Is your phone service with Plusnet? If not, why not?

[#1]

Sorry James, yes I had forgotten that 

[#2]

We do have a Plusnet landline but it’s not used much. It’s really there so that the elderly parents can contact us; my Dad just wouldn’t ever ring a mobile number or, despite various attempts by siblings and I, would never own a mobile. Having said that, SWMBO has learnt to use it instead of her Blackberry for lengthy calls to her mate from the bath as she’s already destroyed two BB’s with the steam!

[#3]

Quote from: Anotherone

As for the naked DSL,  - you are still going to have to pay for line rental to cover maintenance and the line has to be connected to exchange equipment so that it can be tested in the event of a broadband fault if for no other reason.

<Pedant mode>
There is no need to connect the line to the voice switch part of the exchange for DSL to provide a data service.  The current tools available from BTO to test a line remotely are however based around the voice circuit.  
</Pedant mode>
If I were to buy a leased line it wouldn't be tested for voice access...  Perhaps, in time, BTO (and BTW) will stop thinking that voice is the primary service and change the bias to provision of voice and/or data to the home (with appropriate tools and tests for each independently).
As I said earlier, it may be too late for POTS but it's not too late for FTTP(oD)

[#4]

[also pedant mode] And how much do you pay for a leased line?

[#5]

I think you missed my point - There's a technical and a fiscal/marketing argument for sure, but they're separate...  
At risk of taking this thread completely OT, it could be argued that if FTTC were offered without voice then the maintenance burden would be reduced (by how much, who knows?)  
For example I'm about 300m from my cabinet, about 2500m from the exchange and have a FTTC service.  BTO now have to maintain 2200m of unnecessary copper pair because a fault on the cabinet<>exchange segment could cause a fault with my data service.
I'm enough of a realist to know that things won't change of course, and completely understand the way the broadband has evolved, but that's shouldn't stifle debate about how it could be done better

[#6]

Haven't missed the point at all. Different tools would have to be developed for testing with naked DSL..In the case of FTTC there isn't the equipment in the Cab and wouldn't be room for it in any case. If they have to send an engineer out just to test your line from the Cab when it could have been done remotely, the cost of that is far greater. All things considered I don't think it's a starter for FTTC or standard DSL. FTTP is as you've said a different kettle of fish. But we are drifting off-topic and better curtail it here before OJ gets his big stick out.

[#7]

...just adding to this thread ,I'm thinking of moving my phone line away -I'm caught by the "Market 1" conundrum - Sky have unbundled our exchange,TalkTalk are coming ...but its still for the forseeable future, market 1!
The deal I've been offered by Sky is worth £150+ in year 1 compared with my current Plusnet deal ..and I get an unlimited connection vs 10MB so can stream Skygo elsewhere in the house,as a substitute for mutliroom ...just agitating about moving everything to Sky tho'!!!!

[#8]

I have my landline phone with PN. Although I do use a mobile I feel that an old-fashioned line-powered phone is a good emergency backup and in fact it's cheaper for some things anyway. I changed to PN because it was the cheapest way to get fibre BB but after the contract period is up I'll likely switch away again. PN isn't cheap - hardly any difference to BT in fact - and despite the flak that BT collect I've found them to give an excellent service over my past 40-odd years.

[#9]

Was considering moving phone to PlusNet... BUT.... when I found out about the abysmal "credit" accounting, and not knowing how much your bill is, or how much credit you have, etc..etc etc... from reading the "stories" on the forum.... too risky...
I`m with jelv....

Quote from: jelv

With BT on AnyTime. It's what happens when there's a problem that means I won't move. BT Retail are far, far, far, far quicker in reporting the issue to "their suppliers" than Plusnet. BT give free diversion to a mobile if you are unable to receive incoming calls.

When I move(d) house, I contact BT and the line is ready for use on the morning of the move, and the previous line is disconnected sometime later in the day... so never without a phone line.
Horrendous stories on the forum about contacting PN.who then contact BT and then  W..................A................I....................T    for something to happen... 
Sorry PN... your phone service just does not "cut the mustard" with me....

[#10]

Quote from: shutter

Was considering moving phone to PlusNet... BUT.... when I found out about the abysmal "credit" accounting, and not knowing how much your bill is, or how much credit you have, etc..etc etc... from reading the "stories" on the forum.... too risky...

I'm not sure what stories you've been reading there, but generally speaking those things are not the case. Yes occasionally someone will find something goes wrong. However you can find how much "credit" you have and your current billed calls at the member centre, I've never had an issue with that.
I do have other issues with the way the service is supported, for example the SLA will do for starters - I'll post more another time when I have time to list all the things that used to be better.

[#11]

With BT Retail with free caller identification.
I use 18185 for almost all outgoing calls and BT Retail are legally obliged to let me use it. All other suppliers including PN may do, but may decide not to at any moment. 18185 calls are much cheaper than any non-inclusive BT or PN call charge.  I do not make enough calls to justify Anytime especially when there are free calls on the wife's mobile contract
I do think a UK call centre should be an attraction but I have not found it easy to get things sorted  when they go wrong even with that UK call centre and the ticket response system that escalates the problem with every response drives me berserk ( admittedly broadband experience). Plusnet need to improve their computerised management systems a long way before I would call them irresistable.
Where I live, landline broadband is not that remarkable and other options (son of 4G) might be an alternative though I might have to live a very long time.
So I stick where I am using 18185, pray I will not have a problem and plan to buy a contract mobile shortly. The terms of any offer good enough to tempt me to sign up to a long term contract would have to be sooooo good - and they are not.

[#12]

why do you think you can't use 18185 on Plusnet and why do think BT retail are legally obliged to let you use it

[#13]

Quote from: EnglishMohican

..........other suppliers including PN may do, but may decide not to at any moment.

Correct

Quote from: Oldjim

...........why do think BT retail are legally obliged to let you use it

OFCOM regulations.

[#14]

Please provide a link to the relevant regulation and explain why it should only apply to BT retail
Edit - answered by a bit of digging - it applies because BT is assumed to have Significant Market Power
This raises another question - as this refers to BT Retail and Plusnet is a subsidiary of BT surely it should apply to them as well otherwise BT Group could in theory start up an number of brands which would get round the SMP criteria

[#15]

I think Bob that this has shown ONE AGAIN the biggest bug bear with PN's phone service is the LACK of a FREE CID.
There are multiple comments on here saying that they stayed with BT for the FREE CID service. I did a poll last year, free cid was Number ONE wanted feature, and the last survey by one of your staff got told the same thing.
WE ALL WANT FREE CALLED ID