Autumn Price increase FAQ's

[#1]

In fairness, Primus get some pretty lousy ratings from customers so maybe they're cheap because they cut corners (though I cant imagine that they don't also have satisfied customers too).
PO and Zen may also offer better value for phone line than Plusnet now (with reasonable reputation as far as I'm aware).
Despite the 'penalty' sorry 'loss of discount' on broadband if taken without phone line I found my best deal was to keep broadband with Plusnet but to move my line rental elsewhere(and that was before the latest increase).

[#2]

I had a quick look at Primus' website and CID is an extra £2.50 plus there doesn't seem to be any concessions for choosing more than one call feature which could make things much more expensive than PN.
Also, the use of English through their site if frequently poor - is that reflected in their customer care, too

[#3]

Hi all,
We're taking all of your comments and questions on board and I've got a meeting later today with the relevant team which will give me a chance to shout up for you all. I'll post back later this afternoon.

[#4]

Quote from: Mav

I had a quick look at Primus' website and CID is an extra £2.50 plus there doesn't seem to be any concessions for choosing more than one call feature which could make things much more expensive than PN. Also, the use of English through their site if frequently poor - is that reflected in their customer care, too

Primus are TT resellers, their doorstep sellers are pushy and devious (as my sister found out), and I was not impressed with the response I got when I called them on her behalf to sort a problem.

[#5]

Quote from: Linn

Hi all, We're taking all of your comments and questions on board ...........................

If I had ££££'s for every time I'd heard that one I'd probably be a multimillionaire by now 
You may be taking it on board, but I expect it will promptly be chucked overboard on the other side and nothing will change 

[#6]

I am on unlimited ADSL 2+ and talk anytime, so £9.99 for BB, £15.99 for line rental and £5.00 for talk anytime, £30.98 after the increase. I just had a look at EE, which, (in my estimation) works out at £30.70 for the same deal (after the first 6 months of £7.50 for BB), but I also get 1000 minutes free mobile calls and free international calls.
I have been with Free-online / PN since I picked up a free Dial up CD in Morrisons back in 98, I hate to change but PN seem hell bent on getting as many new customers as they can with the £2.49 deal and sticking 2 fingers up at the long term loyal customers.

[#7]

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What will happen to customers that already have a discounts in place until after September / in my case until December ??

Discounts are applied against the price of your broadband so the phone price changes will not affect your broadband discount.

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I assume we have the option to migrate away rather than actually cancelling the line?

Yes.

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Does this mean we can also migrate our broadband, or only the phone line?

If you wished to migrate away due to the price increase you would be able to migrate just the phone or both phone and broadband away. This is entirely your choice. We would need to be notified of this within 30 days of you receiving the email and you would have to give us 14 days notice.
Please note that if you only migrated the phone away and carried on with Plusnet for your broadband you would be subject to the extra £2.50 charge per month for having broadband only.

[#8]

Linn,
At risk of repeating my previous post which has not received a reply from any plusnet staff, what is PlusNet's justification for this (way above the inflation rate) price rise?
And please don't say it's to invest in your service to continue to provide us with a good service - that was the justification last year, and we are still seeing ridiculously long waiting times on the phone and for ticket responses.

[#9]

Quote from: Linn

Please note that if you only migrated the phone away and carried on with Plusnet for your broadband you would be subject to the extra £2.50 charge per month for having broadband only.

I suspect your management would have preferred you to write:
Please note that if you only migrated the phone away and carried on with Plusnet for your broadband you will no longer benefit from the £2.50 discount per month for having both broadband and phone.
Still, at least you're honest about the surcharge

Quote from: alanj

And please don't say it's to invest in your service to continue to provide us with a good service

I'm sure I've seen something along those lines written about this price hike already and it just doesn't wash.  PN are primarily an ISP, not a telco (they just resell a BTW product) and there is little or no evidence in investment in the phone side of the business.  It's absolutely clear (in my mind) that this increase is there to subsidise their broadband offering.  As a result it means that ADSL customers are now paying proportionally more than FTTC customers of course.
As an aside, the disparity is even worse for BT Retail customers - They too of course have increased their line rental yet they have many customers who only take a phone service and have no interest in broadband.  These customers are further subsidising a product that they don't use!

[#10]

Quote from: Linn

......... If you wished to migrate away due to the price increase you would be able to migrate just the phone or both phone and broadband away. This is entirely your choice. We would need to be notified of this within 30 days of you receiving the email and you would have to give us 14 days notice. Please note that if you only migrated the phone away and carried on with Plusnet for your broadband you would be subject to the extra £2.50 charge per month for having broadband only.

In other words, we are putting up our phone prices and if you don't like it and move your phone we'll clobber you wil £2.50 extra on your broadband.
Hmm, the expression that comes to mind is "unfair contract terms" - I wonder if there are any legal eagles around here that may have thougts on that

Quote from: pwatson

......It's absolutely clear (in my mind) that this increase is there to subsidise their broadband offering.  As a result it means that ADSL customers are now paying proportionally more than FTTC customers of course.

And those on a 20CN Market 1 exchange, with no immediate prospect of that changing, are even worse off thanks to BT, Plusnet and not forgetting the primary culprit - OFCOM.

[#11]

No,....won't work....same in many other cases
car insurance
If you insure two with the same company you get a discount
If you remove one car then the two car discount no longer applies and you have to pay more for the sole one insured.
Same with gas/elec
Dual fuel discount applies - if I move one away I no longer get the discount.
These are examples of where you are getting an active discount as a specific item for multiple purchases.
More usually it's just a quantity discount so if you buy 2000 you will get a price, if the company puts up the prices and you only buy 1000 then because the quantity is less you pay both a high price/unit as the general price has gone up and also an additional surcharge price as the price/unit for 1000 rather than 2000 is higher.
Plusnet by giving you the option to get out of the contract as I understand it due to a material change in the conditions and switch elsewhere avoids any claim under unfair contracts terms.

[#12]

@Linn K
I am still not clear about my paying LRS in the beginning of September (though my last year's LRS ends in the beginning of November), where do I stand as far as Line rental (increase) is concerned? 
Will appreciate some clarification on this issue.
Thanks in advance.

[#13]

You can pay for the LRS up to 3 months in advance
So if yours runs out at the beginning on November (unlike mine which runs out at the end of December  >:() then you can renew at the beginning of September at the old price as fixed in the previous increase which is probably a bit more than you paid last time if you got in before the last price increase

[#14]

Quote from: Oldjim

........can renew at the beginning of September at the old price as fixed in the previous increase which is probably a bit more than you paid last time if you got in before the last price increase

Thanks Jim.  Yes, I did get in before the last price increase (I had paid 125.88).  Your explanation means I can play the game again this year.
Chandu.

[#15]

Quote from: Linn

If you wished to migrate away due to the price increase you would be able to migrate just the phone or both phone and broadband away. This is entirely your choice. We

Just to clarify, if we migrate BOTH and have an outstanding amount on the account for fibre (or something else BB related) would this be written off?
E.g. I have £40 odd left on my last upgrade, would this be wiped if I move both away? Or would I be charged this?