Plusnet Broadband - get a new router when you renew your contract or they will charge you

msr2000

Hi all, Just a warning for those who are thinking of renewing their broadband with Plusnet.
Plusnet do not automatically send you a new router when you take out a new contract. This makes environmental sense, reducing waste etc, however where this logic falls down is that they will only provide you with a free router if you ask for one within 3 months of renewing your contract. If you ask for the new router after 3 months they will charge you.  My advice for anyone renewing with Plusnet is to ask for a free router at the time of renewal.  

My router has now started failing, and Plusnet will charge me for a replacement. If I had requested a new router at renewal I would have had a replacement / backup router for free...

bill888

fwiw, you can pick up a used Plusnet Hub Zero (Sagemcom 2704n) or Hub One (rebadged 2013+ BT Home Hub 5A) on eBay. 

The 2016+ BT Smart Hub also works on Plusnet and is generally recommended for better wifi, over Hub One - used examples can be picked up for a tenner off eBay.

Instructions for using BT Smart Hub on Plusnet can be found here
https://community.plus.net/t5/My-Router/bd-p/Hardware

flashg67

I don't think any/many send  a new router at renewal, but didn't know PN did before 3 months. As above, I'm using a BT smart hub from ebay- works great and easy to configure - there's a guide on the PN forums

mnbvcxz

I would have thought that as they provided it to use the service and you need it to use the service which is still running you could make an argument that they should replace it if it breaks, possibly charging postage as a sort of tied good. But I don't really know if that's enforceable. 

However under the consumer sales legislation it should last a reasonable amount of time (six years?) and to die before the service ends is clearly too early to fail. I would raise a complaint. If they say no it costs nothing to get a deadlock letter and take it to the ombudsman. They may rule against you but if you are tied into a new contract you have the time...

best of luck

JJ_Egan

Not PN but BT have sent me out new routers if a fault is found at least twice .