Bt or Plusnet?

egyptiancotton

I'm currently with BT and pay £28.99 a month for Superfast Fibre Unlimited (up to 70-something Mb - BT increased my speeds FOC a while back).

A couple of phone calls to retentions led to these offers: 18 months @ £25.99 or 12 months at £28.99. Doesn't seem to be any wiggle room.

Plusnet is offering Unlimited Fibre Extra (44 - 64Mb) for £27.50 a month over 12 months.

I'd be very grateful for people's thoughts and opinions. I'm tempted to switch due to the slightly cheaper price but I've never been with Plusnet, hence my reluctance to switch.

Edit: Wrong section. Would be grateful if this thread could be moved.

Inner_Zone

As BT own PN there is very little in it. BT's TV offer I found to be better than PN's, of course that is if you want a TV service from either.


Despite the ads PN's CS is not that good, but BT's is probably worse.


Currently with BT, previously PN, will probably go elsewhere altogether when contract minimum term ends next year.

AndyPK

£26 over 18 months with your existing supplier sounds good to me

unless you are a cashback tart
or planning to move house in that time frame

[Deleted User]

As a long term Plusnet customer, I would say, just take BT's offer.
Is it worth all the hassle that may occur when switching for £1.50 a month (Assuming you take the 12 month offer)?
Given that the BT 18 month offer is cheaper than Plusnet and when BT next put up their charges, you can leave BT even if you are within that 18 month period free of charge. If you so wished at that time.

Also if you plan a house move, Plusnet will charge £65 or want a new 18 month contract for a "free move".

egyptiancotton

Thanks for the advice, all. I had trouble deciding what to do this year and originally I wasn't fussed on being tied into an 18-month contract.

My next question is, is it worth paying the line rental upfront? It's £208.80 for 12 months (works out as £17.40) per month. That would take my monthly bill down to £7. Then between months 13-18 I'd pay the line rental monthly.

AndyPK

yeap LR is a good idea, (the only downside is if they increase the BB and you leave its a struggle to get the LR payment back)

The advantage of paying it is: LR increases don't effect you during the first 12 months + the saving

brewerdave

I've just renewed ALR with PNet - only charged £197.88 (£16.49 pm)-don't know where £208.80 figure comes from?

egyptiancotton

brewerdave wrote: »

I've just renewed ALR with PNet - only charged £197.88 (£16.49 pm)-don't know where £208.80 figure comes from?

BT's LRS is currently £208.80.

egyptiancotton

Just rang BT again to see if there's another offer available. They can offer 18 months @ £24.99 or 12 months @ £28.99 (no change from the last offer).

Here's a breakdown of the costs:

Plusnet - 12 months
Line rental monthly: £27.50 * 12 = £330
Line rental upfront: £8.51 * 12 = £102.12

BT - 18 months
Line rental monthly: £24.99 * 18 = £449.82
Line rental upfront (up to 12 months): £6 * 18 = £72, then £24.99 for months 13 - 18 = £149.94, so £72 + £149.94 = £221.94

BT - 12 months
Line rental monthly: £28.99 * 12 = £347.88
Line rental upfront: £10 * 12 = £120


@Mods/admin - could you please move this thread to the Broadband & Internet Access section?

egyptiancotton

I decided to switch to Plusnet anyway - £27.50 over 12 months (or £8.50 a month with LRS) and £85 cashback. I had an email from BT to confirm I was leaving but needed to ring them to check something. And as if by magic, a better offer came out - £25 a month over 12 months (or £6 a month with LRS).

So Plusnet's offer is £197 LRS and £8.50 a month = £299 - £85 cashback = £214.

BT's offer is £208 LRS and £6 a month = £280.

Decisions, decisions...

egyptiancotton

Had a missed call from BT today but I couldn't answer it, so I rang them back in the evening. I went through to retentions and the adviser said he wasn't sure why BT tried calling me, but he'd be happy to look at the deals available anyway.


The deal he offered was £22.99 a month over 12 months, or £4 a month after LRS. He clearly said that because an AOT has been recorded, that's when "the big guns come out". It's now obvious that the best deals come out when you intend to move providers just before the end of your contract or after it has ended. I wouldn't be surprised if the callback was to discuss a deal for me to stay.


So BT's offer is £256 over the year (LRS and £4 a month), or Plusnet's offer of £214 over the year (LRS, £8.50 a month and taking cashback into account). Still unsure!