Just rang Plus Net to get my stepmum’s broadband upgraded to fibre and was surprised to be told that it wouldn’t just go up from £14.49 to £17.49, but that there would be an extra £7.50 to pay monthly.

I asked why, and why wasn’t this on the website. The explanation was that as she lives in a rural area, it is regarded by Ofcom as a ‘Market 1’ area ‘and that’s why’.

Well, I looked up Market 1 and it has nothing to do with an extra charge being applied, but with setting price controls on BT, so they don’t try to bump up prices on the pretext that an area is remote – the exact opposite of what Plus Net seem to be telling me.

Does anyone know anything more about this? For example, a one-off extra charge I can understand, but paying about a third again every month seems to me to be taking the piss.

Got to say my own broadband is with Plus Net and they are usually very good. I got a bit worried a few years ago when they were bought out by BT and feared they would go the way of BT – f*cking awful customer service. But they didn’t. Yet I’m wondering whether BT business practices are creeping in.

which exchange is it?
and have you tried asking the question on the plusnet forums?

It's the St Tudy exchange in North Cornwall and my stepmum lives in a hamlet about three miles away. I can't see the point of asking in the Plus Net forums.

What I want to know is what is going on? It seems to me that charging an extra £7.50 a month over and above the fibre charge quoting 'Ofcom Market 1' rulings is a bit rum, especially as Ofcom was more concerned with BT (who owns all the infrastructure) overcharging. In fact, it is all as clear as ditchwater and my purpose posting here was to see what I could find out.

why can't you see the point?
they have technical staff there that will give you an answer (and you'll get it pretty quickly).

http://community.plus.net/forum/inde...board,3.0.html

Many rural exchanges aren't opened up to enable other providers to put their own kit in. In which case it means your options are BT or any other provider that re-sells BTWholesale broadband. Without an LLU presence ISPs simply aren't able to offer the same discounts or guarantee an unlimited service like they normally can.

which is what the St Tudy exchange is according to Samknows.

All the answers here seem to miss the point: I could fully understand a one-off charge of £7.50 or twice that. But what justification can there possibly be for an ongoing monthly charge of £7.50. That was my question and it has nothing to do with what's in the exchange at St Tudy or who owns it.

because any ISP can only re-sell the bt wholesale product and nothing else at an exchange like that.
it's the same reason why the sky connect package is more expensive than the normal sky packages, because the exchange has been opened up to other providers.

whether that is the reason for your particular instance you would need as plusnet, and the best place for that is via the forum link i provided you.
why are you so averse to asking the actual people concerned? do you not want to hear the real reason? or are you just wanting to rant and you don't actually want to know the answer.

Ass2k points out.... Plusnet have no kit there and thus are using BT wholesales kit ....
It is hardly surprising that there are more costs....
And on a continuing basis ....
But the price dues seem high
http://broadband4u.net/St-Tudy-Telep...ge-WWSTUD.html

Well your post doesn't make any sense either. Plusnet never have any 'kit' anywhere. They ALWAYS use BT Wholesale.

The higher charge reflects that Plusnet are paying another provider (BTWholesale) to deliver services to you.

If you were to go with Sky for example you would be put on their Connect package which is also considerably more expensive than the standard deal advertised on their website. Unlike the standard deal it comes with a 40gb usage allowance and strict traffic management.

Here is a breakdown of services at the exchange. According to that list there is only one other provider with their own equipment in the exchange bar BT and that is TalkTalk. Naturally this information could be out of date or plain incorrect so you would need to check with the provider of choice.


Perhaps it is the legislation that goes with Market 1 exchanges?

Or that the exchange can only offer [Plusnet] an inferior product/plan?

That there is no nearby point of presence to utilise?

The only definitive answer is going to be from one of the technical team at Plusnet.

The answer Plus Net gave me was that my stepmum is in a 'Market 1' area and the charge is an Ofcom stipulation. Yet when I looked up 'Market 1', it was all about Ofcom putting a price cap on charges not imposing an extra charge.

Yes, I know all about BT owning most of the kit, but that is also the case in exchanges not in a 'Market 1' area, but folk there are not charged more. Who owns the kit or not has got nothing to do with any of this.

