cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Leaving Early - Termination Charges and BT Sport App

ParkGuy99
Hooked
Posts: 7
Thanks: 2
Registered: ‎06-04-2021

Leaving Early - Termination Charges and BT Sport App

Hi

 

I'm currently in contract with Plusnet until June, but I'm considering moving to BT to take advantage of the FTTP broadband service which is now available here. However I have a few questions.

 

1. My billing date is the 22nd of the month. Chances are if I placed an order today, I wouldn't be up and running until after 22nd April as I'd need an Openreach visit to install the ONT. Therefore I'd be paid up until 21st May already, thereby meaning I would only be one month short of the end of the contract anyway. If I was switched before 21st May (likely), would the money I paid up to 21st May be used to offset the early exit fees for the month between 22nd May and 21st June?

 

2. As I would be switching from Plusnet to BT, and as an upgrading customer, would there be any possibility of Plusnet waiving the early exit fees?

 

3. We currently have the BT Sport App for £15/month. As this is available by virtue of being a Plusnet customer, would this be cancelled automatically when the Plusnet phone and broadband service was terminated, or would I need to cancel it manually? If so, is there a way to cancel BT Sport online, to avoid having to wait in a queue for the call centre?

 

Thank you for any help.

13 REPLIES 13
RobPN
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 5,103
Thanks: 2,668
Fixes: 13
Registered: ‎17-05-2013

Re: Leaving Early - Termination Charges and BT Sport App

@ParkGuy99 

I'm not sure of the current state of play with BT, but a while back they were offering to reimburse punters for any penalties incurred in moving to them, so that might be worth investigating.

Thrall
Seasoned Pro
Posts: 568
Thanks: 112
Fixes: 23
Registered: ‎28-09-2020

Re: Leaving Early - Termination Charges and BT Sport App

The answer to your second question being a likely yes. It’s been said around here not long ago that if you move to BT or EE for FTTP, termination fees will be waived but you’d need to call customer options on 0800 013 2632 first to discuss and arrange this. 

There’s no way to cancel BT Sport online but it would be cancelled automatically if you cancel your home phone and broadband account. 

ParkGuy99
Hooked
Posts: 7
Thanks: 2
Registered: ‎06-04-2021

Re: Leaving Early - Termination Charges and BT Sport App

Thank you for the replies.

 

Would I be better just placing the order with BT, wait for Plusnet to be notified and add the early exit fees to a bill, then contact Plusnet to see if they can waive them, or would I have to discuss it with them first?

 

Thanks for the info on BT Sport. A bit awkward it can't be done online, but at least it'll be cancelled automatically without me having to manually intervene.

Thrall
Seasoned Pro
Posts: 568
Thanks: 112
Fixes: 23
Registered: ‎28-09-2020

Re: Leaving Early - Termination Charges and BT Sport App

I’d recommend calling them first as there may be a particular process you’d need to go through 

Thrall
Seasoned Pro
Posts: 568
Thanks: 112
Fixes: 23
Registered: ‎28-09-2020

Re: Leaving Early - Termination Charges and BT Sport App

@ParkGuy99 Also as far as I’m aware BT will credit you up to £300 of termination fees incurred by leaving another provider if you provide them your final bill so that could be another path you go down. Don’t quote me on that though, there may be specific circumstances you’d need to go through. Try calling BT’s sales team to check 

ParkGuy99
Hooked
Posts: 7
Thanks: 2
Registered: ‎06-04-2021

Re: Leaving Early - Termination Charges and BT Sport App

Thanks again.

 

From what I've see online, the BT Switching Offer is by invitation only, so I may, or may not be eligible for that. One to keep an eye out for though. Depending on what the queues are like on the phone, I may sound out Plusnet to see what they say.

 

Although I'd like to avoid any charges, to be honest, it's not a deal breaker. I think I'll proceed, and if I end up paying them, then fine, they won't be much more than about £20 anyway. If I can get either Plusnet or BT to waive/credit them, then all the better.

Thrall
Seasoned Pro
Posts: 568
Thanks: 112
Fixes: 23
Registered: ‎28-09-2020

Re: Leaving Early - Termination Charges and BT Sport App

An alternative is to hold out til your contract expires before moving or if you wait until after the summer you may be able to get FTTP from Plusnet. There’s some talk that may be the case but nothing’s confirmed.

ParkGuy99
Hooked
Posts: 7
Thanks: 2
Registered: ‎06-04-2021

Re: Leaving Early - Termination Charges and BT Sport App

Thanks. I probably would just wait it out, but I've been given a referral link from a family member which would give us both £50 Amazon credit. He's had BT since last summer, and I'm not sure if referral links can expire. I wouldn't want us both to lose out on that. I couldn't do anything about it last year (as the exit fees would have been too much), but now I'm quite close to the end of my contract, it might be worth acting on. I'm also keen not to miss out on current BT pricing, which seems reasonable, in case they put the prices up.

 

As for waiting for Plusnet FTTP, if there was any confirmation, even a few months off, I might consider it. But our area became FTTP enabled not long after I signed up to Plusnet last year, so I've already been on ADSL when FTTP was available for nearly a year (with all the typical issues an ADSL connection provides). I'd rather not extend that without any firm evidence of Plusnet actually launching an FTTP service.

