Line Rental with Broadband Package?

[#1]

Hi there, I've recently been considering getting rid of the landline in my household as my family hardly uses it anymore but I wasn't sure how this would affect my internet access if I was to get rid of it.

My current broadband package with Plusnet says that phone line is included, but I've also been looking at a cheaper option in the "Offers and Upgrades" tab that says that phone line isn't included.

If I were to stop paying line rental to BT would my current broadband package still work? Does the cheaper offer require that I do still pay for line rental?

Just to clarify, I live in an area where we don't have full fibre available yet.

Apologies if these are silly questions, I'm just a bit confused and hoping for some guidance. Thanks for your time.

[#2]

@JohnLHolland 

Not silly questions at all.

It sounds like you might be paying BT (not Plusnet) for a phoneline and Plusnet for broadband service.

This used to be possible (and can continue) but you will probably be paying more than you needed.

As far as I can tell, if you ordered an "upgrade" your phone service would cease and you would stop paying BT.

Your Internet would continue with Plusnet.

[#3]

@JohnLHolland 

Line rental is entirley different from a phone service.

You need a line for your internet to work so you still pay for it - it's just included in the price.

With the withdrawel of tradional phone services on the horizon internet connections (except ADSL and Full Fibre) are slowly being moved onto an OpenReach product called SOGEA. The uses the "last mile" of the copper line from the FTTC Cabinet to your house but has no phone service included. The line from the Exchange to the cabinet becomes redundant.

Moving to SOGEA will automatically cancel your phone service. You must do it this way - cancelling your phone service first will cancel your internet connection as there would be no associated line for the internet signal.

Try phoning the PlusNet Customer Options Team on 0800 013 2632 to see what's on offer.

Brian

[#4]

I have done just that, re-contracted without a phone line. I just did an early renewal through the offer page.

My old service was billed as Line Rental at £28.63 less £1.64 discount, Unlimited Fibre at £22.91 less £22.91 discount and billed lines for Line Only, Caller Display and Voicemail all at £0.00 total £26.99 (which was due to increase to £28.72) .

My new service is billed as Fibre £32.37 less £7.38 discount total £24.99

So I am no longer paying for line rental with free unlimited fibre but simply fibre.

Nothing physically changed at my end and nothing noticeable happened except the phone went off late in the day of the new service.

[#5]

Thanks for all the responses. I've been busy over the weekend so hadn't had a chance to respond yet.

If I'm understanding correctly from your responses, I would still be paying for line rental as part of the Plusnet package so it's fine to cancel the line rental with BT if all I want is the broadband service.

Is that correct?

[#6]

@JohnLHolland 

If I'm understanding correctly from your responses, I would still be paying for line rental as part of the Plusnet package so it's fine to cancel the line rental with BT if all I want is the broadband service.

Is that correct?

Not quite!

My current broadband package with Plusnet says that phone line is included, but I've also been looking at a cheaper option in the "Offers and Upgrades" tab that says that phone line isn't included.

You need to change to the new Plusnet package first!. At the moment your broadband is inextricably linked to your phone number and so cancelling the line rental with BT WILL cancel your broadband.

Changing to the new PLusnet package will disassociate the broadband from the phone number and thus allow the phone service to be cancelled without affecting the broadband. In fact you will find that the change to the new product will automatically cancel the phone service even though its currently with BT. 

[#7]

@JohnLHolland 

With SOGEA the line rental (needed for the copper internet service) is included in the price.

You must do the change through PN. Do NOT speak to BT at all. You may have ETC's to pay to BT for the phone service.

Brian

[#8]

@MisterW Thanks for the response.

I think I've caused some confusion. The phone line that I use is part of a BT phone package separate from the Plusnet Broadband package. I believe I got moved onto a Plusnet package at some point that just so happens to include a phone line that doesn't get used. I would have thought switching Plusnet package would therefore not affect the BT phone line. In this case I think I would still need to cancel the BT service if I'm not mistaken.

I mostly brought up that the Plusnet package includes phone line as I wasn't sure if the actual line rental was specifically tied to this part of the package.

Regardless, it sounds like I should be good to switch broadband package and then cancel the BT line rental afterwards.

[#9]

@JohnLHolland 

I think I've caused some confusion.

Maybe I've just made assumptions...

The phone line that I use is part of a BT phone package separate from the Plusnet Broadband package. I believe I got moved onto a Plusnet package at some point that just so happens to include a phone line that doesn't get used.

So just to be clear, you have two lines coming into the house, each with different phone numbers ?

The first, you pay BT retail for just a phone service. The second you pay Plusnet for a broadband and phone service.

So you have two separate Openreach master sockets ? Is that correct ?

[#10]

@MisterW 

No I only have one Openreach socket.

When I first started using Plusnet many years ago (something like 12 years I can't quite remember) our deal was for broadband only. At the time and up until now I've paid BT for the phone line. At some point I got switched over to a different broadband package as the old package I was on was discontinued. This package includes phone line with Plusnet according to the dashboard on the Plusnet Member centre, but I've never actually switched my phone line over.

[#11 · Accepted solution]

At some point I got switched over to a different package as the old package I was on was discontinued. This package includes phone line with Plusnet according to the dashboard on the Plusnet Member centre, but I've never actually switched my phone line over.

@JohnLHolland That being the case, your Plusnet broadband account is still associated with your phone service that is currently still supplied by BT.

You need to proceed as previously advised by changing the Plusnet product to SoGEA (confusingly called Fibre) which will cancel your phone service leavin you with just broadband. As @bmc says , just check that you are not still in a minimum term contract with BT for the phone else ETC's may be charged.

[#12]

@MisterW I'm not on any minimum term contract so I will indeed proceed as advised.

Thanks for all the replies, you've been very helpful.