Line rental saver

I usually pay my line rental in advance, it is not due for another 2 months but I have been sent a reminder from PlusNet who I have been with for 3 years.

I would normally pay it 3 weeks before it runs out but I had a look at their BB packages and the deals are for new customers only.

Currently I am on unlimited Broadband.

So I had a look at BT prices and for £24.99 a month I can get fibre broadband and line rental (even less if I use line rental saver).
So this is less than PN are offering.

If I change to BT is it them that sorts out the changeover from PlusNet?
How long before my PlusNet contract runs out should I sign up with BT?
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Comments

  • Neil_Jones
    Neil_Jones Posts: 8,840
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    Phone Plusnet up and say you've found a better deal from BT at £24.99 for 12/18/24 months all in (or whatever with the saver) but I'd rather stay with you, can you match this please.

    Note that if you leave Plusnet early you will not get a pro-rata refund on your line rental saver and it is not a "contract" as such in that it attracts early exit fees. Your broadband maybe, but your LRS? No.
  • bluenun
    bluenun Posts: 481
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    I am not looking to leave or change my provider before my contract ends in mid March. If PN wont match the BT deal how long before my PlusNet contract runs out should I sign up with BT?

    If I change to BT is it them that sorts out the changeover from PlusNet?
  • JJ_Egan
    JJ_Egan Posts: 20,281
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    Two weeks before the end date .
    Gaining provider does all the work .
    Prices will be March not today's prices , BT may be cheaper today but not in March .
  • Neil_Jones
    Neil_Jones Posts: 8,840
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    bluenun wrote: »
    I am not looking to leave or change my provider before my contract ends in mid March. If PN wont match the BT deal how long before my PlusNet contract runs out should I sign up with BT?

    If I change to BT is it them that sorts out the changeover from PlusNet?

    As previously answered but that's not the point I was getting at.
    If your broadband is out of contract (which is the more important point) at this point today then you are good to get a new deal and then you can just renew the line rental for another twelve months that will take effect from the date in March.

    If you are not out of broadband contract then it's relatively moot anyway at this stage but BT have stated they change all their prices each March by the CPI rate of inflation published in January, so it's relatively safe to say that that £24.99 you've seen now will most probably not be the same then.

    You can read the details here:
    https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/annual-price-changes-and-cpi

    Key phrase: "The CPI rate announced in January 2020 is 1.3 per cent, so your monthly payments from March 2020 will increase by 1.3 per cent.", but in your particular case: "customers who signed up or re-contracted after 17 January 2020 will receive their first CPI price rise in March 2021" so you may just get away with it if its not already been factored in.

    Decision is up to you. The fact that the best deals are "only" for new customers to Plusnet is to an extent irrelevant because you can sometimes get a better deal as an existing customer if you work for it.

    Also if you bash your details into here, you can "bounce" the "effective monthly rate" figures off to them too:
    https://broadband.moneysavingexpert.com

    All depends on how much effort you want to put in to get a better deal.
  • bluenun
    bluenun Posts: 481
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    Thank-you for the helpful reply.

    I had no idea that MSE had a phone/bb comparison page.
    Very useful. I have only ever used BT and PN and did not know the Post Office and Shell, John Lewis etc even offered these services.

    I assume all the above companies rent the line from BT?
    My only concern would be if customer services would be as good with these other companies.
  • Neil_Jones
    Neil_Jones Posts: 8,840
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    All internet providers with the exception of Virgin Cable use a BT line.
    Virgin is the only exception because they have their own network, everybody else uses the BT system (save for those who do luxuries like satellite internet but that costs a fortune anyway).

    This is why you pay line rental in addition to the broadband and is also why you now see "£25 all in rental and broadband" offers all over the place.

    Some providers just repackage somebody else, John Lewis broadband is powered by Plusnet, and Post Office is rebranded TalkTalk. There are feedback threads all over the forum for various providers but you will almost certainly find the negative reviews or experiences outweigh the positives for pretty much all providers really these days so one has to take them with a pinch of salt.

    BT is only the biggest name since it;'s modern form came about out of privatisation in 1984, but its pricing often isn't the cheapest, but they do own Plusnet which they run at arms length and so it will quite often undercut its parent company in the pricing stakes.

    TL;DR - BT and Plusnet are not the only game in town.
  • bluenun
    bluenun Posts: 481
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    Thank-you again for all the information, a real eye opener.
  • This thread has prompted me to wonder about Plusnet line rental saver. I have always renewed annually in March but this time my Broadband contract is not due for renewal until August.

    If I pay telephone monthly from March to August would I be able to leave 'penalty free' in August if Broadband renewal is too expensive? Or would I have to pay the remainder of the year's telephone rental from August to March before leaving if a better broadband option is available at that time?

    Thank you.

    Crimson
  • Swipe
    Swipe Posts: 5,047
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    If I pay telephone monthly from March to August would I be able to leave 'penalty free' in August if Broadband renewal is too expensive? Or would I have to pay the remainder of the year's telephone rental from August to March before leaving if a better broadband option is available at that time?

    Thank you.

    Crimson


    If you pay your line rental monthly from March, as part of your monthly bill i.e. don't renew the LRS you are free to leave in August.
  • Thank you very much, Swipe. That is reassuring. Although monthly line rental is more expensive than payng for a year in advance, it will be good to pay monthly for six months in case a broadband renewal with PlusNet is too expensive in August.

    Crimson
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