Plusnet - the final stupidities

[#1]

Used to be a great company but no more: First I had to move my email provider to avoid the Greenby train wreck. Now I'm told that I can be "moved" to EE with a broadband connection and VoIP phone, but loose my static IP. Or I can remain with Plusnet and keep the static IP, but without phone. It says that I can terminate the contract at no cost because of the loss of static IP.

So I call the "Support" number and ask if I can just port the phone number to another provider and stay with Plusnet. Get told that Plusnet would immediately cancel the contract and charge me a termination fee for the privilege. Is that right? You are going to drop the phone line anyway, but won't let me port the number without throwing your toys out of the pram?

After a couple of calls to "Support" I realize that you can't get any sense out of them. And the story changes each time. So, I ask "Support" to raise a complaint ticket so that there is a written audit trail (they did away with "Chat" support a while ago, although one of the "Support" folks tried to tell me otherwise - until I told him go check). Eventually, after a lot of persistence on my part and a lot of wasted time, I get a ticket raised. And add the details of my complaint and the resolution I'm after, as follows:

either:
(a) Plusnet allow me to port the landline number but keep existing broadband and static IP up to end of contract. I will decide at the end of contract whether to renew with Plusnet or move to another provider.
or:
(b) I port both landline number and broadband to another provider. Plusnet allow this and do nothing that would inhibit it. Plusnet also refund me the entire balance of the account without any termination fee.

In view of the short timescale (imposed by Plusnet) if I do not receive a satisfactory resolution before Monday 5th October I will initiate option (b). In that case I require that Plusnet do nothing to impede this and to refund me the entire balance of the account without any termination fee.

What does Plusnet do? "We are closing this ticket as we are no longer able to support queries raised online. Please call us on 0330 123 9123 and we will be able to support you further." Humm - that'll be the support number that you can't get any sense from and it will be able to "support" me further than the closing-ticket-no-support-at-all "support"? I don't think so. And YOU, Plusnet raised the ticket - why do that if you can't support it? Doh!

So next week I think sees me porting the number and the broadband and then probably a complaint to Ofcom when (as seems likely) Plusnet manage to sabotage this in some way and/or refuse to refund my money.

[#2]

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@LSAS wrote:

...  It says that I can terminate the contract at no cost because of the loss of static IP.

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If you have this in writing then I fail to understand your problem. If your account is in credit then providing you leave your current payment method in place this will be refunded when the account is finally closed, which will be a few weeks after leaving.

[#3]

@LSAS 

You should be able to stay with PN and move your landline to a VOIP provider.

What you need to do is change your account to either SOGEA (FTTC without the phone service or Full Fibre if it's available and you want it). This will involve a new contract. Once it it confirmed you have moved then you port the number.

You CANNOT port the number prior to this move.

You can look at the following to see what's available to you or phone the PlusNet Customer Options Team on 0800 013 2632

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL

Your Static IP is tied to your account, not your contract or the product your on.

Brian

[#4]

To explain this

So I call the "Support" number and ask if I can just port the phone number to another provider and stay with Plusnet. Get told that Plusnet would immediately cancel the contract and charge me a termination fee for the privilege. Is that right? You are going to drop the phone line anyway, but won't let me port the number without throwing your toys out of the pram?

Currently , your broadband and phone contract is based on the phone number as the 'primary Openreach asset'. If the phone number is ported it ceases the primary asset and thus closes the account. 

You can change your product to a broadband only (SoGEA or FTTP) product which will disassociate the broadband from the phone and just cease the phone. You can then port the phone number to voip within 30 days. Note that the change would involve a new contract but would retain your static IP

[#5]

Note EE Digital Voice and VoIP are not the same.

EE Digital Voice is delivered via the EE Hub only i.e. you will not get SIP Credentials or SIP Server details.

VoIP has greater complexity to set up but offers complete flexibility of ISP, location & type of device used.

[#6]

The answers 2 and 3 and 4 above are correct. Read them carefully, because they’re coming from slightly different points. Decide whether you’re pursuing your proposed options a or b.

[edited to include answer 4 (which appeared while I was typing) and the helpful answer 5.]

[#7]

"This will involve a new contract. Once it it confirmed you have moved then you port the number"

That's basically a ransom demand - you can't port your number unless you sign up to a new contract. And I probably don't want a new contract with such a stupid company anyway. In any case, I'd prefer to let the existing deal run and chose at the end.

And I don't want to (yet again) call "PlusNet Customer Options Team on 0800 013 2632" because you cannot rely on what they say (that's when you are not on hold, listening to loud and unpleasant "music").

BTW: "SOGEA" is what I already had but with landline cut off (and I know that the broadband already works without a landline following a landline fault a couple of months ago)

[#8]

@LSAS 

Can you confirm whether you broadband is ADSL or FTTC ? - as the outcomes are different.

Assuming that your broadband is FTTC then -

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@LSAS wrote:

... I call the "Support" number and ask if I can just port the phone number to another provider and stay with Plusnet. Get told that Plusnet would immediately cancel the contract and charge me a termination fee for the privilege. Is that right?

Yes that is technically correct (by omission).  If YOU unilaterally port your phone number away to another provider while your broadband is FTTC then doing that will close your Plusnet account.

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@LSAS wrote:

... Or I can remain with Plusnet and keep the static IP, but without phone

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Yes, you can do that, BUT when your account account is confirmed to have had the phone service removed, the phone number is held 'in quarantine' for 30 days, and within that time period you can port your phone number to a third party VoIP provider.

If you want to stay with Plusnet and keep your static IP and your phone number (ported to VoIP) -

1. In your Member Centre, 'upgrade' your broadband from FTTC to SoGEA (FTTC without phone) or FTTP.
2. Wait until you get email confirmation from Plusnet that the 'upgrade' has completed.
3. Then 'port' your phone number to a third party VoIP provider.

Or take everything and move to an ISP that values their customers, and isn't in a self inflicted death spiral !.

EDIT: my typing was too slow, and most of these points already got answered !.

[#9]

If you already have SOGEA, why did you not port your number at that point? If it was more than 30 days ago, it is lost anyway.

[#10]

@LSAS 

Are you sure you have SoGEA?

Just because your broadband kept working when the phone was not, does not mean you are on SoGEA.  Your services infrastructure has three network components...

1. Copper d-side connection from the cabinet to the house - carries voice and VDSL (broadband signal)
2. Copper e-side connection between the cabinet and the exchange
3. Fibre to the cabinet connection from the exchange

A failure of (2) will 'cut off' the telephone with zero impact on FTTC broadband.

A part-failure of (1) [single leg disconnect] will 'cut off' the telephone whilst potentially leaving FTTC broadband operating in a degraded manner, which can pass unnoticed.

If you truly have SoGEA - then this whole discussion is utterly nugatory.  However, given you have been in discussion with PN over porting the number away you MUST still be on FTTC.

[#11]

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@Townman wrote:

@LSAS 

Are you sure you have SoGEA?

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@LSAS  should be able to check this by looking at what the broadband account is called in the Member Centre

• "Unlimited Fibre" = 40/10 FTTC
• "Unlimited Fibre Extra" = 80/20 FTTC
• "Fibre" = 80/20 SoGEA