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Bargain not such a bargain

twitchy14
Grafter
Posts: 40
Registered: ‎16-10-2011

Bargain not such a bargain

After being with sky for 1yr,  internet, phone, and tv, paying 28pound pm average, virtually no problems with disconnections, speed or billing, prior to sky l was with virgin for 4yrs for broadband alone paying 22pound, again virtually no problems, never needed to go on message boards over problems, never needed to check router for problems, technical probs. 
Decided l needed to economise and saw the ads for plusnet, sounded great, l could half my bills with them for broadband and phone
First problem was despite never downloading films or youtuble, just for emails, ebay, little surfing, l passed the logb limit within a week, ended up paying l5pound extra for lst month, despite unpgrading after 2 wks, quite a number of disconnections, often lengthy, but settled that after a while, now just brief ones occassionally, speed quite slow occassionally, but not a big problem to me in that l dont do gaming etc, nor do l used the phone much at all, well within the credit limit,  but decided l needed to upgrade to talk anytime, by now my bills averaging more than l paid for sky with their tv included, and a less reliable service with slower speeds, for me anyway.  Just got an outrageously high bill, going through customer service to find out the reason, now l am sure that plusnet will find justification for it, as with past bills and experiences, and no doubt blind me with science, and l do not understand the technicalities of isp, but it wasnt a problem with sky or virgin, didnt need to check this that and the other, they provided and l paid, same each month, end of.  l now find l have paid plus net over 220 pound for 7 month, some average and saving, of course l also soon found out that you get billed for 100 if you leave them, so not such a bargain at all.  Below are my bills since joining plusnet.
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Invoice Value Balance Invoice Date Status Description
32826524 £63.65 £63.65 06/04/2012 Pending Scheduled Payments
32219645 £27.12 £0.00 06/03/2012 Fully Paid Scheduled Payments
31619642 £26.17 £0.00 06/02/2012 Fully Paid Scheduled Payments
31028846 £26.62 £0.00 06/01/2012 Fully Paid Scheduled Payments
30953771 £-15.00 £0.00 03/01/2012 Credit Note Account Credit Note
30432760 £33.35 £0.00 06/12/2011 Part-Paid Scheduled Payments
30048666 £-8.55 £0.00 17/11/2011 Credit Note Account Credit Note
29847352 £46.87 £0.00 06/11/2011 Part-Paid Scheduled Payments
29498002 £-5.00 £0.00 18/10/2011 Credit Note Account Credit Note
29263735 £12.98 £0.00 07/10/2011 Part-Paid Scheduled Payments
28983025 £8.23 £0.00 22/09/2011 Fully Paid Initial Charge
13 REPLIES 13
twitchy14
Grafter
Posts: 40
Registered: ‎16-10-2011

Re: Bargain not such a bargain

As a follow on from my initial post, l did notice there was a charge of 34 pound for ll8500, no idea what it was, just checked on net and it appears to be direct enquiries, wasnt aware of this as lve not used d e for years due to cost, but vaguely recall having no choice but to use it a couple of wks ago, but if l did it would only be for 2 minutes, also seem to recall a recent post from someone who also have a huge bill due to a number where it had not been clicked off, perhaps its something like that, as there is no way l,d be talking to direct enquiries to rack up a 34 pound call, l will try to wait patiently for pn support to explain, all l know is l am furious as there seems no end to problems, all costing me cash l cant afford time and stress. Angry
pierre_pierre
Grafter
Posts: 19,757
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Bargain not such a bargain

As its a Bank Holiday, the Digital Care staff will not be on the Forum til Tuesday.
I an also on Value and two of us are on for a large part of the day,, only once gone over the 10G in four years.

For free directory services I use http://www.thephonebook.bt.com/publisha.content/en/search/residential/search.publisha
twitchy14
Grafter
Posts: 40
Registered: ‎16-10-2011

Re: Bargain not such a bargain

thanks for reply, well cant explain going over l0gb limit on normal useage, but not alone judging by message boards, will see response tuesday from rep, in the meantime l have spoke to a plusnet rep on the phone, tells me that is the charge for direct enquiries, but its down to bt and to take it up with them, then the usual performance getting through to them, eventually managed the indian connection, who said its down to plusnet, then promptly cut off, went onto bt websit, spoke to help assistant, who tell me its up to my isp to deal with the problem, so at the end of the day lve a £34 charge for an alleged 29min call, no idea who to or for how  long, but would only be 2 min to d.enquiries themselves, a new rip off l was not aware of, nor did l  know such outrageous charges existed, or was informed by anyone upfront, nothing new there, seems common practise now,
all wrapped up in endless page of terms and agreements, which of course the more superior or whatever amongst us are aware of everything it seems.  l have at least been given a phone and email no by by asst to advice and help, await response from plus after hols.
w23
Pro
Posts: 6,347
Thanks: 96
Fixes: 4
Registered: ‎08-01-2008

Re: Bargain not such a bargain

Calls to BT Directory Enquiries are premium rate, their website currently states:
Calls to 118 500 cost £1.69 per minute or part thereof with a 29p connection charge from BT landlines (excluding BT payphones). Mobiles and other networks may vary.
What is less clear is that if you have them connect the call it continues at the premium rate (as far as I can determine but, as I said, far from clear).
Call me 'w23'
At any given moment in the universe many things happen. Coincidence is a matter of how close these events are in space, time and relationship.
Opinions expressed in forum posts are those of the poster, others may have different views.
charltjr
Grafter
Posts: 53
Thanks: 9
Registered: ‎21-08-2009