 

 

ParkGuy99
Hooked
Posts: 7
Thanks: 2
Registered: ‎06-04-2021

Re: Leaving Early - Termination Charges and BT Sport App

Hi

 

Further to my question of last week, I signed up to BT last weekend after confirming with Plusnet there would be no early termination fees. I was also advised I would need to recontact Plusnet after placing the BT order to ensure the ADSL broadband was terminated, as it wouldn't transfer like the phone service as I'm moving to FTTP.

 

I have subsequently received a letter indicating there would be early termination fees. As I had to call Plusnet anyway to ensure the ADSL service was ended properly, I called earlier to deal with both issues. I rarely criticise customer service agents, but the person I spoke to honestly sounded like he couldn't be bothered,  and couldn't get off the line quick enough. Anyway, he has now opened multiple tickets on my account. One of which says -

 

The scheduled cancellation due on 15/04/2021 has been halted in Workplace.
IMPORTANT: The Cancellation must now be manually closed in eCo to prevent it completing.

 

It's awaiting a reply from customer support. Does that mean he has accidentally put through a cancellation request from tonight, rather than from next week? If so, can the service be reinstated until its intended switch off date next Wednesday, or would it just be easier to use my mobile data (I've got an unlimited data plan), to bridge the gap until the BT fibre service is installed on Tuesday?

 

I've also received an email stating my service will cease on 21st April as agreed, and any payments/refunds will be resolved 20 days after the cease. I've heard of people having ceases put on their line, resulting in them being billed to reinstate the line, and losing their long held phone number. I obviously wish this to avoid this. Was the use of the word cease just a poor choice and words, or is a cease on the line actually correct as I'm swapping ADSL for FTTP with VoIP? My phone switch is due on 20th April, while the cease of service (presumably for the ADSL broadband) is due the day after if that clarifies anything.

 

Sorry for the various questions, but I'm really not sure where I stand now, and I wish to avoid losing service, our phone number, or any other further problems.

 

Thanks.

RealAleMadrid
Aspiring Hero
Posts: 2,713
Thanks: 1,395
Fixes: 59
Registered: ‎07-07-2009

Re: Leaving Early - Termination Charges and BT Sport App

@ParkGuy99  Your dealings with the customer support agent  who didn't want to know is alarming, I don't think they have any experience of dealing with customers moving to FTTP so are struggling to know what to do. It could all go horribly wrong, I hope your line isn't ceased but it sounds like that's what he's done and some other person or department has to cancel it. 

I'm afraid you may be calling Plusnet a lot over the next few days to try and sort things out. Best of luck.🙄

idonno
Champion
Posts: 1,564
Thanks: 506
Fixes: 6
Registered: ‎22-10-2015

Re: Leaving Early - Termination Charges and BT Sport App


@ParkGuy99 

've also received an email stating my service will cease on 21st April as agreed, and any payments/refunds will be resolved 20 days after the cease. I've heard of people having ceases put on their line, resulting in them being billed to reinstate the line, and losing their long held phone number. I obviously wish this to avoid this. Was the use of the word cease just a poor choice and words,


A cease is precisely that. You have to be aware that FTTP and Copper supplied services are totally different. There is nothing to stop you having both running at the same time. I've had both running together for the last 3 weeks.

 

You might well lose your phone number if the cease occurs before the FTTP is installed. While I'm not with BT or PN, it was on the list that my new ISP warned about. That if I wanted to retain my existing land line number I should not cancel the FTTC part myself but inform my new ISP that is what I wanted to do. They would then ask for the cease of both broadband and phone services and as part of that, the existing number would be ported over. I was already to go for that but then found there were additional monthly costs involved - even for just having the phone number attached. As I and the rest of the family have been using mobiles only for well over 6 yrs now (landline has been unplugged) I've just decided to let it go.

Ever helpful. Grin Sure, I’d love to help you out. Now which way did you come in?
ParkGuy99
Hooked
Posts: 7
Thanks: 2
Registered: ‎06-04-2021

Re: Leaving Early - Termination Charges and BT Sport App

Thanks for your reply.

 

After mulling it over after posted, I decided not to take the risk of my services being terminated tonight, so gave in and called back just before the call centre closed.

 

I queried the cancellation dated for tonight, and the rather more helpful person I spoke to confirmed the cease was scheduled for the 20th, the day of my transfer to BT, and therefore the other ceases had been rejected as you can't have more than one cease in place at the same time. He also stated the originally agreed cease date of the 21st wasn't possible as the number will be transferred to BT the day before, and both need to take place on the same day. I'm surprised the original person was unaware of this. He also confirmed it is a cease on the line as that will in effect switch off the copper line, which is fine as I'm moving to FTTP with VoIP.

 

Hopefully everything is in order now, but I await tomorrow with a little trepidation. Hopefully I'll still have service by the morning.

ParkGuy99
Hooked
Posts: 7
Thanks: 2
Registered: ‎06-04-2021

Re: Leaving Early - Termination Charges and BT Sport App

Thanks.

 

I'll bear in mind about the cease and losing the phone number. Hopefully it'll be OK. To be honest, I'm like you and just use my mobile. It's other family members who favour the landline. I'll just have to see what happens on that front.