Pricing/Terms changes - October 2013

[#1]

MisterW is correct (I think), there are quite a lot of variations of the email so apologies for not being 100% sure!
As you're not on Value or Extra then you shouldn't get the £1.50 charge.
http://www.plus.net/support/october-changes-guide.shtml

[#2]

Quote

MisterW is correct (I think),

He'd better be, because my email says exactly the same as newlays and I'm on Unlimited.

[#3]

Sorry but home phone is JUST NOT COMPETITIVE any more.
E.g. primus have just DROPPED there costs to £6.99/month with e/we calls included and you are INCREASING yours 

[#4]

Agree you you there Hairy Biker, my way of thinking on this, lets keep the cheap headline grabbing broadband prices, and make the money from the line rental, calls and call packages.
Regards
Mike

[#5]

I have just received the email.
Email:
Monthly Line Rental: "Inclusive evening and weekend calls to UK landlines and 0845 and 0870 numbers "

"If you currently pay for 12 months line rental in advance, we'll send you a reminder before your Line Rental Saver expires, with details on how to renew. The renewal charge will be £137.88 equivalent to £11.49 a month after 1st October 2013, this equates to a saving of £42.00 a year."
But Ts&Cs
"Line Rental Saver taken out on/after 8th May 2013 includes no calls as standard."
So this is a dishonest comparison. One does not save £42 per year because what you get with LRS is not what you get by paying monthly.

[#6]

After having had absolutely exemplary service ever since we joined Plusnet several years ago, this is the first time I have been disappointed by customer service, and indeed by the Customer Experience Director himself.
Whilst pricing for technology services is (in general terms) dropping, it is difficult to understand why Plusnet prices are rising - however this is not what has annoyed me.
What I find disappointing about this communication is:
1. There is no real explanation for why the prices have risen - are we to assume that this is just another "rip-off Britain" price rise to boost profits?
In particular the surcharge for broadband-only customers (like me) seems to be positioned solely as a means to put pressure on me to take the phone service too rather than being justified by a rise in costs.
2. The price for termination was part of my decision to choose plusnet - changing a one-time-fee which was set when I first contracted seems unfair, and this seems a punishment for being a loyal customer.
3. It is only 4 months since I changed plan - I am unclear whether this was effectively a new contract with a minimum term or not, but it seems unfair to have a price rise so soon after making a new commitment.
4. Up until January of this year I paid £9 a month, though I am now paying £10 - after this price rise I will be paying £11.50 - this is a 28% rise since January which is more than 10x inflation. I am not quite sure what the justification for this is.
BUT WHAT REALLY ANNOYED ME WAS:
5. The email from the Customer Experience Director himself, went on about changes to privacy policy and termination and only mentioned the £1.50 per month price rise in the small print at the bottom. This was (IMO) somewhat disingenuous and well below the standard of clear open communication that I expect from Plusnet. Shame on you Mr. Summers!!
P

[#7]

Quote from: alanf

I have just received the email. Email: Monthly Line Rental: "Inclusive evening and weekend calls to UK landlines and 0845 and 0870 numbers " "If you currently pay for 12 months line rental in advance, we'll send you a reminder before your Line Rental Saver expires, with details on how to renew. The renewal charge will be £137.88 equivalent to £11.49 a month after 1st October 2013, this equates to a saving of £42.00 a year." But Ts&Cs "Line Rental Saver taken out on/after 8th May 2013 includes no calls as standard." So this is a dishonest comparison. One does not save £42 per year because what you get with LRS is not what you get by paying monthly.

If you've received this email and have a Line Rental Saver contract then you *do* currently get evening & weekend calls included. If you chose to *renew* your contract after 8th May 2013 then you retain the evening and weekend calls. If you take Line Rental Saver *for the first time* after 8th May 2013 then the calls aren't included.

Quote from: newlay

Really unimpressed with the way Plusnet seems to have done this. Whilst I respect Plusnet's right to change their prices with warning, this smacks of deliberately trying to hide it. I've received an email today which in the main section, states: "What does this mean for me? You don't need to do a thing. These changes will come into effect from 1st October 2013 and will not have any effect on your monthly subscription costs." Yet in the small text below that it's presumably hoped I don't read: "As of 1st October, a £1.50 surcharge will apply to broadband only subscriptions (where line rental and calling plans are not held with Plusnet)." Anyone official care to comment on why I've (presumably) been lied to in the main text?

I think we might need to revisit this before we send any more batches. Chris is right. The surcharge is only applicable to legacy Extra/Value Copper/Fibre customers who do not currently have their line rental with us.

Quote from: protopia

1. There is no real explanation for why the prices have risen - are we to assume that this is just another "rip-off Britain" price rise to boost profits?

We're investing heavily in the service behind the background and want to continue maintaining the levels of support we have. I'll pass on the feedback about the tone of the email.

Quote from: protopia

In particular the surcharge for broadband-only customers (like me) seems to be positioned solely as a means to put pressure on me to take the phone service too rather than being justified by a rise in costs.

Out of interest, what are the primary reasons you don't have your phone service with us?

Quote from: protopia

2. The price for termination was part of my decision to choose plusnet - changing a one-time-fee which was set when I first contracted seems unfair, and this seems a punishment for being a loyal customer.