This is all as clear as ditchwater. Furthermore, why the ongoing charge? Month in, month out she (well I) would have to pay £7.50 on top. That has got bugger all to do with an Ofcom price cap.

go ask the technical staff at plusnet then!
jeez!!!

or just go to another ISP and see what prices they will offer.

What do you think I bloody did before coming to this forum to see whether I could get more sense here than out of Plus Net? That's where I got all the guff about it being an Ofcom charge when in fact the Ofcom regulation is about a price cap.

As you say, jeeeeeeeeeez!

no, you spoke to the CS staff, they are not the technical staff.
the PN forums have actual technical guys from PN on there.

but hey you're not interested in answers, you just want to rant don't you.
as i said though, you're free to try another ISP and see they are quote you cheaper.

All BT exchanges are open to any service provider. If they choose not unbundle it's because they won't make any money as there are too few lines on the smaller exchanges.

OP. The market 1,2,3 classifications is due to be reviewed soon as it is outdated and doesn't fit well with the current uk broadband market so things may change .

It seems the price quoted is correct if you have the broadband only with Plusnet ...
http://www.plus.net/support/broadban...st_areas.shtml

You could click the 'buy with fibre' on the Talktalk simply broadband package, put in the phone number and postcode to see if it is available ...
https://sales.talktalk.co.uk/product/fibre

If it is available and at a better price then you may be able to negotiate with Plusnet.

I have taken the liberty of opening a thread in the PN forums, suggesting on of their more expert staff might like to post here.

i can't see the thread you have opened.

Hi

PluNet are "telling the truth" re the wholesale prcing it is down to OFCOM regulating BT Wholesale to prevent them from lowering their wholesale price. This started in 2008.

The OFCOM rationale appears to be to force BT Wholsale to charge more than it would cost an LLU supplier to unbundle the exchange and offer its services at a profit. This, gives the LLU suppliers an incentive to unbundle the exchange and create a competative market for broadband in the exchange area.

Once the exchnage has been unbundled by 3 or more suppliers & sufficient customer have been lured away from BT, to give the LLU operators a return on their investment, then OFCOM relax the regulations on BT.

http://www.choose.net/media/guide/ne...on-review.html
&
http://www.choose.net/media/guide/ne...g-plusnet.html

When I phoned Plusnet in January for a MAC code I was offered a retention deal - their 78MB service for £20/m on a 2 year contract (normally £28/m). Market 1 Exchange.

However I switched to BT as it was cheaper when taking the inducements into account - Free BT Sport, Youview Box, Sainsburys vouchers and Quidco cashback.

if your with plusnet and paying the higher/rural prices take a look at the sam knows exchange checker, the one for St Tudy says this http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange/WWSTUD
and market 1 at the bottom.
However Talk Talk LLU is available, this means that you will be bale to get a significantly better deal from plusnet.

I was in the same situation until I called plusnet.

Heres what you do, as above check the sam knows exchange search for the presence of LLU suppliers.
Check the plusnet exchange checker http://usertools.plus.net/exchanges/ if it says Market 1, and 2014 Market A then you should be in luck and you should be able to significantly reduce your bill with plusnet.

Next take a look at the LLU suppliers page and work out how much they would charge you for 12 months on the same/similar package you are on with plusnet
12months Price of Broadband ( without any special offers)
12 months broadband with offers
12 months line rental - can usualy be purchased up front at a lower rate something like line rental saver
12 months of call packages ( ie anytime calls )
Do the same for plusnet, you should have two figures Plusnet and the LLU supplier.

Next call plusnet and go to the thinking of leaving option, tell them you are thinking of signing up with Talk Talk ( or another llu supplier) as they have their own Local Loop unbundled equipment at your exchange and will save you £XXX per year compared to your current price of £xxx with plusnet, mention that if plusnet will match or better this price that you will be happy to stay with plusnet for 12 months, and pay for 12 months line rental saver, if no deals are possible then state that you wish to leave and you want a mac ( migration advisory code) state again that you are going to move to another LLu supplier as they are significantly cheaper.

One final note - you must be outside any minimum contract term with plusnet before you start to haggle/threaten to leave. you may be able to get a cheaper rate if theres an LLU supplier on your exchange and if that exchange is 2014 market A.

It's in the Feedback sub forum

http://community.plus.net/forum/inde...tml#msg1153071

The information has always been available on the Plusnet Website http://www.plus.net/support/broadban...st_areas.shtml