Our review of Plusnet broadband

No longer a quad play provider, so what does Plusnet offer in 2025?

Plusnet broadband is renowned for offering great value and award-winning customer service. Established in 1997, Plusnet has been around for longer than many might think. The company is owned by the BT Group, which also includes EE.

Our review of Plusnet broadband breaks down what Plusnet has to offer in 2025. Over the past few years, there have been significant changes. In April 2023, Plusnet phased out its mobile phone service, which was originally piggybacking on the EE network. Shortly afterwards, they discontinued their home phone service. There has also been a noticeable reduction in cashback incentives for new customers. However, it's not all bad news—you can now order full-fibre broadband packages with speeds of up to 900Mbps, offering improved speed and reliability.

Read our comprehensive Plusnet review, which highlights the pros and cons of switching to Plusnet broadband in 2025. Scroll to the bottom of the page for our concluding thoughts to help you decide if Plusnet is the right choice for you.

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Plusnet Hub 2 router

Plusnet broadband only

As Plusnet no longer includes a phone line option for new customers, you will be restricted to a broadband-only service. The exception to this is for residential customers that don't have access to fibre broadband. If you're interested in faster options like FTTP (fibre to the premises, also known as 'Full Fibre') or standard fibre broadband (typically 50Mbps), your only choice is to opt for a 'broadband-only' package.

If you no longer use your landline, switching to a broadband-only product is a no-brainer. The transition to Plusnet is very straightforward. On your Plusnet 'go live' date, your phone line will cease working, and you won't be able to make or receive phone calls, including those to the emergency services.

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Read Plusnet broadband features in more detail

  • There are two options here. The simplest solution is to switch to a broadband provider that offers both a phone and broadband service; EE and BT are both part of the Plusnet family if you want a similar service, albeit more expensive. The second option is to port your existing home phone number to a third-party VoIP provider. This is likely to disrupt your service but will be cheaper and more flexible in the future.

    Having been a Plusnet customer ourselves, we thought we would try porting our landline number away from Plusnet and switch to a 'broadband-only' service (also known as a SoGEA). The correct way to do this is to switch your current broadband over to a 'broadband-only' service first; this will cancel the phone line and the transition to your new broadband service will be seamless. At this point, your phone line will no longer work, and you have 30 days to take ownership of your original number. Liaise with your new VoIP provider to make sure they can port your phone line once it's been released from your broadband service. Failure to do this correctly will mean you will lose access to your original phone number and you will need to be issued with a new one.

    Is Plusnet broadband as good as BT broadband?

    Plusnet is the cheap version of BT. It's for customers who want a reliable broadband service at a sensible price; while being happy to have a Wi-Fi router that is not the very latest model. So, if you’re currently with BT Broadband and want to move to Plusnet, you’ll receive all the benefits of being a new customer while effectively receiving the same broadband at a discounted rate!

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  • Plusnet's customer service is consistently excellent, offering prompt and friendly assistance with minimal waiting times. A noteworthy feature is the practice of adding a summary of each phone conversation to the customer's account, proving immensely helpful if you need to call back about the same matter. However, we noticed an inconsistency in the information provided when enquiring about porting our existing phone number and transitioning to a broadband-only service. Whilst we recognise that this might not be a typical query for most customers, we observed a distinct lack of knowledge on the subject during our enquiry. Enhancing consistency in responses would instil more confidence and improve the overall service experience.

  • Plusnet supplies the Hub 2 router with any new 'Fibre broadband' contract. Existing fibre broadband customers who re-contract will also receive the Hub 2 router. As shown in the image above, the Hub 2 is a rebranded version of the BT Smart Hub 2, which still retails at £100. Originally released in late 2018, it remains a solid router and a reasonable spec product for a budget broadband provider.

    Although this router is a rebranded BT Smart Hub, Plusnet has customised the user interface. The admin interface is straightforward and functional, with intuitive navigation. Within the router's admin controls ('Advanced settings > Access control'), users can block or limit internet access for specific connected devices. However, the Hub 2 has only three LAN ports, as the fourth socket is reserved for use as a WAN port. A separate guest Wi-Fi network is not available. The Hub 2 relies on Wi-Fi technology introduced in 2013, whereas most providers now offer Wi-Fi 6. EE has already begun adopting Wi-Fi 7, launched in 2024. A new router for Plusnet customers is unlikely to appear until BT releases the Smart Hub 3, which will likely filter down over time.

    For those seeking the convenience of an app interface and enhanced security with Wi-Fi 6E, the Vodafone Pro II or the EE Smart Hub Pro with Wi-Fi 7 could be excellent alternatives. While the Hub 2 remains suitable for a budget broadband provider, it is beginning to show its age.

  • 1 Smart wireless feature – will scan to find the least congested frequency automatically
    2 Modem type - ADSL, ADSL2+ and VDSL2
    3 Network protocol - IPV4 and IPV6
    4 Simultaneous dual-band
    5 Supported frequencies - 2.4GHz (3x3 11b/g/n/ac MIMO), 5GHz (4x4 ac) Wave 2
    6 Data transfer rate - Max Physical interface rates are: 2.4GHz = 217Mbs | 5GHz = 1733Mbs
    7 Beamforming (Implicit and Explicit Beamforming)
    8 7 Internal antennas (3x 2.4GHz, 4x 5GHz)
    9 3 x 1 Gigabit Ethernet ports 1x WAN port
    10 USB 2.0 1
    11 1 x RJ45
    12 Encryption WPA2, WPA (Auto)
    13 Built-in 4G filter - Designed to block interference from adjacent 4G signals

  • While Plusnet's transition to a broadband-only service makes perfect sense and provides the BT group with a clear path to the budget broadband market, it's a disappointing move for existing customers. Would we recommend Plusnet? Absolutely! The value for money is excellent, reliability is good and customer service is generally excellent. It's perfect for those who want broadband without any bundled extras. You can request a free static IP address with a £5 set-up fee if you require one. There may be better broadband providers, but you'll struggle to find one at this price. If you're looking for bells and whistles and the latest WiFi 7 router then check out our 2025 EE broadband review.

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