PIN Protection

[#1]

Are there any plans to improve the range of additional features that one can add to home phone in the near future?
Reason being, my parents are looking to move home phone away from PlusNet simply because my younger brothers are abusing the phone and using it in the early hours / calling mobiles etc..
When they were with BT, it was possible to PIN protect all outgoing calls.  But it doesn't look like this is possible with PlusNet. 
I only mention it as I'm sure there are plenty of other people in similar circumstances who would like to do the same.  Two people at work do just this, so it's definitely not something they are unique in requesting.
Cheers,
Liam

[#2]

Why does it need some hi-tech option?
Can't these people control their own kids?
They could always try the "if you don't do as you are told, you will get a smack round the head..."
Alternatively, they could take the handset to bed with them so as to avoid any nastiness with their nearest & dearest?

[#3]

Some people like the additional piece of mind.  Plus, it's not just a case of taking handsets to bed, there are phone sockets all over the house.
The first my parents knew was the call barring for reaching the credit limit.  They've legitimately reached it a couple of times before, but that was before the 1000 minute anytime+ limit was removed.
I think the PIN protection is sensible.  Just as many parents like to block adult websites and Sky offer Parental Controls for restricted viewing films.

[#4]

I've asked the question of our products team for you and I'll let you know when I get a response.

[#5]

Cheers, Mand 🙂

[#6]

Don't spose products came back to you on this did they, Mand?
If it's a roadmap item I can possibly convince the parentals to wait.  Right now, though, they're ready to press the button to move to Tesco - and the Broadband may follow when I move out (certainly not before!).
On another note, do you think there will ever be the option to increase the credit limit?

[#7]

Hi Liam,
We will be adding a number of additional features (including call barring for premium rate and mobile numbers) within the next 6 months, however as to concrete dates, I can't oblige unfortunately.
Regarding the credit limit, it's unlikely at the moment, as to increase the credit limit for one customer would mean increasing it at the product level for all customers concerned.
For customers on E+W we recommend upgrading to Anytime+ as this has a higher credit limit. For customers on Anytime+ the only thing I can suggest is to add some credit, as this will give you more leeway with the credit balance.

[#8]

The credit limit just seems to be one thing that lets PlusNet Home Phone down.  I wasn't asking for it to be increased specifically for me - but rather that an option was developed for anyone to increase it. 
I know it is there to reduce your exposure to people who run up bills and don't pay - but to some it can be a hinderence and an inconvenience to find that call barring is suddenly applied (not to mention the charge to remove it).  Surely the credit limit could be assesed more intelligently based on payment history etc... and the ability to increase it extended to customers who pay on time and don't fail billing for a number of 'x' months.  We make quite a few phone calls and this is the third time we've hit the credit limit.
RE The Call Barring for mobiles and Premium Rate numbers.  Does that allow PIN over-ride, or is it just a straightforward call barring where it's not possible to call Premium Rate and Mobile lines?
Cheers 🙂

[#9]

It will be configurable.
Re the credit limit, don't you receive emails when you're coming close to hitting it? You should definitely be receiving these to prevent you hitting the limit.
I can see your point, but at the moment to do what you would suggest would mean rewriting the credit limit section of the code (as it's based on product type), which just isn't going to happen anytime soon.

[#10]

When we were with BT I blocked mobile calls to prevent our daughter constantly calling her friends.
This state of play she became used to fairly quickly and switched to borrowing my company supplied and financed mobile instead...not so bad.
When we moved our home phone to PlusNet, which doesn't have this facility, I didn't tell her.
So, in blissful ignorance, she now uses her own mobile.
Please don't tell and spill the beans

[#11]

Don't worry, we won't tell.

[#12]

My eldest son managed to run up a £200+ phone bill one quarter phoning mates on their mobiles.  He stopped when we deducted an amount from his pocket money until the money was paid back
He got to learn the meaning of the word "consequences"
John

[#13]

When I was 15 I learnt (and for some reason enjoyed) the art of Three Way Calling and, whilst in France, how to charge calls back to our home telephone account (before letting everyone ring home for free!).
Suffice to say, my parents were not too happy with the resulting £550 phone bill.  My birthday was a few weeks later and I had nothing.

[#14]

The inability to lock out groups of numbers with a PIN is one of the main reasons I hesitate to move my phone to this service.
With reference to the point made by axisofevil about controlling other people in the house abusing the use of the phone:
I had an unpleasant experience with BT a couple of years ago when international calls were being made and billed to my home number by a someone who had accessed my home number at the exchange level, or similar, as on all of the dates and times we could account for all family members whereabouts (and some of the dates we were away on holiday).
Fortunately I picked the problem up real early and the calls were only about £45 (a call to Chile is surprisingly cheap) and BT took so long to investigate they waived the charges. However I now have to pay £1.50 or so each month to have International Call Barring for my own peace of mind as I couldn't prove it wasn't anyone in my household.
So the sooner a call barring facility is available the better . . .