Browsing Restrictions

[#1]

Just because Plusnet may fail to achieve the agreed finish date

Plusnet have no control over your finish(transfer) date, it is purely down to the new provider and Openreach!

This is clearly nonsense as I could up paying 2 suppliers for the period following the agreed finish date and to say that couldn't happen is naive.

That should not be possible under the new OFCOM specified OTS (One touch switch) system. Once the transfer to the new supplier is complete it automatically informs the old supplier.

[#2]

Why should I take the financial risk of Plusnet not being able to fulfill their contract, especially if, as you claim, they have no control over service delivery.

What purpose do they fulfill other than another cost layer.

Ludicrous. Goodbye!

[#3]

When I started developing software system 40+ years ago we always tried to follow "The Principle of Least Astonishment" (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principle_of_least_astonishment).

When user interaction with a system leads to a [-Censored-]? event then it has failed that principle. 
Looking through Plusnet's fora an awful lot of queries are such [-Censored-]? events. A redesign of systems and processes would avoid most of them, reduce support queries, and improve customer happiness.

[#4]

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@JuliaCh wrote:

What purpose do they fulfill other than another cost layer?

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They supply your internet service(s) over BT/Openreach infrastructure.

[#5]

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@jab1 wrote:

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They supply your internet service(s) over BT/Openreach infrastructure.

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They arrange the supply of internet services, provide billing services, and some customer support. They also provide community fora where other people provide customer support for them.

[#6]

@corringham Thanks - more expansive than my reply - maybe you have more patience than me. 😀

[#7]

I also have been involved in S/W for all my career and wholly endorse your comment.

Defending the indefensible because that is how it works and what the book says will not lead to benchmark performance.

'Even better If' ..........

[#8]

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@JuliaCh wrote:

I have a planned transfer away and having agreed with plusnet to cancel the DD and wait for final bill, I'm now been messaged about Browsing restrictions with a Bill that that is beyond the finish date.

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I do appreciate how irritating it can be to effectively pay in advance for a service that you do not want and then have to wait for a refund. However, cancelling a DD at times like this can be fraught with problems. First of all this will slow the payment of monies owing to you as it can’t be simply repaid to the DD account. Secondly, there is a risk that the billing system, regardless of the rights or wrongs, may automatically transfer any ‘unpaid’ bill to a debt collection agency, causing you both even more hassle and annoyance.

[#9]

It does disappoint me that Plusnet put so much effort into being not as good as they could be.

Everything seems to be the customer's fault, and lots of effort is spent explaining that it is the customer's fault. But nothing is done to actually improve customer experience.

[#10]

There is a country mile difference between service migration and service cancellation, the choice being one for the consumer to make.

Migration is in the control of the gaining provider.  The consumer can specify a preference for the commencement date, but it is nothing more than that.  It will happen when it happens, predicated of the infrastructure provider’s resource availability to facilitate the migration of the assets.

Cancellation is entirely in the hands of the consumer with the current supplier.  The date is advised, the service will stop on that date and if set adequately in advance no further billing will occur.  Note though cancellation leads to a service cease order being placed on the asset which inhibits any other provider raising orders on the line thereby leading to a period without service.

The user does have choices; either ensure a very firm end date with a break in service by cancelling or use the migration approach which ensures continuity of service, even in the event of dates slipping due to whatever set of arising circumstances.

Users make those choices and then grumble that their precise requirements are not being met: with migration, advance billing might mean paying two suppliers until the final bill is processed with a refund; with cancellation there will grumbling that they’ve been cut off and need to wait for the new supplier to enable service.

You are living proof that you cannot satisfy all of the people all of the time.

[#11]

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@JuliaCh wrote:

Defending the indefensible because that is how it works and what the book says will not lead to benchmark performance.

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From my reading of this topic, community members are trying to to explain how the Plusnet billing system currently works, not defending the status quo.

[#12]

@corringham I joined PN (from TalkTalk) not that long after they were bought by BT, and the support and forum staff response back then was almost as good as you could hope for.

Since then, I have noticed a gradual fall in standards, and therefore made the decision to move my custom elsewhere. Fortunately, a combination of my own experience, and a relatively trouble free internet life has meant that I could (just possibly) stayed with PN, but changes which started in earnest at the beginning of 2021 made me reassess my position. I am glad I did.

[#13]

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@Baldrick1 wrote:

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From my reading of this topic, community members are trying to to explain how the Plusnet billing system currently works, not defending the status quo.

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Yes, but the explanation given comes down to

• you should read the small print
• you shouldn't cancel your DD
• you should expect to overpay (at out of contract prices) and wait for a refund (without interest)
• Plusnet have no control over your connection end date
• you must have changed the billing date

• Plusnet's billing can be rubbish but it isn't their intention to overcharge (they just have no intention of fixing it)

• Sometimes the discount period erroneously gets set one month out (the customer needs to alrt Plusnet when this happens)

• Any unpaid balance may be sent to a debt collection agency

• You are living proof that you cannot satisfy all of the people all of the time.

All the contributors mean well in their responses, but it just doesn't fix the underlying issues.

There would be nothing wrong with Plusnet billing in arrears for the final payment - that would avoid all the confusion and unpleasantness. 

[#14]

Billing in areas has a high risk of never being paid at all.

For as long as I can recall way before denationalisation of the telephone service (GPO break up), the subscription charge has always been in advance, with usage charges in arrears (obviously).

[#15]

Billing in arrears may have a risk of some underpayment - however in most cases it shouldn't be a full month, and there is already the risk of non-payment for call charges (and whatever else?) that are charged in arrears. There is still the option of debt collection agencies even with payment in arrears.

The other side of the coin is that it would reduce

• the cost of support for people querying bills for periods beyond the intended end date
• the cost of issuing cheques for refunds due where the DD has been cancelled after the end of the contract
• the general feeling of being taken advantage of that people experience
• the loss of future custom from people who have a bad experience
• the loss of future income from people who see other people having a bad experience