Plusnet to hike home phone charges by up to 33%
Price rises kick-in from 23rd September.
Plusnet is to increase a number of home phone charges for its existing customers.
From 23rd September prices will go up on line rental, phone packages and some call charges.
However, broadband costs will remain the same.
The changes will impact those that joined before June 2014. Those that signed up after this date will already be on the higher prices.
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What’s changing?
Plusnet says it’s in the process of contacting customers about the price rises, but the table below outlines what's changing.
|
Features |
Current cost |
Cost from 23rd September |
% change |
|
Line rental (on Evening & Weekend call plan) |
£14.99 p/m |
£15.99 p/m |
7% |
|
Line rental (on Weekend call plan with standard broadband) |
£14.50 p/m |
£15.95 p/m |
10% |
|
Line rental (on Weekend & Evening call plan with fibre broadband) |
£14.50 p/m |
£15.95 p/m |
10% |
|
Line rental saver* |
£131.88 p/a |
£155.88 p/a |
18% |
|
Evenings & Weekend (calls package) |
£1.50 p/m |
£2 p/m |
33% |
|
Anytime (calls package) |
£4.50 p/m |
£5 p/m |
11% |
|
Anytime International 300 (add-on) |
£6.50 p/m |
£7 p/m |
8% |
|
Mobile Minutes (add-on) |
£1.50 p/m |
£2 p/m |
33% |
|
Call set-up fee |
13.87p |
15p |
8% |
|
Call rate |
8.41ppm |
9.58ppm |
14% |
*Customers who currently pay for Line Rental Saver 12 months in advance will continue on their current plan and will be sent a reminder before it expires with the new prices.
International rates are also changing; you can see the new standard international rates here.
Customers on the Anytime package or that have the Anytime International 300 add-on will still get 25% off these rates.
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Why is this happening?
A Plusnet spokesperson said: “Whilst we appreciate that nobody likes a price increase, we have made this decision to both maintain and improve our overall service to customers.
"In the last year, we have opened a new service centre in Leeds, invested heavily in our phone systems and broadband network; the latter to offer all customers unlimited usage across our entire product portfolio. We are also one of few service providers to make an ongoing commitment to 24/7, UK-based customer support.”
Despite the increases Plusnet insists it remains competitive on price, especially as its broadband prices haven’t gone up.
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What can you do?
As the price increases are a change to existing terms and conditions, customers unhappy with the hike will be able to leave without penalty.
If you choose to do this you'll need to tell Plusnet you wish to leave within 30 days of it informing you about the price rises.
New Ofcom rules allow anyone who took out a mobile, landline or broadband pay-monthly contract after 23rd January 2014 to leave penalty-free if a provider ups prices mid-term and hadn't warned this would happen when they took out the contract.
If you want to switch to a new provider you can compare deals at broadbandchoices.com.
More on household bills:
Electricity bill to fall by an average of £12
Broadband users ‘punished’ for switching
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