Re: Bargain not such a bargain

Yes that's exactly what they do and could be the cause of the high bill. twitchy can you remember if you let 118 500 connect you to the number you were asking for and if so how long were you on the phone to them for?
twitchy14
Grafter
Posts: 40
Registered: ‎16-10-2011

Re: Bargain not such a bargain

Thanks for info, but cant recall, having not used direct enquires for years, l92 and about 60p when l last used them, must have been good reason for me to ring them, but cant recall who to and why or if they put me through, and unusual for me to be on for 29 minutes, rare event, with heinsight l could have gone to greater effort through net to find number, bloody would if l,d a clue to charges, which l was told about that by plusnet rep, after, whichever it is totally outrageious charge, l will contact direct enquiries tomorrow on return to get info, obviously cant turn your back on anyone for 5 min now due to rule changes and hiking up to a obscene rip off rate. 
twitchy14
Grafter
Posts: 40
Registered: ‎16-10-2011

Re: Bargain not such a bargain

Memory not being brilliant due to age etc, but now seem to recall the reason l used direct enquiries for the first time in years, was due to the internet being off for many house, `thompson gateway` coming up on whatever web site l searched for, recall checking on plusnet literature that l have and could find no number to ring, obviously couldnt find any on net, so probably rang direct enq, cant recall if they gave me a number or said `would you like putting through` but was speaking to a pn rep for 29minutes which is how long it took him to go through several procedure,s slowly and laboriously, having me typing in numbers, pinging the restart button on router, etc, finally getting back on net, although direct enquires charges are obscene rip off, l should have known that somewhere in the midst of it pn would be involved, due to loss of net, not for usual minutes, but hours, possibly overnight, no contact no on their lit, and their rep taking an age to reset their rubbish router, no end to problems from going with pn
at one stage paid to have my computer formatted thinking that the cause of high useage and other probs, bought a norton anti v tried that, and now l lose internet for hours, only way to get in touch with pn d.e., and get charged 34pound for 29 min call due to their rep taking that long to get back on.
twitchy14
Grafter
Posts: 40
Registered: ‎16-10-2011

Re: Bargain not such a bargain

update, Now spent 20 min on phone to various bt enq no,s, english, american, indian, the last one who l truly understood, told me, no they couldnt or wouldnt give me any info on number called, and that it was all up to, down to, my isp, regardless of what their rep says.
orbrey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 10,540
Registered: ‎18-07-2007

Re: Bargain not such a bargain

Hi there,
You should be able to see details on the call in your itemised bill, here: https://portal.plus.net/plustalk/index.php?page=wlr_itemised_billing
It was made last month rather than in the current one, but it looks like a 30 minute call to 118500 which suggests that they did indeed connect you to the number - unfortunately that's the charge for an operator assisted call.
If you can advise what information it is you're after I'll see what I can do to get it for you?
twitchy14
Grafter
Posts: 40
Registered: ‎16-10-2011

Re: Bargain not such a bargain

Yes lve already seen the itemised bill, the info l was orginolly looking for was who the call was to, if l rang the no requested, or was put through, and if l was informed of the excessive charges, now presuming it was to plusnet, due to they having no contact no on their literature, and their internet connection being down for hours, then their rep not notifying me of the cost the call would entail, and then their rep taking an age to give me instructions on how to get their internet connection back on, l guess the only think l can dispute legally is if l was informed of the cost upfront not that l am sure thats a legal requirement either, so no doubt legally l will have to pay this extortionate charge, in the same way l had legally to pay for upgrade when l was considered by their rep a light user, in that l never download films, video,s or do gaming, just a little email, surfing, ebay,
in the same way l was not informed by their rep there would be a l00 pound cancellation charge, no end to the legal extra charges with plusnet, so my economy measure moving from sky and virgin to half my price from 28 and 22 respectively to l5per month has so far cost me over 250 pound for 6 months use of plusnet, average over 40 per month, with more to come, so it will be goodbye plusnet asap and complaint to offcom and of course advice any other sucked in by their saturation advertising, more than any other isp, to think again, apart from lack of trust in them its not even a good service with slow speeds and disconnections.
l have no doubt there will be the usual responses stating how great pnet are and how theyve paid just l5 pound per month for years, with few disconnections and good speed, good for them, worst mistake l made going with them, cost me a fortune for poor service.  Quick kill `bargain`
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Bargain not such a bargain

The cost of that call is nothing to do with Plusnet - the charge is made by the operator of the 118 service - in this case BT. If the operator put you through without advising you of the cost you need to complain to BT not Plusnet. If you move to another broadband/phone provider and use 118500 in the same way again you will face the same costs.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2011/may/16/warning-118-directory-enquiries-charges talks about these costs.
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)
pierre_pierre
Grafter
Posts: 19,757
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Bargain not such a bargain

it used to be that call to the 114 number were free to PN Phone users, cant see that on the current page but lots of 0800 numbers
http://www.plus.net/support/customer_service/contact_us/contact_details.shtml
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Bargain not such a bargain

Duplicate post to this http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,103858.msg884077.html#msg884077 removed from Feedback in accordance with this Forum Rule
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