Discussions on changes to Terms and Conditions

[#1]

As posted here http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,79219
Summary from website http://www.plus.net/support/customer_service/using/terms_update_sept09.shtml?WT.mc_id=ec_int_200909p...

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We've recently emailed you to tell you about some changes to your Plusnet services. Ofcom, the industry regulator, has issued a ruling about call charges which states that 0870 numbers should be charged at the same rate as calls to geographic numbers (that's numbers starting 01, 02 and 03). At Plusnet, we're going one step further and we'll be adding 0845 and 0870 calls to your inclusive call time. For Talk Anytime customers this means you'll get 0845 and 0870 calls included at no extra charge (subject to a maximum call duration of 60 minutes, just like your other inclusive calls). For Talk Evenings & Weekends customers you'll get 0845 and 0870 calls included after 6pm on weekdays and all weekend. For customers on older phone products we'll be including 0870 calls, but 0845 will continue to be chargeable calls. Find out more about our updated Home Phone products For calls which are made outside your inclusive minutes we're changing the set-up fee from 8p to 9p per call. All local, national, international, 0870 and 0845 calls which are included in your anytime or evening and weekend calling plan will not incur any set-up fee. Ofcom has also issued guidance to broadband providers to simplify additional charges that are sometimes raised to customers. As a result we are making some changes to our customer notice and commitment periods. Firstly, we're reducing the notice required to end our service to 10 days for broadband and phone. This is currently 30 days. Previously we had 18 month contracts on our 'Value' and 'Unlimited' products which meant that if you left before the 18 month contract ended, you would have been liable to pay an early termination charge which was calculated as any outstanding subscription charges until the contract end date We have now changed our cancellation policy so that if you leave Plusnet in your first 12 months after receiving a free set-up, router or house move, we'll charge you for these. If you remain with Plusnet for 12 months after receiving a free set-up, router or house move these charges will be waived. You can also choose to pay for any of these up front if you want more flexibility. Back in October last year we introduced a cessation charge which was passed onto us by our suppliers. This charge is only payable if you completely cease your broadband service without using a recognised migration access process - so in most cases this doesn't need to be paid, as people tend to use a MAC to migrate to another broadband supplier. Due to supplier price increases in May, we now need to increase this fee, so it's changing from £20 to £25.

[#2]

That doesn't seem right to me, Ofcom are saying "drop the prices" so PN increase the price by a penny? 

[#3]

The big change for me is the apparent end of the 18 month and 12 month contracts for users transferring from the older products without taking the router or a free house move

[#4]

Not quite the same thing.
The setup fee is the cost to setup a call that isn't during your inclusive minutes.  We've made 0845/0870 calls free during your inclusive minutes, which won't cost you to call those numbers.

[#5]

I'm mightily confused by the broadband contract changes. For example, take FAQ number 9:

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9. I've just signed up for free hardware and activation on an 18 month contract, how am I affected? You have the option to pay upfront for your set-up (£30) and router (£20 for a wired router and £40 for a wireless router) and leave without penalty or if you stay with us for a year from when you receive these we'll waive the cost of them.

That to me says that if someone were to pay up-front for their initial costs, and then wanted to leave after a few months, they wouldn't have to pay Plusnet anything ('no penalty'), such as for the remaining months' service. But when I look at the page for Plusnet's residential broadband products, it still says that Value and Unlimited are sold on an 18-month contract basis. Now, a contract isn't really a contract if it can be waived without penalty. So what's the situation?

[#6]

Considering this should have happen on the 1st August are they any refunds being offered?
What are the 0845 and 0870 charges for users on PN VoIP service? Can we assume that these are inclusive?

[#7]

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1. When will these changes happen? All of these changes will be effective from 22nd October 2009.

[#8]

I am an Anytime customer and am happy to see 0845/0870 numbers added to this now, it was sometimes a bind to try and get a geographical number off www.saynoto0870.com to use, wont have to do that now.
Thanks PN.
SW.

[#9]

Ah-ha, thanks Jim, of course. In that case this is very exciting news indeed - no more painful contracts for anyone who doesn't want them, excellent. I am intrigued though how/why this has come about because of 'Ofcom guidelines' - i.e. how voluntary this move is.

[#10]

Quote from: Oldjim

The big change for me is the apparent end of the 18 month and 12 month contracts for users transferring from the older products without taking the router or a free house move

I read it as the end of 12 and 18 month contracts for everyone.

[#11]

My account still say

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PlusNet Broadband Your Way Option 1 (Annual Contract)

Do this need changing?

[#12]

Quote from: Be3G

That to me says that if someone were to pay up-front for their initial costs, and then wanted to leave after a few months, they wouldn't have to pay Plusnet anything ('no penalty'), such as for the remaining months' service. But when I look at the page for Plusnet's residential broadband products, it still says that Value and Unlimited are sold on an 18-month contract basis. Now, a contract isn't really a contract if it can be waived without penalty. So what's the situation?

If you pay upfront for setup and hardware you're no longer within any contract, so can leave with 10 days notice. The website will be updated shortly.

[#13]

Quote from: itsme

My account still say Quote PlusNet Broadband Your Way Option 1 (Annual Contract) Do this need changing?

Nope, any fees applicable will depend on when you signed up, but all changes required for charging etc will be made in our backend systems. Your product name will not be changed, and will always be whatever you signed upto, unless you go through the account change process.

[#14]

I'm confussed so only new sign ups to Value and Unlimited will not be held to a 12/18 month contract and Users that moved across will be?
I was on a monthly contract and took up an offer last December to move to BBYW1 with 10gB allowance. So are you saying that I'm to be hold to this 12 month contact but users that moved to Value and Unlimited in January/February will not be held to the 12/18 month contract?

[#15]

This is great news. Can we have clarification on the Broadband Phone changes though.

Quote from: itsme

What are the 0845 and 0870 charges for users on PN VoIP service? Can we assume that these are inclusive?

Thanks - Bob