1. Introduction to Plusnet Broadband
Plusnet has been offering broadband, phone, and mobile services to UK homes and businesses for 25 years. The company, which is based in Yorkshire, is now part of BT Group’s Consumer Division. Plusnet takes pride in providing simple, dependable broadband, phone, and mobile products that live up to their claims, backed by exceptional customer service. In this review, we will go beyond Plusnet’s own statements and evaluate aspects such as actual broadband speeds and customer service performance. By providing a comprehensive assessment of their services, we will help you decide whether Plusnet is the best broadband provider for you. You can even begin your Plusnet order from this page if you so choose.
2. Plusnet Broadband: In Brief
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- Plusnet Broadband offers a range of speeds, including ADSL broadband with 10Mbps, Fibre with 36Mbps, Fibre Extra with 66Mbps, Full Fibre 74 with 74Mbps (limited UK coverage), Full Fibre 145 with 145Mbps (limited UK coverage), and Full Fibre 500 with 500Mbps (limited UK coverage). The provider uses the Openreach full fibre broadband network that currently serves around 9.6 million UK homes, with the expectation of reaching 26 million UK homes by 2026.
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- Plusnet Broadband prices start from £25.99 per month for Fibre, £26.99 per month for Fibre Extra, £26.99 per month for Full Fibre 74, £27.99 per month for Full Fibre 145, and £39.99 per month for Full Fibre 500. The Full Fibre products do not come with line rental or voice service. Standard features include the Plusnet Hub 2 router, reliable online security and parental controls, UK-based customer service available 7 days a week, free calls to Plusnet support, account reviews, and end-of-contract reminders to ensure the best deal.
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- Plusnet Mobile also offers a variety of 30-day rolling contracts, including a 5GB SIMO plan for £8 per month, 15GB for £10 per month, or 30GB for £12 per month, with an additional 2GB of data for existing Plusnet Broadband customers.
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- According to the latest Ofcom Telecoms & Pay TV Complaints Report published on January 26th, 2023, Plusnet Broadband had 13 complaints per 100,000 customers, which is slightly higher than the industry average of 11 per 100,000. However, this is lower than TalkTalk, Virgin Media, and Shell Energy. The Ofcom Comparing Customer Service Report 2021 published on May 18th, 2022, also showed that Plusnet Broadband had a 79% overall customer satisfaction rating, slightly lower than the industry average of 83%.
3. Plusnet Speed Performance
It’s important to note that the Plusnet broadband speeds mentioned on this page represent the average download speeds based on the speeds available to at least 50% of Plusnet Broadband customers during peak traffic times (8pm-10pm). Actual speeds may vary depending on your location, phone line, wiring in your home, Wi-Fi connection, and the time of day. Plusnet will provide you with an estimate of the download speed you can expect at your home prior to completing your order.
As Plusnet uses the same Openreach ADSL and fibre broadband networks as its competitors, such as BT, Sky, EE, and TalkTalk, their advertised average broadband speeds are quite similar to those of other providers.
To get a better understanding of how Plusnet’s advertised broadband speeds compare to the real-world average speeds, we have analysed the UK Home Broadband Performance Chart Data, which was collected in March 2022 and published by Ofcom in September 2022. According to the chart data, Plusnet’s advertised average 36Mbps FTTC (fibre to the cabinet) speeds (Plusnet Fibre) had a 24-hour average speed of 35.9Mbps, with a latency/ping of 10 milliseconds. Plusnet’s 66Mbps FTTC speeds (Plusnet Fibre Extra) had an average speed of 63.2Mbps with a latency/ping of 9.7 milliseconds. Unfortunately, no data was available for any of Plusnet’s full fibre products.
4. Plusnet Broadband Package + Router
| Package Name | Plusnet Fibre Extra |
|---|---|
| Average Download Speed | 66Mbps |
| Average Upload Speed | 18Mbps |
| Download Usage | Unlimited |
| Router | Plusnet Hub 2 |
| Router Features | 4 gigabit network ports, 7 antennas, SmartScan technology, supports 802.11b/g/n and Wave 2 802.11ac Wi-Fi standards |
| Online Security | Plusnet SafeGuard with Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware protection, plus Parental Controls |
| Security Package | Plusnet Protect (powered by Norton) available for extra charge |
| Customer Service | Award-winning customer service available 24/7 |
| Technical Support | Free access to Plusnet technical support online or by phone |
| Contract | 18 months |
| Activation Fee | None |
| Setup Charges | None |
| Price | £26.99 per month (Plusnet phone line rental included) |
| More Information | https://www.plus.net/ |
5. Plusnet Broadband Customer Service Performance, Satisfaction and Support
If you require assistance, Plusnet offers award-winning customer support via their phone number 0800 432 0200, available 7 days a week from 8am to 8pm. With an average call waiting time of 2 minutes and 7 seconds, Plusnet’s customer support is faster than the industry average of 2 minutes and 16 seconds, according to Ofcom. Plusnet also offers a comprehensive range of online help guides covering various issues related to broadband, phone, email, mobile, BT Sport, and your account.
