Plusnet broadband swizz - advice welcomed

iniltous

Why would a regular ADSL customer of a particular ISP , if the distance from the exchange dictates that they don't get a particular good connection speed on ADSL be entitled to a free upgrade to FTTC broadband if it became available ?.....depending on circumstances , it's possible that moving from ADSL to VDSL/FTTC could offer much better connection speeds , but it's the customer that would have to decide if the added extra cost of FTTC was worth it.
Its not the ISP's decision, they may point out FTTC availability , and may offer some inducement to upgrade, but they certainly don't offer free 'upgrades' just because you get relatively poor performance from ADSL due to distance from the exchange

Pescur

Well it is quite simple

If the ISP is delivering a crap service that is not fit for purpose despite the fact that they promote 17mb as their headline speed for "most" customers, then they kinda owe the customer for putting up with their dire service.

For me any opportunity to make a customer happy is an opportunity to keep a loyal customer.

These days when you lose a customer like this leaving them feeling let down you lose your reputation because they will of course share it on forums, trustpilot and social media.

All suppliers have their issues, some are the kit they own, some the wires to the premises but what matters is your attitude to the customr. What we see on these forums and elsewhere is that attitude sucks.

Especially when they say in their ads "we will do right by you", maybe that is subjective but the customer is always right.

I have no love for Sky, would never use their TV service again because of feeling conned by them years ago, but I have to say I had good experience with them last two times I used them.

I had hoped Plusnet had changed but it seems to me that they have got worse.

One query about them is how the MSE club thing has truly unlimited setting and Plusnet still comes up, yet for years they have traffic shaped and basically tried to make high volume users go elsewhere.

[Deleted User]

Pescur wrote: »

If the ISP is delivering a crap service that is not fit for purpose despite the fact that they promote 17mb as their headline speed for "most" customers, then they kinda owe the customer for putting up with their dire service.

They kinda don't.

They've been happy to pay Plusnet for 'several years' and no where do they state the service has declined so they've been happy enough to pay for all of that time. Plusnet can now offer fiber (as will others) which at least gives them choices. The OP can always ask Plusnet to match someone else's price for fibre although there's no great deals out there at the moment.

Why you think Plusnet should lose out just because the OP lives somewhere with poor infrastructure which has absolutely nothing to do with them baffles me.

iniltous

You, like many, seem to see a speed advertised even though that speed is 'upto' , and when this speed isn't achieved seem to think the ISP is persecuting you by deliberately slowing down the speed, but, if you buy a product (say ADSL2+) providing there isn't any faults with the router/ or exchange kit, then it's the line length that determines what speed you get, so , if for example you were around 5Km from the exchange, then your speed will be 3 to 4 Mb/s regardless of provider, you may get a slight variation if a particular provider will tweek the connection to get a bit more speed at the expense of stability, but what you won't get is 3-4 Mb from company A and 10Mb + from company B , it's basic physics...

If an ISP is delivering ( in your opinion) crap service ( speed) and there isn't an underlying fault, then other ISP's will also deliver the same 'crap' speed/service over the same cable pair...if the same product is purchased.

As I said, if the option of FTTC becomes available , and by using that will improve the 'crap' ADSL2+ speed, then the option is there to upgrade, but obviously if the customer wants FTTC and the increased speed it offers, they should be prepared to pay for it

teddysmum

Regarding the cease fee, it is unfortunate that PlusNet now charge this to anyone who is migrating to Virgin or any LLU provider, as others absorb this fee.


However,if your broadband is turned off for a while, then every company will charge a cease ,so there is no unfair treatment in this case.

Pescur

Colin_Maybe wrote: »

They kinda don't.

They've been happy to pay Plusnet for 'several years' and no where do they state the service has declined so they've been happy enough to pay for all of that time. Plusnet can now offer fiber (as will others) which at least gives them choices. The OP can always ask Plusnet to match someone else's price for fibre although there's no great deals out there at the moment.

Why you think Plusnet should lose out just because the OP lives somewhere with poor infrastructure which has absolutely nothing to do with them baffles me.

Just because nowhere does is say X does not mean one can ASSUME whatever.

