Broadband
Plus Net Broadband Review
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Plusnet is a telecoms provider with the slogan ‘We’ll do you proud’.
Since entering the world of communication in 1997, the Sheffield-based supplier has grown very quickly and, only this year, scooped the uSwitch award for best value broadband and best customer service. Compare broadband deals But when you look at Plusnet through a microscope, do they deliver? And are they the right provider for you? By the end of our review, you should find out. How good is Plusnet at resolving complaints? Reviews online suggest Plusnet is below par at resolving complaints - some have even gone as far as saying it would be quicker to drive to their HQ Sheffield than try and solve an issue over the phone. When it comes to resolving a customer issue, Plusnet can take anything between two weeks and several months. The company lists its preferred method of contact as a phone call or the online chat. Customer support phone lines are open from 7.30am - 10pm, every day, but when A Spokesman Said called wait times were an uninspiring 15 minutes. We did, though, find Plusnet's online customer journey clear and concise; it explains everything you need to know about filing an issue or talking to the correct advisor. When it comes to complaint resolution, Plusnet has plenty of work to do. Plusnet is registered to A Spokesman Said; to make a complaint about Plusnet and demand a fair response, use our free tool. |
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What are the main perks of Plusnet?
Plusnet offer two unlimited fibre broadband options to their customers at a very competitive price, as well as a solid entertainment package in conjunction with YouView – the TV platform that has also partnered up with BT and TalkTalk. All of Plusnet’s broadband, phone and television packages come complete with online safeguarding software and free installation. As part of the service, Plusnet customers can speak to each other for free anytime of the day and all support lines called from a landline are free of charge. The company offers one simple entertainment bundle at a reasonable price. The package includes a YouView box with hundreds of hours of recording space, catch-up TV, live pause, fast forward and rewind functions and a selection of extra channels including BT Sports Lite, Gold and E! For those looking for a more extensive entertainment package, Plusnet falls short of the likes of Virgin, TalkTalk and Sky, but it offers a top-notch user experience and excellent value for money none the less. Plusnet’s home broadband offer is unlimited, meaning you can lie in bed all day streaming Netflix at no extra cost (a traffic management policy does apply). This means that, rather than slow down your broadband at peak times like other providers, Plusnet will slow down certain activities (like peer to peer sharing). SEE IF PLUSNET IS FOR YOU Compare broadband deals Plusnet’s broadband speeds explained Unlimited Fibre: unlimited usage with a download speed of 38Mb. Unlimited Fibre Extra: totally unlimited with a download speed of 76Mb. Plusnet’s broadband is reliable, and faster than your average broadband and stacks up against Sky; however it doesn’t live up to Virgin whose top broadband speed is a whopping 200Mb. Its download speeds are pretty decent – the 76Mbs package is among the fastest offered by any mainstream UK broadband supplier. If you send and receive a lot of photo and video files, for example, this deal could be worth a punt. |
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How much does Plusnet cost?
Plusnet’s broadband and phone packages start at as little as £5 per month, plus a £17.99 phone line rental. Overall, this weighs in at a total of £22.99 per month for an unlimited fibre service. It is around £5 more per month for the premium fibre package. Unlike TalkTalk, who offer their customers free weekend and evening calls as standard, if you would like a phone plan, it is necessary to buy bolt-ons that range from £3 to £7.50, driving up monthly costs quite significantly. Plusnet's YouView entertainment bundle is only possible to obtain as an add-on after you've committed to a phone and broadband option. Quite an inconvenience. The company’s low-cost/high-cost pricing model means that if you’re in the countryside you will end up paying more for your internet. Areas of ‘high competition’, like towns and cities, pay the advertised price. Keeping installation costs low is one of Plusnet’s big plus points. Your internet is activated for free when you get phone plan with Plusnet broadband, and they even throw in a free broadband router. Much like the company’s phone plans, Plusnet's entertainment service is cheap but limited, and if you want more channels, it's subject to add-ons. The basic package costs £5 in addition to your phone and broadband package. The kids' channel package and HD package cost another £3 each or £6 for both. Considering Plusnet's basic YouView services only comes with a handful of extras including MTV, Comedy Central and Gold, and doesn't include any Sky channels, the entire bundle seems fairly steep regarding value for money and doesn't quite stand up to TalkTalk, Virgin or even Sky. Top Tip: Talk to an advisor through online chat to get a better understanding of the company’s service add-ons and introductory offers. See if you can haggle a better deal as a new customer. SEE IF SWITCHING TO PLUSNET CAN SAVE YOU MONEY Compare broadband deals |
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Is Plusnet’s customer service decent?
According to recent data from Ofcom, Plusnet is the second most complained about telecoms provider in the UK. Plusnet's complaint level is way over the industry standard, bringing in 33 issues per 100,000 customers. Only EE (45) received more complaints for its broadband service in the same period – July to September 2015. It’s worth saying, Plusnet's online support centre is very well developed, and the company's online chat service is swift and efficient. The company's phone lines, however, are the weakest link and the waiting times can be colossal - generating (and exacerbating) the level of complaints Plusnet receives. A Spokesman Said's verdict Pros: * Online safeguarding as standard * Good online chat system Cons: * Limited entertainment bundles * Basic phone plan lacks value * Question marks over customer service |
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