Queries about PN's phone prior considering it please!!

I'm currently an O2 broadband user with BT landline! Their current PN's offer for "unlimited" Fibre BB with their phone package looks very attractive to be ignored. However, apart from the18-months contracting issues after signing , would I be able to:

1) keep my existing BT's phone number if I choose to apply on-line?

2) switch my PN phone line to other Broadband ISPs who require only BT phone line instead? Is there any penalty involved such as needing a NEW BT's line would cost me addition BT phone line charges etc?

3) what is the "quality" of PN's phone line compared to BT's, including their Customer Services?? I know that BT's one is currently in India with "bad" reputation.

3) Is PN's phone line rental is cheaper than BT as well??

Thanks for your comments

Another thing to consider is if you take PN Phone you save £50 for fibre installation.

In reply to a post by OCdragon:

1) keep my existing BT's phone number if I choose to apply on-line?

Yes.

2) switch my PN phone line to other Broadband ISPs who require only BT phone line instead? Is there any penalty involved such as needing a NEW BT's line would cost me addition BT phone line charges etc?

You could switch the phone line away from Plusnet after fulfilling any contractual obligations. Why would you need a new line?

3) what is the "quality" of PN's phone line compared to BT's, including their Customer Services?? I know that BT's one is currently in India with "bad" reputation.

The "quality" of the phone line is identical - it's the same kit! You would only have to deal with Sheffield, which is an advantage in my book, but ultimately Plusnet is at the mercy of Openreach to actually get any problems fixed, same as any other provider that uses BT Wholesale services.

3) Is PN's phone line rental is cheaper than BT as well??

A bit, but there's not a lot in it. You need to compare the full package deal, inclusive calls, call charges, etc. You can save by paying 12 months up front but I think BT offers this as well.

Edited by kasg (Tue 01-Jan-13 12:24:49)

In reply to a post by OCdragon:

... would I be able to:
...
2) switch my PN phone line to other Broadband ISPs who require only BT phone line instead?

In the context of ISPs requiring "a BT line", that refers to a BT Openreach WLR (Wholesale Line Rental) line. So no problem.

I don't know if it is still the case, but in the past, although you could not get a PN line renatl without their broadband, if you subsequently migrated the broadband away you could keep the Plusnet line rental. Which, as I tried to explain above, would still count as "a BT line".

Yes, that is one of the major factors of considering the PN's phone package including unlimited Fibre Broadband.

Thank you, Robert!!
That means after completion of my "Contract" with PN, I could keep my PN's phone line with PN while I may migrate my Broadband to another ISPs who require a "BT phone line" in the future??

One difference: if your phone line is faulty BT will give a free diversion of incoming calls to a mobile. Plusnet will do the divert but charge for the cost of the calls.

Thank you for the info.. Is there any PN's specific phone-calls charges which are currently being supplied FREE for BT that I may need to consider?? Such as "auto-answers" , "Last No. called" etc???

Thanks

In reply to a post by OCdragon:

That means after completion of my "Contract" with PN, I could keep my PN's phone line with PN while I may migrate my Broadband to another ISPs who require a "BT phone line" in the future??

It means maybe . As I said, I don't know if PN still let you keep you phone line with them if you migrate the broadband away. They used to but you would be wise to check.

If they still do, then yes it counts as a "BT phone line" for other ISPs.

Thanks

You can get caller id free from BT but not Plusnet.

Plusnet's packages include Voicemail (basic 1571), 1471 (Last Caller) and 141 (Withheld Number) only.

In reply to a post by kasg:

In reply to a post by OCdragon:

3) Is PN's phone line rental is cheaper than BT as well??

A bit, but there's not a lot in it. You need to compare the full package deal, inclusive calls, call charges, etc. You can save by paying 12 months up front but I think BT offers this as well.

Doesn't PN's Line Rental include, 'Free' Evening and Weekend calls, whilst that's a chargable bolt on with BT ?

