Leaving Plusnet

[#1]

I moved from Sky to Plusnet in May this year.
Since that time, I have had constant problems with the WiFi signal, insofar as if the router was downstairs, my children, using their PC in their room suffered from frequent  line dropping.  If the router was moved, upstairs, then I had the same issues when using my laptop down stairs.
This was reported to Plusnet and they suggested changing channels, moving the router etc, all to no avail.  They then sent me a replacement router, which worked for a week but then the same problem returned.
This was clearly not an acceptable situation so I am moving to Virgin.
Here is the crux.  Plusnet want to charge me £40 for a router, which was not capable of providing a consistent signal and is thus, in my opinion, not fit for purpose.  They also want to charge me £25 for providing me with a MAC code since Virgin will not be using the same cable network as Plusnet.
All of this brings to mind a section of the lyrics from Hotel California:-

Last thing I remember, I was
Running for the door
I had to find the passage back
To the place I was before
'Relax,' said the night man,
'We are programmed to receive.
You can check-out any time you like,
But you can never leave!'

[#2]

Welcome to the Forum

and what the heck has the construction of your house got to do with Plusnet?
There are other ways to cure the problem and leaving Plusnet is not one of them

[#3]

Thank you for the welcome.
It has nothing at all to do with the construction of my house.  The router that I had with my previous ISP never gave me any issues, therefore I am led to the conclusion that the routers supplied by PlusNet are not of sufficient standard to work in my standard 3 up 2 down semi.  That is my reason for leaving PlusnNet.
The source of my irritations is that :-
a) PlusNet expect me to pay for a router that was incapable of providing a consistent service
b0 PlusNet are charging me £25 in order not to use their service

[#4]

You could have cut your losses (probably £4.99) and bought a different router for your Plusnet broadband.
I use a Billion 7800N but there are many out there.
Edit: Tense changed

[#5]

Hi there,
Thanks for your time on the phone, and I'm sorry we couldn't sort anything out for you. Best wishes with the new service.

[#6]

you should have posted before it got to this stage. I have a three floor building and I use a switch with homeplugs http://www.solwise.co.uk (plugging a Yorkshire company)

[#7]

Thank you Matt for taking the time and trouble to contact me with a possible solution to the problem.
Unfortunately, I have committed to move to Virgin now, so I am not going to take you up on your suggestion.  As I also mentioned to you on the phone there are other factors involved in that decision.
I only hope that your complaints team are equally as understandable when it comes to the charge that you are making for the router

Steve B

[#8]

to late now, but if his old router was that good, why didnt he still use it

[#9]

Pierre, Sky lock their routers. In fact IIRC they also have a clause in their T's & C's to say that you're not to use allowed to use your own equipment with their services.

[#10]

and they won't supply a router with decent wireless capability when the one they have provided is rubbish

[#11]

Oldjim - who are are referring to when you say that their router is rubbish ?
BTW the plot thickens.  I received a message telling me to call the Customer Options Team to arrange a cessation of service.  I duly did so, and spoke to a very nice lady there..  I explained to her why I was leaving PlusNet.
Haseena, told me that had she been aware of the problem in the first place, she would have supplied me with an alternative make of router, that is known to have a better signal.  Unfortunately this suggestion has come too late.  I agreed, reluctantly, to pay the cessation fee, but am holding out against payment for the router.
When i checked my messages today, I have received an message from Haseena :-
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for choosing PlusNet Home Phone. You will receive email updates advising when the transfer is complete and how to access your Home Phone Control Panel.
We explained to you the outline of the terms and conditions when we took the order from you over the phone, you can view these in full by visiting our website and clicking on the “Legal” link which can be found at the bottom of our homepage. We assume that unless you reply to this ticket you accept the terms and conditions and we will provide the service.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I never requested the phone service !

[#12]

Hi there,
I've checked the account and other than that response there's nothing to show that any phone service is being added. I can assure you that the cancellation is going ahead and that this is simply a case of the incorrect information being added to the ticket. Sorry about that, I'll make sure the agent is aware.

[#13]

Quote from: steveben2004

Here is the crux.  Plusnet want to charge me £40 for a router, which was not capable of providing a consistent signal and is thus, in my opinion, not fit for purpose.

I think your expectations, in terms of wi-fi and consumer rights, are unrealistic.
I take it you can get a signal in the same room as the router.  If so, the router is providing a consistent signal.  Beyond that, reliability of any radio signal is subject to the vagaries of the dynamic conditions within the airspace within your own property.  The point at which a radio signal will become marginal depends on many variables, including the quality of the equipment, which is reflected in the price.  Here, as a consumer, you have a choice as to how you spend your money and you are responsible for choosing wisely.
As an aside.  There are stringent standards for operating radio equipment in the UK.  All Wi-Fi routers transmit at the same signal strength, with similar specification routers having roughly similar ranges.  Wireless N technology can increase the effective range in some circumstances, notably inside a building. 
Marginal Wi-Fi connections, where one router reliably reaches the 2nd floor and another, of similar specification, does not.  Can often be resolved by nothing more complicated than a placing a sheet of tin-foil under the router and making sure the antenna is not oriented straight up.

[#14]

MSSystems
Thank you for your suggestion
I note your comments but having had virtually no problems with the router supplied by my previous ISP for a peiod of 4 years, I would have thought that I should expect the same from this router.  There is nothing in any documentation that I have seen that tells me to wrap the router in tin foil plastic or whatever.
So, from my perspective, the router supplied is sub-standard insofar as the whole idea behind a wireless rooter is tha you can connect to the outer, from pretty well anywhere within a standard 3 bed semi.

[#15]

Responding to teh lack of WiFi signal, do take note of the person who plugged http://www.solwise.co.uk/ I live in a rather large rambling old house with many rooms scattered all over the place. I have a number of Solwise solutions and can get WiFi all over the house, in the barns (200 m away) and in the garden. Solwise also have a very helpful and understanding help desk and are very competitively priced. Good company good products.