I am wondering whether to change my broadband provider and package/tariff. I am eligible for so-called "social tariffs" https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/compare-broadband-deals/broadband-social-tariffs/ which are cheaper packages that are only available if you are on certain benefits or receive certain support. Plusnet don't offer these, as far as I know. While I am the only person in my house on a regular basis, I do stream a lot of video and audio, download large files (e.g. Linux ISOs), upload files for my web design hobby, I spend a lot of time online, and I have multiple devices connected and using bandwidth. So some extra speed would be beneficial.
I have looked at the "social tariffs" and other packages that are available, including from Plusnet my existing broadband provider, and have determined that my best alternative is BT's Home Essentials https://www.bt.com/exp/broadband/home-essentials . But I have some ❓questions and concerns❓ about which I would appreciate comments and advice please.
Current package:
BT Basic - line rental
(I am eligible due to the benefits I'm on.)
£5.16 per month
(I don't use the landline phone.)
Plusnet Unlimited - broadband
Advertised "Estimated download speed" 4 Mbps-10 Mbps
Minimum guaranteed download speed 2.5 Mbps
Estimated upload speed 1 Mbps
Current Line Speed (download): 12 Mbps down (as reported on the Plusnet member centre - Broadband webpage when I am signed in)
Should be £12.74 per month
But I get monthly referral credits of £2.50
So I pay £10.24 per month
TOTAL (BT Basic + Plusnet Unlimited - referral credits): £15.40 per month
My current router - Netgear D6220 - statistics
ADSL Link Connection Speed - Downstream: 13655 kbps
ADSL Link Connection Speed - Upstream: 1267 kbps
Line attenuation - Downstream: 36.5 dB
Noise margin - Downstream: 3.4 dB
Entering my postcode at https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/exchanges/find
tells me that I am 1.9 km away from the Aylestone (EMAYLES) exchange, in Market B.
I keep getting letters through my door from "City Fibre" https://cityfibre.com/ saying that they have built a new, faster, cable broadband network in my street (as evidenced by the disruptive work in the street several months ago), and their website invites me to give them my email address so they can contact me when they are ready with the details of the different providers who will operate on their network from whom I could buy a service.
I could wait until March/April 2023 when Plusnet and BT will increase their prices due to inflation (CPI+ etc.).
Should I wait to change provider until City Fibre releases the information about which providers (and packages, presumably) will be available?❓ If I start a 12 month contract now with BT Home Essentials (below), and then a provider on the City Fibre network offers a better package, I'd be locked in. But how likely is it that a better package will be available when this happens? ❓
Alternative package I'm considering:
BT Home Essentials
- fibre broadband (FTTC I assume❓), which includes line rental I think? ❓
(I am eligible due to the benefits I'm on.)
Advertised 36 Mbps download speed
Estimated speed range 35 to 36 Mbps (based on my postcode and address).
Stay Fast Guarantee 32 Mbps
Upload speed range 8 to 9 Mbps
12 month contract, no early exit fees
£15 per month
+ £9.99 P&P upfront - though I don't think I'd need their "BT Hub" router as I think my existing one is better? ❓
I've been a Plusnet customer for many years (since 2002), and while they have gone downhill - particularly since being acquired by BT Retail and shifting their focus to low prices - they do still seem to have better customer service and reliability than most providers (which isn't saying much). This is based on ThinkBroadband's ISP comparison tool https://www.thinkbroadband.com/isps/compare and anecdotal evidence from people I know (I'm informal tech support to various people) as well as what I read on the Plusnet community forums https://community.plus.net/t5/Forum/ct-p/Forum and elsewhere online. So is it worth paying 40p more per month and getting a third of the speed to stay with Plusnet? ❓ThinkBroadband seems to show that BT's customer service isn't massively worse than Plusnet, and is still better than the other big names (again though, this isn't saying much).
My other concern is that, if I leave my current Plusnet package, I won't be able to return to it: once I leave I would lose the referral credits I currently get, and my current broadband package without landline phone is no longer available to new customers.❓ So if I move to BT Home Essentials, and discover problems or find that they withdraw the Home Essentials package, I will end up paying more and won't be able to return to what I currently have.
Thank you for any advice and comments you might have.
