cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Plusnet need to change their pricing otherwise they will be losing phone customers

Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 741
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Plusnet need to change their pricing otherwise they will be losing phone customers

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-41759189

 BT will slash costs for customers who only have a landline, after a review by regulator Ofcom.

From April 2018, the telecoms company will reduce the price of its monthly line rental by £7, a 37% decrease from the current cost of £18.99.

The reduction will save up to a million households £84 a year, and customers will have their rental costs capped at the rate of inflation.

Ofcom expects three other providers to follow suit.

You have a few months to act as long as you don't wait for the new accounting system Evil

12 REPLIES 12
Browni
Aspiring Hero
Posts: 2,673
Thanks: 1,036
Fixes: 61
Registered: ‎02-03-2016

Re: Plusnet need to change their pricing otherwise they will be losing phone customers

I don't think you can get landline only contracts with Plusnet, I wonder if BT will still offer the reduction if the broadband provider is a 3rd party?
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 741
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Plusnet need to change their pricing otherwise they will be losing phone customers

The point is that BT Retail have no idea if there is broadband via a third party and the £2.50 premium from Plusnet for having land line elsewhere looks rather silly

Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 741
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Plusnet need to change their pricing otherwise they will be losing phone customers

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/10/26/bt_to_cut_profit_from_landline_only_punters/ seems to correct my assumption

This will come in to effect from April 2018 for all landline-only customers who just take phone services from us and don’t have broadband (either with BT or someone else).

wisty
Pro
Posts: 591
Thanks: 112
Fixes: 8
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Plusnet need to change their pricing otherwise they will be losing phone customers

It will be interesting to see the effect on LRS when this takes effect.

Jonpe
Hero
Posts: 4,024
Thanks: 1,851
Fixes: 9
Registered: ‎05-09-2016

Re: Plusnet need to change their pricing otherwise they will be losing phone customers

BT used to have a Light User Scheme (I think it was called) which was for people who made few calls, and was about a third of the usual line rental, but the discount was reduced the more calls that were made.  This was not available to internet customers (dial-up as it was in those days), but the charming Northern Irish woman at the BT call centre said they would not be able to tell if someone used another ISP.

Nowadays with broadband, won't BT know if someone else's BB is being connected to their line?

nicki77
Grafter
Posts: 36
Thanks: 13
Registered: ‎04-08-2016

Re: Plusnet need to change their pricing otherwise they will be losing phone customers

Its interesting that the original Ofcom proposal included customers who only had their landline with BT but their broadband with another ISP.   As with Oldjim's post, everything I've read so far suggests that this isn't now going to be the case.

 

nicki77
Grafter
Posts: 36
Thanks: 13
Registered: ‎04-08-2016

Re: Plusnet need to change their pricing otherwise they will be losing phone customers

The original Ofcom proposal included customers who had broadband with other ISPs, but so far everything I've read suggests that this has been removed and it does only apply to those who have landline only.

Moderator's note by Mike (Mav): Post released from Spam Filter.

Pettitto
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 6,346
Fixes: 5
Registered: ‎26-11-2011

Re: Plusnet need to change their pricing otherwise they will be losing phone customers

I'm sure that BT could check to see if there's a TAG on the line which would indicate whether or not there is broadband on a given line?
bobpullen
Community Gaffer
Community Gaffer
Posts: 16,930
Thanks: 5,016
Fixes: 317
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Plusnet need to change their pricing otherwise they will be losing phone customers

@Pettitto is right. BT do have ways to establish whether or not there's DSL service on a circuit. Certainly at the point a transfer is requested.

Bob Pullen
Plusnet Product Team
If I've been helpful then please give thanks ⤵

jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 965
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Plusnet need to change their pricing otherwise they will be losing phone customers

Have a read of http://www.revk.uk/2017/10/bt-can-fine-you-for-getting-broadband.html

jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)
bin
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 168
Thanks: 47
Registered: ‎05-12-2014

Re: Plusnet need to change their pricing otherwise they will be losing phone customers

How long do you think it will be before a special call charge package is introduced for Line Only customers?

I'd give it 8 - 12 months Evil

Jonpe
Hero
Posts: 4,024
Thanks: 1,851
Fixes: 9
Registered: ‎05-09-2016

Re: Plusnet need to change their pricing otherwise they will be losing phone customers

@jelv  The article you link to refers to mobile phones as an example.  The old BT Light User Scheme did in fact exclude customers who had a mobile phone.  Of course if your mobile was with someone else they had no way of knowing.