Not being able to upgrade broadband package until the next billing date

[#1]

I applied for the value broadband package about 3 weeks ago, with a 10GB per month usage limit. A few days ago I realised I was nearing my usage limit so I tried to upgrade to the extra package (60GB) a month. However, it says I'll only move over to that package on 9/10/10: my next billing date. I've messaged plus net but they say they can't change my package over any earlier, and they can't temporarily increase my usage allowance either. I think I'll probably go over by about 15GB this billing month, costing me about £15 extra (although plus net did say they could refund £5 of this), unless I set a limit on extra usage.
I know technically plus net have no obligation to change my package/increase my usage allowance earlier, however I don't see any reason why they can't do this and it would be good customer service and the moral thing to do to allow this. It is quite difficult to estimate your monthly usage, especially when moving into a new house with new people as I have done. The cynic in me thinks that plus net don't allow this so they can get lots of money by charging a fortune (£5 per 5GB).

[#2]

How should the system calculate how much allowance you should have in the current month? You might say that you'd pay the full cost of extra for this month and therefore you should get the full allowance. But then someone else may upgrade a few days before the end of the month and have no chance of using the extra allowance - they'd not be happy. Making changes on the billing date keeps it nice and clean.
In any case, those of us who are aware just how fragile the Plusnet accounting system can be at times would say leave well alone. The offer to refund £5 if you go £15 over sounds a good compromise to me.

[#3]

Quote from: jelv

How should the system calculate how much allowance you should have in the current month? You might say that you'd pay the full cost of extra for this month and therefore you should get the full allowance. But then someone else may upgrade a few days before the end of the month and have no chance of using the extra allowance - they'd not be happy.

Well they shouldn't upgrade if they've got no chance of using the extra allowance - you can use the 'View my Usage' tool to estimate whether they will go over. You only need to use more than 15GB in the month to make the Extra package better value than the Value package.
You could also use your argument to say why should people be able to have the Extra package at all - some people on the Extra package will have no chance of using even 10GB a month. You pay extra if you think you're going to use more than 10GB a month: whether upgrading from Value or joining Plusnet for the first time.
Further more, if you upgrade to Extra then there are benefits in terms of download speeds - https://www.plus.net/support/broadband/speed_guide/download_speeds.shtml - so even if you did upgrade and didn't use the extra usage allowance then you would have still benefited elsewhere so they might be happy after all!

Quote from: jelv

Making changes on the billing date keeps it nice and clean. In any case, those of us who are aware just how fragile the Plusnet accounting system can be at times would say leave well alone. The offer to refund £5 if you go £15 over sounds a good compromise to me.

Well it's Plusnet's fault if their accounting system is fragile! I agree that the offer of a partial refund is better than nothing.