Plusnet currently offers a choice of Unlimited, Fibre and Fibre Extra broadband plans. Find out how they work and how they compare to each other.
Plusnet is one of the UK’s longest running broadband internet providers, having been in operation for more than 24 years. Today, they offer a choice of three home broadband plans: Unlimited (with average download speeds of 10Mbps), Unlimited Fibre (with average download speeds of 36Mbps) and Unlimited Fibre Extra (with average download speeds of 66Mbps).
At present, Plusnet’s home broadband service is available from £25.99 per month. You’ll get access to UK-based customer service on all plans along with online security and BT Sport available as an add-on.
In this article, we’ll review the Plusnet service. We’ll start by comparing the broadband plans they offer including Unlimited, Unlimited Fibre and Unlimited Fibre Extra. We’ll then look at some of the other features available on Plusnet including BT Sport deals, online security and UK customer support. Finally, we’ll look at the coverage on Plusnet’s home broadband service and how you can switch from a different provider to Plusnet.
Contents
Plusnet Broadband Plans
In the UK, Plusnet currently offers a choice of three broadband plans:
- Unlimited (£25.99 per month) uses copper broadband (ADSL) technology to give you average download speed of 10Mbps.
- Unlimited Fibre (£25.99 per month) uses fibre broadband technology to give you an average download speeds of 36Mbps.
- Unlimited Fibre Extra (£26.99 per month) uses fibre broadband technology to give you average download speeds of 66Mbps. This is six times faster than regular copper broadband.
The following table shows a side-by-side comparison of these three plans:
| Unlimited | Unlimited Fibre | Unlimited Fibre Extra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price: | £25.99 per month | £25.99 per month | £26.99 per month |
| Reward Card: | - | - | - |
| Download Speed: | 10Mbps average download | 36Mbps average download | 66Mbps average download |
| Upload Speed: | 1Mbps average upload | 9Mbps average upload | 18Mbps average upload |
| Inclusive Features | |||
| Phone Line: | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Plusnet Safeguard: | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Plusnet Protect: | Yes | Add £2/month | Yes |
| UK Support: | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Technology | |||
| Technology: | ADSL | Fibre | Fibre |
| Router: | Plusnet Hub Zero | Plusnet Hub One | Plusnet Hub One |
| Availability: | 98% of UK homes Check availability → |
91% of UK homes Check availability → |
91% of UK homes Check availability → |
Plusnet’s fibre broadband plans use FTTC (fibre to the cabinet) technology. They do not currently offer any Gfast or FTTP home broadband plans.
Unlimited
If you’re looking for low-cost broadband that’s suitable for most day-to-day usage, Plusnet offers Unlimited Broadband for £25.99 per month.
On Unlimited Broadband, you’ll get an average download speed of 10Mbps. This is provided using ADSL (copper broadband) technology. This should be enough if you’re just using the connection on a few devices to browse the web, for social media, and for online shopping. You can also stream HD-quality video on up to two devices at the same time but you won’t be able to watch ultra-HD (4K quality) video on this plan.
| Service | Average Speed | Contract Length | Upfront Price | Monthly Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Unlimited Broadband | 10Mbps download | 18 month contract | £0 | £25.99/month |
You’ll get Plusnet’s Hub Zero router when you sign up for Unlimited Broadband. You’ll also get Plusnet’s online security included along with access to their BT Sport deals.
Unlimited Fibre
Plusnet’s Unlimited Fibre gives you superfast broadband with average download speeds of 36Mbps. Unlimited Fibre is currently available for £25.99 per month.
With Unlimited Fibre, you’ll get download speeds that are around three times faster than regular broadband. This means you can do a lot more online at the same time on your connection, including on multiple devices. For instance, you can stream HD-quality video on up to seven devices at the same time. You can also watch ultra-HD (4K) video on this plan.
| Service | Average Speed | Contract Length | Upfront Price | Monthly Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Unlimited Fibre | 36Mbps download | 18 month contract | £0 | £25.99/month |
Another benefit of choosing Unlimited Fibre over regular copper broadband is you’ll get the more powerful Plusnet Hub One router included. This should give you better home Wi-Fi performance as it supports the faster dual-band Wi-Fi 5 technology.