In reply to a post by broadbandjockey:

Doesn't PN's Line Rental include, 'Free' Evening and Weekend calls, whilst that's a chargable bolt on with BT ?

Yes, to 01, 02, 03, 0845 and 0870 numbers (though don't rely on 0845 and 0870 continuing - I expect that most providers currently offering this will cease during the course of this year). I have read various comments about BT's inclusive deals, you would have to check.

In reply to a post by kasg:

In reply to a post by broadbandjockey:

Doesn't PN's Line Rental include, 'Free' Evening and Weekend calls, whilst that's a chargable bolt on with BT ?

Yes, to 01, 02, 03, 0845 and 0870 numbers (though don't rely on 0845 and 0870 continuing - I expect that most providers currently offering this will cease during the course of this year). I have read various comments about BT's inclusive deals, you would have to check.

Don't forget, www.saynoto8070.com is also your friend

In reply to a post by broadbandjockey:

Doesn't PN's Line Rental include, 'Free' Evening and Weekend calls, whilst that's a chargable bolt on with BT ?

BT customers can/could also get 'Free' Evening and Weekend calls - we certainly do for no charge.

In reply to a post by kasg:

Yes, to 01, 02, 03, 0845 and 0870 numbers (though don't rely on 0845 and 0870 continuing - I expect that most providers currently offering this will cease during the course of this year). I have read various comments about BT's inclusive deals, you would have to check.

Do you have any more informatio/sources about the 0845 and 0870 numbers not being included in future? It would certainly surprise me if this turns out to be the case.. in fact I expect the inclusive deals to be gradually extended to include mobiles (an extension of BT's Unlimited Anytime Plan Plus tariff) as interconnect fees come down..

If like me you use BT Call Sign for a second number you are stuck with them. It has saved me a lot of money on second line but has effectively locked me into BT for life

I don't need Caller ID as my current phone won't support it! However I do use 1471, 1571 as you have mentioned! I think that is enough for me provided PN provides Free for those.

Thanks

In reply to a post by gt94sss2:

Do you have any more informatio/sources about the 0845 and 0870 numbers not being included in future? It would certainly surprise me if this turns out to be the case.. in fact I expect the inclusive deals to be gradually extended to include mobiles (an extension of BT's Unlimited Anytime Plan Plus tariff) as interconnect fees come down..

It's a bit of a long story, but essentially the only reason 0845 and 0870 started being included in packages is because a few years ago Ofcom removed revenue sharing from 0870 and were expected to remove it from 0845 but never did, probably because events were overtaken by the introduction of 03 numbers. Meanwhile, many service providers pre-emptively included both 0845 and 0870 in their call packages, though some only included 0870. If Ofcom's current plans come to fruition, all 08 numbers, including 0870, will be treated the same way again, with a separate service charge and access charge which will have to be declared. There is no way that all 08 numbers will be included in packages so it will become increasingly illogical for 0845 and 0870 to be included. Some reading here.

Mobiles are a separate issue and I agree with you that land-line packages that include calls to mobile phones are likely to become more commonplace.

In reply to a post by gt94sss2:

BT customers can/could also get 'Free' Evening and Weekend calls - we certainly do for no charge.

Just to clarify this, BT's standard line rental includes weekend calls only. Evenings and weekends is an extra £3.30 a month and any time an extra £5.15 a month. That is not to say that customers will not have been able to obtain a better deal, I am just quoting from the BT web site.

When I moved the line rental away from BT they tried to offer free evening & weekend calls at the price of just line rental if I agreed to a new 18 month contract.
I continued moving away

In reply to a post by Uilebheist:

I continued moving away

How long until you reach Mars?

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

How long until you reach Mars?

Not sure I'm heading that way. I though to head towards Mercury but it appears it no longer exists.
Why do I get the faint impression that this is straying from the topic of the thread?

In reply to a post by Uilebheist:

Why do I get the faint impression that this is straying from the topic of the thread?

ET phone home?