Plusnet plc is a British triple play internet service provider (ISP) providing broadband, landline and mobile services. The company was founded in 1997 in Sheffield, England, and became a public limited company (plc) in July 2004 when it was floated on the Alternative Investment Market. On 30 January 2007, Plusnet was acquired by BT Group, but it continued to operate as a separate business. By December 2013, it had over 750,000 customers across the UK.
In 2018, Plusnet was brought into BT Group’s BT Consumer division, the CEO of which is Marc Allera.[2] In November 2019, Andy Baker stepped down as CEO of Plus net.
Plu snet Mobile operated as a mobile virtual network operator using the network of EE until it was closed in 2024.
How your Plusnet Reward Card works
The Plusnet Reward Card is just like having a big wad of cash. The card is preloaded with money which you can spend online and in most high street stores displaying the Mastercard logo. It’s available to new customers on selected deals.
You can claim your Reward Card once your broadband is up and running.
Does Plusnet offer broadband-only options?
Yes. All Plusnet broadband packages are now broadband only, with no landline. You have the option to add line rental, plus a calls package of your choice, but it costs extra and isn’t required.
The Unlimited Broadband (ADSL) and Fibre (FTTC) packages don’t include a landline service as standard, but they do use the physical phone line to connect you to the internet – so you’ll need one installed.
Pared-back Plusnet knocked back after axing mobile
A year in which BT sub-brand Plusnet shut down its mobile business, discontinued the John Lewis broadband platform, and prioritised “customer value over volume growth” has had the expected effect on its customer base numbers, which fell by nearly a third. However, price rises and an increased focus on higher returns in the broadband market ensured Plus net’s profit continued to rise.
A new-look Plusnet described the year to 31 March 2024 (FY23–24) as having witnessed a “strategic shift in core operations”. This included operational simplification and a brand ‘reset’ to make the provider’s product portfolio “relevant and relatable”.
It also involved a move to drop mobile services and focus solely on “markets where the greatest returns can be achieved”. As such, it has committed “all future capital expenditure” to the broadband market.
Plusnet’s mobile base, which totalled around 400,000 when the business was axed, was given a scathing review by BT Chief Executive Allison Kirkby in the Group’s FY23–24 earnings call in May. She talked of ARPU “as low as £4 and £5”, and said BT Consumer “did not want to be playing around” with such rock-bottom user spend levels. BT Consumer’s combined postpaid mobile ARPU, across the BT Mobile, EE, and Plu snet trio of brands, grew 9% in FY23–24 to £19.40 — providing a stark contrast to those Plu snet figures (even considering the sub-brand’s predominant lower-end market focus).
Plusnet’s Annual Report confirmed that all mobile customers have been transferred to EE.
In the same May earnings call Kirkby confirmed that there remains a place for the Plu snet consumer brand within BT’s portfolio, even as the revitalised EE gets established: Plu snet remains the place for budget broadband, she said. BT Mobile is being “deprioritised” as part of the shift to EE, although the Group has not confirmed a timeframe for BT Mobile’s shuttering.
How well does Plusnet perform when it comes to speeds?
Users that participated in our home broadband survey said they were fairly happy with the performance of their Plusnet broadband service. In our 2024 Broadband Awards, survey respondents gave it a speed satisfaction score of 77%, which is higher than the average and also an improvement on 2023.
Plusnet’s advertised download speeds are typical for providers on the Openreach network.
In the latest Ofcom speedtest data, it delivered an impressive 97%+ of its advertised download rate.
How fast is Plus net broadband?
Plusnet offers a huge range of broadband speeds, with something to suit every household. The exact speeds available to you will depend on your area – be sure to run a postcode check using our tool to see what you can get.
Plusnet’s broadband packages are:
Unlimited Broadband (average download speeds of 10Mbps) – ADSL broadband, only available for properties that aren’t connected to fibre
Fibre (66Mps) – Standard fibre optic broadband, ideal for smaller homes
Full Fibre 74 (74Mbps) – Plusnet’s entry-level full fibre package. Although it’s not much faster than its standard fibre broadband, you get the extra reliability of a full fibre connection
Full Fibre 145 (145Mbps) – A faster full fibre package for those that want a bit of a boost
Full Fibre 300 (300Mbps) – Even faster, and worth considering if you rely on fast internet for working from home, connecting lots of devices, streaming in 4K quality, or gaming
Full Fibre 500 (500Mbps) – Yet faster, ideal for very large households
Full Fibre 900 (900Mbps) – Plus net’s top-end gigabit package, for those that seriously rely on ultrafast broadband to send and receive massive files, or stream or game without a hitch
Reliability
Summary: Plusnet have good metrics for reliability with the lowest fault levels amongst major providers.
In terms of reliability, including how stable a service is, our independent survey of Plus net broadband customers found 62% rated them 4 out of 5 or above for offering a reliable service, and an additional 21% rated them 3 out of 5.
While Plusnet did take 3 days on average to repair a total loss of service, which was above the industry average, the providers that performed well here tended to operate their own networks and so weren’t reliant on Openreach as a third party to repair faults.
For example, Virgin Media took just 1 day on average to repair a total loss of service.
Overall, Plusnet seem to be offering a reliable broadband service in comparison to other major providers including EE, Vodafone, BT, TalkTalk, Virgin Media and Sky.
However, one drawback to Plusnet’s broadband reliability is because they’re a budget ‘no-frills’ provider they don’t offer a WiFi guarantee like BT and Virgin Media.
WiFi guarantees promise to boost WiFi signal to a minimum level in all rooms of a customer’s home, and while the service does cost more per month it can be useful for larger households.
Plusnet customers can supply their own mesh systems, but the Plus net Hub Two router needs to be put into modem-only mode and therefore can’t provide an additional WiFi signal.
As a result, people looking to Plusnet broadband with a large home, or multiple users, may want to consider upgrading the free router to a modern mesh device that can more easily extended to offer greater WiFi coverage and speeds.
FAQs
What is Plusnet?
Plusnet is a UK-based internet service provider offering broadband, mobile, and phone services. It is known for providing affordable and reliable broadband packages, with a focus on customer service and value for money.
2. Is Plusnet a good choice for broadband?
Plusnet is often regarded as a reliable option for broadband in the UK. It offers competitive pricing, a range of packages to suit different needs, and strong customer service. However, the speed and reliability may vary depending on your location, so it’s important to check availability and reviews specific to your area.
