Low-cost focused UK broadband ISP Plusnet (BT Group), which seems to have spent the past few years scrapping many of its extra features (TV, Mobile etc.), has perhaps unsurprisingly now confirmed that it will no longer offer home phone services to existing customers once analogue (PSTN/WLR) services are switched off by BT and Openreach.
The news is not particularly surprising because, thus far, Plusnet has flatly refused to copy parents BT and EE by introducing their own IP-based Digital Voice solution. This would mean that, without a change in their approach, customers who remain on their analogue phone services (e.g. those with older ADSL or FTTC / VDSL2 based broadband bundles) would eventually end up being forced to switch ISP, adopt a broadband-only package or run the risk of disconnection when the old services are withdrawn.
Existing Plusnet customers can continue to use their home phone services for now, but the ISP told The Sun that those who wish to retain a home phone product would instead be offered “exclusive access to the very best deals on BT and transition to their digital landline service will become available” (they’re already doing this).
The situation isn’t such a problem for new customers, since Plusnet has only been offering broadband-only packages to them for a while now (via FTTP and SOGEA based FTTC). The approach being taken by Plusnet is, in our view, a poor one given that they are in a perfect position to benefit from BT’s Digital Voice solutions and approach.