In reply to a post by RobertoS:

Do you consider it incumbent on the over 600,000 Plusnet customers to keep track of one or more public forums in order to find out about beneficial changes to their product?

Might be (or might have been) possible to check one's exchange status, i.e. "low cost area" - market 2, from the PN web site also? An existing PN user would of course need to be made aware of the lower pricing policy for market 2 by Plusnet in order to consider checking that they are now in a "low cost area" and thus claim the lower price.

Problem is Plusnet didn't/doesn't inform existing users directly of that change in pricing and, as you say, they have to discover it by other means. The price change should be done automatically by PN for Market 2 users without a doubt!

Edited by 4M2 (Sun 19-Aug-12 16:02:04)

Those silly Plusnet users for not checking Ofcom's market classifications on a daily basis eh?

Edited by Oliver341 (Sun 19-Aug-12 21:03:11)

In reply to a post by Oliver341:

Those silly Plusnet users for not checking Ofcom's market classifications on a daily basis eh?

I was one of them, but fortunately soon after they introduced the new pricing policy I changed my package ("pro" to "extra" + "pro" add-on I think) and was given a low price. However I was unaware, at the time, that the lower price was due to me being in a "low cost area" nor was that mentioned by PN when I requested the change. It was only when I read about the new pricing for Market 2 exchanges in this forum that I realised why had been given a low price for my new package.

Possibly if I had not changed my package, read about the pricing change here, or stayed with PN I would still be paying the higher amount now

In reply to a post by 4M2:

... I would still be paying the higher amount now

Indeed, you would, and be shocked, and rightly so, because of this absolutely rotten handling.

Unfortunately however much we complain in here or elsewhere, PN staff have been given their instructions and I doubt there'd be anyone willing to leave the firm for 'leaking' the info to potentially several thousand customers...

In reply to a post by Wagstaff:

The "message" was contained in previous threads.

and as has been said recently, how many PN customers should be expected to find out mostly by spotting such information on a thread here on TBB, on USENET, in PN board or some other, instead of being directly told about a change that would save them money, if only they asked for a change

I don't think it was ever marked as a 'News' item on TBB, which might have led to it appearing in some online and print computer magazines and even business print (Computer Weekly/Computing).

PN seems to be about the only ISP which does pass on the discount, and all credit to them for so doing, but then they blot their paper with this massive PR disaster and cannot be minded to alter this to be fair to loyal customers.

I don't even remember how some user came to be aware of the change, and it be confirmed here on TBB, but I know I for one would feel highly embarrassed having to go with the policy that PN laid down. Not saying I wouldn't sleep at night, but there must be a number of thousands of pounds collected every month which could have been in the pockets of those loyal customers, but for PN being particularly underhand on this matter.

In reply to a post by ultra:

In reply to a post by 4M2:

... I would still be paying the higher amount now

Indeed, you would, and be shocked, and rightly so, because of this absolutely rotten handling.

Were market 2 PN users whose contracts had expired and continued to get broadband from PN still charged at the higher rate? During the period of a contract there may be a business justification for not informing users of the price change (even though they were entitled to the lower price) but once out of contract I would have thought there would be an obligation on PN's part to at least inform users now in "low cost areas" that a lower price would be available to them.

In fact it would make better business sense to do so since out of contract market 2 customers may be comparing their current incorrect "high cost area" charges with deals offered by other ISP's and may not check with PN if a better retention deal is available and hence not discover that they will now be subject to “low cost area” pricing

If I'm reading the situation correctly I wonder if there is a case of concealment that might have to answered by PN.

The perennial misconception:

In reply to a post by 4M2:

Were market 2 PN users whose contracts had expired and continued to get broadband from PN

Contracts don't expire; it's the minimum period that does.

You are always under a contract whilst you are sill getting service.

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

The perennial misconception:

In reply to a post by 4M2:

Were market 2 PN users whose contracts had expired and continued to get broadband from PN

Contracts don't expire; it's the minimum period that does.

You are always under a contract whilst you are sill getting service.

Sure, apologies

http://www.plus.net/broadband/?source=mainNav Legal bit: "Broadband with no annual contract...Minimum term of 30 days."

Yet one can leave with just 10 days notice?

Edit: actually I think it took 10 days for PN to issue me with a MAC key if I remember correctly.

Edited by 4M2 (Tue 21-Aug-12 16:11:30)

Easy, 10 days notice but you pay for 30 days minumum. How many people (except in exceptional circumstances) cancel their broadband in the first 19 days?

In reply to a post by ian72:

...How many people (except in exceptional circumstances) cancel their broadband in the first 19 days?

I did with o2 Access without penalty a few years back - but that was during their 30 day happiness guarantee period. Their broadband service was rubbish on IP stream and I guess I was exceptionally unhappy