Will plusnet consider offering BT Vision?

[#1]

I had BTVision before I came to PN last year, and I can tell you it isn't worth the money or hastle.
After a couple of weeks you realise you have watched everything you like, and find out BT don't update the library.
Picture quality was awful, wasn't in HD, constant buffering, the film library was full of B list films nobody apart from TRUEMOVIES have heard of.... awful.
If you want something like BTVision, get Netflix.

[#2]

Devonian:  What speed was your line with BT? 

[#3]

Around the 10 - 12meg area.
It seemed there were continuous fauts on the line, high pings, very jittery, high packet loss.
All of which vanished the day I was connected to PlusNet..  so think of that what you will!!!
It's a shame because there is so much potential.

[#4]

problem is tho if pn do offer unlimited package chances are it would be like any other unlimited package.....
AKA been throttled to start with... not getting your line speed when others are on... more throttling...
personally if they did bring some sort of TV box out id rather just have a bigger usage than unlimited and been throttled
imk on 250GB atmo... i do stream and download alot... last month i had to think of some things to download just to get my usage used
but yea my personal point is i would rather give plusnet my money than anyone els

[#5]

I just helped sign one of my relatives up to Plusnet Unlimited Fibre as their exchange went live for FTTC in mid November 2012 and this means a huge upgrade in connection speed from a measly 2.5Mbps on Be Unlimited LLU (exchange distance around 2.5 miles plus as the copper wire runs) to a forecast at least 37.2Mbps from the new FTTC cabinet some 400 yards down the road from their house.
It was a close run thing between Essentials and Unlimited but the main reason for going for Unlimited is firstly it is only £4 per month more but includes a subscription to Plusnet's equivalent of Norton AntiVirus worth £2 per month and that Essential is Infinity 1 and capped at 38Mbps whereas Unlimited is Infinity 2 and up to 76Mbps.   As FTTC is brand new on the exchange the current BT theoretical speed forecasts are not informed by real world experience (which I believe only begins to happen once properties are connected on an exchange using that technology or certainly that seemed to happen over time with ADSLMax and ADSL2+ in terms of speed forecasts from both BT and Be Unlimited at my relative's address as they became very accurate over time) it is quite likely that the actual connection speed could be signifcanly more than 37.2Mbps like 50Mbps or 55Mbps.  But without going for an Infinity 2 product you won't be able to use this as I understand it.  I'm not quite clear if you pick an Infinity 1 product if the router still syncs at its maximum possible speed up to 76Mbps and downloads are then artificially capped at 38Mbps or if the speed at which the router syncs with the cabinet is artificially restricted to the lower speed.  I'm inclined to believe its the latter that is true?
However having now done all this I'm kind of beginning to suffer a regret that for only about £6 per month more BT would have provided the same product with a free YouView box and/or I think TalkTalk's service with the inclusive YouView box also comes out at roughly around the same price as BT.
So my main query is for how much longer can Plusnet afford not to offer YouView and/or is it specifically a condition of the deal between YouView and BT that Plusnet is not allowed to offer it?
I specifically went for Plusnet not only because it was a slightly better deal money wise with the Phone package included due to the lower price of £20 per month plus free connection and half price for 6 months but also because of Plusnet's excellent customer service scores.  Also I know my relative would never forgive me if they lost broadband servcie for a week or more and they had to deal with BT tech support in India to try and sort it out.
But at the end of the day not getting a YouView box with Plusnet is now beginning to weigh on me as my relative has just got a new 3D high spec Pansonic television but does not yet have a PVR and I think YouView could have been just what they needed, especially as Pansonic now seems like they will never bother developing web tv apps for ITV Player, 4OD and Demand 5 for their 2012 VIERA tv range - not even their top GT and VT models.
May be its done me a favour as I am now seem to be considering the Freesat route instead and there is a larger broadcast channel choice on that platform.  On the other hand it looks like YouView PVRs are far more likely to work reliably and be properly supported going forward due to the huge number of partners in the YouView project.
I suppose that at the current time Plusnet has nothing more to say about YouView and that even if and when it does add it by then it will be too late for my relative who will already be in an 18 month contrac with Plusnet for ordinary Unlimited fibre broadband?  Or may be they will be allowed to upgrade if they extend the end date of their contract by another 18 months..........