If you choose the Unlimited Fibre plan, the Plusnet Protect anti-virus software will cost you an extra £2/month after the first 3 months. For this reason, you may find it to be better overall value choosing Unlimited Fibre Extra. This is because Unlimited Fibre Extra has the Plusnet Protect software included for the entire length of your plan.
Unlimited Fibre Extra
For the fastest download speeds available on Plusnet, choose Unlimited Fibre Extra which has average download speeds of 66Mbps. It’s currently available for £26.99 per month.
The average download speeds on Unlimited Fibre Extra are six times faster than on regular copper broadband. This makes it the ideal choice for households with lots of connected devices. This includes households where you’re working from home, home schooling your children and streaming on multiple devices at the same time.
| Service | Average Speed | Contract Length | Upfront Price | Monthly Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Unlimited Fibre Extra | 66Mbps download | 18 month contract | £0 | £26.99/month |
You’ll get the Plusnet Hub One router included on Unlimited Fibre Extra along with an inclusive subscription to Plusnet Protect for the entire length of your plan. As with Unlimited and Unlimited Fibre, you can also access the BT Sport offers after you sign up.
Plusnet Features & Benefits
BT Sport Deals
Once you’ve signed up as a Plusnet broadband customer, you’ll be able to get discounted access to BT Sport from just £15 per month. This allows you to watch all four BT Sport channels including live action from the Premier League and Champions League. You’ll also get access to BoxNation included.
There are two ways to get BT Sport on Plusnet:
- Get the BT Sport app with casting. For £15 per month, you’ll get access to the BT Sport app with Large Screen Access. This will allow you to watch the BT Sport channels on a compatible smart TV or using an Apple TV, Chromecast, PlayStation or Xbox. If you need a compatible device, you can get a Chromecast for £30. You can also watch BT Sport when you’re on-the-go using a tablet or smartphone.
- Get BT Sport on Sky TV. If you have Sky TV together with Plusnet Broadband, you can watch the BT Sport channels through your Sky TV box. This will cost you £15 per month for the channels in standard-definition or £17.50 per month in high-definition.
Once you’ve signed up as a Plusnet customer, you can add BT Sport through page on the Plusnet website.
Reward Cards
As a welcome gift, Plusnet now includes a reward card on most of their broadband plans:
- Unlimited doesn't currently include a reward card.
- Unlimited Fibre doesn't currently include a reward card.
- Unlimited Fibre Extra doesn't currently include a reward card.
The Plusnet reward card is a prepaid Mastercard that you’re able to use for shopping online or on the high street. You can claim it once your broadband service has gone live and it’s valid for up to 12 months once it’s been issued.
There’s more information about how to use the reward card on Plusnet’s website.
Online Security
Plusnet currently offers two online security products:
- Plusnet SafeGuard parental controls. The Plusnet SafeGuard service allows you to block access to certain categories of websites (e.g. adult content, gambling sites, social media and more). You can customise their filters by the time of day (e.g. only allowing access to social media websites once school time is finished).
- Plusnet Protect anti-virus software. The Plusnet Protect software can be used on up to 7 Windows PCs. Powered by McAfee, it gives you anti-virus software with a built-in firewall, anti-phishing protection and additional parental controls. Unfortunately, the software isn’t currently compatible with Macs.
All of Plusnet’s home broadband plans include SafeGuard. Meanwhile, Plusnet Protect is included on Unlimited Broadband and Unlimited Fibre Extra. On Unlimited Fibre, you’ll pay an extra £2/month for Plusnet Protect after the first 3 months. For this reason, it might be better overall value choosing Unlimited Fibre Extra which includes this feature as standard.
UK Customer Service
Plusnet offers UK-based customer service on all of their plans, with 2 call centres based in Sheffield and Leeds. You can contact the customer services team 7 days per week on the phone or using live chat on the Plusnet website.
In Ofcom’s latest customer service report (2020), Plusnet was named the broadband provider with the most satisfied customers in the UK. 93% of Plusnet customers surveyed by Ofcom were said to be satisfied with their service.
Plusnet also points to the fact they’ve been given an award for the “best provider for customer service” by uSwitch for 8 years.
Plusnet Broadband Routers
When you sign up to Plusnet’s home broadband service, you’ll receive a Wi-Fi hub or router to use with their service. This allows you to connect all of your devices wirelessly to the internet. You’ll also get 4 Gigabit Ethernet sockets for attaching wired devices to your home network.
