Omigod, I think I'm gonna stay with BT

[#1]

For the last decade, I have had a burning ambition to get out of BT's clutches, but was unable to do so for a variety of reasons connected with business link-ups etc.
Last September, I found a way to switch my broadband over to Plusnet, and I have been delighted with the service I have received.  But now that I am at last in a position to add my landline to my broadband, there seems to have been a sea-change in the availability of information in general, and customer service in particular.
I am very tempted to stick with BT for another year - the phrases 'better the devil you know than the devil you don't' and 'jumping out of the frying pan into the fire' spring to mind.

[#2]

Hi KK, I'm surprised to see you post this to be honest. I though from our conversation over PM you were gearing up to move over.
I'm just wondering what in particular might have deterred you?
Adam

[#3]

Adam, I'm 'shopping around'! 
In the link which I referred you to earlier - http://www.plus.net/addphone/ - there is a clear implication that I can upgrade directly into an LRS deal.  But in your PM, you said that I would have to pay a month's rental at full price before I could start line rental saver.
I really don't have the time to struggle with the different information which is given out by different parts of large organisations.  Usually, it is callcentre operatives who contradict each other, but right now, Plusnet's call centre is non-contactable.
If I can't be sure of what I'm signing up to, then I might as well stay with BT.
Kevin

[#4]

I have to say I stayed with BT in the end when my LRS came to an end in December as the easier option. I think it's slightly cheaper since I get both Caller Display and Evenings and Weekends free (i.e. at the basic rate) - and that offsets the increase that I've now suffered in my PN Broadband cost since I don't have PN phone.

[#5]

drj - it's complicated, innit!  If I were to switch my landline to PN, then my broadband should be £2.50 a month cheaper, but there is no certainty that I am being correctly advised.
I hardly use my landline, and BT used to impose a £2 penalty if I forgot to make my compulsory two free calls a month.  Apparently, BT has now dropped this requirement, but they haven't bothered to tell me.  What they have done, this month, is suddenly impose a £1,75 charge for 1571 (again without bothering to remind me that it was only free for the first year, even though my current LRS was the second consecutive year).  Obviously, I have cancelled 1571 asap, but it was quite hard to drill into the website in order to place the cancellation.
Better the devil you know, or better the devil you don't?

[#6]

I was advised by email about the 1571 charge - and immediately cancelled it since I have a telephone answering machine, don't make many calls anyway (the only time 1571 would kick in), and consistently forgot to check if there were any messages on it anyway.

[#7]

Have BT started charging for the Caller ID yet ? That was something else they used to provide as part of the package but it has been reported recently that they will be charging extra for it now.

[#8]

Yes - but it's free with LSR

[#9]

Quote from: KK

I am very tempted to stick with BT for another year - the phrases 'better the devil you know than the devil you don't' and 'jumping out of the frying pan into the fire' spring to mind.

Yes, I know the feeling - been there myself. Neither is perfect, but I prefer PN's way of doing things.
Having made the switch a couple of years ago, I've no regrets.
The bills are much easier to understand, and online management of the account is in a different league to BT's.
And of course, Adam and his colleagues are always there to assist. 
Go on - jump - you know you want to. 

[#10]

4C - you are right in every respect, but if something should happen to go wrong with the switch, then is it really worth having to spend hours on the phone in order to save £30-£40 over the year?
I have had no reason to call either BT nor Plusnet recently, except in connection with installation/cancellation/billing etc - I cannot remember the last time I experienced a technical fault.
But I have a suspicion that some of the BT OpenReach delays might be because they give priority to BT customers over all the others.

[#11]

Granted, there's a very small risk of a failed switch-over, but I'd be thinking of the long term overall benefits rather than just the money saved.
BTOR favouritism seems unlikely, but of course we'd never know. If it did exist, surely PN would benefit, not lose, as they're owned by BT?

[#12]

Can I just say that the PlusNet website is very obtuse when it comes to finding out how much phone services cost. I thought I'd compare what I'm paying to BT to the equivalent package at PlusNet having failed to make the switch in December when my previous BT LRS ended.
PlusNet phone is £14.50 pm or LRS at £131.88, equivalent to £10.99pm - but that's including free weekend calls only. I can find Caller Display is an extra £0.99pm but try as I might I can't find the cost of "Evenings & Weekends" which is what I have with BT.
Very unhelpfully http://www.plus.net/home-broadband/tariffs/ lists the different packages available but crucially NOT the prices!
Ahha! I resorted to using the search box and eventually found http://www.plus.net/support/phone/home-phone-faq.shtml which shows "Evenings & Weekends" costs an extra £1.50 per month. Why doesn't this appear on the Tariffs page or on an obvious link?
So Plus~Net phone for LRS including Evenings& Weekends and Caller Display add-ons costs £10.99 + £1.50 + £0.99 = £13.48pm = £161.76pa
In December I paid BT £141.00 for the same package, since Caller Display despite now being a charged service is free on a 12 month contract and I get Evenings & Weekends free as a loyalty discount.
I do of course have to pay a £2.50 penalty charge for my PlusNet Broadband which means I'm actually out of pocket to the tune of £9.24 - but when I renewed my BT LRS I hadn't been able to calculate it in this much detail. Perhaps making your tariffs easier to find would result in more customers? I'd probably have switched.

[#13]

@DRJ
http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,122244.0/topicseen.html

[#14]

Thanks - hadn't seen that thread since it's on a topic section I don't visit. Clearly there is an awful lot of confusion at Plusnet both within its website and amongst its staff as to what is actually available...
What is being intimated on that other topic is that "Evenings  & Weekends" is not available with LRS and hence the service Plusnet could provide me with, unless I opt for no inclusive calls, would be more expensive than BT even taking into account the Broadband only surcharge recently imposed.