Two broadband connections

broadband_woes

I have two broadband connections. This is not intentional.

Virgin raised their prices this year and as a consequence allowed customers to leave within a set time period (before the 25th of march).

Plusnet offer a broadband package. I signed up for this hoping that I would no longer face higher prices and random disconnections that I was getting with virgin media that they claimed were within "acceptable service limits".

Just like switching a bank, I thought if you switched your broadband, the new provider tells the old provider that you're leaving. However, virgin is on its own network and Plusnet are on open reach. So Plusnet did not tell virgin I was leaving them, by the 25th. They also did not tell me I needed to cancel with virgin. However, because I signed up online (saving them time and money) they say I acted under my own direction.

So now I'm under contract with two providers and am liable for a cancellation of contract fee due to this. Who on earth wants two broadbands?? Is there anything I can do???

Help Money savers.

Thanks in advance, from a double broadbander in need of solice. 

[Deleted User]

broadband_woes said:

I have two broadband connections. This is not intentional.

Virgin raised their prices this year and as a consequence allowed customers to leave within a set time period (before the 25th of march).

Plusnet offer a broadband package. I signed up for this hoping that I would no longer face higher prices and random disconnections that I was getting with virgin media that they claimed were within "acceptable service limits".

Just like switching a bank, I thought if you switched your broadband, the new provider tells the old provider that you're leaving. However, virgin is on its own network and Plusnet are on open reach. So Plusnet did not tell virgin I was leaving them, by the 25th. They also did not tell me I needed to cancel with virgin. However, because I signed up online (saving them time and money) they say I acted under my own direction.

So now I'm under contract with two providers and am liable for a cancellation of contract fee due to this. Who on earth wants two broadbands?? Is there anything I can do???

Help Money savers.

Thanks in advance, from a double broadbander in need of solice. 

People who may want a separate line for work. Or who want to move to a Virgin/Openreach line while still being in contract to the other.

Unless either party feels particularly generous, you'll need to pay a cancellation fee. Or keep them both.

littleboo

How would Plusnet know that you had service from Virgin, did you port a phone number?

southsidergs

If you never ported the phone number & they're on separate networks plus you signed up online there's nothing you can do, you'll just have to put it down to experience & move on

Fidden

If you are not at the end of your virgin contract, you will need to pay the cancellation charge (but this would have applied, even if Plusnet had told them you were switching).  

Wait until Virgin has reached the end of the contract, then cancel that.  For the time being, you'll have to continue with both.

prowla

broadband_woes said:

Who on earth wants two broadbands?? Is there anything I can do???

I do!

I have Virgin and Sky broadband connections; if one has an issue I use the other.

iniltous

It’s unfortunate that you didn’t ask here first, as VM are a totally separate network , then getting Plusnet or anyone else using Openreach doesn’t automatically trigger a cease of the existing VM service , as it would if you were moving to Plusnet from ( for example ) BT.
If you had wanted to take your phone number from VM to PN, this would  have ceased the VM phone service , but it probably would not have altered the VM broadband service.
I don’t know if it’s different with VM, but when you could leave providers that use Openreach penalty free using the rise in monthly cost as the reason, you had to let them know by calling a specific customer service number, if you just migrated without first advising them, then ETC cost could be automatically generated, if VM advised you of the price rise and gave a window of opportunity for you to leave penalty free ( even though still ‘in contract’ ) did that letter outline the steps you had to take to leave , did you follow these steps  ?.
You probably won’t be able to do anything now, Plusnet will say you signed up with them of your own free will and it was your responsibility to let VM know if you didn’t want to remain a VM customer , and VM will say you had an opportunity to leave ( due to the price rise ) but didn’t take advantage of it….
You won’t have extended your VM minimum term , so you may have to wait until that minimum term expires , to leave , or wait until VM raise prices again….your PN contract probably has the clause that allows then to raise the price once a year , so chances are you won’t be able to leave PN before the end of that deal without penalty 

sevenhills

I have BB with Plusnet and I am transferring to Vodaphone.

"CityFibre's full-fibre connection is coming to you soon", I am hoping it's a transfer and not a different cable, as they are saying I need to be home when the engineer comes.

Fidden

sevenhills said:

I have BB with Plusnet and I am transferring to Vodaphone.

"CityFibre's full-fibre connection is coming to you soon", I am hoping it's a transfer and not a different cable, as they are saying I need to be home when the engineer comes.

Full fibre does need an engineer visit.  They install something called an ONT, which converts the fibre to ethernet and then you plug the ethernet cable into your router.  Your ISP may need to then reconfigure your router to use that instead of the old method.