Is Plusnet Broadband any good?
Our broadband deals are often cheaper than going direct
Plusnet broadband is renowned for great value broadband and award-winning customer service. Plusnet have been around for longer than you probably think. They started out in 1997. The Company is now owned by BT, but operates as an independent business. So, if you’re currently with BT and want to move to Plusnet, you’ll receive all the benefits of being a new customer whilst effectively receiving the same broadband at a discounted rate!Visit Plusnet
Plusnet broadband is very good, and their offers are very tempting. So, why would anyone pay more and go with BT? Plusnet is basically the cheap version of BT. Plusnet is for customers who want good phone and broadband service at a sensible price; whilst being happy to have a wi-fi router that is not the very latest model. Plusnet offer 3 broadband options: 10Mb standard broadband, 36Mb fibre broadband and a 66Mb Fibre extra package. If you’re looking for a connection faster than that you would need to look at BT, Vodafone or Virgin Media. You can enter your postcode into our broadband availability checker to see what else is available in your area.
Key features for Plusnet packages
If you order the standard 10Mb (ADSL) broadband package, you’ll get the basic Hub Zero router. This Hub Zero supports 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, it also has options to change firewall settings, DNS management, Port Forwarding and the option to control device access during selected times. It’s not going to give you the best Wi-Fi signal range, but for a basic router it still offers some level of user management. It’s very compact too, measuring just 140mm wide x 115mm high. The nine LEDs on the front give you a clear indication of the status of the device.
If you order any Plusnet Fibre broadband package, you’ll receive the Plusnet Hub One router. The Hub One is a rebranded version of the BT HomeHub 5A router (aka the Home Hub One). It supports dual band Wi-Fi 2.4Ghz 802.11 b/g/n and 5Ghz 802.11 a/n/ac and has 4x gigabit ethernet ports. There are various control features including: access control settings, Port forwarding options and Firewall settings; but, disappointingly Plusnet do not let you change the DNS on the router. This may not be something that the average user will be concerned about, but it will be frustrating for customers who do want to have router-level DNS control. Overall the Hub One punches above its weight for a low-cost broadband provider. Should you wish to upgrade to the latest BT smart hub, then you can as it’s compatible with Plusnet broadband. You can, of course, always choose to use your own router if you prefer.
Each ISP (Internet Service Provider) has its own approach to managing data traffic during busy periods. i.e. prioritising video streaming and VoIP calls over uploading and downloading files. Plusnet stopped traffic management techniques in 2017. All Plusnet broadband options now come with “truly unlimited” downloads which means that they won’t artificially slow your broadband connection down during busy periods.
Plusnet Call Protect is a fantastic FREE feature which automatically diverts known nuisance calls to a junk voicemail box. You can also add your own additional numbers to the list. Call protect can also ban incoming International calls which are quite often nuisance related. If you have family and friends abroad you can add them to your VIP list to make sure they don't get diverted. Plusnet call protect is simple to set up and extremely effective at blocking unwanted callers.
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