PlusNet rejig Broadband Your Way packages
Thursday 01 May 2008 16:54:44 by John Hunt
PlusNet have increased the included usage available on their Broadband Your Way packages. Option 4, the higher end product including 40GB of usage for £29.99 per month has also been dropped from new supply in the portfolio. One of the reasons for the increase in usage is due to the rise in amount of bandwidth used for streaming, particularly the BBC iPlayer which PlusNet state accounts for 10% of its overall traffic.
"We've seen a big increase in streaming since use of iPlayer and other video sites has grown, which is contributing to increasing average broadband usage.
This isn't a problem as ISPs can handle the growth in traffic. Where the issue lies is in customers being on the wrong package and finding their accounts restricted as they fall foul of hidden 'fair usage' policies, or getting surprise bills for additional usage."Neil Armstrong (Products Director), PlusNet
The changes to the broadband your way packages are as follows:
| Package | Previous Included Usage | New Included Usage | Cost per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Option 1 | 1GB | 1GB (no change) | £9.99 |
| Option 2 | 8GB | 15GB | £14.99 |
| Option 3 | 20GB | 30GB | £19.99 |
| Option 4 | 40GB | (withdrawn from new supply) | £29.99 |
| Pro | 10GB | 15GB | £19.99 |
PlusNet have also launched a broadband usage calculator to try and help users measure their usage and ensure they are on the best package that suits their needs. You don't have to be a PlusNet customer to use it, but it will go on to suggest the most appropriate PlusNet package that fits your needs.
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I'm on Option 2 so the increased allowance is very welcome.
One reason I chose PlusNet was that they were owned by BT and unlikely to get touted round the market every couple of years as has happened with Pipex.
I've criticised them in the past but hats off to Plusnet for not taking the easy Tiscali/Virgin option of misleading customers with promises of a (fake) unlimited service which in reality is traffic shaped to death.
Horses for courses Keith, you may have an obsession with traffic shaping but a Virgin Media cable customer can still download hundreds of Gigabytes per month without extra charges or it ceasing to work.
What a complete BS statement by their products director. If they can meet the demand, and they aren't using a hidden FUP, then what's the problem? Why withdraw the 40GB package?
Herdwick - I have nothing whatsover against traffic shaping.
My issue is with the sneaky way its hidden from the product descriptions at Virgin et al.
@KarlAustin
Not sure why you think BS is involved. 40GB withdrawn because very few customers chose BBYW4 and it now works out cheaper to buy Option 3 and add ten more GBs at 75p each. Just a case of simplifying the choices.
I too was failing to see the BS, and surely not using a hidden FUP is a good thing? :-)
plusnet have improved since how low they got a while back, they seem to have benefited from the BT takeover, although they still employ shaping they are at least specifying the limits in detail and offer a pro product which doesn't protocol shape.
I migrated from PlusNet to o2 and o2 is cheaper. No ridiculous traffic shaping and truly unlimited. PlusNet even traffic shaped in the middle of the night which is supposed to be off-peak. The best broadband I have ever had is o2.
I've been a PlusNet customer for the past year and found them excellent in all ways. Good service, 24/7 support and extremely reliable. The increased allowance is very welcome.
To O2 users: Have you read the Fair Useage policy? If you have, you will know there IS a limit, but it is not specified. What amounts to is this: If O2 think you are abusing the service, they will warn you then kick you. This is not "True Unlimited" but a hidden limit.
Although, saying that, for 02 users, thats a very nice price.
Would have been nice if the entry level package could have had an extra Gig for contingencies as even plain vanilla sites seem to need more bandwidth nowadays.
Does anyone have experience of mobile broadband coverage in Cornwall? I travel down their regularly and am thinking about signing up with a mobile broadband provider but have heard coverage can be poor in some rural areas. I’ve been looking at various different mobile broadband providers here: http://www.broadband-expert.co.uk/broadband/mobile and am leaning towards Vodafone.
Any advice would be great. I don’t want to sign up and find I’m paying for a product that doesn’t work!
Pusnet aka BT - no thank you!