New Ofcom Market bands announced

[#1]

@goldenadsl, if you read Bob's post they will hopefully move everyone over this week, you may get a quicker personal response if you raise a ticket, but, to be fair, it's a lot of work, they lose money, yet they still do it.

[#2]

Quote from: Laser

Assuming the update does go ahead, will existing customers on market-variable products automatically get charged the new price?

As mentioned in my previous post, we're still to define a process for existing customers. Once the signup database has been updated then you can force a market change via an account change, but we recognise that not everybody is going to want to do this. As soon as we've a definitive answer to this one then I'll be sure to share it with you all!

Quote from: goldenadsl

Bob can you please updated this exchange cuckoo oak on this site: http://usertools.plus.net/exchanges/ as cuckoo oak is now on market 3 (no longer on market 2) to ensure I get the lower price on my plusnet extra at £11.49 on market 3 pricing.

The work to update the exchange checker should be completed shortly but I'm loathe to do this before an agreed process has been arranged for existing customers. Even if we were to update it now, it wouldn't have any impact on the price you pay as the Usertools exchange checker has no influence on our billing platform.

Quote from: goldenadsl

lucky for you brokenthumb that plusnet now put u on market 3 instead of 2. They haven't updated my exchange yet to market 3. If they don't updated after 1st 3 months discount at £11.49 , I will move elsewhere because everyones should treat equal fair way.

Agreed, and if it does take us a while then rest assured we'll be happy to apply a refund to compensate for any months that were missed at the lower price.

Quote from: brokenthumb

@goldenadsl, if you read Bob's post they will hopefully move everyone over this week...

If you read my post you'll see that I actually said:

Quote from: Bob

... the latest I knew is that we were going to be modifying signup at some point this week so that it reflects the new classifications...

That will sort out the classification for new customers and existing customers changing account type. It will *not* do anything for existing customers who aren't changing account type.

Quote from: Bob

Regarding the situation with existing customers, we're still to define a process AFAIK, and until we do there's a possibility that the front line support staff will be a little inconsistent in their handling of any queries.

So we're yet to officially announce anything for existing customers but it's not something we're ignoring. As soon as we have an agreed approach we'll let people know.

[#3]

Many thanks Bob, if I want to change from Plusnet Extra (current showing £11.49 for the 1st 3 months offer then revert back to £17.99 to Plusnet Pro (will I be charged £22.99 or it will be on market 3 pricing £16.49 for me ?) As I prefer Plusnet Pro at £16.49 as I am cuurently out of work at present and this price is the one I can afford it, but I will not change it until plusnet agree with me to take the plusnet pro for the price of market 3 @ £16.49 a month) I shall wait and see what Bob had to say.

[#4]

I seem to be one of the unfortunates who are on an exchange (Malvern, WMMAL) that is being regraded to market 2 and am wondering if and when I will have to pay more for my broadband?

[#5]

that makes me doubt the Proposed market status info  14700 residents and six LLU plus C& W WBC , more than enough for Market 3, then another up north with one LLU being graded market 3
Methinks some one has screwed up

[#6]

the other exchange was Cuckoo Oak  7431 residents and one LLU - Market three in the new list

[#7]

I can't be bother to read the whole document but I think that Market 3 can be where one supplier doesn't have a stranglehold (paraphrasing a lot) and it may be that Talk Talk has got a very high proportion of customers on that exchange

[#8]

Quote from: pierre_pierre

the other exchange was Cuckoo Oak  7431 residents and one LLU - Market three in the new list

That's up to ofcom to decided which exchange will have Market 3 as my exchange had Market 2 for the last 3 years, it nice to have market 3 for a change!

[#9]

Quote from: Bob

We've had a few workshops about the market re-classification and the latest I knew is that we were going to be modifying signup at some point this week so that it reflects the new classifications (don't hold me to that just yet though!)

Right, the database signup uses has now been updated.
This means that new customers (and existing customers changing account type) will have the revised market classification and pricing applied

Quote from: Bob

We'll also be looking to update the Usertools exchange checker.

This has been updated too. We've also brought the 21CN enablement information up to date as it was several months old. It's just made me realise that BTw seem to have removed my exchange from their 21CN rollout schedule though
Bear in mind that if you're on Value paying £12.99 a month, then you could upgrade to Extra, have your market classification changed, get an extra 50GB of usage and save yourself £1.50 in the process!
If you don't fancy changing account type, then we'll automatically apply the new market classification to your account from your June billing date. If you don't want to wait until June, then have a read of the FAQ here for details on how you can request the change earlier.

Quote from: worcswizzard

I seem to be one of the unfortunates who are on an exchange (Malvern, WMMAL) that is being regraded to market 2 and am wondering if and when I will have to pay more for my broadband?

If you change account type then the revised market pricing *will* be applied meaning that you'll pay more. Regarding what's going to happen to you in June, I can't say for sure. You may end up paying more or we may look at freezing your subscription costs. It's yet to be decided.
Hope that lot comes as welcome news to some people...

[#10]

Following on from my experiences  I thought I would share this with anyone who needs to know as it settled things for me when upgrading to Extra
(found at http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange_search) Thanks Oldjim  - enter your details in the box which opens from this link  and when your exchange appears on the next page just double click on its name  to open up fully and look bottom right for market type.
What is the OFCOM market classification?
In May 2008 Ofcom announced that they would be deregulating 70% of the UK's broadband market.

Within the the full 115 page document outlining the reasoning and methodology  Ofcom has defined four classifications to be applied to exchange areas  These are:
•Market 1 - Exchanges where the incumbent operator (BT Wholesale) is the only provider of broadband services
•Market 2 - Exchanges where two or three operators provided broadband services (including BT)
•Market 3 - Exchanges where four or more operators provided broadband services
•Hull area - Exchanges in Hull are served only by Kingston Communications
The Market 3 exchanges are the ones that the deregulation applies to. Ofcom deemed that there was sufficient competition in these areas to keep prices at a reasonable level whilst also driving innovation.

[#11]

The SamKnows database does contain the new classifications, but that description of market classification you quote sounds like the old one. The new one appears to be based more on market share and less on number of operators. The first page of this thread conatins links to the actual documents, though those aren't exactly an easy read.

[#12]

I read the FAQ about requesting the Market change and I understand that as the "...changes will be manual, so the response won’t be immediate.", but how long should it take?
Are we talking days, weeks, months?
I raised the required ticket a week ago and nothing has happened yet. Will the ticket sit there until my next billing date? Will it sit there until June?
Perhaps the answers to these questions should also be in the FAQ.

[#13]

Mand told me about a week http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,89565.msg777816.html#msg777816
Having said that mine has been open since the 24th Jan with no response

[#14]

Had a reply this morning. Account has been updated, new rates will apply from the next billing date.
Big thanks to Chris Parr

[#15]

I would like to thank Chris also