Difference from BT

I am contemplating getting my home phone and broadband with either Plusnet or BT. However, from what I can gather Plusnet is owned by BT. So why is Plusnet so much cheaper for one year (approximately £65 - BT unlimited evening and weekend+Option 1 broadband=£275.85 while Plusnet value + Talk Evening and Weekends=£210.27)? I can't seem to work out how they can make almost identical services cheaper. Is there a catch?

I have used telephony companies other than BT before, and been decidedly unimpressed with their services. So I would be wary going with another one again unless I know they aren't just cutting essential corners.

The BT and Plusnet phone prices are just about the same. If you add on Caller Display Plusnet are slightly more expensive.
The difference is in the broadband price. and here BT don't differentiate between Market 3 exchanges and the others. Plusnet do and hence you can get a cheaper price if you are on a Market 3 exchange.
My experience, for what it is worth, is that that the Plusnet phone package just does what it says on the tin. One of the reasons I moved to Plusnet phone was to have my phone and broadband from the same place as I had an ongoing line problem. Once Plusnet had both voice and broadband under their wing so to say the broadband and voice faults departments actually talked to each other and it was fixed.

It worries me that the telecom companies are going the same way as "low-cost" airline pricing. Paying the basic price does not actually give you what you thought you were paying for!

CLI is typical. Nowadays CLI is essential and even the mobile phone companies include it in PAYT. BT now give free calls to 0870 and 0845 numbers. OTOH if you pay for a call there is a connection fee for having the audacity to use the service. Everone is different with the intention to confuse and maximise income. Frankly its all very tedious.

Meldrew