I do not think the entire article is relevant to Plusnet but I believe some of it is.
I know your network is not in any way designed to stifle competitors, but it has become a tiered network, inadvertently perhaps, but tiered nonetheless. It can be argued that the end result does prioritise content.

The majority of packages prioritise protocols over others, which is an important factor in the current European neutrality debate. Whether or not prioritisation is implemented for traffic management reasons or competitive reasons is really irrelevant, the network has become non-neutral.

Edited by deleted (Thu 04-Dec-08 17:31:35)

I moved to Plusnet from Newnet just over a year ago, and generally have been happy with the service and value for money.

However, I have changed package twice, and neither time has it went smoothly, which can be quite aggravating. It seems that only sometimes can you hit lucky with the customer services.

I would endorse Dieselglider�s comment regarding the fact they do have big problems with Customer Services / accounts and the way they handle transfers. My migration on the 30th October resulted in a 6 hour disconnection and a few phone calls to PlusNet to get things moving.

I have been with them for all of one month now and I am really questioning the judgement of my move. Some folk will remember an earlier posting when I said I had been charged a �40 connection fee in error when migrating. Although I informed them on the day their advance billing email arrived, I was told they could not stop the direct debit. Faced with the threat of disconnection hanging over me I went along with allowing Plusnet to take the �40 and arrange a refund.

To cut a long story short, by the 18th November I still had not had a refund even though they claimed to have processed a refund to my bank. Fed up waiting I initiated a direct debit indemnity claim at my bank and had the �40 charge refunded. I told PlusNet by phone and by ticket. It was then a total surprise to find without warning I got my connection severed two days ago. NO contact, not even a phone call.
Not thinking for one instant I had been suspended I thought there was something up with my home setup or perhaps the snow ! I spent a good two hours substituting components and testing. I then rang tech support where I was told the good news! Thankfully they temporarily reconnected me but asked for a bank statement because they did not believe that after a month I had not been double refunded. I faxed a statement in covering the period up to the 2nd December and requested someone contact me to explain the draconian customer service because my statement did not show their alleged refund.
Guess what? Still waiting for that call two days later.

Not a major issue for some folk no doubt but just consider I had moved from MAAF to Plusnet �one and the same company -so my prior payment pattern was already proven, so did they have to cut me off given the fault was theirs in the 1st place and not even bother to speak with me?

I have posted in a complaint. Do you think I should hold my breath ?

EDIT added
**Latest. Would you believe it, just had the latest advance bill for option 2. -Still advertised at �14-65 on the web site but my bill says:-

"This advance notice is to let you know that a payment of �15.65, for your
PlusNet Internet account will soon be taken, on or after 09/12/2008. This
email is for your information only, as no action is necessary on your part
to complete this payment."


How difficult can it be to get a customers bill correct ? Basic Option 2 is a set sum.

Aghhhh !!!

Edited by Acegio (Thu 04-Dec-08 19:58:30)

It looks like you've got the optional �1 domain added to your account.

Check here and opt-out if need be.

(This problem was meant to have been resolved months ago - the �1 domain option seems to be added by defualt when it shouldn't be.)

Thank you Paulby
I have just viewed the page you kindly linked me to. I can see the Register or Opt out buttons but before I press the opt out button, is there a page I can view that confirms I am already opted in?
I would have expected only one button to have been active with the other greyed out so people know.

Looking at my Accounts page and account summary the display still says:- PlusNet Broadband Your Way Option 2 with included 15GB bandwidth �14.99(monthly).

Sorry to be a pain but I am finding the Plusnet site a little hard to navigate at times .

If you've got an opt-out button you're opted in!

(You have an opt-in button otherwise)

To confirm, you need to go to Help and Support and click on My Questions.

You then need to select "show all questions" and look at all the service notices on your account on the day it was set up (you'll need to click on the + on the notices or use the expand all button). You're looking for one that says the �1/month domain component was added. The wording will look something like:

"Component #11286797 (Generic Included One Pound Domain) added to account as part of upgrade process as Customer has opted to
pay �1 per month for .co.uk Domain or has not made a decision so
component has been added by default."

