Where is PlusNet ‘Help & Support’?

[#1]

I have been with Plusnet, and previous ISPs that became Plusnet, since the 1990s and on the rare occasions when I’ve needed support been good. Now it no longer seems possible to raise a ticket online.

I have received a threatening letter from BT which seems to say that unless I move to their full fibre, I will lose my landline number (rubbish). At the moment I get ADSL broadband through Plusnet, but I pay BT for my landline. I have never had a contract with PlusNet.

I have no wish to move from PlusNet to BT but I am interested in upgrading to full fibre, which is available at this property.

It is absolutely essential that I keep my landline number. I understand that I can do this by moving it to A&A, VoiP , Voipfone or a similar service, and my landline number can be ported to the new service. The cost will probably be less than at present.

I have two blogs which have been running for years at ccgi.myusername.plus.com. It is also essential that any changes do not impact these and I have no wish to migrate them to another server.

I’ve been trying to raise a ticket about this but if I click on a ‘support’ link anywhere at the members centre I get a useful looking window for a second or two which is replaced by one saying ‘Unfortunately we’ve hit a problem’. Nowhere can I find a messaging window which I understand exists.

I need written contact with a human at Plusnet. Is this no longer possible please? This is too important to deal with on the phone or on the basis of hundreds of sometimes contradictory forum comments, however kind, well informed and helpful these may be.

[#2]

@TonyN 

I’ve been trying to raise a ticket about this but if I click on a ‘support’ link anywhere at the members centre I get a useful looking window for a second or two which is replaced by one saying ‘Unfortunately we’ve hit a problem’. Nowhere can I find a messaging window which I understand exists.

Its not been possible for some time now for customers to raise 'tickets'. I'm afraid the primary means of support is a call to customer services. 

I have no wish to move from PlusNet to BT but I am interested in upgrading to full fibre, which is available at this property.

It is absolutely essential that I keep my landline number. I understand that I can do this by moving it to A&A, VoiP , Voipfone or a similar service, and my landline number can be ported to the new service. The cost will probably be less than at present.

You understand correctly. Upgrading to Full fibre with Plusnet will cease your BT phone service. You then have 30 days to port your number to a voip service. 

NB do not port the number until any FF upgrade is confirmed complete as doing this will cease the BT phone , your Plusnet ADSL and close your PLusnet account.

[#3]

Many thanks MisterW: you've helped me before.

 Understood so far but …

That tells me nothing about the blogs and I don’t know a few other things.

At the moment I am using a TP Link Archer 2100 modem. Do I need a new one? Does PlusNet supply one? (For the first time in all the time I’ve been with PlusNet they supplied me with a modem about a year ago when I apparently had trouble with the TP Link, but that failed after a lightning strike.)  What about continuing to use my existing 4 handset cordless phone setup? What will Full fibre cost? Will I need to start a contract and if so on what terms? When will PlusNet get rid of the ‘Unfortunately …’ screen on the help link, which gives the impression that there is a temporary fault so that customers keep trying for days and then in desperation go to the forum? What has happened to PlusNet?

I really do need written answers from an executive at PlusNet so that if anything goes wrong I have some kind of comeback. You seem to be telling me that is not possible.

[#4]

@TonyN 

 TP Link Archer 2100 modem. 

This TP-Link device should have a selectable Wireless Router Mode, the setting is usually found in Advanced Setting.

Effectively it turns off the modem function, making it a router only device. LAN4 becomes the WAN port which will connect directly to the Openreach ONT. The internet connection would need to be set to PPPoE using your [email protected] as the broadband/internet username, with the password used for the members centre

[#5]

I really do need written answers from an executive at PlusNet so that if anything goes wrong I have some kind of comeback. You seem to be telling me that is not possible.

Plusnet are now a mass-market low cost provider not the ISP with the technical support that you remember. You are unlikely to get the written answers you require.

I'll try and help with some of your other questions though...

At the moment I am using a TP Link Archer 2100 modem. Do I need a new one? Does PlusNet supply one?

I assume you're talking about the VR2100 VDSL modem/router. In which case it does have a WAN port capability and so should be able to be connected to the Full Fibre ONT. I'm not sure about its throughput capability should you opt for the higher speed FF products. Plusnet will normally provide a new Hub 2 router for the £6.99 P&P charge.

(For the first time in all the time I’ve been with PlusNet they supplied me with a modem about a year ago when I apparently had trouble with the TP Link, but that failed after a lightning strike.)  What about continuing to use my existing 4 handset cordless phone setup? 

You would need an ATA (Analogue telephone adapter) such as the Grandstream HT801/802. It connects via ethernet to your router and your DECT base unit would connect to its TEL port.

What will Full fibre cost? Will I need to start a contract and if so on what terms?

Costs will depend on what speed FF product you select but you should be able to see upgrade costs by logging into the member centre. You would normally start a new 24month contract.

