texting using short code numbers ?

[#1]

Coverage is the same as EE as it's their network so that would rule out a lot of options if you're not in a suitable area. The adult lock should be sorted for you on here quickly although I can see you have asked once on the forum.

[#2]

Another vote for sorting this out. I had to spend nearly an hour on the phone to my bank last night as I couldn't reply to a text from them asking me to confirm a payment I wanted to make. 

[#3]

Hello Essexboy48,

I'm sorry to hear you feel this way, and that you've had some difficulty getting in touch.

As well as on the phone, we can also be reached via the Live Chat feature on our website, by dropping us a message on Facebook or Twitter, or via PM here on the forum (we have to go private to pass security). 

If you send me a PM with your name and address I'll be more than happy to get the ball rolling

[#4]

I've just stumbled on this thread when I was trying and failing to send a text to a 5 digit number, and found only pathetic excuses.  You priorities the wages of your gurning idiot yorkshireman over a service which just about everyone else has as standard.  do us proud, plusnet.  

Another mark off the satisfaction score, and another day closer to finding another supplier.

[#5]

I've recently cancelled my daughters contract due to the lack of shortcode support.

[#6]

I don't think I will be leaving Plusnet mobile just because of this -- yet -- but it's definitely making me question the wisdom of signing up. I only joined recently due to an incredibly low cost deal I was offered; but I guess you only get what you pay for. I certainly wasn't expecting this kind of stupid limitation.

Now that I've ported my number, I can't get back to the (obsolete) deal I was on with Three, who I found very good, but I wanted the convenience of a rolling monthly SIM-only arrangement rather than PAYG, and there's no denying that the EE network is good.

I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that Plusnet's Mobile product managers will see the light and start to support short code SMS. It's not just for premium rate scams, there are lots of legitimate and valuable uses, and Plusnet can't hide behind their host network, because EE definitely do support short codes. The help desk agent I spoke to tried to claim that the reason was something about EE still resolving the merger of T-Mobile and Orange where one supported short codes and the other didn't. Don't lie to your customers Plusnet!

[#7]

I agree that this restriction does cause considerable inconvenience.  The NHS in Gloucestershire has now taken to using short code numbers for communication between the hospitals and their patients.  Because of the non-availability of short code texting on Plusnet Mobile, I cannot reply to their messages.  I cannot even send a "STOP" message to prevent them sending further messages!

It is very annoying, and I cannot think of any reasonable excuse for Plusnet Mobile applying this ridiculous restriction.

Walt

[#8]

In defence of Plusnet:

I was a customer of Life Mobile (which was owned by EE and EE was then bought by BT), whom Plusnet (which is owned by BT) bought and it became Plusnet Mobile.

Life Mobile did not allow short codes either.

Life Mobile was a cheap virtual mobile operator, with excellent customer service. Life Mobile had a smart cap, which Plusnet have inherited, and I am sure that the "no short codes" was done by Life Mobile to prevent customers from running up charges, like their smart cap was. I am sure that it was done in good faith, however, perhaps the carriers incur extra expense for short codes and this couldn't be incorporated into the cheap monthly fee?

It came as a surprise to me, as a new Life Mobile customer, that I couldn't text short codes, a bit like how I was cut off after 59 mins of being on the phone - that was also a surprise! However, I balanced this with the monthly fee that I was paying, which was half the cost of EE at the time. Like yourselves, I would have like to have known this when I took out the plan with Life Mobile though.

I don't blame Plusnet as I know that this is an issue inherited from Life Mobile, by posting this, I hope that you will understand this too.

Plusnet appear to have inherited other things from Life Mobile also, such as their billing portal (with a change of the user interface).

What Plusnet did do was bring in 4G for new plans.

Therefore, I see it as Plusnet having inherited a number of things from their acquisition and they are still in the throws of improving things for Plusnet customers.

[#9]

7 months on from the original post and no sign of this issue being resolved as promised!

Like many other customers I only discovered this shortcoming when signing up to an alert service (in my case Scotrail train service alerts). My only option is to receive the alerts by email, which is not the most convenient way when travelling. Very disappointed this, which is an essential service in this day and age, is not prominently displayed, before signing up, as not being available under Plusnet Mobile.

[#10]

Whether you consider it an 'issue' or not is up for debate but absolutely no one promised a resolution. I personally doubt it will happen.

Why is email not as convenient?

[#11]

Colin_Maybe
Yes, you are correct. They only said they would look into implementing it in the future. For me it is an issue, as I would not have ported over to Plusnet had I known about this before I did so. I know that is easily remedied by going elsewhere.
In the instance of the Scotrail alerts, I prefer texts as they are quicker to access on my phone, which to me is important when travelling. Fortunately there is the email option available for this particular service.
Lyra

[#12]

Just saw this on the GiffGaff site

Calls to mobile shortcodes (as advised by service provider).

Free to £5 per minute

Sheesh

[#13]

I'm thinking of switching our mobiles to Plusnet, but have a question.

To summarise:
My problem is the opposite. My wife's phone is sometimes used to show grandkids things on youtube.
A few weeks ago she received a text stating a charge of £4.50 per week for signing up to a game service. She hadn't done it that but maybe a grandkid's wayward finger touched something whilst watching Peter Rabbit.
Her current contract purposely is limited to free calls and texts only (in case the grandkids did anyhting), so her contract couldn't pay the £4.50 and she couldn't send the STOP to a short code as this was not in her allowance. A few minutes after the text arrived, I found out who owned the short code and emailed them explaining the situation and also that this email was sent within the 24 hours "free time" before the charge kicked in. They replied first saying that there support team would look into it, so the next day I tried to gee them up with another email. They replied that the phone had to send STOP to a short code. I explained again about the contract but since then have had no further response.

So to the crux of the problem - What happens when the phone can't send the short code to stop an unwanted (and maybe scam) service? Does the weekly bill rack up, or what?

Thanks in anticipation of any replies.

[#14]

My daughters phone is on PlusNet and not being able to access premium rate text numbers is probably a good thing for her phone, but it isn't something I would accept. It will stop me moving my own phone to PlusNet Mobile or recommending PlusNet Mobile to anyone else.

[#15]

Virgin Bank Credit Cards have recently introduced a new service called "Text Banking On The Move", which enables one to check the balance and recent transactions on their card.  You can even pay your bill using this service.  However, I cannot use it because it needs you to send texts to a short code number, which Plusnet Mobile will not allow me to do.

Very annoying indeed!  Unless Plusnet Mobile do something to remedy this absurd situation, I shall be seriously considering a move back to my previous provider.