Migrating away - What happens?

[#1]

I have just called the Options Line and requested a MAC which will be sent to me by Ticket within 4 Days.
Upon completion of migration out, I asked for my account to be downgraded to a Dial-up PayG Account so I could retain my UserID and Mail Accounts should I decide to come back. I was surprised to be told that PlusNet don't do this any more and that if I wanted to retain my Mailbox, it would cost me £1-60 per month. So some questions need answered:
1) Is the statement above correct?
2) How will my Referral Discounts continue to be paid to me?
3) Will I still be able to log in and check my Referrals status?
4) Why hasn't this change been communicated to us? I DO read all the marketing carp that PlusNet send out with bad news buried within them.
R

[#2]

Hi wheel_nut
1) Yes.
2) Usually they accrue to £5 and then are paid by BACS (if we have an active DD with account details) or cheque (if not).
3) Yes.
4) This was brought into play shortly after the mail platform investigations a while back, basically as a deterrant to stop people downgrading their accounts and then forgetting about them as by far the majority of our mail platform storage was taken up by archived email from unused accounts. I'm not sure if it was emailed out to the customer base, but it's definitely been mentioned around these parts.

[#3]

How far back is recent as I thing people have gone onto PAYG this year and can you give us proof where it has been mentioned as I havnt seen it either

[#4]

I don't think it's been announced in any official capacity, although it is referenced here.

[#5]

Quote from: Matt

4) This was brought into play shortly after the mail platform investigations a while back, basically as a deterrant to stop people downgrading their accounts and then forgetting about them as by far the majority of our mail platform storage was taken up by archived email from unused accounts. I'm not sure if it was emailed out to the customer base, but it's definitely been mentioned around these parts.

It was most definitely NOT emailed out the the customer base.
Why couldn't you have just made a change that for these old accounts email older than one month old would be deleted? That would have solved the storage problem and kept ex-customers sweet in the hope they may return.

[#6]

Quote from: jelv

Why couldn't you have just made a change that for these old accounts email older than one month old would be deleted? That would have solved the storage problem and kept ex-customers sweet in the hope they may return.

There are various housekeeping scripts that run as well. It isn't a case of one or the other. Various other processes have been put in place over the years too.

[#7]

Bob, I am still confused.

• I don't care about the email accounts because I don't use them anyway.
  
• Since I still have Referral payments, will you leave my "Account" UserID live so I can Log in and check my Referrals payments?
  • Will I still be able to use the UserID for Dial-up access? Yes or No? Either answer is OK with me.
    
  • Will I still be able to make Referrals from this Account?
    

[#8]

Quote from: Bob

I don't think it's been announced in any official capacity, although it is referenced here.

Has this page been updated since the quoted 17th September 2010?  I'm pretty sure that a few weeks ago it said (in round about ways) that free accounts were available for those migrating/ceasing.
As with Wheel_nut, I'm interested in knowing how I can keep track of my referrals if I leave Plusnet.

[#9]

Quote from: Bob

I don't think it's been announced in any official capacity, although it is referenced here.

Maybe I am missing something, but according to the referenced Cancellation Policy upon moving to a new provider:-

Quote

5. When we receive confirmation that the migration has completed, our systems currently will automatically downgrade the account to a non-subscription dial-up account. This non-subscription account will be subject to our normal procedures, and will be closed if left unused for 90 days. Although an account that has been migrated out will be downgraded to a non-subscription account, customers who require this specifically should still request it when making the MAC Key request.

So, from this statement, all you have to do is collect your email at least once every 90 days for the account to remain active and free.

[#10]

for those looking  it is 3.5, and indeed that conflicts with Bobs £20

[#11]

I have raised a Ticket claiming my right to have my accounted downgraded under the Terms of 3.5 and have referenced the WebPage and specific Clause which is part of my current contract with PlusNet.
Since the enforcement of the £20 charge is a material change to my contract, PlusNet should give me 30 days notice of the change and the opportunity to terminate my contract without penalty if I reject the change,
I expect to be gone within 30 days of receiving my MAC (by) next Wednesday.
I would also like to confirm any suspicion that you may have that I am completely hacked off with the stealth changes and non-communication by PlusNet. This is NOT an indictment of Bob, Matt, Joanne, Mand and all of the great people at PlusNet. It is my expression of distrust of the Suits and policymakers at PlusNet who have transformed this once great service provider to the worst instantiation of BT Policy. 
Since PlusNet has now been totally assimilated by the Borg, I may as well trade with the Borg. 

[#12]

As a minor point in the above referenced document it states

Quote

When an account is closed, access to all account features provided by Plusnet will be removed. This includes email, hosted web-space and Member Centre access (including discussion forums and access to the Help Assistant Ticketing system).

The part in bold is completely wrong as that particular rule was changed yonks ago. So how old is that document

[#13]

look down to the bottom of THE page it has all Mod dates there, last 17th September 2010

[#14]

The latest version on the wayback machine is June 2008 which states

Quote

6. It is possible, when requesting an account cancellation, to request a downgrade to a non-subscription 'free' account instead of full account closure. This will allow continued access to email and some member centre features. This option must be requested at the time of cancellation.         1. For the purposes of a subscription contract, we regard a request to downgrade from a subscription account to any non-subscription account in the same way as a request to close the account completely.         2. For process reasons, accounts where a migration away has occurred will be left open as a non-subscription account automatically. This may change in the future and customers who require this should not rely on this automation.

http://web.archive.org/web/20080616222017/http://www.plus.net/support/service/policies/cancellation.shtml

[#15]

It does say:
2. For process reasons, accounts where a migration away has occurred will be left open as a non-subscription account automatically. This may change in the future and customers who require this should not rely on this automation.
I take this to mean that the behaviour of the "System" as currently automated may change and that any customers requiring this facility should NOT rely on the automation but rather, should make their wishes explicit so that it can be implemented manually if necessary.
As Humpty Dumpty said (and I quote):
'When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, 'it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.'