. I guess PN could charge more for those with shorter lines but that would drive such customers elsewhere....

There has been a reduction in Telephone pricing relative to the cost of living since the 1980s, despite the relentless increase in retail line rental costs versus wholesale line rental costs (to pay for Broadband provision - to enable suppliers to advertise an unprofitably cheap Broadband price)

See this article for example: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2006/apr/27/phones.mobilephones

I can remember not being allowed to use the Telephone to make external calls at work due to the cost!

In my opinion, given the price differential between PN Fibre and the PN unlimited broadband (£5 per month which equates £60 per year) and the improvement in my line speed + reliability I consider it to be a worth paying for.

Richard