Question regarding hardware

[#1]

More curious about this than anything so hopefully somebody at PN can advise.
When I signed up with PN I decided that I'd continue to use my own hardware, so refused the offer of one for free plus £4.99 delivery. However, when I asked for one yesterday I was told that I could have one if I agreed to stay with you for a further 12 months and pay £5.99 delivery. I can accept the £5.99 delivery as it was announced recently that the delivery charge would increase but I don't understand why I'd need to agree to stay with you for another 12 months? If I was offered one 9 months ago, what has changed? It's not as if the monthly price is lower if you say no to a router so over the past 9 months you must have coined enough out of me to now cover the cost of supplying me with the hardware 9 months in.
Just curious as to what the difference is between asking for a router when you sign up, and asking for one part way through when you actually need one.

[#2]

If you were to have taken a router when you signed up the same 12 months deferred contract would have applied, i.e we'd ask you to pay for the router if you were to leave within 12 months.

[#3]

But as I agreed to a 12 month contract back then (currently I'm in it I believe) then surely I should be able to order one now? Because I'll still be here for another 3 months, meaning in total I'd have been with you for the 12? That's all you asked for back then, so why is it any different now?

[#4]

The contract for the router ran separately from the broadband service, it's a 12 month deferred contract from when you take the hardware. That's not how it works now though as there is no contract specific for the hardware.

[#5]

Well that's a bit bizarre. I'm not sure how you're disadvantaged by providing me with the router now?
Lets say the package I am on is £20 a month for the broadband, calls and line rental. £20 x 12 is £240. So far I've paid £180 and will continue to pay £20 for the next 3 months meaning in total I'd have paid £240.
If however I was to take the router back when I signed up, I'd have been signing up to a £20 package for 12 months. Meaning at the end of the 12 months you'd have got £240 out of me.
Either way, you're getting the same amount of money?

[#6]

As I mentioned in my previous response, the broadband contract was completely separate from the router. The charge for the router is £40 up front, or as a deferred cost on your account. If you chose to leave before the 12 month router contract, you would only be charged for the router contract (assuming you're out of contract on broadband).
So for example:
You signed up 8 months ago (4 months remaining on BB contract)
You now request router
You leave in 6 months time (14 months from your initial signup)
You'd only need to pay the £40 for the router, as there are no remaining months on your broadband contract.

[#7]

I understand that but what I'm asking is, as I am going to have been with you for 12 months. Why can a router not be supplied now? That's the point I don't get. You're still going to have had me as a customer for 12 months which is really all you're asking? Why can it not be dated back as though I'd took router on Day 1?

[#8]

But you didn't request the router 12 months ago, that wasn't our decision, it was yours.

[#9]

I haven't been with you 12 months? What would have been the point in asking for something I didn't need 9 or so months ago but do need now? Not to worry though, as there's only 3 months left on the contract, I'll source my own hardware for now given that this is going nowhere. Many thanks.

[#10]

We're happy to send you a router, but it would be a 12 month contract for it.
Alternatively you can move to one of the new products, recontract and get the router sent then with no deferred contract.

[#11]

Quote from: Chris

The contract for the router ran separately from the broadband service, it's a 12 month deferred contract from when you take the hardware. That's not how it works now though as there is no contract specific for the hardware.

Going back to this then, what exactly is the contract tied to if it's not the broadband? If I take the hardware what am I agreeing to do for 12 months?

[#12]

Pay for the full cost of the router if you leave within 12 months.
If you moved to one of the new products and contracted, the amount you would pay to buy out the remainder of the contract for each month remaining is shown in table 6 here

[#13]

Leave what though, as based on those responses, I can leave the broadband as and when I like because the hardware isn't connected to the broadband?