Broadband ISP Plusnet to Finally Adopt Automatic Compensation
Some consumers may be disappointed to learn that UK home broadband ISP Plusnet remains the only one of the major internet providers to have NOT joined Ofcom’s automatic compensation system, which is despite originally pledging to do so. The system first went live three long years ago. But this is, finally, about to change.
The voluntary system, which officially launched on 1st April 2019 after several years of development (full summary here), is designed to compensate consumers by £8.40 per day for delayed repairs following a loss of broadband (assuming it isn’t fixed within 2 working days). Missed appointments can also attract compensation of £26.24 and a delay to the start of a new service would be £5.25 per day.
Back in 2020 we reported that three major UK ISPs – including Plusnet, Vodafone and EE – had dragged their feet over joining the scheme. The good news is that EE finally signed-up in May 2021, while Vodafone followed in November 2021, although the latter only did so for those on Openreach’s network (i.e. auto compensation doesn’t yet cover their CityFibre products).
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Sadly, Plusnet has yet to follow suit, which is despite the ISP pledging in 2019 to join the scheme “as soon as possible“, and that was followed in 2020 by a commitment to “introduce it for customers in 2021” (here). The fact that Plusnet are part of the BT Group, which also owns EE, makes this particularly awkward (they’ve both now joined). We’re also long past the disruption from COVID-19 being considered an acceptable excuse.
But the good news is that Plusnet has told ISPreview.co.uk that they’re nearly ready to join, and it’ll happen next month.
A Plusnet spokesperson told ISPreview.co.uk:
“We always aim to provide the best customer service for our customers, and will be introducing Ofcom’s automatic compensation scheme for our customers in May 2022.”
However, in fairness, Plusnet do say that they already provide customers impacted by delayed provision or delayed repair, the equivalent credit to the value of the automatic compensation scheme. The ISP was also keen to ensure that they integrated the new system seamlessly before going live, hence the delay.
As for why more ISPs don’t join – the high cost and technical requirements (new systems needed etc.) of supporting such a scheme often discourages them, particularly smaller providers. Such costs will frequently also end up being passed on to consumers via price rises, so there’s no such thing as a free lunch.
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One other problem is that the scheme only really works properly if wholesale and infrastructure providers adopt it too, but the newer AltNets haven’t shown much interest in taking on such a burden.
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 and Linkedin.
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But the good news is that Plusnet has told ISPreview.co.uk that they’re nearly ready to join, and it’ll happen next month.
DON’T BELIEVE EVERY WORD PROMISE FROM PLUSNET! REMEMBER THEY DID PROMISE OF FTTP – WHEN? NEVER WILL HAPPEN!
If PlusNet needed to sort out their back office systems before offering automatic compensation then it’s entirely possible this is caught up in the re-write of their systems for FTTP.
The fact it’s probably going to be offered in May ties in with a PlusNet Admin staff member who said a few days ago that he would be very surprised if poeple weren’t able to order PlusNet FTTP in the “very near future”
Brian
I believe they are launching that on 01/05/22. No info on prices yet but it will be cheaper than BT’s FTTP.
Anon – I am no longer with Plusnet left them 12 months ago
I have been paying for 62 MB for 3 months now, but I receive only 20 MB. Where to complain and what to do when the contract is for 18 months?
If its below the minimum guaranteed speed quoted at the point of sale then complain to your provider.
Bet you it’s your wifi…. Assuming you didn’t actually mean MB.
What a strange day to embargo something until
they buy service from BT and resells it. Extremely poor broadband company with very bad past. I remember once you reached the usage limit. Your speed was like 1mbps and it was impossible to use. Avoid at all costs.
You reached a limit and something happened. Shock. Naughty isp. Ffs
I’ve been a PlusNet broadband customer for nearly 9 years & the only time that we had a fault we had a engineer come the next day. He checked everything & found it was the modem that needed replacing. He had one with him & installed it & waited to make sure it was all working.
I’m also a PlusNet mobile customer too & I’ve only experienced 1 day in the last 5 years service disruption.
I’d happily recommend them to anyone
I have been with plusnet since 2015 and I am happy with the service, only one time about 3 years ago I had a problem and Plusnet sent Openreach to try to sort it out, 4 times they came and still not figure out why the only modem/router was an old openreach Huawei modem. Plusnet sent me a Zyxel, but that was still not stable, so I stuck with what I had. Something must have been sorted in the last couple of years as I stuck the Zyzel back at some point and had it working for over 6 months and then something went wrong with the wireless, so now I have gone back to the old Huawei modem and stuck an old TP link router on it, working fine.
I could put the original hub one back on I suppose, no doubt if I got in touch with plusnet they would send me another router. but i see no point.
so yes the main problem was open reach, not plusnet, but working fine now.
Good company and good customer service, been with them for years.
Interesting that offcom came up with £8.40 compensation per day for a delayed repair. BT were testing £20 auto pet day for a delayed repair but soon scrapped that when offcom came up with their price. Also PlusNet will definitely be launching FTTP this summer.
£20 a day??? Err what business is going to give a customer half of what the customer pays for the month,for one day loss of service? The autocomp funds come from openreach and are passed onto the customer, so I don’t believe BT were planning such high sums. Just doesn’t make any business sense.