Switching to Plusnet

tipsychick

I'm currently in contract to BT for broadband until 15/4/10 and then want to switch to Plusnet Value.

I'd like to take advantage of the £5.99 deal (my exchange is Market 3), which Plusnet have just told me is finishing tomorrow, and I'll go via TopCashBack for the £28 too.

I don't think I'll be able to get a MAC from BT before 15/4/10. I know they're meant to provide it by post/email within 5 working days but will they? Should I ask Plusnet to start their broadband on, say, the 23/4/10 just to be on the safe side? I also have a BT Home Hub 2.0, which Plusnet inform me isn't compatible, so I'll need to wait for that to arrive too.

I've decided to stick with BT for the line rental rather than switching to Primus, although I use Primus already for calls, or 18185 during the day. Is that wise or would I be better switching to Primus for line rental? It's all so complicated!

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Gloomendoom

I switched to Plusnet. I was in a similar situation, I didn't have a MAC code yet and I wanted to delay the switch while still taking advantage of a special offer that finished that day (four months free).

You can sign up without the MAC code today, while the offer is still on, and then ring them up later when you have the MAC code. While you're on the phone ask them to delay the switch until the date you want.

That's what I did, and it all went smoothly... at least on the Plusnet side.

macman

Sign up now before the deadline and you can supply your MAC later.You need to allow about 10 working days from submission of MAC to migration anyway. It's not possible for Plusnet to give you an exact date of your choice, it's dependent on when they can get a slot with Openreach to do the transfer.
I could be wrong, but your Home Hub should work OK on Plusnet (unless they're now locked to BT?). I think what Plusnet have told you is that they do not support the Home Hub, which is slightly different.

libertino

I'm on Plusnet Value at the moment and find that 10GB isn't enough. I'm a heavy internet user and although I try to download anything big between midnight-8am when the cap doesn't apply, some things you just can't - video on demand (except iPlayer which you can download for later viewing), radio, YouTube videos (and videos/adverts on other sites that start automatically, most annoying). If you only use internet for browsing, emails, and very occasional video/audio, 10GB should be more than enough.

I'll be looking to upgrade to Plusnet Extra "which, for only £5.50 extra a month, will have 60GB of usage and the option of faster speeds." (I'm not sure actually if that's £5.50 on top of £5.99 or £6.49, only 50p difference though)

I spoke to Plusnet this morning, when the packages were supposed to change and Plusnet Extra be introduced, and they told me it's been delayed until Thursday. There won't be an email sent around to customers for another couple of weeks though, so if you want to get it started on your next billing date log onto the website on Thursday to upgrade.

web_ferret

With Plusnet and had no problems - support is good.

Broadwood

My broadband is being switched to Plusnet from Tesco this Thursday lunchtime or thereabouts. Then switching phone line a week or two later from BT. Hoping to save a packet, also 3x faster broadband into the bargain. Can't wait to get rid of Tesco, took 2 weeks and 3 phone calls to get a MAC key from them, they were full of lame excuses. Tesco's customer service is diabolical.

Since I signed up with Plusnet I've been well impressed with their set up.

macca160670

Just looked at switching my phone line to primus, then telephoned plusnet who told me that my broadband would not work without my bt line, just had to cancel primus, transferred to plusnet now for home phone.

Bit gutted that I can't save on my phone line but I know my daughter would be more gutted without the internet!!

Primus was adamant that my broadband would work with there line but BT and plusnet said not, so who is right??

mobilefan

i was with plusnet it was the worst experience ive ever had connection kept dropping 3 routers sent to me had to pay them off glad to see the back of them went back to virgin bb excellent always connects no problems at all bit more expensive but i save a fortune on the calls to the helpdesk i was also with primus for telephone they were great nothing but praise for them but will now transfer everything to virgin for the discounts on at the moment

zogg

mobilefan wrote: »

i was with plusnet it was the worst experience ive ever had connection kept dropping 3 routers sent to me had to pay them off glad to see the back of them went back to virgin bb excellent always connects no problems at all bit more expensive but i save a fortune on the calls to the helpdesk i was also with primus for telephone they were great nothing but praise for them but will now transfer everything to virgin for the discounts on at the moment

Agree with the Plusnet comments.

They are the worst I have ever dealt with. Poor cust.service, line constantly dropping out. Would not go with them even if it was free !

tipsychick

Just a quick update. The changeover went very smoothly in the end. I set the date a couple of weeks after my BT BB contract ran out to give me/them enough time but still had to chase Plusnet 2-3 times to get the router posted out.

I really am completely untechie but even I managed to switch Plusnet's Thomson's Gateway for the BT hub once Plusnet had emailed me on the alloted date to say everything was ready to go. I've got a newish (year old) Apple and ever intuitive, it just "found" Plusnet's hardware and I didn't have to do anything else - big relief!

Having been using it for a few days now, the speed seems exactly the same as before.

All in all, it was far more painless than I was anticipating!

Perhaps one thing I should mention was having signed up with Plusnet, I called BT for the MAC and they fairly grudgingly gave it out to me over the phone but they did offer me a £35 cashback and £7.99 per month BB package to stay with them, which later was confirmed by email. If I hadn't already committed to Plusnet (and if BT's CS hadn't been pretty poor), I'd probably have stuck with that to save the hassle. It seemed to be asking for the MAC that prompted the best deal BT have ever offered me!

MORPH3US

Hi folks, thinking of switching my parents over to plusnet from their current (poor) Three mobile broadband...

Was just wondering how you keep track of your usage? Can you log in to the website and see or something?

What happens if you reach / pass the 10GB limit?