When you sign up for Unlimited Broadband, you’ll receive the Plusnet Hub Zero router (also known as the Plusnet 2704n). This supports Wi-Fi 4 technology (802.11b/g/n) with WPA2 security.
When you sign up for Unlimited Fibre or Unlimited Fibre Extra, you’ll get a more powerful router known as the Plusnet Hub One. This supports dual-band Wi-Fi 5 technology (802.11a/b/g/n/ac) along with automatic channel optimisation for better Wi-Fi performance through your home.
The following table shows a side-by-side comparison of the two routers:
| Plusnet Hub Zero 2704n | Plusnet Hub One | |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|
| Availability | ||
| Plusnet Plans: | Unlimited Broadband | Unlimited Fibre Unlimited Fibre Extra |
| Connectivity | ||
| Dual-Band Wi-Fi: | No | Yes |
| Wi-Fi Connectivity: | 802.11b/g/n | 802.11b/g/n/ac |
| Wi-Fi Speed: | Up to 300Mbps total | Up to 1500Mbps total |
| 2.4GHz Wi-Fi: | 2×2 MIMO (up to 300Mbps) | 2×2 MIMO (up to 300Mbps) |
| 5GHz Wi-Fi: | Not supported | 3×3 MIMO (up to 1300Mbps) |
| Ethernet: | 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports | 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports |
| USB ports: | No | 1 USB 2.0 port |
| Other: | WPA2 security | WPA2 security Automatic channel selection & optimisation |
| Other | ||
| Colour: | White | White |
| Dimensions: | 14 x 11 x 4 cm | 23.6 x 11.6 x 3.1 cm |
| More Information: | Plusnet Website | Plusnet Website |
You can find more information about the Plusnet hubs and how you can set them up on the Plusnet website.
Coverage & Availability
Plusnet’s home broadband service is now available at most UK addresses. Over 98% of UK homes should be able to get Unlimited Broadband (ADSL). Meanwhile, around 91% of homes should be able to get fibre broadband from Plusnet.
- Unlimited Broadband uses ADSL (copper broadband) technology. Although the average download speed is 10Mbps, this can vary depending on the distance from your home to the nearest telephone exchange.
- Unlimited Fibre and Unlimited Fibre Extra use fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) technology. This means a fibre optic cable runs to a cabinet near your home. The final part of the connection then uses a traditional copper phone line. The download speeds available on these plans may vary based on the distance between your home and the nearest cabinet.
You can check to see which of the plans are available at your address by entering your postcode on the Plusnet website. You’ll also get a personalised estimate of the speeds available.
Check Plusnet Broadband Speed & Availability →
Switching to Plusnet
If you’re currently using a different broadband provider, it’s easy switching your service to Plusnet.
You can start by ordering your new broadband service on the Plusnet website. If you’d like to keep your current home phone number, simply provide it to Plusnet and let them know before you sign up.
Plusnet will give you a switchover date for your service which will normally be in around two weeks time. Until the service changes over, you’ll continue getting a service from your old provider.
In advance of the go-live date for your new Plusnet broadband service, your new Plusnet Hub router will be dispatched and sent through the post. On the go-live date, you should unplug your old broadband router and replace it with the new Plusnet Hub router.
In most cases, you won’t need to separately cancel your old broadband service. This is because Plusnet can automatically inform your old provider for you, making sure your old broadband service is cancelled at the same time as your new one going live. The main exception to this is if you’re a Virgin Media customer, in which case you’ll need to contact them to cancel your old service. This is because Virgin Media uses a separate cable into your home.
For step-by-step instructions on how to switch to Plusnet, please select your current broadband provider from the list below:
Switch to Plusnet Broadband
Your step-by-step guide to switching
You can also read our in-depth guide to switching home broadband provider.
Plusnet History
Plusnet is one of the UK’s longest-running internet providers. The company was originally founded in February 1997, originally offering dial-up internet to consumers. Over the years, they’ve added services like broadband and fibre broadband and become one of the UK’s largest broadband internet providers.
In 2007, Plusnet was taken over by BT. This has given them the ability to offer BT Sport deals. Despite this, Plusnet is still being run as a separate business based out of Sheffield. The company also still talks about their heritage in Yorkshire.
More Information
For more information about Plusnet broadband, please see Plusnet’s official website.
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