Breaking contract with no costs

[#1]

Once plus.net goes down the route of cutting off landlines, as like everyone else is doing and going full fibre, does this mean that you can break your contract and move to a providor that will offer broadband phone without getting charged ?

Just that your contract has changed without you agreement

thanks

[#2]

@ukanimal 

As far as I am aware Plusnet are not offering any contracts for internet and PSTN phones with an end date that run past December 2025 when the PSTN service is programmed to end. 
Assuming this continues this scenario will not arise.

[#3]

Moderator's note:
Thread moved from Broadband to My Account/Billing

[#4]

@ukanimal 

Not certain what you mean be "everyone going full fibre"

Many properties will not have FTTP by the time of the switch off. ADSL & FTTC lines will transfer to internet only connections and any voice service will need to be provided over VOIP if you require it (as with FTTP).

Brian

[#5 · Accepted solution]

@ukanimal 

My understanding is that the closure of the Public Switched Telephone Network will be completed by December 2025 but the actual closure will be regionalised and the actual date will vary around the country.

My understanding is that if your PSTN line is scheduled to be switched off whilst you are still in contract, then you will be allowed to move ISP without incurring Early Termination Charges - provided that you are moving to BT/EE, who have Digital Voice, which is a VoIP service.

As I say, these are my understandings - so if I've got them wrong, hopefully someone will correct me?

[#6]

so originally we got told in Devon 2023 was the year all landlines will be switched off / cancelled.. but rumbles are now it could be 2024

either way we would still want a telephone for emergencies which would connect through the broadband. 

So this would be different to what plus.net will offer as we have been told no phones will work on the full fibre system and would have to use another firm or change totally.

hence me asking about breaking contract without costs.

so thank you one and all for the comments, we will await and see and raise the issue if and when it happens

thanks again

[#7]

My understanding is that the closure of the Public Switched Telephone Network will be completed by December 2025 but the actual closure will be regionalised and the actual date will vary around the country.

I'm not sure that Openreach have a regional plan for the switch off. BT Retail have a regional plan to move THEIR customers to digital voice. Openreach'' s only plan is the Stop sell that happened last year! Their plan seems to be that the stop sell will mean that by Dec 2025 there will (hopefully!) be few people left affected by the switch off

[#8]

@ukanimal  Who told you no phones will work on the full fibre system? That's not the case.  Plusnet as far as we know will not be supplying a phone service, but many third party VOIP suppliers will be able to supply a service over your broadband connection. I certainly won't be going to BT's Digital Voice locked down service.

[#9]

I have just been sent this from a friend of mine as well

https://news.sky.com/story/how-will-the-landline-phone-switch-work-and-what-do-you-need-to-do-129512...

so time will tell...

I'm surprised that the west country would be first as normally we are the last to get anything

[#10]

I think my first post might not have been very clear

plus.net have said they will not offer the phone service as you have said, so that to me is no phone lines / systems. and they said that we could use another company to do that and use plus.net for broadband

hence me asking would I get charged to leave my contract to find a company like for example ee or bt etc who will be offering the broadband and the broadband phone

I don't see any point having two different companies to pay

[#11]

@ukanimal 

You can transfer to BT (not sure about EE) free of ETC's so long as you use PN to set up the transfer. Until you hear from PN you can ignore anything you read about dates. When PN does finally make an announcement I'm sure it'll garner comment on the Forum.

You don't have to wait however if you want to jump first.

The beauty of going with a VOIP supplier other than your ISP is you're not tied to that ISP if you wish to change ISP in the future (or even VOIP provider). BT's Digital Voice offering is tied to BT so is not independant.

Note that VOIP does not work during power cuts unless you have back up power available. You also lose immediate PN email access if you use PN email address by moving.

Have a look at the following just to see what one VOIP provider charges. They also have good FAQ's on the subject.

https://www.aa.net.uk/voice-and-mobile/voip-information/ 

Brian

[#12]

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@ukanimal wrote:

Once plus.net goes down the route of cutting off landlines, as like everyone else is doing and going full fibre, does this mean that you can break your contract and move to a providor that will offer broadband phone without getting charged ?

Just that your contract has changed without you agreement

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You have already agreed that Plusnet may change your contract - from the Terms and Conditions:

16. Our right to suspend your service or end our agreement
16.1. We can suspend or stop providing our services and/or end our agreement where:

...

16.1.10. we are no longer providing the service to customers.

[#13]

looks like I will be poss paying a cancel fee as I'm not staying here if they go down the line of no phones etc, even though I have been with them for over 13 yrs   time will tell

will also be interesting to see how it plays out for people who do not have broadband but currently have landline phones who want / need phone line

[#14]

For people that only want a phone, there is a broadband product that provides 500Kbps that will be used to provide a VoIP phone service. But of course Plusnet won't be offering that. 

[#15]

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@corringham wrote:

 But of course Plusnet won't be offering that. 

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A BT Consumer Division decision.