Look it is really simple, infrastructure costs should be averaged out across the nation as they are with other utilities.


Even if it is not, Plusnet vs consumer, who can afford it most? Who benefits most from happy customer?

I learnt many years ago for my own company that the culture comes from the top, it is clear what the culture of this company is.

Reputation is defined by expectation; if you regularly exceed a customer’s expectation you win! Better than trying to FORCE them into contracts that do not work or else pay a fee when it is you that are providing a crap service, then you cannot be surprised when that customer thinks you are crap and tells the world you are crap.

Consider that Plusnet say on the their ads "well do you proud" or mention”UK call centres” but then make you wait 35 minutes on an 0845 number, then a further 45 minutes only rip you off by not honouring the OFCOM right to quit. This happened to my mother in law, it took 3 long calls and a lot of false promises; they even put in hands of a collection agency for over £900. Finally after MONTHS it was finally credited, but not before causing a huge amount of stress for a lady who has never had a red bill in her life.

"UK Call Centre" - Expectation, good experience, reality poor and expensive experience, result poor reputation.

"well do you proud" - Expectation, to be treated honestly and fairly, reality terrible experience, result terrible reputation.

To be honest I will not deal with a company that still uses 0845, it is effectively a premium rate number compared to 0345.

Just another example of the "don't give a crap" attitude of Plusnet.

If they took a more "service opportunity" approach to customer care, that might be a start and might balance all the screw ups, but wait, customercare, that seems to be oxymoronic at Plusnet.

What got me was how the Plusnet guy told me they had been with them for 6 years and yet pretended he did not know about the OFCOM right to exit a contract when they put the price up, I was there when he told this poor lady that she could not terminate, this despite the fact that we had the email from them and were within the time limit. Each time a stressful call, ages waiting, being tramsferred to wrong team and promises not honoured so further letters and calls.

So if this person who has been there SIX YEARS is telling people they can't quit you have to wonder, is it a bad training issue or a deliberate ploy by the company to mislead customers. Whichever it is, it is not good for Plusnet.

Pescur

teddysmum wrote: »

Regarding the cease fee, it is unfortunate that PlusNet now charge this to anyone who is migrating to Virgin or any LLU provider, as others absorb this fee.

AGREED very unfortunate indeed, just another con, I think if they make such a charge it should be upfront, these kind of hidden charges come right out the of the RyanAir School of Management.

teddysmum wrote: »

However,if your broadband is turned off for a while, then every company will charge a cease ,so there is no unfair treatment in this case.

WRONG I have terminated services with and TalkTalk and Sky (twice) with no new provider, none of them made a rip off sting in tail charge, no fee whatsoever.

Even though I finished with Sky, I got two new customers to sign up, one of them went on to buy SkyTV package after a cold call. When Sky could not deliver because they lived in a block with a shared aerial, Sky honoured the price, the CS rep went above the call of duty, he needed a colleague to sign it off, so he called back on a Sunday and confirmed it.

Result, happy customer, contract extended to 18 months, no fees, amazing price and most importantly the rep "owned" the problem till the customer was happy.

teddysmum

The cease charge is very clear in the T&Cs. In fact they have improved the wording to make it clearer.

Pescur

iniltous wrote: »

You, like many, seem to see a speed advertised even though that speed is 'upto' , and when this speed isn't achieved seem to think the ISP is persecuting you by deliberately slowing down the speed, but, if you buy a product (say ADSL2+) providing there isn't any faults with the router/ or exchange kit, then it's the line length that determines what speed you get, so , if for example you were around 5Km from the exchange, then your speed will be 3 to 4 Mb/s regardless of provider, you may get a slight variation if a particular provider will tweek the connection to get a bit more speed at the expense of stability, but what you won't get is 3-4 Mb from company A and 10Mb + from company B , it's basic physics...

If an ISP is delivering ( in your opinion) crap service ( speed) and there isn't an underlying fault, then other ISP's will also deliver the same 'crap' speed/service over the same cable pair...if the same product is purchased.

As I said, if the option of FTTC becomes available , and by using that will improve the 'crap' ADSL2+ speed, then the option is there to upgrade, but obviously if the customer wants FTTC and the increased speed it offers, they should be prepared to pay for it

Well they do put the up to in small print, look it is a fact that they are being forced to change the speeds they quote because they mislead people, so do not blame the victim.

