Simply query on Plusnet

My help and advice has been sought to get a friend connected to Broadband. For reasons best known to
himself he wants PlusNet, not my first choice but I'm all for a quiet life.

He's using Xp Pro with Microsoft Outlook on a moderately speced PC with four family members
requiring their own area [no problem, setup user accounts] and their own individual email address
[seems you go to http://portal.plus.net/my.html to set that lot up].

Being an existing PlusNet customer on analogue on PAYG, which Broadband package should one go for:
the Light @ £14.99 but a whooping £94 connection fee or the Premier at £21.99 with the usual £58.75
connection fee? Any thought anyone?

Horror of horrors it will have to be a USB ADSL modem. Could not see on the PlusNet site the cost of
supply for a new Broadband customer, nor the price of supplied filters - any know what these extras
cost from PlusNet?

With thanks in advance for those that respond to these questions.

David Bradley

On Thu, 10 Feb 2005 08:55:04 +0000, David Bradley
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>My help and advice has been sought to get a friend connected to Broadband. For reasons best known to
>himself he wants PlusNet, not my first choice but I'm all for a quiet life.
>
>He's using Xp Pro with Microsoft Outlook on a moderately speced PC with four family members
>requiring their own area [no problem, setup user accounts] and their own individual email address
>[seems you go to http://portal.plus.net/my.html to set that lot up].
>
>Being an existing PlusNet customer on analogue on PAYG, which Broadband package should one go for:
>the Light @ £14.99 but a whooping £94 connection fee or the Premier at £21.99 with the usual £58.75
>connection fee? Any thought anyone?
>

Where do you get the different connection fee for LIte?

It is exactly the same as for premier - £58.75 if you sign up for an
annual contract, £70.50 if you sign up for a monthly contract (Both
are paid monthly).

Which to go for really depends on what their usage is going to be. It
only includes 1GB/month for the £14.99, extra are £1.50/month if
prepaid, £1.75 if paid on requirement, so if they are likely to want
to use more than about 6GB/month on a regular basis, they should go
for premier.

>Horror of horrors it will have to be a USB ADSL modem.

Why?

Even if you buy from Plusnet, a 1 port router only costs £15 more, and
will give much better security.

Buying elsewhere, and choosing the "no hardware" option from PN would
get you a router even cheaper.

>Could not see on the PlusNet site the cost of
>supply for a new Broadband customer, nor the price of supplied filters - any know what these extras
>cost from PlusNet?
>

I don't know if they do supply filters. The cost of the hardware is
clearly listed on the sign up page, where you are given all the
options after selecting product type. - The USB modem is £34.99
--
Alex Heney, Global Villager
There's my way, and then there's the easy way.

To reply by email, my address is alexATheneyDOTplusDOTcom

On 10 Feb 2005, in uk.telecom.broadband, David Bradley wrote:

> the Light @ £14.99 but a whooping £94 connection fee

I just went down the options for such an account and the setup was
nothing like 94 quid... monthly contract setup cost is 70.50, and
annual contract has a setup of 58.75. Where did 94 come from ?


> it will have to be a USB ADSL modem. Could not see on the PlusNet
> site the cost of supply for a new Broadband customer, nor the price
> of supplied filters - any know what these extras cost from PlusNet?

I know they offer hardware but there are other suppliers who would be
cheaper (eg Ebuyer) and deliver prior to the line being set up with
ADSL (there have sometimes been complaints about delivery delays,
as there's a safeguard in to not send until a good chance of user's
line actually supporting ADSL is detemined). No idea if filters are
included or not... I assume not, but see the hardware options here:
<http://www.mywebpages.org/Plus-Net-Hardware.gif> (from PN site).


--
PlusNet <http://tinyurl.com/24ymz> - I recommend them and save some cash.
With a guarantee to allow new users to migrate if you don't like it.

On Thu, 10 Feb 2005 10:27:52 +0000, Alex Heney <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>On Thu, 10 Feb 2005 08:55:04 +0000, David Bradley
><(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>My help and advice has been sought to get a friend connected to Broadband. For reasons best known to
>>himself he wants PlusNet, not my first choice but I'm all for a quiet life.
>>
>>He's using Xp Pro with Microsoft Outlook on a moderately speced PC with four family members
>>requiring their own area [no problem, setup user accounts] and their own individual email address
>>[seems you go to http://portal.plus.net/my.html to set that lot up].
>>
>>Being an existing PlusNet customer on analogue on PAYG, which Broadband package should one go for:
>>the Light @ £14.99 but a whooping £94 connection fee or the Premier at £21.99 with the usual £58.75
>>connection fee? Any thought anyone?
>>
>
*** Thank you for your response.

>Where do you get the different connection fee for LIte?

*** From the ADSL Guide site
>
>It is exactly the same as for premier - £58.75 if you sign up for an
>annual contract, £70.50 if you sign up for a monthly contract (Both
>are paid monthly).
>
>Which to go for really depends on what their usage is going to be. It
>only includes 1GB/month for the £14.99, extra are £1.50/month if
>prepaid, £1.75 if paid on requirement, so if they are likely to want
>to use more than about 6GB/month on a regular basis, they should go
>for premier.
>
>>Horror of horrors it will have to be a USB ADSL modem.
>
>Why?

