Here's where the story ends…

[#1]

Once, in the not-too-distant past, PlusNet really did do me proud. Times have changed, and now PlusNet is proud just to do me.

Whenever my contract was up for renewal, I would call Customer Services to negotiate a new contract. Something changed last year, though, and it took a lot more effort to secure an attractive deal.

In a couple of weeks my Line Rental Saver comes to an end; with this benefit no longer available, I contacted Customer Service, but was told point blank that there was no possibility of paying anything less than £21.22 monthly line rental + extra for Evening and Weekend calls (which I'd always had for free). And because my broadband contract is separate from the line rental, my suggestion of moving to the £26.99 p/m for 18 months deal was dismissed. I appreciate that my broadband contract has another 10 months to run, but I was seeking to extend it, not wriggle out of it. Even if I'd been offered a 24 month contract at £26.99 p/m I would have accepted!

So, PlusNet, this is the start of the end of our relationship. My new land line provider, which uses the same infrastructures as you (not LLU) will charge me just £11.99 on a rolling monthly contract. Call costs are half the price of yours, too, not to mention UK customer services.

My next step will be to move my mobile service from September. And finally, come Jun 2022 when my broadband contract expires, the split will be complete.

It's sad it's come to this, but you have evidently don't value your long-standing customers. It's hard to leave, but…

[#2]

Thanks for the feedback @Thats_What_I_Do 

I'm sorry to see you go, although I believe there may be some confusion here. Your contract is for both broadband and phone, that encompasses line rental and your call plan, they aren't separate. Line rental saver was just a choice you'd have made to pay your line rental up front for 12 months to save a bit of money.

The reason why we can't renew your contract now is because you're within a contract for broadband and phone that's together, but within the last 3 months of your contract end date, we'll be happy to make you some offers. 

If you move your phone away from us within the contract, you'll incur termination fees for the phone side of the contract, and you'll move onto a broadband only account which also incurs a broadband only surcharge. In your fixed price contract, the broadband only surcharge is £3.50 per month. 

When your line rental saver expires, you'll pay line rental at a monthly cost of £19.99 as this was how much it was at the time you agreed your fixed price contract, but when your broadband/phone contract ends, both your line rental and broadband will then increase to our standard pricing, unless you renew and get a cheaper deal in the process. 

Your legacy evenings and weekends call plan is free and that won't change, unless we make a business decision to discontinue this for everybody or it's removed from your account in favour of another call plan or line only, in which case we won't be able to get you back onto the legacy plan, but as it stands we aren't going to remove it. 

I hope this helps. 

[#3]

Thank you for your reply, Gandalf. Much of what you say is contrary to what [CSA Removed] told me when I called. However, hhis is not the place to argue about who said what to whom, so I shall refrain from starting a war of words .

May I politely request, though, a link to information about the Broadband-only surcharge? I have searched on the main help pages, but the results refer me back to the community.

Moderators Note: CSA Name removed as per Forum rules

[#4]

Thanks for getting back to me @Thats_What_I_Do 

Sorry for any incorrect information you've been given. The monthly cost for a broadband only service used to be Here but as it's not a service we offer anymore from the 03/12/19, it looks like its been taken down, unless I need bigger glasses. 

Technically though it is still possible and while we won't ever now 'sell' a broadband only package through a new contract, if you move your phone away from us, assuming your line stays on the BT network, you'll automatically go onto a broadband only account with the surcharge of £3.50 a month. 

[#5]

@Thats_What_I_Do 

Speaking as another customer, the 'Broadband only' surcharge has been in existence for several years, I know because I pay it myself, although I think it may vary slightly according to type of connection.

However, I was under the impression that PN don't allow Broadband only so I'm curious as to why you'd be able to move your phone line away from PN.  Perhaps it's something to do with you being on an old style contract.  @Gandalf will probably elucidate.

Edit: @Gandalf replied whilst I was typing  

[#6]

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@Gandalf wrote:

The reason why we can't renew your contract now is because you're within a contract for broadband and phone that's together, but within the last 3 months of your contract end date, we'll be happy to make you some offers. 

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When did this policy change? Suddenly, I'm receiving offers to tempt me not to terminate my line rental. The coaxing carrot dangling from the stick of seduction is no other than what I had suggested in the first place (plus £50 cashback)!

[#7]

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@Thats_What_I_Do wrote:

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@Gandalf wrote:

The reason why we can't renew your contract now is because you're within a contract for broadband and phone that's together, but within the last 3 months of your contract end date, we'll be happy to make you some offers. 

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When did this policy change?

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This has been a thing for as long as I’ve worked at Plusnet. Since 3rd November 2014