NO, I do not "think" anyone is being persecuted , I have emails and statements from Plusnet saying that they are going to be persecuting people.

My comments were to demonstrate "the mindset" at Plusnet, at the time they would not invest and would rather force people to leave. Of course now everyone needs at least 10mb the Government is even bringing in a "right to demand" it in the same way you can demand a phone line. I am sceptical as I imagine most are.

Laws of physics is a bit of a nonsense argument; too many variables that can't be changed, interestingly I saw two flats in the same block on a new development. They we sequential and on the same floor, one got 4mb less than other, the former changed to same ISP as latter, result same speed achieved. Virgin have a reputation for over populating their switches by sharing connections, for others it is a lack of investment in bigger pipes and of course there is the quality of wire to the door.

I heard Minister on Radio proud that we had doubled from 1% fibre to the door to 2% the other day, when challenged how Far East countries have between 68% and 98% fibre to the door

However, this is NOT about the terrible UK infrastucture, this is about Plusnet providing a crap service and being prepared to do a deal to give a customer a better service albeit half of what one can reasonably expect.

In my opinion, yes yes yes, have you ever been on a line that struggles to get 400k, it is virtually unusuable, so if you can then offer 5MB and be seen to give the longstanding client "a rate" then of course you will be loved.

littleboo

Pescur wrote: »

Just because nowhere does is say X does not mean one can ASSUME whatever.

Look it is really simple, infrastructure costs should be averaged out across the nation as they are with other utilities.


Even if it is not, Plusnet vs consumer, who can afford it most? Who benefits most from happy customer?

I learnt many years ago for my own company that the culture comes from the top, it is clear what the culture of this company is.

Reputation is defined by expectation; if you regularly exceed a customer’s expectation you win! Better than trying to FORCE them into contracts that do not work or else pay a fee when it is you that are providing a crap service, then you cannot be surprised when that customer thinks you are crap and tells the world you are crap.

Consider that Plusnet say on the their ads "well do you proud" or mention”UK call centres” but then make you wait 35 minutes on an 0845 number, then a further 45 minutes only rip you off by not honouring the OFCOM right to quit. This happened to my mother in law, it took 3 long calls and a lot of false promises; they even put in hands of a collection agency for over £900. Finally after MONTHS it was finally credited, but not before causing a huge amount of stress for a lady who has never had a red bill in her life.

"UK Call Centre" - Expectation, good experience, reality poor and expensive experience, result poor reputation.

"well do you proud" - Expectation, to be treated honestly and fairly, reality terrible experience, result terrible reputation.

To be honest I will not deal with a company that still uses 0845, it is effectively a premium rate number compared to 0345.

Just another example of the "don't give a crap" attitude of Plusnet.

If they took a more "service opportunity" approach to customer care, that might be a start and might balance all the screw ups, but wait, customercare, that seems to be oxymoronic at Plusnet.

What got me was how the Plusnet guy told me they had been with them for 6 years and yet pretended he did not know about the OFCOM right to exit a contract when they put the price up, I was there when he told this poor lady that she could not terminate, this despite the fact that we had the email from them and were within the time limit. Each time a stressful call, ages waiting, being tramsferred to wrong team and promises not honoured so further letters and calls.

So if this person who has been there SIX YEARS is telling people they can't quit you have to wonder, is it a bad training issue or a deliberate ploy by the company to mislead customers. Whichever it is, it is not good for Plusnet.

So in your world, the OP would have been paying more for all the years they were on ADSL, to subsidise those who were able to get premium products such as FTTC and FTTP. It's not a bad idea, particularly if you're one of the people getting the premium products at a subsidised price. I somehow think though that that people like the OP, or those who are perfectly happy with ADSL speeds, might object to the concept.
Broadband is a low margin, mass market product, a result of the great British public expecting a service for a few pounds per month. Broadband is not like other utilities, there is only one grade of gas, electricity and water, on the whole they are metered products and the providers are merely providing you a billing service, there is no infrastructure change involved.