Plusnet renewal

My broadband is up for renewal after 18 month contract. Currently just broadband paying £19.99 a month and asked about moving to the fibre option, which they offered £23.99 and wouldn't price match Vodafone £21.95, apparently they were a few weeks ago but dont now.

Anyone else had luck with getting them to come down in price?

What is the switch notice to go from Plusnet to Vodaphone?

Thanks!

You need to call and speak to the Retentions department, not Sales or Support, and tell them you are thinking of moving and why.

All migrations are mandated by Ofcom as 10 days. Do not give notice of migration! That is handled automatically by the current Ofcom compulsory system, and triggered when you place an order with your chosen new provider. But don't order a migration while still in your minimum term contract, even in the last ten days.

Even using the words like Cease or Leave when talking to staff can screw things up, with a cease being put on line, broadband or both. That preventing the migration. You can end up in deep shtuck!

In the past, when I've been 'negotiating' I have even found that a second call the day after improved what was on offer. It has been said that the agents only have a limited allowance each of reductions and it could be you got one who is running short, don't know to what extent there's any truth in it.

I was out of contract and wanted to upgrade to fibre. Their bottom line for me was £22.49 for a TWO YEAR contract (which would have spanned three inflation-busting automatic increases).

NOW were offering £22 for 12 months, with free anytime calls. PN couldn't/wouldn't match - not even without the calls.

So I initiated a switch to NOW - and fibre. Unfortunately, NOW accepted the order and triggered a cease with Plusnet before discovering there is no capacity at the cabinet.

Plusnet wouldn't lift the cease unless I took a new 18-month contract - for my crummy 2Mb ADSL. They had me over a barrel, because I couldn't get fibre full stop, so my choices were to live with what I have or risk being disconnected at the end of the month.

To add insult to injury, they are charging for the ADSL the £22.49 that was previously their price for fibre. For several weeks the ADSL price had shown as between £18 and £19. Now it has become apparent I couldn't switch to fibre with PN or anybody else, the price for ADSL has risen.

I've been with PN over 20 years, all told, so one of their most loyal customers. Far from being rewarded, I feel punished that I even tried to move - and for the unfortunate circumstance that an upgrade isn't currently available - so they'll fleece me for the only product I can get.

I feel really sorry it has got like this. I still remember the golden age when they minded if you weren't happy, and somebody you knew by name would sort it out.

In reply to a post by TLM:

So I initiated a switch to NOW - and fibre. Unfortunately, NOW accepted the order and triggered a cease with Plusnet before discovering there is no capacity at the cabinet.

Surely they should have checked that first.

I agree, but having researched it since, articles (including on this site) suggest it's common that this is the first and only inkling the customer has of any problem - it's not exclusive to NOW.

I will give it a try again with the retention department. So don't switch until the contract has come to an end is the message?

Edited by clearcl (Thu 17-Jun-21 13:16:50)

Definitely don't switch until you're out of contract, as that will be a breach of your contract, and entitle them to levy a cancellation charge. That's the reason they have fixed-term contracts; to stop you leaving prematurely, or at least make it costly if you do.

Oddly though it should be possible to initiate the switch within the last 10 days as you won't move until after the contract is finished. But, some suppliers understand this and some don't. I had arguments with a previous mobile company who I said I was giving 30 days notice to less than 30 days before the end of the contract and they wanted to charge me a penalty - but they require 30 days notice so in essence your contract is with them for the initial minimum term plus the required notice period.

In reply to a post by TLM:

Definitely don't switch until you're out of contract, as that will be a breach of your contract, and entitle them to levy a cancellation charge. That's the reason they have fixed-term contracts; to stop you leaving prematurely, or at least make it costly if you do.

The Vodaphone website gives an option on the day you want to switch, so if its passed the contract date it should be ok?