Had an email from Plusnet telling me they're going into the mobile phone game. They have a new deal starting after the 29th Nov for 4gig data, unlimited minutes, unlimited texts for a tenner if you pre register now (usually £15). They're using the EE network (obviously since Plusnet are owned by BT and BT own EE), so worthwhile for some people maybe. If you're a Plusnet broadband customer then you get double data allowance, but I don't think you get the pre registration price and the double data.

 

https://www.plusnetmobile.com/

After recent experience I wouldn't touch 'em.

I'm with BT mobile, and to be fair, apart from the call centres that don't speak english, it's great. Not sure if PlusNet will be doing it, but on BT, you get an app that automatically signs you into all their hotspots. 

I'm with BT mobile, and to be fair, apart from the call centres that don't speak english, it's great. Not sure if PlusNet will be doing it, but on BT, you get an app that automatically signs you into all their hotspots. 

 

PN call centres are just the same, except that instead of a thick, impenetrable Indian accent, they speak in a thick, impenetrable Yorkshire accent.

 

That is, of course, if you can get through; I still havent seen anyone claiming longer than my 94 minutes in the queue (and then being hung up on).

Been with Plusnet for years. Never had the need to call them, except once when I want to upgrade my phone package, and got through more or less straight away to someone who speaks my (Yorkshire) language.

I've been with plusnet for about 6/7 years and had no problems with them,only time I ring them is to get a better deal at end of contract.

Edited 21 November, 20169 yr by carisbrook

To be fair, I have a very small sample of trying to call PN; 4 attempts over 2 days; not one call went through to a live person.

 

I thank god I was leaving the company, and didnt have to deal with the POS ISP they had signed a 2 years contract with for longer than that.

 

In the end, it took 8 hours over those 2 days, to do something that should have taken 10 minutes - replace a router and connect to the ADSL service; and the issue would have been sorted a lot faster if they had kept the old router, instead of trying to use the new PN supplied on, because the old one only took a few minutes to wake up and get an ADSL connection, the PN POS took 35 minutes !! EACH TIME.

 

The problem? It turns out the new router "preconfigured for your convenience", was preconfigured with someone else's log in details and password; and because the numpties in the office had lost the PN paperwork, I had no way of knowing this.

To be fair, if you were calling me I'd be inclined to leave you hanging on the line and not bother talking to you...

^^^   :clap: 

 

The problem? It turns out the new router "preconfigured for your convenience", was preconfigured with someone else's log in details and password; and because the numpties in the office had lost the PN paperwork, I had no way of knowing this.

Pretty sure you cudda just reset the router to factory settings and used the default admin password, SSID and password for that.

The info's usually printed on the bottom of the router.

Pretty sure you cudda just reset the router to factory settings and used the default admin password, SSID and password for that.

The info's usually printed on the bottom of the router.

 

No, the PN password and log in details, the details on the sticker are only to access the router, not the internet, or did you not know that smart alec??

To access the internet your PC needs to be able to see the routers SSID (if on wi-fi). Then you click on your little wi-fi icon on the bottom right of your screen in the task bar. Then you click on the router listed, Then connect. As I said, the password will be printed somewhere on the router. (don't try to tell me it isn't there as I've imaged searched lots of Plusnet routers).

Easy enough to factory reset them to the default admin passwords also. Being a smart alec I used this Google thing.

Furthermore, you cudda just connected using an ethernet cable. No password required.

As Lee is kind of getting at, the majority of isp routers don't need any account username details to work. You can remove them completely and it'll still work if your on their on LLU.

Edit - even if not on their network, most will automatically connect and recognise its you from the line identifier on the Dylan (Lee will be able to explain that bit better than I)

Been with Plusnet for years. Never had the need to call them, except once when I want to upgrade my phone package, and got through more or less straight away to someone who speaks my (Yorkshire) language.

Just joined PN,no problem understanding the Yorks accent, and they even understand my thick Scots accent. Far better than my experiences in the past with BT & VM. Only problem is the wa---------i-------------t .Sales answered almost instantly, to take the order. Had problems on BB setup that entailed a 20 min wait. It appears that they have been caught out by the surge ( their words), but I've found that their CEO has his address on line, so perhaps if I have further problems, then hell get a "why are we waiting" e mail.

To access the internet your PC needs to be able to see the routers SSID (if on wi-fi). Then you click on your little wi-fi icon on the bottom right of your screen in the task bar. Then you click on the router listed, Then connect. As I said, the password will be printed somewhere on the router. (don't try to tell me it isn't there as I've imaged searched lots of Plusnet routers).

Easy enough to factory reset them to the default admin passwords also. Being a smart alec I used this Google thing.

Furthermore, you cudda just connected using an ethernet cable. No password required.

And if the position of the PC is remote from the master socket, then it's simple to extend the line, as a 2wire line ( with no connection to the phone sockets) to the socket beside the PC( that lets you get the router within cat 5 reach of the PC). Then fit a filter into the socket (ADSL) ,filter off the BB, and return the phone line ,via a master socket to the other phone sockets. Alternatively, if you don't like filters at each phone, then do as I've done- run a phone installation from a socket close to the BT master, plug a filter into the BT master, plug router into the ADSL socket, a phone plug into the phone side of the filter and connect that to a master socket to feed the other extension slave sockets.

