Consumer ISP PlusNet UK, which claims that its "broadband won't be beat on price", has decided to celebrate today's launch of its new superfast 40Mbps capable Plusnet Fibre ( FTTC ) broadband services by roping in Roxanne Pallett from ITV's Emmerdale TV soap to help conduct a rather unusual pigeon race.

Some 20 pigeons are involved in the Plusnet Fibre Pigeon Race, each of which is being backed by their own technology savvy journalist. The pigeons themselves, which are set to be released by Roxanne at 8am this morning, must then fly from Potter’s Field in London back to Bloomhill Lofts (Doncaster). But that's not all.


The Dr Who downloading doesn't appear to have any particular goal, although we suspect that PlusNet will use the end result to highlight the performance of their new 'up to' 40Mbps broadband packages.

The new service itself, which is fully detailed here, comes in two flavours, Plusnet Value Fibre (£16.49 per month) and Plusnet Extra Fibre (£21.49 per month). Customers who also take a phone service (line rental costs +£11.99/month) with the product before 30th June 2011 will enjoy free set-up.

Plusnet Value Fibre

• Up to 40Mb/s speeds
• 40GB usage allowance (Free between midnight and 8am)
• Free easy setup wireless router
• 18 month contract
• Yorkshire-based call centre
• McAfee security available

Plusnet Extra Fibre

• Up to 40Mb/s speeds
• 120GB usage allowance (Free between midnight and 8am)
• Free easy setup wireless router
• 18 month contract
• Yorkshire-based call centre
• Free McAfee security

Customers who don't take a phone line service from PlusNet will have to pay a set-up fee of £50 for the standalone deal, which covers an engineer's visit to your home and the provision of a new FTTC-capable router. At the time of writing the Pigeons are just about to set off; we'll update the article later with any results.

In related news PlusNet has also re-jigged its website a bit and added a new "Pro add-on" that allows existing and new Value and Extra customers the option to have all of their broadband traffic delivered at line speed.

UPDATE 10am

The pigeons have landed and PlusNet "managed to download just shy of 12 HD Doctor Who episodes" before that happened. However, many of the pigeons landed at around the same time and thus picking a clear winner could prove to be.. entertaining.