Broadband packages

[DJ]

Anyone else renewing their broadband and landline calls package at the moment? I called BT today as mine expires later this month and they are proposing a 30% increase on my broadband and a 35% increase on the calls package for same level of service. Oh and the rental goes up too in January. Who do they think they are, an energy company!?! I guess they have to pay for their 'free' BT Sport service somehow.
I like the reliability of BT but don't like being raped. Suppliers like talk talk and plusnet used to get a bad name, or are competitors better now?

Cheers

[Scottish Scrutineer]

I've been with PlusNet for years. Decent reliable service, fairly honest pricing, but worth keeping an eye on the website to see when upgrades to the speeds and limits are available, sometimes at lower costs.
I've had no reason to think about changing from them.

If you go with PlusNet, can you mention Northqueensferry in the referrals.




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Renny

[Andy G]

to be fair the set-up of BT Sport if you already have sky is awesome - properly impressed, and just £3 per month for the HD service, albeit to only one of our Sky HD boxes.

Still totally automated online and up and running in 30 mins!

[tut]

I have BT Sport for free, but it seems to be all football, which is as interesting as tiddlywinks.

tut

[robin]

I like the reliability of BT but don't like being raped.
Suppliers like talk talk and plusnet used to get a bad name, or are competitors better now?
Cheers

I would never have put PlusNet and TalkTalk in the same class. TalkTalk residential are the worst on the planet for customer service. PlusNet, on the other hand, are very good . Of course that's only my experience. My experiences of TalkTalk are so bad, that if it was a choice of TalkTalk or no broadband, I would choose no broadband.

PlusNet use BT's infrastructure so that works out well if you're been happy with BT's service to date - it'll likely be the same.

They have a deal on for the next few days on unlimited broadband - possibly also one for the fibre option, but I don't know if that's available in your area.

I am waiting for fibre to be available in my street, then I'll be moving off O2 to PlusNet (I have to move before O2 move me to Sky - otherwise my business goes to Murdoch - I would rather have no service than give him a single penny).

Cheers,
Robin

[j2 lot]

To add some balance I have been with Talk Talk for years and despite the horrendous reputation they have, I have no complaints and have had some good deals from them to re-sign for new contracts. My only other supplier experiences are with O2 who were ok and with BT, and I would rather poke my eyes out with blunt sticks than deal with BT again

[DJ]

PlusNet use BT's infrastructure so that works out well if you're been happy with BT's service to date - it'll likely be the same.

Cheers, wasn't aware of that. I'll perhaps focus on them first as a comparison. Always good/bad service about all suppliers but the volume of negativity around Talktalk means I don't even want to look there, no matter what their deals are. It was an interesting call yesterday. Cant remember the exact figures but it was like this:

- your new contract will cost £X a month
-is that right, that's a 30% increase
-no, its only £x more a month
- yes, so that works out 30% more than last year for the same service
- but its only £x more, it cant be that much...although I don't know how to work out percentages.

[Rag_It]

I have BT Sport for free, but it seems to be all football, which is as interesting as tiddlywinks. tut

Totally agree with the above, however....

I called BT to cancel, straight through to the retentions team and the increases that were proposed all of a sudden disappeared and a new router as well as discounts on both internet package and line rental were improved. Had to sign for 12 months, but in reality not that bothered....

Dave

[renmure]

Cant remember the exact figures but it was like this:

- your new contract will cost £X a month
-is that right, that's a 30% increase
-no, its only £x more a month
- yes, so that works out 30% more than last year for the same service
- but its only £x more, it cant be that much...although I don't know how to work out percentages.

[robin]

Not being able to working out percentages is common problem, unfortunately.

Agreed TalkTalk aren't all bad, but to relate one story that amused me:

A guy was really fed up trying to cancel his non-functioning (had never functioned since new) service with TalkTalk that after a year or so he jumped at the chance to move house so as to side-step the issue and leave it to the new owners to sort out (no doubt he had other reasons to move).

He moved into new house.

Discovered already non-functioning TalkTalk line installed ...

What goes around, comes around!

Dave makes a good point - simply call BT to cancel and see what happens!

Cheers,
Robin

[IanD]

Post drink post so maybe more honest and less subtle...

Was with Talk Talk for phone and internet major problems, will ensure I never go back to them.
Offshore call centre, their payment system was 'not guaranteed' though I paid bills on time, ended up getting phone line cut off for 3 days. Phoned up a number of times and lets says I knew more about their systems and processes than they did and had problems communicating what I was asking about so in summary avoid Talk Talk even if they offer the best deal.
In a later life, wanted to stay with BT and said if you offer me almost what others would offer I would stay but they wouldn't match so changed from BT £40 per month phones + internet to Orange £25 with more calls. We don't have high speed yet, suspect BT will get it 1st when it comes and if they could offer a good deal I'd move back. Orange customer service is good but the router is crap compared to the BT one but I'll stick with Orange at moment.

[robin]

TalkTalk continue to be awesomely bad. Trying to migrate my Mum off them to another service provider. 2 hours to get them to agree I am the account holder and update their records only for them to tell me I don't need a MAC ... except I do ... call back ... err, you're not the account holder and back round the loop we go. Of course they changed the account details without my consent in the first place, but this small detail is lost on them.

Kafka could not have had nightmares this bad.

Wish I was at Oulton

Really, run away screaming ....

Cheers,
Robin

P.S. Eventually got put through to the (UK-based) bereavement team (don't ask) and they just read the MAC out over the telephone ...
P.P.S. Then spent a pleasant 20 minutes on the telephone to Tesco Bank to take out buildings insurance (30% of the cost of my current renewal) and Hastings Direct to cancel an insurance policy I had forgotten about. No fuss, very helpful and a pleasure to deal with in both cases.

[Doc883]

Anyone else renewing their broadband and landline calls package at the moment? I called BT today as mine expires later this month and they are proposing a 30% increase on my broadband and a 35% increase on the calls package for same level of service. Oh and the rental goes up too in January. Who do they think they are, an energy company!?! I guess they have to pay for their 'free' BT Sport service somehow.
I like the reliability of BT but don't like being raped. Suppliers like talk talk and plusnet used to get a bad name, or are competitors better now? Cheers

BT will need to pay for madness like this all so the prima-donna footballers can drive a Bently. This will really keep wages in check, not !!
"BT Sport has announced an exclusive £897m three-year deal which will end two decades of live Champions League football on terrestrial TV".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24879138

[scott_e]

Just been offered a £2.99 per month unlimited download service with free weekend and evening calls to landlines from Plusnet in response to a complaint about the response from support. (line rental £137 or £11.41 pm). Can't complain at that to be honest, Netflix is using 5gb per day. Have used Plusnet on and off since 2002 and their customer support response times are terrible these days compared to the past but the latency rate of the connection was better that Sky (notice it in online gaming. note sky had an LLU in my exchange). Plugged DSL modem into the BT master line behind the wall panel and get a consistent 8.1mpbs download thanks to a BT engineer recommendation.

[tut]

PlusNet have been top of the tables for many years.

They used to be the most expensive, but now seem to be the opposite.

tut