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No, I'm just standing by what I already stated.

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Which, taking you back to the post I objected to seems to be this.

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Many of them are probably poor pensioners who can barely hold 5p pieces in their cold, frail hands but are still paying plus net over the odds because someone who recommended plus net, and got them signed up, hasn't bothered or hasn't remembered to tell them to switch products to the more competitively priced alternatives. Maybe that's because they are too busy counting their referral payments.

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A great many will see this as an attempt to gain sympathy for your arguments by attempting to paint a picture of an elderly arthritic pensioner being ripped off by someone who has put them with PlusNet for their own financial gain.

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You seem to be in denial that there are many vulnerable groups in society, including a significant number of pensioners, who aren't as up to speed with some things as you might be. These people do not deserve to be characterised as "fools" on this board simply because they don't shop around for a broadband connection on a regular basis.

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I have to say ...cannot you be a tad more condescending to the aged.. The "not up to speed" bit was good but you can do better. Be warned a lot of silver surfers on this BBS, they don't take prisoners.

Interesting you suggest that people are being "characterised as "fools" on this board" that is an implication that you have drawn as there is no direct accusation that I have read.

You don't think perhaps people who have requested to opt out of marketing but who get it anyway (its good for them see) would be being treated like fools.

A semi serious point about vulnerable people. You help them by empowering them and not getting them to rely on others. The more they rely on others the more any skills they have atrophy and the person providing the "help" has the power.

Been there done that, give the individual the power not the organisation.

One of the many reasons that I left Pn was because I had been left on a legacy product that I had had for several years, it carried, a large download, sort of 18GB and I used 0.5GB a month, but when i signed up for the product it was the only product. I had no idea how much usage I had and did not realise that a massive amount of surfing cost little bandwidth, so I assumed I was on the right product. When I did seriously check, I thought that PN should have taken some initiative to tell longstanding customers that times had changed and that the old product may not suit them.....and I had not opted out of receiving information.

I felt a bit like being a hustle. But I guess many companies do similar things, just sad that PN have not changed in some respects and have not chosen the more moral business practices instead those of Arthur Daley type companies.

What he doesn't seem to realise is that his silly post said more about himself than the point he was trying to make. His frantic digging of the hole he is in has only made things worse!

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Interesting you suggest that people are being "characterised as "fools" on this board" that is an implication that you have drawn as there is no direct accusation that I have read.

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I'll plump for this one. If you don't review your finances on a regular basis then you most certainly are foolish. If you do, then you are likely Foolish too. If a business buys a service they should review it on a yearly basis to check they're getting what they want from the service. The same applies to home users too. I think a six montly/yearly check for an ISP is quite prudent given the stability in the wholesale market.

Apply the same logic to the energy market. I moved back to BG 15 months ago (they were the cheapest at the time) and in fifteen months they've had five different online energy tariffs. The speed of migration in the energy market is around one to two months. No sooner have you received a bill on a new tariff then you've got to migrate to another tariff because its better value. Its utter madness. The energy market is a minefield even for the switched on.

And don't think about moving money out of that ISA until you've read the small print. You'll likely lose half your yearly interest.

TT

I never said anyone was stupid but we can all be foolish if we rely on a company to do the right thing by us as sometimes they won't. I sent my gran a link to your post, I'm afraid the censor thingy will stop me writing what she said about you, the poor pensioner has spoken!

Jelv,

Your characterisation of these unfortuntates as "lazy" (in the other thread) says plenty about your attitude towards those in our communities who, for whatever reason, are unable to keep on top of PN's latest product redesigns. Your lack of compassion for these people is startling.

"A great many will see this as an attempt to gain sympathy for your arguments by attempting to paint a picture of an elderly arthritic pensioner being ripped off by someone who has put them with PlusNet for their own financial gain. "

Bingo!

That is precisely what I was doing.

Essentially all I am saying is that it is wrong to brand anyone who isn't on top of the latest pricing policies as "lazy" or "fools" as has been done numerous times on this board in the last few days. I was painting one alternative reality which might apply to some of the group currently overpaying BT PN; this wasn't a statement about the elderly in general, but just an alternative characterisation of the type of people that might be paying too much for their product. Other alternative characterisations are also available. However, simply branding the group as lazy fools is the most sweeping and damning characterisation of all.

I think your missing the point, its not difficult to be on top of broadband pricing, a check once a year would probably be sufficient as its usually a wholesale price change that starts the ball rolling and they are not happening daily.

I find it difficult to see why people remain ill-informed about PNs products, it is clearly presented on their website, after all we are talking about a service that gives them access to a hugh about of information but its up to them whether they use it, not PN. If they also opt-out of email, then as they have to make alternative arrangements.

There are people on the older products, I have no idea how many and I suspect neither do you, but there are choices if they are not happy about the value for money aspected of the product they are on and only the individual can make the call about value for money, PN can not so that for them.

I do understand your angle and PR100, but your looking at the world through rose-tinted glasses, and the reality is very different, welcome to rip off Britain.

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That is precisely what I was doing.

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You seem incapable of seeing that using that argument is insulting to the elderly and causes offence.

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Other alternative characterisations are also available.

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Shame you didn't use one then.