(Text taken from service notice on an account)

Edited by paulby (Fri 05-Dec-08 07:54:46)

I used to use plusnet some years back and changed at the time because they were starting to move people onto Tiscali's LLU network and my exchange was one that was likely to go - so I jumped before that happened (they don't put any new customers on this now and haven't for some time).

My brother was on Plusnet and moved when Sky became available as plusnet can't hope to compete with a �5 all you can eat buffet that Sky offer on LLU.

My parents and my uncle are both on Plusnet still - one has option 1, the other option 2. For the respective prices these products offer excellent value for money for their requirements - and if their requirements change they will probably still find a package at plusnet that suits them.

Neither are heavy internet users and they aren't technical. They don't notice any problems with using the internet and my uncle who has been on since last Xmas commented the other week that the connection has been excellent. I also use my parents connection from time to time and have never had any problems with it and plusnet have been providing a good service.

But, to echo others - whilst plusnet is great for these people they are not the answer for everyone. I use BeThere now because I can get higher speeds. Others that have heavy demands or technical requirements may look at someone like Zen. But for normal internet users who use the internet as a resource rather than a way of life then plusnet can be a very good choice.

And I have to say that I find the member centre provided by plusnet to be excellent - providing control and information about the broadband account. The ability to switch from static to dynamic IPs with a click of the mouse, to view the amount of usage for an account (and what day that usage occurred, to be able to configure various account options, upgrade and downgrade the account, etc, etc is a brilliant facility that more ISPs ought to be offering.

I am now going to take breath and cease this magnum opus - sorry for boring everyone to tears...

Thank you for tha Paulbyt, you were right I did have an entry like you said. Processing the matter now.

I had a nightmare with plusnet. A couple of years ago after months of hopeless patchy service with no tech support I finally got out of my obligation period, and with a great sigh of relief ordered my MAC, and thought finally Id see the back of them.

No, because AFTER the MAC was provided, and before I could use it they moved me onto LLU, which at the time was not migrateable from.

I was left with cancelling the line and paying BT 80 quid and weeks of downtime to reprovision with my new provider, or relying on Plusnet to sort it out. This happened to many others and we were all furious.

I did the latter and have never been so disappointed or poorly treated by a company about anything. They did nothing to help me, didnt answer tickets, had a wait time of hours to get through to their useless call centre. I also received one of the rudest emails I have ever had from some idiot in their customer services telling me , basically, that I had inconvenienced them and should stop complaining.

After a kafkaesque fiasco of utter bumbling incompetence and miserable unhelpful cs people, that lasted 6 weeks, they eventually managed to migrate me over to Eclipse. Which at the time was a cool swim compared to HellNet.

Theyre owned by BT now, and if the personnel have changed they may be marginally less incompetent than before. As their staff still seem to be trolling the interwebs trying to convince people their ghastly traffic management system is a good idea though, I sincerely doubt it.

Their assertion that they provide some sort of personal service is laughable as well. Go with o2. Pay less, download what you want when you want, and have tech support whos job is actually to help you not fob you off.

I know what you mean. They appear to have the most discourteous Team leader management a company could ever hope for. I am still waiting for an urgent return call requested on the 2/12/08 -by their own staff- plus my own ticket updates requested since.

I found the CSC staff actually helpful and polite but they can only go so far and that is where the Team leader appears to let the side down by not involving him / herself when obviously the need is there.
The need for a return call by someone who can sort out the problem at their end is very important to me (I got my account suspended without being informed on the 2/12/08. No prior explanation or advice re what I had to do to correct it. Yesterday I received a Final Reminder of a missed �40 billing. For what ???

You would think in such cases the Team Leaders would only be too happy to sort out the problem ASAP when brought to their attention and not antagonise a new customer. Perhaps it can be sorted in seconds ???
I should add that as far as I know my subscription has been paid in full and my next payment advised by email is due on the 9/12/08.

As general advice to anyone who reads this, please be vary cautious of Plusnet and look further than the broadband cost because things are NOT as good as the awards they publicise might suggest. I am finding this out the hard way and I mean the HARD WAY.