[#6]

@TonyN 

Ignore the BT letter and place an order with PN for Full Fibre. It will require a contract, price depending on the speed selected. If you're happy enough on ADSL then FF74 (the lowest speed) may be suitable for you.

DO NOTHING with your phone line until you have Full Fibre installed and running. You then have 30 days to port it to the VOIP provider of your choice. There will be a few days downtime on the phone and you may need to spend some money on an ATA to get your phones to work. Note that house entensions don't work with VOIP without a bit of work on the old Master Socket.

You may incur Early Termination charges for BT re the phone line. Note also VOIP doesn't work during power cuts. Take the PN supplied Hub2 router if for no other reason than it gives you a backup device.

Brian

[#7]

Thanks to Dan, Brian and MrW (again).

After being away from my computer for a while I’m trying to digest all the advice, but sadly some of it could be in double-Dutch for all I can understand of it. For instance:

This TP-Link device should have a selectable Wireless Router Mode, the setting is usually found in Advanced Setting.

Effectively it turns off the modem function, making it a router only device. LAN4 becomes the WAN port which will connect directly to the Openreach ONT. The internet connection would need to be set to PPPoE using your [email protected] as the broadband/internet username, with the password used for the members centre

So I’ll need to do some research.

In the meantime, no one seems to be prepared to comment on the wordpress blogs problem. Could one of the superusers, who apparently ‘have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues’, possibly get some kind of response for me? After all, my ADSL sub is the same as when there was help easily available (£26.98/mo).

As I use names.co.uk to forward traffic to my domains on to the server at Plusnet I assume that I can migrate them to another server elsewhere, but I seem to remember when I considered doing this in the past that the process is anything but straightforward.

[#8]

@TonyN 

In the meantime, no one seems to be prepared to comment on the wordpress blogs problem. Could one of the superusers, who apparently ‘have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues’, possibly get some kind of response for me? After all, my ADSL sub is the same as when there was help easily available (£26.98/mo).

As I use names.co.uk to forward traffic to my domains on to the server at Plusnet I assume that I can migrate them to another server elsewhere, but I seem to remember when I considered doing this in the past that the process is anything but straightforward.

Sorry, I'd missed the bit about the blogs. TBH the ccgi webspace is VERY legacy and there's few people around who know anything about it. All webspace including ccgi, is being transferred to Greenby as part of the email and web hosting migration. However, ccgi space is one of the more complicated and accounts that have that facility will be the last to move.

If you actually use your space by redirecting from your domain, then I'd suggest you would be better moving your blogs to another hosting. Have a look at Mythic Beasts https://www.mythic-beasts.com/hosting , they are not expensive and their support is excellent. I have my domains hosted there (albeit only for email) and have migrated a family members website to them (not wordpress though) without any problems.

[#9]

Now that really is a step forward MisterW: very many thanks. I realised I might be on borrowed time with the webspace.

The problem is that the blogs were set up 10/20 years ago and I've completely forgotten the Wordpress mechanics. But I'll just have to accept that there is no easy way in this case and put in the time and effort. We are well on the way to a fix now! But there may be one follow-up question if I can't find the answer.

[#10]

@TonyN 

As I understand things the Webspace is tied to your account and not the product supplied so changing to Full Fibre should not affect anything (famous last words!!!). This buys you some time to look into the mechanics of moving the Blogs. It may be ultimately the migration to Greenby goes smoothly and you don't need to do anything unless you choose to move.

As regards the Full Fibre installation have a look at the following. Note the video is wrong re power sockets - the Router connects via ethernet cable so can go anywhere you're happy to run said cable.

https://www.openreach.com/help-and-support/full-fibre-broadband-installation-checklist#accordion-b43...

I suggested before you take the PN Hub2 as a backup unit. On the day of install plug this in first to confirm the fibre connection is working and then you can swap the Hub2 out for your own unit.

Brian

[#11]

@TonyN,

Easy way to move a WP site is make a clone of it using Duplicator

https://wordpress.org/plugins/duplicator/

Install and run on your existing site, download the 2 files, upload to new hosting site, run the installer. Change the dns to new hosting.

[#12]

@TonyN 

Now that really is a step forward MisterW: very many thanks. I realised I might be on borrowed time with the webspace.

The problem is that the blogs were set up 10/20 years ago and I've completely forgotten the Wordpress mechanics. But I'll just have to accept that there is no easy way in this case and put in the time and effort. We are well on the way to a fix now! But there may be one follow-up question if I can't find the answer.

I've just discovered that Mythic has a 'domain transfer wizard' https://www.mythic-beasts.com/support/domains/transfer-wizard which examines your domain, asks a couple of questions and produces a checklist for the transfer.

Whether it will work since your domain is forwarded to your PN webspace, I'm not sure but its worth a look...