If you’re unable to find the answers to your queries or problems in the online guides, you can turn to Plusnet Community forum to seek help from other members. Plusnet’s dedication to customer support reflects positively on their performance metrics, including low customer complaint levels. As per Ofcom’s Telecoms & Pay TV Complaints Report, published in January 2023, Plusnet generated 13 complaints per 100,000 broadband customers for the period Q3 2022, which is lower than its competitors TalkTalk, Shell Energy, and Virgin Media and just above the industry average of 11 complaints per 100,000 customers.
According to Ofcom’s 2021 Comparing Customer Service report, published in May 2022, Plusnet has an overall customer satisfaction score of 79%, which is higher than its rivals TalkTalk, Virgin Media, and Vodafone, but slightly lower than the industry average of 83%. The report also reveals that Plusnet’s landline customer service scored the highest in the industry with an overall satisfaction rating of 83%. For more information, please refer to Ofcom’s Comparing Customer Service Report 2021.
6. Final Verdict on Plusnet Broadband
If you’re looking for affordable broadband with no-frills, Plusnet is a great option to consider. Their packages are easy to understand, but they may lack some of the advanced features that other providers offer, such as cloud storage or complete Wi-Fi options. However, Plusnet offers a range of home phone calling plans and competitive SIM-only deals.
Plusnet’s actual broadband speeds are comparable to their advertised speeds, and their customer service performance is above average when compared to other providers. However, they are still behind the top performers in the industry, like EE and Sky.
Overall, if you’re trying to reduce your expenses but don’t want to compromise on service quality, Plusnet is a good choice. They offer good value for money and reliable broadband services.
FAQ and Questions By Our Users Section
There can be several reasons why your broadband connection may be slow. Some of the most common causes include:
Network congestion: If many people are using the same network at the same time, it can cause network congestion and slow down your broadband speed.
Distance from the exchange: If you live far away from your broadband provider’s exchange, it can result in slower broadband speeds.
Interference: If there is interference from other electronic devices, such as microwaves, cordless phones, or baby monitors, it can impact your broadband speed.
Outdated equipment: If your modem, router, or other equipment is outdated, it may not be able to handle faster broadband speeds, resulting in slower connections.
To check your actual broadband speed, we recommend using popular third-party speed testing services such as Ookla, Speedtest.net, or Fast.com. These services allow you to test your internet connection speed quickly and easily from any device with an internet connection.
It is definitely possible to switch your broadband internet provider at any time, but it is generally recommended to do so when your contract period comes to an end, as this will allow you to avoid any cancellation charges. If you’re not sure when your contract ends, simply get in touch with your current provider and they should be able to provide you with this information.
It’s also worth noting that if your existing provider notifies you of an upcoming price increase for your broadband package, you have the right to terminate your contract without any penalties within 30 days of receiving the notice, in accordance with Ofcom regulations.
While most parts of the UK have access to standard ADSL copper broadband with average download speeds of 10Mbps, faster fibre optic broadband options such as ‘Superfast Broadband’, ‘Ultrafast Broadband’, and ‘Full Fibre’ or ‘Gigabit capable’ Broadband can offer a significantly better experience with average speeds ranging from 36Mbps to 1Gbps (1 Gigabit per second). Currently, Superfast Broadband is available to 95% of UK homes with an average fibre speed of at least 30Mbps, while around 70% of UK homes can access Ultrafast/Gigabit Broadband with average speeds of 1Gbps, largely thanks to the Virgin Media network. Various providers including Virgin Media, Openreach (used by the likes of BT, Sky, TalkTalk, Vodafone, Plusnet & others), CityFibre (used by Vodafone, TalkTalk and others), Gigaclear and Hyperoptic are rolling out Ultrafast and Full-Fibre broadband networks with speeds capable of 1 gigabits per second (1Gbps) in different areas across the country. For more information, check out our fibre broadband guide.
At Broadbandpicker, we make every effort to ensure that the costs displayed on our website are checked regularly and completely accurate.
The broadband speeds we display are average speeds and may vary depending on the package.
Please note that the monthly costs displayed may change during the contract period.
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