Premium account?

[#1]

I feel as if attempting to migrate would be like swimming to an idyllic island but having to cross shark infested waters on the way.  I'd hope that as PN is pretty much part of BT now, they'd just keep all the connections the same and change the billing and router...  but what if they actually disconnect first then find they can't give me a fibre reconnection after all?  Seems too risky.  Why don't they get more green boxes in, we're 2km from ours!

[#2]

It does not work like that. The infrastructure is owned by BT Openreach / BT Wholesale.

BT Retail and Plusnet are two distinct CP/ISPs who need to be treated at the same arms length as all of the other ISPs. Being withi the same group should curry no favour.

It would be interesting to know if any ISP can supply you with FTTC. Such would confirm my suspicions.

[#3]

I believe that in the last couple of years it has become a brand of BT Consumer division, no longer a separate company.

[#4]

Still a separate independent company.

[#5]

@Townman  not true, PN are very much a small part of BT Consumer (Retail as was) division, and have been for some time. It has been obvious for many years the bean counters have squeezed PN and have limited their capability. Whilst they may operate as an independent ISP, they are very much ruled by BT Consumer.

[#6]

They might well have close order management from their pay masters but as far as Retail service provision under Ofcom rules they are an independent company with no back scratching pally transfer of existing user services as inferred by a previous post.

As far as customers are concerned they are different legal companies. Yes BT consumer are sharing ideas between the brands but that is not the same as being a single trading company.

PLUSNET PLC
Company number 03279013
Registered office address
The Balance, 2 Pinfold Street, Sheffield, S1 2GU

BT GROUP PLC
Company number 04190816
Registered office address
81 Newgate Street, London, EC1A 7AJ

EE UK SERVICES LTD
Company number 11188654
Registered office address
1-4 London Road, Spalding, England, PE11 2TA

[#7]

Virgin must be having a field day in my area.  With people needing to work from home, and therefore needing more data allowance than they get on their mobile phones (many homes no longer have a landline) and not being able to get new FTTC connections, their only real recourse is Virgin.  I just wish there was a choice of cable suppliers in each area like there was many years ago.

[#8]

@IngeJones 

Why not just get a router with 4g failover? I believe that Draytek make suitable devices, you could also connect a second DSL line to it, be it only ADSL until more capacity becomes available or cable/FTTP comes to your area.

[#9]

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Why not just get a router with 4g failover?

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I thought of it, but unless it was a feature of a wired broadband contract, the data allowance is usually limited and it costs a lot more, when it might only need using once or twice a year.   In fact employers are pretty understanding when one has internet problems while meant to be working, so in practice I am just fussing about nothing, it's just annoying  - and a little bit alarming to feel that other than Virgin we're pretty much painted into our corner at this time.

[#10]

@IngeJones 

My answer to that is to keep a separate MiFi hub, though a failover router could also be used. In this I have a Giffgaff SIM. I keep a float of money in my Giffgaff accounts. I normally have this on a Pay as you Go basis but do not use it apart from logging in and say opening the bbc home page every 6 months to keep the account alive. Obviously PayGo data rates are very high but if I need this in place of the landline service all I have to do is log in to my Giffgaff account and activate a 1 month ‘Goody Bag’  https://www.giffgaff.com/sim-only-deals?ggCampaign=PS_G_Brand_Exact_Brand-Pure&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=E...
.

[#11]

Just checked - even Plusnet couldn't give me fibre broadband now.  Good thing I already have it!

[#12]

Sounds like you cabinet is full / has not spare serviceable ports.  Resolution of that is down to BTOR to plan more capacity.

Back to your original issue.  There is no real need to switch to a price inflated service from BT Retail (residential or business) if what you really need is the assurance of internet connectivity continuity in the event of a phone line failure.  All you need is a router which supports 3/4/5G fail over via a USB connected wifi dongle.

If the router you are using does not facilitate that, there are plenty out there which do, which are not overly expensive.  You then need a PAYG mobile broadband dongle and SIM card - though (in comparison) these might be a bit expensive per GB on the basis that you only need to pay when you must use it, such will work out cheaper than paying a premium price each and every month ... just in case the unlikely happens.

That said if it does happen it is a massive issue - I once ran a pub and had 6+ months of BT OR's failure to fix problems properly - on one occasion the line failing completely 30 minutes after being repaired.  Even though that was late Friday afternoon, Plusnet got BTOR back on site the following day and a full crew out on Sunday morning, service being restored before a busy Sunday service.

Needing to be able to take CC payments and (at the time) being dependent on a single phone line was a (on reflection) high risk stakes, but a standby phone line was not economically viable.  These days most PDQ machines are equipped with a standby SIM (expensive when needed) for those rare occasions when the internet fails.

[#13]

Actually on deeper reading, the 4g failover wouldn't have helped with our up and down morning the other day.  Apparently it only kicks in if your line disconnects.  That morning the connection was steady - it was the PPP that kept failing.  We were able to use our phones as hot spots when necessary.  Doesn't mean I'd not like the rest of the bells and whistles tho 

Just one detail though - with the BT business account, and with Virgin's £7 a month to buy theirs as an addon, you can use your 4g dongle as if it was full broadband for the time it's needed.  Ie no data limits.   All the other solutions that are at the comparable cost have data limits.

[#14]

£84pa just in case you need it, buys lots of PAYG bandwidth when (only if) you need it.  It is like paying for a washing machine breakdown cover - on average it is cheaper to save the money and pay for a repair if it breaks.

[#15]

"There is no real need to switch to a price inflated service from BT Retail (residential or business)"

It always puzzles me why these supposedly higher BT prices are quoted.

I have BT Fibre 1 and pay £22.59/month including line rental. Yes, I agreed to a 24 month minimum when that price was offered in December. Having their fibre also offers a reduced mobile monthly price (£5/month for unlimited minutes and texts with 2Gb data). BT Wifi at many locations at no extra cost, BT Virus Protect, BT Cloud Storage. £27.59/ month including mobile.

Excellent connection stability and consistent expected and advertised speeds. Live chat! No issues with customer service or waiting time to contact them.

Sorry, but this anti BT propaganda doesn't wash with me.