[#6]

Looks like then man who may have been looking into this has left...
https://www.hyperoptic.com/web/guest/press?p_p_id=press_WAR_pressportlet&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=n...

[#7]

Plusnet could run their own IPTV service - use Microsoft's Media Room (which virtually all the IPTV services in the world use) and find a hardware supplier.
I suppose the complicated bit is the licencing agreements with the TV channels.

[#8]

Quote from: AndyH

Plusnet could run their own IPTV service - use Microsoft's Media Room (which virtually all the IPTV services in the world use) and find a hardware supplier. I suppose the complicated bit is the licencing agreements with the TV channels.

BT really needs to make up its mind about the marketing position of the Plusnet brand.
Specifically is it merely a cheaper and cut down version of the BT broadband offering as the unfortunate omission of either a free inclusive monthly wifi allowance and of BT Vision would suggest or is it actually a smaller nimbler, less monolithic more customer focused arms length broadband supplier that just happens to be owned by the BT Group.
The focus on UK call centres and generally attempting to resolve customer issues on poor connection speeds and line quality etc properly (at least in comparison to competitors like TalkTalk or the main BT Indian tech supported broadband) suggests on the one hand that they are trying to offer a superior quality offering to discerning broadband customers who are willing to be with BT if they treat them decently and give them value for money.  However atrocities such as supplying the piece of useless garbage otherwise known as the Technicolor 582n wireless router for even their top end fibre optic customers  instead of a normal spec Home Hub and the omission of free wireless minutes (there isn't even an option to pay extra if you need them at say £2 a month or whatever) and the lack of BT Vision suggest that another part of BT wants to punish you with an inferior service for not having brought from the main BT brand.
Given the costs of doing things like an IPTV platform properly it would surely be madness for Plusnet to reinvent the wheel completely.  I would suggest they use a rebranded BT Vision platform but have more flexible subscription options on the Sky Sports channels etc so that you can just subscrbe in and out for a month at time when you need them as long as you do this through a web portal where the administration costs are negligible.  Also there should be an unlimited package that includes the Humax YouView box as that is a seriously valuable piece or equipment worth something like £15 per month to the customer over an 18 month contract term with BT (after which you own it).  So if you want YouView you are currently much better off going with BT than with Plusnet and this makes no sense to Plusnet's proposition as a more price competitive broadband offering.
Even if there are some cheap copper Plusnet services at the bottom end so that BT can undercut its own expensive basic broadband offerings for customers not wedded to the BT brand for life (as they know that a dumb uninformed or elderly 35% of the population clearly still are)  they also need to have a full service offering with wifi minutes and Youview at  less than the cost of the same deal with BT.  One thing people hate about Sky is that they try and lock you in to an expensive £45 per month+ contract forever and that you cannot pick and choose the sports etc you actually want to watch.  If BT and Plusnet could do more to make the bits of pay Sky tv people want available at more affordable prices with greater flexibility it ought to be a way to expand the total pay tv marketplace.

[#9]

Quote from: Capvermell

BT really needs to make up its mind about the marketing position of the Plusnet brand. Specifically is it merely a cheaper and cut down version of the BT broadband offering as the unfortunate omission of either a free inclusive monthly wifi allowance and of BT Vision would suggest or is it actually a smaller nimbler, less monolithic more customer focused arms length broadband supplier that just happens to be owned by the BT Group.

I suspect, and hope, it's the latter!

[#10]

I dont think that plusnet need to provide an all singing and dancing IPTV service, however something like youview, with access to the main broadbasters catch up services and a few subscription services ( lovefilm/netflix etc) wouldnt go ammis.
As for free wifi minutes etc etc, this could be solved quite easily with a tie in with Fon, either by supplying kit with fon software built in, or by re-selling, or providing the fonera simpl to customers.

