Questions re switching from BT to Plusnet

Hi,

My BT (phone/broadband) contract ends on September 24th and they've told me I need to give notice on August 24th that I'm leaving. I intend to do that, get a MAC code and switch to a Plusnet phone/fibre package. However, I'm concerned about the switchover date. Ideally I'd like it to happen on September 24th so that I don't end up overpaying BT. Am I able to arrange an activation date during the Plusnet signup process?

Also: There is a promotional discount of £7.49 off for the first 9 months, but I believe this expires at the beginning of September. Will I still be able to take advantage of this offer (assuming I'm able to sign up beforehand) if my activation date is September 24th?

Hello

I'd like it to happen on September 24th

I would choose a date a week or 10 days before, just in case of openreach problems; and yes you can choose an activation date on signup.

I believe this expires at the beginning of September

I am sure you will be able to take advantage of this discount....although it is bound to be replaced with something similar.

Ian

In reply to a post by ian007jen:

yes you can choose an activation date on signup.

But is not very firm and usually goes forward when PN applies to BTOR for real date.

@OP: With BB you usually can't avoid paying 2 ISPs for an overlapping period.

I think Migrate from BT to Plusnet will be one month contract rolling on but for discount offer it will be 18 months/24 months contract deal.

In reply to a post by adslmax:

I think Migrate from BT to Plusnet will be one month contract rolling on

No way, it will be an 18-month contract regardless.

Depends on what contract option user picks. The discounts point towards the longer contract terms

18 month contract is fine and what I want. It's more the expiry of the deal that's bothering me. I was hoping I'd be able to sign up on August 24th and choose an activation date of September 24th, but it sounds like it's not that simple.

Edited by deleted (Wed 13-Aug-14 22:14:30)

@OP: With BB you usually can't avoid paying 2 ISPs for an overlapping period.

Ah, OK. I was able to switch from BE to BT on a specific date, but I suppose it was more straightforward because BT already provided the phone service, and the product required (ADSL2+) was identical. No engineer visits were needed or anything like that.

I'll give Plusnet a call tomorrow and ask when they think it would be prudent to sign up if I want the service to be activated no later than 24th September.

No, it's just a matter of predicting the migration date when giving notice to losing ISP.

BTW: Your BT contract doesn't just end; it's just that the min. term expires.

Edited by XRaySpeX (Wed 13-Aug-14 23:06:53)

Deal wise sign up before expiry date and fine.

As for activation dates much more hit and mess better to have some overlap than no risk no service

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Depends on what contract option user picks. The discounts point towards the longer contract terms

I do not believe there are any current Plusnet fibre products that do not require an 18-month contract, nor have there ever been, to my knowledge.

May be wrong but there was at least one promo with a 12 month contract as part of the promotion, ie. PlusNet trying out an experiment to see if that boosted sales

It would be prudent to extract your MAC code from BT early. They can take longer than the legal maximum of 5 days.

I recently left BT for PlusNet (totally racked off with BT Business Local and wanted Annex M too). I signed up with PlusNet and then asked BT for a MAC code.

BT failed to supply my MAC code within 5 days, on day 6 I went away for a week and on my return extracted the code from BT by telephone and supplied it to PlusNet.

PlusNet set an activation date of by midnight 7 days on from my supplying the MAC code and soon shipped my router. BT ADSL had stopped working by that day (I had been away again), but PlusNet ADSL was only enabled during the telephone call I made to them around 18:00 the day after. I guess a glitch in the generation, handing over or (most likely) processing of BT's "customer migrated" message.

My trigger for moving was a letter from BT saying that due to their price increase they would not charge me for ending my contract early if I contacted them on a 0800 number between 1 and 31 July. When I phoned they made a really handsome retention offer.

My only major criticism of PlusNet so far is that as a Business user I am supposed to get fast telephone responses round the clock. When I called the Business help desk at about 04:00 on the day after supposed activation I waited at least 10 minutes for the call to be answered by Residential, who told me that they could do very little for Business users and I should call between 08:00 and 20:00 when Business were working. I have since whinged about this and was assured that Something Will Be Done. It probably will.

Thanks. I really appreciate this response. It makes a lot of things clear from a new registrant's perspective. It seems the best way to go is to give BT notice and request a MAC code at the same time then as soon as it arrives, sign up to Plusnet.

Time to completely forget about any overlap of service. The sooner it's all sorted out the better.

Don't forget to have a look on topcashback for the plusnet deal. Think the £105 cashback deal is still on.

I joined on the initial 40/2 that was the only product and that was an 18-month term.

The phone part of all [edit] residential [/edit] PN bundles used to be 12 months Andrew, but [edit] the FTTC ones [/edit] changed to 18 months. I think when the current products were introduced.

Edited by RobertoS (Thu 14-Aug-14 17:19:24)

Plusnet Residential broadband & phone are 18 months contract on FTTC 40/20 & 80/20 except ADSL2+ is 12 months contract
Plusnet Business broadband & phone are 24 months contract on ADSL2+ and FTTC 80/20 only

Edited by adslmax (Thu 14-Aug-14 15:30:22)

Thanks - I've edited my post.

Hi again. I thought I'd add to this thread with another question rather than create a new one:

I've just given BT my one month notice and requested a MAC code, and they surprised me by telling me I will be billed a £30 cessation fee. Is this correct? I was under the impression this didn't apply if you were switching to another provider with a MAC code after contract expiry.

It's only the 22nd, so you would be leaving still within term. Although you have paid for the full term, I wonder if that is the cause.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

It's only the 22nd, so you would be leaving still within term. Although you have paid for the full term, I wonder if that is the cause.

I just called them back because it didn't seem right. It seems you are right. That's exactly what happened and I have now managed to 'cancel the cancellation' so that it won't apply. Apparently if Plusnet take over the line before the 24th September (the contract end date), I will be liable for the £30 cessation fee. BT recommend waiting til 10 days or so before that date before giving notice and signing up to Plusnet to ensure it won't be charged.

I should have known someone would throw a spanner into the works. It seems giving notice to any phone or utility company comes with gotchas.

It could have been worse. Your giving notice before receiving the MAC has been known to trigger a Cease Order on the line. Which totally screws things!

A MAC cannot then be issued and no orders for a restart of the line can be placed for several days after the cease takes effect. The another wait before broadband can be ordered.

The only way out then is to cancel the Cease before it happens.