In reply to a post by Metronet_James:

Hi there,

Because Value & Unlimited are by default, on 18 month contracts, you need to raise a ticket to request the change to a 12 month contract as an existing customer.

To do this:

- Go to http://help.plus.net
- Select Customer Services and Billing
- Select Account Management
- Select Change or Upgrade your product
- Select Change to Value/Unlimited
- Select Change to 12 month contract

We'll then pick it up and change your contract terms.

But what about the much greater numbers of users who don't read this forum who don't know about the two points the OP asks - of which you answer only one.

The one you answer is how to get the 12-month contract change. Non-forum users get 18 months then! That borders on sharp practice.
The one you don't answer is that during the upgrade process it apparently doesn't tell you that you are signing up to a new 12 or 18 month contract. Which could make it unenforceable. Particularly as the vague reference at the end is to something that is demonstrably incorrect - see question one.

Thanks Bob - you seem to be the only person to have recognised the main thrust of the question. It's good to know from James that it is possible to get 12 months via a ticket but the order process should make this clear and also make clear that the default is an 18 months contract. Also, at no point did I see anything that suggested the upgrade included any new hardware, I may be missing something but if it isn't obvious when I am purposefully looking for it then most people wouldn't even know to look in the first place.

I have a feeling that the new contract periods aren't high on the list for plusnet to tell people about. It's not overly visible on the website (very small print) and I am aware of one of my colleagues who moved to plusnet this week and when he got off the phone I asked if he knew he had signed up to an 18 month contract and he hadn't conciously known that (didn't make any difference to him but could to others). Surely whenever someone signs up to plusnet it should be made very clear the term of the contract and the penalty for early cancellation?

It has sadly always been part of PlusNet's masterplan to extract the maximum possible revenue from existing customers by giving them the smallest amount of useful, relevant information that they think they can get away with. I refer of course to the great unwashed, ie the 90%-plus of customers who never visit the forums.

I have watched this thread with interest, noting that you asked the same question at least four times without getting an answer. Although PlusNet have now contributed to this thread, they still have studiously avoid answering your question.

They appear to want to ignore it and be left alone to milk the majority of their customers for all they can get -- using whatever underhand, even illegal, practices they can get away with.

I fear you will not get a satisfactory answer to your very clear, very valid question - in which case you may be inclined to complain to higher authorities (unless, like many here over the years, you are content to turn a blind eye to the malpractices which only harm the anonymous majority).

Simon

Originally changing to a new package from an old was going to be treated like a new signup BUT WITHOUT the hardware. Certainly several customer support answers said no hardware. Then "mand" agreed you could have the hardware as you had all the new penalties (eg. 18 month term - no escape clause).

Then they read their own old terms and conditions and agreed that BBYW customers could still change their option within BBYW which had not been part of the new plan either.

Later on plusnet begrudgingly agreed that you could have a 12 month term AND no hardware.

I'm not quite sure what the position is on the 3 month introductory discounts.

"Mand" had a fairly clear thread in plusnet's own community forum, explaining the concessions so far.

This really did feel like something imposed from outside or above by the new big cheese as all of the details were only worked out for "brand new customers only" and existing customers were expected to take all the downside with very few of the benefits. The terms of BBYW, and options for existing customers were very poor and remain poor. The promotion is all discount price led - and as your say the contract period is less visible than it might be.

When you get to the confirmation page you have to "Click to accept the account change Terms and Conditions (shown below)"

The Ts & Cs include:

Plusnet Broadband price terms
1. ..
2. All Plusnet Broadband options have a minimum period of 18 months*, except Plusnet Pro which has a minimum period of 12 months. A new minimum period will apply to Plusnet customers who change to a Plusnet Broadband Products Family on or after 17th February 2009 unless the change relates to an offer in which case the offer minimum period will apply.

I know that it is a long way down and it is certainly not highlighted in the same way that my current product is on the same page:

PlusNet Broadband Your Way Option 2 (Monthly Contract)^

But it is there!

* My bold

In reply to a post by brightd:

When you get to the confirmation page you have to "Click to accept the account change Terms and Conditions (shown below)"

The Ts & Cs include:

Plusnet Broadband price terms
1. ..
2. All Plusnet Broadband options have a minimum period of 18 months*, except Plusnet Pro which has a minimum period of 12 months. A new minimum period will apply to Plusnet customers who change to a Plusnet Broadband Products Family on or after 17th February 2009 unless the change relates to an offer in which case the offer minimum period will apply.

I know that it is a long way down and it is certainly not highlighted in the same way that my current product is on the same page:

PlusNet Broadband Your Way Option 2 (Monthly Contract)^

But it is there!

* My bold

Good post .

Trouble is the statement is incorrect, but only forum readers will know that. The bulk of the customers will not.

Thanks for providing the detail of where that is actually stated - I didn't have the time or inclination to read the hundreds of lines in that Ts&Cs to find that one line. This to me seems to be such a significant tie in that it should be far clearer that that is what you are signing up to not buried hundreds of lines deep in Ts&Cs that cover multiple products.

As Bob says it still isn't right as they seem to now be offering 12 months for upgrades - however you look at it I can't in all concious recommend that the users in question change package for such a tie in with such small benefit.

A bit off topic but I was in a mobile phone shop today and picked up their
current offers list. The lock in for monthly contracts was 24 months!!

Now I know this involves a pricey "free" phone but they also do a monthly PAYG deal on a one month contract even for new customers. By any arithmetic it was a better deal to provide your own handset.

The analogy here is that there is no reason for a 12 month contract if the service is such that the customer actually is happy with the service.

This is in danger of getting like the Pipex that many of us have escaped from.
Also if you are thinking of moving to a new plan - activate your webspace first!

Apologies for mini rant. It takes my mind off looking at share prices!

Meldrew

So how clear was it that it was 24 months? I am not complaining at the length of the tie in (although it does mean I won't advise people to go with plusnet anymore without them being very clear of what they are signing up to) it is the lack of clarity or prominence of the contract length that I don't like. I have signed up for 12 and 18 month contracts in the past for various things but I expect it to be very clear that I am entering into a minimum term - I do not believe the plusnet site does this adequately for users who are upgrading (and it is barely adequate for new users but at least I found it after a single click, not so easy with the upgrades).

It was very clear - I noticed it even though I was not looking for a new phone.

Meldrew