UK ISP Plusnet Removes Broadband Internet Traffic Prioritisation

Internet traffic prioritisation has been completely removed from Plusnet’s residential broadband service(s), which is because the ISP claims to have been “investing heavily in its network” and as a result their platform now has enough “capacity and resilience” that prioritisation is no longer needed.

Prioritisation is a form of Traffic Management, which is sometimes used (e.g. during busy periods) as a means to ensure that certain types of important Internet traffic (e.g. VoIP calls, Multiplayer video gaming, VPN) are not affected by general network congestion from “other less ‘time-sensitive’ traffic protocols” (e.g. P2P file sharing).

According to an announcement that was sent to us yesterday, traffic prioritisation was removed from Plusnet’s network overnight from June 28th to 29th 2017.

Plusnet’s Traffic Prioritisation Q&A

• Why are you removing traffic prioritisation?
Plusnet has been investing in its network improving capacity and resilience, and as such we are confident customers will see no degradation in service due to the removal of traffic prioritisation.

• When will the removal of traffic prioritisation take place?
Traffic prioritisation will be removed overnight from June 28 to June 29.

• What products will have the removal of traffic prioritisation?
Plusnet’s residential unlimited ADSL and fibre broadband customers will have traffic prioritisation removed. Business will not.

• What about all your previous statements about how brilliant traffic prioritisation is?
Plusnet is always looking at ways to continue to improve its service and products and now we’ve invested heavily in the new network we are removing traffic prioritisation and are confident customers will see no degradation in service.

• What if a customer wants to continue with traffic prioritisation?
Any customers who do want to continue to use traffic prioritisation can do so by ringing 0800 432 0200.

The change was introduced on the same week as the ISP raised their prices, which is something that was announced all the way back in April (here).