Broadband ISP Plusnet UK Predicted to Remove BT Sport Add-on
Credible sources have informed ISPreview.co.uk that customers of UK broadband ISP Plusnet (part of the BT Group) may soon lose the ability to directly add BT Sport TV to their service (this currently costs from an extra £17.15 a month), with the feature allegedly due to then be closed by June 2023.
The move to close BT Sport, if confirmed, wouldn’t come as a huge surprise, since Plusnet has already walked back on its old YouView powered Pay TV service (here) and the recent Joint Venture (JV) between BT Sport and Discovery+ is likely to be followed by quite a few changes (e.g. new branding and pricing / packages). All of this would also fit into BT’s wider branding simplification programme.
On top of that, the BT Sport add-on hasn’t been a particularly important or attractive selling proposition at Plusnet for a long time. Most of the provider’s customers are only interested in broadband connectivity, while their BT Sport base is both small and understood to be in decline. In simple terms, it’s probably more cost-effective to scrap the add-on than to try rejuvenating it, most likely alongside a higher price tag.
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According to our sources, the first step in this will be for Plusnet to place a “stop sell” on new orders for the add-on, which we’d expect to be announced in the near future. Existing customers will then be given the option to migrate BT Sport away to a standalone service. As BT Sport is an optional add-on that sits on its own 30-day term, then the change will not give customers an automatic right to exit their separate broadband contract.
According to the information we’ve seen, BT Sport on Plusnet would then come to a close in June 2023, and it may not be the last of their products to see a “stop sell“. We asked the provider if they could confirm or deny this, although no comment was given. But this is unsurprising since Plusnet’s policy, like that of many other ISPs, is generally to let customers know first when they make any changes, not the media.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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i think BT is starting to get rid of anything that Plusnet have ready to merge it with EE, next will be the mobile side.
All I use Plusnet for is my broadband connection, getting rid of stuff is not going to affect me, but if they merge with EE then I will be gone.
I haven’t, as yet, seen anything to say that Plusnet itself will be merged into EE. So far as I can tell from what’s been leaked my way (both now and in the past), the intention is to retain them as a low-cost consumer brand, doing just the basics. I think they’ve even given up on doing a digital voice product for SOGEA and FTTP lines in the near future.
Well, I’ve said before Mark billing agents are being unskilled to EE separately to PN and they are recruiting a lot more EE mobile billing staff so something is going on.
As for the BT Sport. Nothing official as of today. It would be in the e-mails we get if it was (like when they removed domains and e-mail for new customers)
Can Plusnet really become a low-cost consumer brand without a social tariff? Plusnet have said that they have no plans to introduce a social tariff, and will migrate any customer that is eligible to BT.
@Mark Jackson, there were some rumours going around when this lot started about BT becoming EE that plusnet may merge, if it happens is another thing. i like plusnet just being a broadband provider, that is all I have ever wanted from an internet provider, even on dial up
Well it’s just been announced to us all that plusnet mobile is going to EE from the end of March and plusnet is also on the way out this year as we’ve all known
So yeah we are all being merged into EE
Its turning into what it was originally intended for, a basic broadband service with no bells and whistles, those who complain are missing the point of its existence.
Mobile next to go?
June 2023 is only going to be 2 years before the whole country (or 95%) is supposed to have FTTP. So Plusnet is not going to be needed then.
Why?
Bonkers thing to say considering PN already do FTTP where available at £27-£55 without discounts. Not exactly expensive
Not sure what it has to do with the whole country going FTTP, as been said Plusnet offer FTTp anyway, I can get it now if I wanted to, the one thing Plusnet don’t offer is digital voice, which may put some people off
.
I am not convinced that 95% of the country will be covered by FTTP in two years time
Plusnet will get rid of mobile next. Watch this space.
Conveniently timed for the new BT Sport/Eurosport merger into the new TNT Sports brand?
https://www.plus.net/help/bt-sport/bt-sport-withdrawal/
Yup…all confirmed now ☹️ Gutted as I was still on the £10 per month pricing…
Just had my termination of service email from plusnet. I was paying £10 and that was the main reason I stuck with PlusNet so quite disappointing. I won’t be taking up the service separately.
We’re writing to inform you that from the 5th July 2023, we will no longer be providing BT Sport as part of your broadband package and from that date you will no longer be able to access the BT Sport service. This includes access to the App or via your Sky set-top box.
If you wish to continue using the service after the 5th of July 2023, then please click here.
The changes we are making will not affect your broadband package and you can still rely on us to deliver great value, reliable broadband.
You will not be charged from the 5th of July 2023 as BT Sport is a 30-day rolling contract, and you will be refunded any pro-rata charges that may apply.
Please visit our FAQ page to find out more.
It’s a shame because, as a pensioner, I cannot afford a BT subscription. Just when Man Utd made it into the Champions’ League.