The phone monkeys will tell you that you need one filter per phone. You don't. All you need to do with ADSL is to split ADSL & VOICE EARLY.

And as for hacking routers, google hacking the BT VOYAGER 205 and you'll see just how easy it is.

Edited 22 November, 20169 yr by VWD

As Lee is kind of getting at, the majority of isp routers don't need any account username details to work. You can remove them completely and it'll still work if your on their on LLU.

Edit - even if not on their network, most will automatically connect and recognise its you from the line identifier on the Dylan (Lee will be able to explain that bit better than I)

 

The PN router supplied would not connect due to the WRONG information (username and user password) entered in the ADSL configuration settings. Auto connect DIDNT work, because the details were already entered - and in my experience  it fails in a large number of non BT instances - better than 40% fail to set the router 100% correctly; so I wasnt expecting much of it. If there had been a error message saying wrong username or password it might have helped, instead of "Failed Authentication", which can mean any number of things, from wrong info, to wrong ADSL configuration, to the line not being transferred from the old ISP yet.

 

Once the correct user name and password were located, it connected, however it STILL took nearly 30 minutes to do so, and the WIFI was so weak, they had to buy two range extenders to cover the building - the old router gave full coverage at over 100Mbps even at the property boundaries.

I had a bit of a bad experience with trying to leave Plusnet. (All ISPs may be equally bad though - I've only ever left Plusnet so I can't compare. Though I left Orange on Mobile and that was fine). I managed to get through ok to someone about leaving, but they wouldn't let me get through to the people who let you leave. I had to explain why I wanted to leave first, and then they'd put me through. Ok. Explain. Get put through. Then "please explain why you want to leave". "I've just gone through it with the previous team - don't you believe me?" . No. Bit of a leaving charge too - I think maybe £50 - after maybe 5 years of being with them on a pay monthly contract. Maybe if I'd been sweeter it would have gone better.

To be fair - leaving was possible, and didn't take that long. I was just annoyed by the attitude of "I don't care that you've just explained why you want to leave to someone else. You explain it to me too, or else you can't leave". That and the leaving fee. (Though that may be common to other ISPs).

Edited 22 November, 20169 yr by wonkyewok

I had a bit of a bad experience with trying to leave Plusnet. (All ISPs may be equally bad though - I've only ever left Plusnet so I can't compare. Though I left Orange on Mobile and that was fine). I managed to get through ok to someone about leaving, but they wouldn't let me get through to the people who let you leave. I had to explain why I wanted to leave first, and then they'd put me through. Ok. Explain. Get put through. Then "please explain why you want to leave". "I've just gone through it with the previous team - don't you believe me?" . No. Bit of a leaving charge too - I think maybe £50 - after maybe 5 years of being with them on a pay monthly contract. Maybe if I'd been sweeter it would have gone better.

To be fair - leaving was possible, and didn't take that long. I was just annoyed by the attitude of "I don't care that you've just explained why you want to leave to someone else. You explain it to me too, or else you can't leave". That and the leaving fee. (Though that may be common to other ISPs).

 

 

The charge is pretty standard these days; it is what BT charge them to finish the ADSL service; about £38 last time I checked, but that was over a year ago.

 

I had a worse experience, leaving Vispa - who used to be a really good ISP years ago. Anyway, they tried to transfer my phone line and ADSL service from the BT to TalkTalk networks (without telling me),and completely messed it up; after 6 weeks of no service and no resolution I said I was cancelling.

 

They insisted an email wouldnt do, I had to send a letter and give a full months notice; so I did, recorded delivery to their offices. The day Royal Mail indicated the letter had been received, they cut my line off AND had it blocked, so I couldnt get another service on it; they then proceed to not only bill me the cancellation charge, but also for a full extra month.

 

So remember that name VISPA; once upon a time they were a highly rated ISP, now their a POS that make Plusnet look good.

Did vispa also provide your calls?

Did vispa also provide your calls?

 

Yes, it was a line, calls and ADSL service. There was (so I have been told), a hostile takeover by one of the partners, forcing the tech savvy founder out; after that the service went to pieces, and now it seems it has become a VISP selling TalkTalk services.

 

Funny enough, it turns out the ISP I picked as the replacement, is the same guy who set up Vispa and got forced out!!

 

Back on topic, I see from the tech news that PN has been suffering a major, "go and have a lie-down" over the last 24 hours, with a lot more people than usual complaining about t'interwebs not working properly.

I've been with plusnet for about 6/7 years and had no problems with them,only time I ring them is to get a better deal at end of contract.

you ACTUALLY get through in a few minutes ?

you ACTUALLY get through in a few minutes ?

 

Retentions is the only fully staffed department in the company; even the accounts department is run by an old troop of circus monkeys .

you ACTUALLY get through in a few minutes ?

Yep,usually in 10

My 94 minute record was with the "Dedicated support line for new customers".

 

The only less responsive people I have dealt with are government embassies (UK and Chinese), the UK took 6 months to respond to a formal complaint, and the Chinese dont answer the phone (goes straight to voicemail); and only once replied to an email in 2 years.

My goodness GG i dont know how you survive day to day life, and have not gone completely offgrid living in the woods away from all types of technology and society (whittling spoons maybe...) given the constant battles that every movement of your existence seems to encounter in everything you do / try to do and esp just how much worse an experience you have with everyone and every company and every system youve ever encountered than Anyone else in the history of time...