End of PlusNet Business...

So PlusNet are closing their business services - and surprise surprise, sending their clients to BT...

Just been told that there is no migration to residential accounts - new accounts must be setup to stay with PlusNet, no transfer of existing referrals and no option to retain static IP blocks.

Obviously there is going to be significant disruption caused by this, I have many business clients that will be impacted.

Are there any other decent ISPs that offer referrals or commission for new business clients and have reasonable UK based tech support?

There is no way I am passing my clients off to BT when I have to talk to their "support"

Structured Communications are pretty good. Not sure if they have a referral scheme or anything, but their support is UK based and they've always been excellent at getting things fixed.

For UK-based support I'd be looking at Cerberus, Aquiss etc. Worth paying extra *not* to be with BT

For referrals: there's UW's pyramid marketing scheme (yuk). Otherwise, you could become a "reseller partner" for some other ISP - say Talktalk Business, and get some kick-back on your sales. I'd imagine this wouldn't be worth it unless you have at least 50 customers, and probably more. Also, you might become responsible for handling first-line enquiries and trouble tickets. (On the plus side, you'd likely gain an escalation path higher up into the ISP)

Speak to Blizzard Telecom they offer monthly commission.

Thanks
Dan

Zen have an affiliate scheme, assuming this isn't an old link

https://partner.zen.co.uk/affiliateapplicationform.aspx

Gamma also have a sales partner scheme

https://www.gamma.co.uk/partners/dealer-partners/

For those who migrate to BT do they keep their existing IP block or have to get assigned a new one?

In reply to a post by TechGuyUK:

Just been told that there is no migration to residential accounts - new accounts must be setup to stay with PlusNet, no transfer of existing referrals and no option to retain static IP blocks.

Of course - because Plusnet will stop existing soon and residential will be moved to EE.

So there's no point transferring you twice... plus they want the extra coin from you on business.

You will get a new one. Changing IP really shouldn't be a huge obstacle as long as you have a bit of notice.

What is wrong with BT Business Tech support - it is way better than PNs. Have you ever spoken to them in detail? Or at 3:00AM ?

I am both a business and residential customer of Plusnet.

Residential since 2002, my first and, so far, only boradband ISP. I'll be sad when they finally close down as I'm getting almost free broadband due to referrals. My email and domains are with Ionos (was 1&1) so no problem there.

Business as treasurer of a charity (becg.org.uk - look us up, you may be amused) where we decided that it offered the best deal for a basic "connection only" service. All our domains, email etc are with Mythic Beasts who are not an ISP. We're not yet using our static IP but we may want it in future.

I suppose we'll do our research and move when the time comes, which will be towards the end of 2023 when our contract expires.
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In reply to a post by therioman:

... because Plusnet will stop existing soon and residential will be moved to EE.

Just out of morbid curiosity ... is that official and/or insider info ... or just very much the same expectation as I've been having for quite some time ?

I've been 'concerned' about Ye Olde email, webspace and other historic stuff various officially getting dumped for a very long time now. However, TBH it's become more like paranoia in recent times along with the added 'concern' of the plug being pulled on F9/PN in general rather than just on the historic services !

Sad as it may be after some 25 years going back all the way to a back room at Choice Peripherals in Worksop, I cannot help feel that the end is very much nigh in pretty much all respects now So much so that I've been actively making arrangements accordingly in order to hopefully avoid any "plug being pulled with almost zero notice" issues causing me immediate and significant problems at any point in the future.

If the plug is going to get pulled (as I strongly suspect that it is and sooner rather than later) then it's obviously very much in my interests to be doing the pulling rather than waiting for BT/PN to do it for me

In reply to a post by ambrougham:

Just out of morbid curiosity ... is that official and/or insider info

See this article

Thanks. I hadn't read that particular report. However, it does at least sort of suggest PN continuing into the future. What's ramped up my paranoia more recently has been the apparent "review" being conducted into the provision of PN email etc. in the future and, even more so, the published comments from BT CEO Marc Allera stating that the future of the entire PN business/brand is actually under review.

TBH, when I saw this thread pop up, I was definitely kinda expecting to find that the BT "review" had concluded and determined PN in general is finished, not just the business services aspect.

Edited by ambrougham (Tue 20-Dec-22 12:31:07)

When my charity signed up to Plusnet business just over a year ago I was amazed that they still bundled web space and email in the package. It hadn't been available for new retail customers for many years. Of course we've never used PN web and email. Just as I no longer use mine.

I don't know how much it costs PN to maintain legacy email and web space but surely it's something they could give a few months notice and abolish.

For what it's worth, I have just taken a two-year contract with Plusnet for a few pence less than I've been paying over last 18-month one. As usual their accounts software screwed up their crazy discount structure but the cheery staff will sort it out over the next bill or two, it's a regular occurrence.

Fantastic value for money, not a minute's downtime in eight years, currently FTTC with steady 37MB over 300m copper from the cabinet.

In reply to a post by therioman:

In reply to a post by TechGuyUK:

Just been told that there is no migration to residential accounts - new accounts must be setup to stay with PlusNet, no transfer of existing referrals and no option to retain static IP blocks.

Of course - because Plusnet will stop existing soon and residential will be moved to EE.

So there's no point transferring you twice... plus they want the extra coin from you on business.

Seems inevitable, I cannot think otherwise why they would be doing this.

In reply to a post by ambrougham:

In reply to a post by therioman:

... because Plusnet will stop existing soon and residential will be moved to EE.

Just out of morbid curiosity ... is that official and/or insider info ... or just very much the same expectation as I've been having for quite some time ?

It's reasonably well known - will get announced properly and formalised soon, but unless there is some last minute change to the strategy, it'll be bye bye Plusnet soon.

Your line must take a longer route than 300m because that's a low sync at that distance.

In reply to a post by jpm:

Your line must take a longer route than 300m because that's a low sync at that distance.

Perhaps they've only got a 40/10 subscription?

In reply to a post by therioman:

In reply to a post by jpm:

Your line must take a longer route than 300m because that's a low sync at that distance.

Perhaps they've only got a 40/10 subscription?

I assume so, I get 80 meg at 450m.

Yes, we have 40/10 which is ample for our needs. I should add that Plusnet email is available, but it's so clunky that we have never used it -- the hassle trying to set it up was enough. Not complaining, you get what you pay for.