If you're referring to the cessation fee then I'm pretty sure the Wholesale cost of cessation is more than we currently charge. Also worth considering is the fact that this fee isn't applicable when migrating to another provider.

Quote from: protopia

3. It is only 4 months since I changed plan - I am unclear whether this was effectively a new contract with a minimum term or not, but it seems unfair to have a price rise so soon after making a new commitment.

It was a re-contract. There's always going to be people in your position when these things happen I guess. Our Customer Options Team are on hand to discuss this sort of thing.

Quote from: protopia

4. Up until January of this year I paid £9 a month, though I am now paying £10 - after this price rise I will be paying £11.50 - this is a 28% rise since January which is more than 10x inflation. I am not quite sure what the justification for this is.

Did any of that involve an introductory discount or re-contracting offer though?

Quote from: protopia

5. The email from the Customer Experience Director himself, went on about changes to privacy policy and termination and only mentioned the £1.50 per month price rise in the small print at the bottom. This was (IMO) somewhat disingenuous and well below the standard of clear open communication that I expect from Plusnet. Shame on you Mr. Summers!!

The £1.50 doesn't apply to you, you're on Unlimited and not a legacy Value or Extra account.

[#8]

Hi Bob thanks for the explanation

Quote

If you've received this email and have a Line Rental Saver contract then you *do* currently get evening & weekend calls included. If you chose to *renew* your contract after 8th May 2013 then you retain the evening and weekend calls. If you take Line Rental Saver *for the first time* after 8th May 2013 then the calls aren't included

.
That email is as clear as mud , regarding evening & weekend calls, it makes me wounder why (cryptic :)) emails that need explanation such as this are been sent out in the first place, Very poorly constructed email.
It would be much more useful if it contained something like the information you have provided.
Having spoken to CS about 30 mins a go i asked would i retain my evening and weekend calls if a renewed LRS when it was up for renewal, i was was told no, no calls would be included, seems like staff are just as confused as customers.
Regards
Mike

[#9]

Since (by definition) there aren't that many people on "legacy" products, it seems that Plusnet are trying
to [Censored] off upset as many customers as possible, whilst gaining little, if anything?

[#10]

@Bob Pullen
There's a couple of unclear things in the new T & Cs about the cancellation fee Bob.

Quote

The broadband cessation charge will increase from £25 to £30. The charge can apply to any customer who has a broadband cease  placed on their line. Generally, the main reasons for broadband ceases are: •A broadband account is cancelled (without switching providers) •Switching providers without a MAC key - (LLU migrations excluded) •The telephone line used to provide broadband is cut off Cessation charges don't apply if: •You use a MAC key to switch to another provider (this is called a migration) •you're a Plusnet Essentials or Plusnet Unlimited customer without a contract

Switching without a MAC, (LLU migrations excluded) really refers to MPF LLU where the phone line is LLU'ed as well. SMPF LLU where the broadband but not the phone is LLU'e still exists via resellers of TT; C & W and O2. To migrate to SMPF LLU broadband requires a MAC to avoid the Openreach charge on PlusNet.
Matching that, the LLU question is omitted from the "don't apply if" part.  It needs to be in there.

[#11]

Quote from: I

Having spoken to CS about 30 mins a go i asked would i retain my evening and weekend calls if a renewed LRS when it was up for renewal, i was was told no, no calls would be included, seems like staff are just as confused as customers.

I'll see if I can find out who that was and make sure they don't make the same mistake again.
@Estragon, I need to get clarification on what you've pointed out. By definition LLU SMPF migrations require a MAC, so the second clause isn't entirely clear. I've a feeling that we may not charge for a full MPF migration either if I'm honest. It might only apply if moving away from BT's network i.e. to Virgin.

[#12]

Quote from: Bob

Quote from: I Does the price change also apply to John Lewis and Madasafish customers ? No Mike, they don't.

That sounds ominous 

[#13]

Quote from: Bob

@Estragon, I need to get clarification on what you've pointed out. By definition LLU SMPF migrations require a MAC, so the second clause isn't entirely clear. I've a feeling that we may not charge for a full MPF migration either if I'm honest. It might only apply if moving away from BT's network i.e. to Virgin.

You almost certainly won't be charging for a migration to full MPF so long as the gaining ISP does it correctly, as OR won't be charging you. If they don't do it correctly, which has been known, then OR will charge you so you are entitled to pass on that charge.  However it causes really nasty PR, and very hard for you to show it is the new ISP's responsibility.

[#14]

Quote

Cessation charge The broadband cessation charge will increase from £25 to £30.

Is this a material detriment change to the original contact ? (customers currently in contract taken before 08 May) ? , if so PN would have to let customers leave with out penalty i they wanted to.
Taken from http://www.plus.net/info2/legal/index.html

Quote

47. If we have made a change which is to your material disadvantage, you will not have to pay a charge (excludes any charges or payments we have deferred) if you decide to end your agreement early, unless the price guide says otherwise. However, once we have told you about such a change, you must let us know that you want to end the agreement within 10 days.

Can PN please clarify
Regards
Mike  

[#15]

Yet to receive any email, but I'll say it now, this is another reason from me to leave the service when my contract is up. I'm really angry that you are changing the terms of a contract already agreed upon. It's underhand in my view.