Those new accounts and my future plans...

[#1]

I have been rather dismayed to see the new broadband packages released in the last few days. I changed to PlusNet partly for technical and cost reasons, and also because I hope me circumstances will change in the near future.
As plans come to fruition (hopefully), my needs are likely to change for both broadband and phone usage. I had chosen PlusNet's Option 2 for broadband, as it met most of my needs for using Internet during the day, and after midnight for downloads, and the Anytime+ call plan, as I use the phone, erm, anytime. My intention was to change the service to suit my needs, which I discussed at the time of ordering the services. Probably increasing the broadband to either Option 3, or Pro, and phone down to evenings and weekends.
With the new packages this has very much limited my choices, and may force me to take a long term contract for a service that may well far exceed my needs.
I also have someone I was recommending (this will be the third now) for PlusNet due to the low cost service that met very low usage needs. It was a perfect solution in fact. Now it's gone, and I do not feel the new packages are something I can recommend anymore. Certainly I can as far as good service goes, but this is someone with limited budget, and not much justification for an 'unlimited' service.
My suggestion would be to keep the original limited services, and offer the new 'unlimited'  services as an option.
Regards,
Andy.

[#2]

Andy - if you're currently on a BBYW product, you can still freely switch between the BBYW product range (Option 1, 2, 3 and Pro)
B.

[#3]

Righto, thanks Barry, that's certainly reassuring for myself.
Are there any plans to perhaps cater for the needs of low usage customers that I have also expressed interest in?
Cheers.

[#4]

the lowest on BBYW is about the same as the new value package, but depending on your exhange can be £4 cheaper or £2 dearer and you are currently on a one month contract and can move from one to another of the BBYW packages every month, once you go to the new package, that it 18 month initially and then monthly until you change then back to 18 month 

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2. What is a low cost area? There are 4 different categories for UK telephone exchange areas - Market 1, Market 2, Market 3 and Market 4. Which one of these categories your area falls into determines the price you pay for broadband. Where there's more competition in an exchange between different providers, we can offer you better pricing. This is known as a 'low cost area'. Find out more about the exchange areas and see which one you live in by reading our Residential Broadband FAQ

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The 4 telephone exchange categories are:   1. Market 1 - Areas covered by exchanges where BT Wholesale is the only provider of broadband.   2. Market 2 - Areas covered by exchanges where there are 2 or 3 different providers of broadband (including BT) and exchanges where there are forecast to be 4 or more providers, but where the exchange serves less than 10,000 homes and businesses.   3. Market 3 - Areas covered by exchanges where there are 4 or more different providers of broadband (including BT) and exchanges where there are forecast to be 4 or more providers, but where the exchange serves more than 10,000 homes and businesses.   4. Hull area - Services here are only provided by Kingston Communication

to find out your area see http://www.samknows.com/broadband/search.php

[#5]

Yes, I've seen the new 'cost areas', and didn't want to start off on a rant there. However, I am in a non-low cost area, and that just makes me feel penalised for living in the wrong place.

[#6]

sorry to say but with the current cooks, that the way the cooky crumbles

[#7]

Quote from: andyhewitt

Are there any plans to perhaps cater for the needs of low usage customers that I have also expressed interest in?

BBYW Option 1 was originally 1GB usage, but then BBC iPlayer (and similar service) streaming became available and users found 1GB inadequate. Of course extra usage could be purchased but an increased basic allowance was sought and eventually 2GB became available (with higher-cost extra usage). Is a Plusnet Lowuser product managed as the current Plusnet Value but with 2GB allowance and costed for Market 1 and 2 exchanges the sort of specification you are looking for?
If a specification can be developed, with some indication of popularity, I'm sure Plusnet will be willing to look at it.
David

[#8]

The old BBYW Option 1 with it's last configuration was absolutely perfect for a few people I have in mind for getting broadband set up. I help a lot with the IT needs of our local church (my sister is the Vicar), and as they're all very much in the older age range, their needs tend to be fairly modest. A 2GB download limit actually exceeds most of their requirements, as does an 8meg speed. However, at under a tenner, a monthly contract, and good customer support meant this was a perfect solution for them. Most of them do a little Emailing, some web surfing, and that's really about it - none of them would even know what P2P was.
As it is now, I feel I just couldn't recommend they go with the new packages, I live in a Market 1 area along with some of the others, and the rest live in Market 2, so because of where we live, we're penalised on the cost we can get BB for.
Regards
Andy.

[#9]

I know a few like that as well.
As it happens we have TalkTalk available on our exchange (Market 2) and that's where those people will now be looking.
Not that PN will miss the minimal profit........ 

[#10]

Yes, it's Talk Talk that are on our Market 2 exchange too. I've been fighting to stop people using them though, since on of the ladies in the church got completely done over by them on one of their 'free' laptop deals, and screwed her to a 24 month contract for everything (BB, phone and mobile). The 'free' ended up being £37 a month contract, and over £200 in charges for ancillaries (modem, postage, cables, etc.) - she had been mislead by the chap in the store, and by the time the paperwork came through, it was over 28 days, and wasn't working there when they went to complain.
It's that kind of service I try to steer people away from.