Is there no option to keep xxxx.plus.com email address if you leave PlusNet anymore?

[#1]

I know you used to be able to keep your xxxx.plus.com email address even if you left Plus Net as your ISP, initially for a small fee then for free.  Is there no way to do that anymore? 

My parents want to keep a landline (even if it's a VoIP one) when the copper wire is turned off in a year or so but Plus Net aren't offering any VoIP option so they're being forced to switch ISPs.  As they're old Plus Net users (for 20ish years) and have EVERYTHING linked to their plus.com email addresses it will be a NIGHTMARE to contact everyone and every business and change the email address to an outlook or gmail address.  There's always some people who cannot or do not change their address book and there's always the chance you miss one vital thing and once the address is gone you have no way to recover your login if you forget the password.

[#2 · Accepted solution]

@Phil_Tyler As  Plusnet have been designated as the budget INTERNET i.e. Broadband/Fibre brand of BT, that is all they offer now. The option to retain emails on leaving was withdrawn 12 months+ ago, and they have no intention of providing anything else under that brand.

[#3]

Well that's disappointing, but not entirely surprising.  I suspect I too will be giving PlusNet the heave ho in the next year or so.

[#4]

@Phil_Tyler 

The only way your parents can keep BOTH their email AND phone number is as follows -

1. 'upgrade' their Plusnet broadband package to a version WITHOUT landline phone
2. AFTER the broadband 'upgrade' their phone number is held for 30 days in quarantine (before becoming lost)
3. Within those 30 days, you can request a third party VoIP provider to migrate/import the number
4. Setup your parent's VoIP adaptor or new VoIP phone, with the new provider's settings.

Doing this means that your parent's Plusnet account continues, therefore the email service is unaltered, their broadband will work as previously, and their landline phone number will be working just the same - but from a different provider, and the handset is connected via an ATA adaptor to their broadband router (instead of the BT wall socket).

I recommend A&A for VoIP, as they're VERY competent at migrating Plusnet landline numbers (including mine)

[#5]

The copper wire isn't being turned off though. Just PSTN. 

Convert to a SOGEA connection then move the landline over to a VOIP provider.

[#6]

It's a shame the Plusnet email system can't be part transfered to a third party...............

[#7]

@Champnet  the easiest and least resources solution, would be for Plusnet to allow the leaving customer to specify an email forwarding address at a third party email provider.  Plusnet wouldn't have to maintain any mailboxes, storage capacity, or other resources, just simply forward everything (SPAM and all) and let the customer filter any incoming as needed at their new provider.

[#8]

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@iannewson wrote:

The copper wire isn't being turned off though. Just PSTN. 

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The majority of PSTN will be switched off soon after December 2025, with difficult exceptions to be resolved by January 2027.

The first 105 exchanges (and associated copper wires) will be decommissioned from 2027 to 2030,

then the majority of the remaining 4600 exchanges closed by 2033, and all done by 2035.

.

[#9]

@Anunnaki That is the current plan (maybe), but who knows? The goalposts keep being moved.

[#10]

Plus Net aren't offering any VoIP option so they're being forced to switch ISPs.  As they're old Plus Net users (for 20ish years) and have EVERYTHING linked to their plus.com email addresses it will be a NIGHTMARE to contact everyone and every business and change the email address to an outlook or gmail address.  There's always some people who cannot or do not change their address book and there's always the chance you miss one vital thing and once the address is gone you have no way to recover your login if you forget the password.

As Annunaki and others have said, they're not forced to switch ISPs - just ger a VoIP solution from another supplier (A&A seems to be the preferred one among those here, with voipfone next, and then several others - more or less everyone seems happy with whoever they've chosen)

It's probably worth them considering getting an alternative address though - maybe in parallel, so they can migrate everyone gradually. It is a pain. I say this as - although they've not said anything yet - reading between the lines, I think PlusNet will end the email service they provide (actually subcontract) before too long. Also, the existing email system does have problems - see threads about bounces for example. I wouldn't put a lot of money on the PlusNet brand itself surviving that many years.

I wouldn't go to outlook (assuming that's a free one) or gmail - I'd get my own domain (as I have). OK, it costs a little more (though I've heard mention of only about £30 a year from some suppliers), but you own the domain (make sure you do, not the service provider), and can move the supplier without having to change the address. Going with outlook or gmail puts you at risk of them changing in the future (I can see the consternation there would be internationally if gmail withdrew the facility, but they could!), and even if that doesn't happen, you have to follow their weird and wonderful rules, procedures, and so on.

[#11]

The exchange buildings are being shutdown, but copper wires from the cab to premises will be around for a long time yet. Imagine all the works needed to fully fibre the country! My road will need major ground works or poles being put up (we know what outrage this causes)

[#12]

If you change to BT as an internet provider, since Plusnet are part of BT, can you keep your Plusnet email address?

[#13]

@NickyOver In a word - no. The BT and Plusnet operations are separate businesses, and leaving Plusnet means tou lose all access to the PN services.