*** Would have preferred to use a router but total Broadband set up and running costs need to be
kept to minumum.
>
>Even if you buy from Plusnet, a 1 port router only costs £15 more, and
>will give much better security.
>

*** Assume you mean £34.99 + £15 inc VAT and delivery

>Buying elsewhere, and choosing the "no hardware" option from PN would
>get you a router even cheaper.
>
>>Could not see on the PlusNet site the cost of
>>supply for a new Broadband customer, nor the price of supplied filters - any know what these extras
>>cost from PlusNet?
>>
>
>I don't know if they do supply filters. The cost of the hardware is
>clearly listed on the sign up page, where you are given all the
>options after selecting product type. - The USB modem is £34.99

*** I suspected that the information would be there, but it would only be visable once you had
started the sign up process. The site lacks a general information page on options that can be
quickly accessed.

*** Is there a telephone number to call to place the order instead of using the WEB. The pages are
painfully slow to download when your are using dial up?

David Bradley

I meant to add - ring them on 0845 1400 200 but do check the
queue <http://www.plus.net/supportpages.html?a=212> so you can
speak to someone without too long a wait... They are far from
unfriendly (but I have only spoken to staff once, prior to use,
and been a customer for almost 2 years now). Peter M.


--
Try a commercial news service - from 50 MB/day (once-only fee of $4.95)
up to 1500 MB/day for 6 months $99.95, 600 GB over 6 months $149.75
with many options in between... <http://tinyurl.com/3rjw4>

On Thu, 10 Feb 2005 11:26:10 +0000, David Bradley
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>*** Is there a telephone number to call to place the order instead of using the WEB. The pages are
>painfully slow to download when your are using dial up?

There is only this that I could easily spot:

>If you experience any difficulty or have any questions, call us 24 hours a day on 0845 1400200.


Richard

On Thu, 10 Feb 2005 11:26:10 +0000, David Bradley
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>On Thu, 10 Feb 2005 10:27:52 +0000, Alex Heney <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>On Thu, 10 Feb 2005 08:55:04 +0000, David Bradley
>><(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>
>>>My help and advice has been sought to get a friend connected to Broadband. For reasons best known to
>>>himself he wants PlusNet, not my first choice but I'm all for a quiet life.
>>>
>>>He's using Xp Pro with Microsoft Outlook on a moderately speced PC with four family members
>>>requiring their own area [no problem, setup user accounts] and their own individual email address
>>>[seems you go to http://portal.plus.net/my.html to set that lot up].
>>>
>>>Being an existing PlusNet customer on analogue on PAYG, which Broadband package should one go for:
>>>the Light @ £14.99 but a whooping £94 connection fee or the Premier at £21.99 with the usual £58.75
>>>connection fee? Any thought anyone?
>>>
>>
>*** Thank you for your response.
>
>>Where do you get the different connection fee for LIte?
>
>*** From the ADSL Guide site

Plusnet's own site is a better guide :-)

Even ADSLGuide themselves do say that you should not rely on prices
given there.


>>
>>It is exactly the same as for premier - £58.75 if you sign up for an
>>annual contract, £70.50 if you sign up for a monthly contract (Both
>>are paid monthly).
>>
>>Which to go for really depends on what their usage is going to be. It
>>only includes 1GB/month for the £14.99, extra are £1.50/month if
>>prepaid, £1.75 if paid on requirement, so if they are likely to want
>>to use more than about 6GB/month on a regular basis, they should go
>>for premier.
>>
>>>Horror of horrors it will have to be a USB ADSL modem.
>>
>>Why?
>
>*** Would have preferred to use a router but total Broadband set up and running costs need to be
>kept to minumum.

Well don't buy from PN then. :-)

Actually, their prices for hardware are not too bad, but you can get
cheaper.

For instance, you can get a router with built in ADSL modem for
£38.15 (£3.16 more than the USB modem costs from PN) here
<http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/Shop/ShopDetail.asp?ProductID=1794>


>>
>>Even if you buy from Plusnet, a 1 port router only costs £15 more, and
>>will give much better security.
>>
>
>*** Assume you mean £34.99 + £15 inc VAT and delivery
>

Yes, except that P&P is not included.

>>Buying elsewhere, and choosing the "no hardware" option from PN would
>>get you a router even cheaper.
>>
>>>Could not see on the PlusNet site the cost of
>>>supply for a new Broadband customer, nor the price of supplied filters - any know what these extras
>>>cost from PlusNet?
>>>
>>
>>I don't know if they do supply filters. The cost of the hardware is
>>clearly listed on the sign up page, where you are given all the
>>options after selecting product type. - The USB modem is £34.99
>
>*** I suspected that the information would be there, but it would only be visable once you had
>started the sign up process. The site lacks a general information page on options that can be
>quickly accessed.
>

You see it before you start giving any personal details whatsoever


>*** Is there a telephone number to call to place the order instead of using the WEB. The pages are
>painfully slow to download when your are using dial up?
>

They are indeed. I hate it when I need to access their webmail over
dial up when away from home.

0845 1400200 is the number listed on their website.
--
Alex Heney, Global Villager
There's my way, and then there's the easy way.

To reply by email, my address is alexATheneyDOTplusDOTcom

[snip]
>
> *** I suspected that the information would be there, but it would only
> be visable once you had started the sign up process. The site lacks a
> general information page on options that can be quickly accessed.
>
Your right there, I quizzed them about the lack of a single page
displaying all the tarrifs and options - they said it was a "Business Decision"
not to have one. I just call it a crap decision.
[snip]

Eric Lee

David Bradley wrote:
>
>>Where do you get the different connection fee for LIte?
>
>
> *** From the ADSL Guide site
>

Possibly that daft '12 month cost' comparison of theirs, assuming you
sign up every year and buy a new modem. DUH !

Bill

Their hadware is shipped with 2 free filters.
Package is actually sent by BT, who are their partners, but you can
find other routers etc cheaper
ie http://www.linksyssales.co.uk/linksy...namicIndex.asp

Of course + Net support wont be able to give you same specific hardware
support on these.