Plusnet Mobile - total shutdown

[#1]

I'm still going to switch my mums PN account to Lebara. I can't see the point in moving to EE for more money and less service, especially if you still need to change sims and port the number.  £2.29 A DAY to use your phone in the EU! 

[#2]

@Simon54 

"£2.29 A DAY to use your phone in the EU!"

All operators probably charge for use outside the UK, whether it is explicit like EE, or built in to their standard charges that all customers pay - whether they use the facility or not.

I have not been outside of the UK for something like 15 years, and nowdays have no intention of returning. I know quite a few people who think similarly. So this extra charge is irrelevant to me and many others.

"I can't see the point in moving to EE for more money and less service,"

Personally, I am paying the same £6 per month for 5GB data that I was paying Plusnet, but I have gained access to the extra network frequencies and WiFi Calling - both of which are important to me - so I'm very happy with the move.

[#3]

@Mr_Paul 

Well I don't know many people that don't go on holiday abroad at least once a year but appreciate not everyone does. That aside, the other operators (other than the main 4/5) do not charge for roaming just like none of them did before brexit. It's not built into any any standard charges at all - it's just included in the £5 a month like it was with the £6 Plusnet plan.

The Lebara sim I went for for instance is £5 for 5gb, unlimited minutes and texts with wifi calling and free eu roaming along with a further free 100 minutes international calls. So it's a £1 less than I was paying and what EE would be for more, as I said above.

Oh, and no CPI plus 4.7% increase or whatever it will be every March/April either (Y) 

[#4]

@Mr_Paul 

"All operators probably charge for use outside the UK, whether it is explicit like EE, or built in to their standard charges that all customers pay - whether they use the facility or not."

A lot don't charge for roaming in the EU but the number of "Europe Zone" countries varies by operator.

O2 for example have 48 countries which are free roaming including Switzerland and Monacco. Other third party like Lebara, Smarty etc. have around 37 countries included for free roaming in the EU and also include wi-fi calling.

EE defintiely no good for me due to lack of roaming and more expensive when you can get 15Gb for £7 with O2 via MSE sites.

[#5]

All mobile operators have to pay those operators in other countries when their customers use their phones abroad on each others networks - whether or not they pass that charge on to their customers, (at least they certainly used to). It was EU legislation that meant that it couldn't be passed on to customers as an explicit extra charge for Roaming after 2017.

Mobile phone operators in the UK previously had to absorb that cost into their regular charges previously, but now they can split it off. It has always been there, but for a while the mobile operators couldn't show it as an extra cost, but now they can - if they choose to. Some obviously choose to include it to tempt those customers it would affect, whilst other have it as an extras to keep their base price as low as possible.

Whichever way, mobile phone operators are not charities and will recoup those costs somehow.

So prior to the legislation changing / no longer being applicable since Brexit, it was spread across all customers - including those who never Roamed.

As I said before, I'm very happy with EE, (at the moment!). Although their coverage is poor inside my home, (hence my desire for WiFi Calling), they and O2 both have the best coverage across my home city. The rest of my family are on O2, so to maintain network diversity, (and best coverage), I need to be on EE or one of their MVNO's.

[#6]

@Mr_Paul 

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@Mr_Paul wrote:

Whichever way, mobile phone operators are not charities and will recoup those costs somehow.

I'm really not sure what you are getting at? The plan is £5 a month. They are not recouping any charges they may have from me or anyone else on similar plans. They can't make a one off charge, the roaming is included. They only do fixed price sim plans, they don't have broadband/landline etc, there is nowhere they can recoup this roaming charge you talk about. 

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[#7]

@Simon54 

"I'm really not sure what you are getting at? The plan is £5 a month. They are not recouping any charges they may have from me or anyone else on similar plans. They can't make a one off charge, the roaming is included. They only do fixed price sim plans, they don't have broadband/landline etc, there is nowhere they can recoup this roaming charge you talk about."

If roaming, (or any feature), is included in a plan, then those customers who never use it are likely to be subsidising those who do.

Do you pay for ITV television? Not directly, but the advertisers that do, factor those costs into the price of their products.

It's how business works - no such thing as a free lunch.

[#8]

@Mr_Paul 

If that's the case then those EE customers like yourself that don't use it could subsidise it for other EE customers that do use it! Can you not see the difference here? 

I am comparing like for like, roaming is a free lunch with Lebara (and many others), it's not with EE. 

Have a good evening.

[#9]

@Simon54 

"If that's the case then those EE customers like yourself that don't use it could subsidise it for other EE customers that do use it! "

I thought that EE were charging extra for Roaming - which was your point in the first place?

If so, how am I subsidising others by not using the facility, (and not paying extra for it)?

[#10]

@Mr_Paul 

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@Mr_Paul wrote:

@Simon54 

"If that's the case then those EE customers like yourself that don't use it could subsidise it for other EE customers that do use it! "

I thought that EE were charging extra for Roaming - which was your point in the first place?

If so, how am I subsidising others by not using the facility, (and not paying extra for it)?

Err, no - that is not what I said. I said roaming was free with Lebara for less money than EE. You said those that don't use it are subsidising the others that are.

EE do charge for it but by your reasoning it could be included in the £6 you are paying but is not. I really can't be bothered going around in these circles any more. If EE suits you that is great. 

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[#11]

Further update from me...I've been in a couple of places today where my old plusnet sim had no coverage (Starbucks & Morrisons where I live) 

The Lebara sim had no issues at all so another positive. Although I guess I may find it won't work somewhere the plusnet one did  

[#12]

Where is everyone moving to?

I'd like some suggestions after some pretty nasty experiences with Giffgaff and Smarty (the latter I just moved to and want to immediately jump ship from). I'm interested to know what other providers people are choosing to replace Plusnet Mobile.

[#13]

@xswitchback 

Had 2 phones with Lebara for over a week and no issues whatsoever. 

[#14]

@xswitchback 

I moved to EE on one of their "Special Offers", in early May.

I'm very happy with them, (so far!), though I don't think you will qualify for the "Special Offers" if you are moving to them from a third party?

You could always try telling them a sob story I suppose, (about your issues with Smarty), and they might offer you something less than their standard prices, (if you are interested)?

[#15]

Like Simon54 I left PN and joined Lebara via a special deal with USwitch and found it excellent Lebara use Vodafone and find the signal better than EE and no stupid price rises every March 

If you wish to keep the EE signal 1p Mobile and RWG mobile are worth a look

Lyca Mobile have just changed to EE so may be worth a look

My back up/spare phone is with a PAYG deal with RWG and after problems porting the number all is now OK they blamed EE for the problem