[#11]

Quote from: pint

As for free wifi minutes etc etc, this could be solved quite easily with a tie in with Fon, either by supplying kit with fon software built in, or by re-selling, or providing the fonera simpl to customers.

Do Fon do an an n rated router without a modem that could be used in an FTTC situation?  Or can one of their modem wireless routers have different custom firmware installed on it that lets it work as a router only as has been possible with the Technicolor pile of junk used by Plusnet at the moment even though its maximum range before a serious decline in wireless speed  of 50%+ is only about 3 metres.

[#12]

Fon do a N router from the fon shop its £60 though, the simpl just plugs into the back of your current router, neither have built in ADSL modems.
youtube review/overview here

[#13]

I think you will now find the Fonera Simpl is £35.00 and at the moment free postage.  Yes it is N and it has two ethernet ports so you don't loose one when you plug it into your ADSL modem with the little cable supplied.  Just bought one myself.
jim:quote

[#14]

With further announcements today about BT's new push in to the pay tv market in respect of football it is becoming increasingly annoying that Plusnet does not have a Fibre Unlimited package twinned with a YouView box and access to mainstream pay tv services (for those who want them in the case of the latter).
I switched my relative from Be Unlimited to Plusnet back in February as the best deal going on Fibre in terms of price and reasonable customer service but at the time I didn't realise I was making a permanent choice about whether or not they could have a free YouView box from their internet ISP.  The value of the YouView box was in fact more in hindsight than the lower Plusnet broadband pricing over the whole 18 month minimum contract period.
As my relative does not have a PVR but needs one and also needs access to the four main FTA tv players (their 2012 model Panasonic tv still only provides access to BBC IPlayer and has a complete joke of a hard drive record facility that only lets you set a one off recording in the next 7 days that cannot be Series Linked or even told to just repeat at the same time each day or week like an 1970s VCR time could) and as I also have an interest in possibly watching some Sky Formula 1 on a pay as you go basis (i.e. for the 10 races a year not shown live by the BBC) when I am staying with them then YouView along with some kind of Plusnet rebrand of BT Vision (surely this must be allowed under BT's existing agreements with content providers given that Plusnet is wholly owned by BT) would have met the bill.
I had thought there  would be sure to be a Plusnet rebrand of both YouView and BT Vision given the large number of BT group broadband and especially fibre broadband customers (which are all combined together in the figures published by Ofcom and others of the top 10 ISPs where Plusnet no longer has its own listing) but no months later another part of the BT marketing operation seems determined to punish us for daring to join the BT group via its Plusnet subsidiary.  A subsidiary that I and many other Fibre Unlimited broadband customers actually chose because it offers higher quality customer service on broadband than BT is capable of doing (due to BT's stupid insistence on profiteering by using Indian call centres when at the prices it charges it could easily afford to keep its call centres in the UK).  Yet whilst Plusnet may offer a better broadband product than BT it is in the StoneAge when it comes to On Demand tv.
Even though not all Plusnet customers will want pay tv services I think a huge number of them will be in the market for a decent quality PVR combined with an OnDemand player for the four main broadcasters (i.e. YouView) yet Plusnet keeps its head firmly in the sand and goes on acting as though You View and BT Vision does not exist.
This situation simply cannot be allowed to continue and it is high time that we had a statement from Plusnet's CEO, Jamie Ford, about what Plusnet's long term plans are in respect of both YouView and a Plusnet equivalent of the BT Vision service.

[#15]

Quote

With further announcements today about BT's new push in to the pay tv market in respect of football it is becoming increasingly annoying that Plusnet does not have a Fibre Unlimited package twinned with a YouView box and access to mainstream pay tv services (for those who want them in the case of the latter).

As I think other posters have said, nothing is for free and if free YouView boxes are given out we who do not take it up will be subsidising other peoples boxes
I vote for Plusnets model value for money and good phone and broadband services with UK based support services.
If it aint broke dont fix it! 
Peter