A bit of faith

[#1]

Been a happy customer for a good few years now (and still am), only needed CS a few times and have been well pleased by it (epically compared to a certain 3 letter ISP that I was on before) .
However my old Thompson 585v8 finally bit the dust so called up to get a replacement, and had to sign up for a 12 month contract to get it.  Come on, you have that little faith in your long term customers that your that scared they will run off with a £36 piece of hardware? (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Technicolour-TG582n-Port-Wireless-Router/dp/B005ELFTH4).  Keep your service as good as it is and you wont need to lock us in over £36, we'll be staying put regardless!

[#2]

Our local Tesco is doing Linksys 300Mbs routers for a tenner right now. If I needed one, I know where I would be going.

[#3]

@ HalfShaft
I'm sure you've probably come across this fairly well known saying?  

[#4]

It's just business, give someone something with an apparent 'value' in return for a commitment.
In addition to the above, 'Sprats to catch mackerel' also springs to mind.
If you have no intention of leaving within the next 12 months then you have 'nothing to loose', alternatively there are cheap routers available with adequate spec. which will avoid the 'tie-in'.
You're the customer, it's your choice.
My own preference is to use a much better router that, hopefully, will work with any ISP I might use now or in the future (though I have no reason or wish to leave Plusnet at present).

[#5]

If  you're a new plusnet customer then you do get a free lunch, paid for by the old customers.

[#6]

Difficult to disagree with that.
Still reasonable value for existing customers though.

[#7]

It does a job and the deal from PN seems fair.
I doubt they make much profit from the average customer, not enough to pay for a router, but presumably there's a trade-off in (hopefully) reduced support calls from those supplied with a standard preconfigured router.

[#8]

Quote from: 77

Still reasonable value for existing customers though.

I'd say it is still good value for existing customers. I can't find anywhere else which would offer me the same service/features for less money than I'm paying.

[#9]

Thanks for your feedback, HalfShaft.
I'll ensure this is passed on to the relevant team.

[#10]

I'm happy with the reliable service that I get from PN which is partly why I took the offer of a 24 month retention deal for BB and switched the LR to PN to get it even cheaper for a user connected to a 20CN market 1 exchange, i.e not a low cost area.
A not too small part was knowing from experience of the great help that is available from PN Staff monitoring these forums, fortunately I haven't had to make use of it all that often. 

[#11]

Exactly the same situation here. Originally signed up on a month to month contract, was so impressed with the service signed up on an annual contract and moved phone and line rental to PN. Have recently renewed on a 2 year contract. Also in a Market 1 exchange, but the speeds are fast and consistent (as much as they can be on 20CN).
Compared to my last provider (TalkTalk), PN are so much better, both in broadband performance and customer service.
Nothing is perfect, but compared to some of the other providers out there, I think PN is a good choice.

[#12]

That makes 3 of us!!