New Packages from IDNet - Autumn 2014

[Gary]

not something to fret about as if you buy both products you have by default a combined package therefore you pay the lower fee.

Looking back, Im not sure I ever got a discount for having both, Steve. It was treated as two separate tariffs but my memory does not serve me well so I may be wrong. 

[sparky]

Clive,

You seem to have the same allowances as me, except mine shows as:-

Package:Home Lite (WBC ADSL MAX)

Standard Package Price:£15.31 ex.vat. (excludes any discounts or surcharges that may apply)

Split rate packages were discontinued for new customers in October 2012. Upgrade Package

Peak Allowance:15GB

Off Peak Allowance:65GB

Total Allowance:80GB


If you "upgrade" to the new lite, you will get 50gb to use anytime you want instead of being a split peak/off peak package. Except, the way I work it out, it will cost me more money and I loose my free evening and weekend calls as I have to change the phone package as well or pay the £6 surcharge, when it will work out even more expensive than now.  So these so called new packages, are only going to benefit the high users, they are penalising the low end users. Bad news that I think.

[Gary]

they are penalising the low end users. Bad news that I think.

In fairness many people do now use alot more bandwidth per month now, and idnet are catering for that, when I joined IDnet 5GB was enough, now with all the downloading of films etc I can do with my fibre, and online gaming 200GB is great as I was going over my 100Gb. You cant have it both ways I guess and like any company they want to turn a profit. If you are hardly using the net other companies may be more suited, like plusnet, the post office etc. All are putting up line rental though, to follow BT.

[Simon]

I asked Simon D previously about the legacy packages, and my understanding of his reply was that they would also receive the bandwidth uplift.  But maybe he wasn't referring to the VERY old peak / off peak split packages.  If you want to upgrade from those, then maybe it isn't unreasonable to expect a small increase in the cost?

Clive, what would be the differnce in cost to you if you upgraded to the new Lite broadband package, bearing in mind the £6 surcharge?

[sparky]

Hi Simon,

If you want to upgrade from those, then maybe it isn't unreasonable to expect a small increase in the cost?

Yes, I hear what your saying and I understand. This will be my last word on this subject, I will wait and see what develops, if I get any emails from idnet or my dashboard changes in any way. The only issue I have is I don''t actually consider £4 a month rise, to be a "small" increase in cost.

[Gary]

I just spoke to Brian as Im upgrading my call package, many of the features included in Standard are really useful like choose to refuse and anonymous call baring etc. He said if I had stayed on my old tariff I would not have had the surcharge added, my broadband tariff would have remained as it was before (£29.50) before vat instead of being £28.20 including vat.

[Gary]

Hi Simon,

I don''t actually consider £4 a month rise, to be a "small" increase in cost.

a pound a week is hardly breaking the bank, and for the extra bandwidth its worth it. Just my view, you don't get much for £4 these days 

[colirv]

Surely this is wrong since the £6 surcharge only applies if you aren't taking iDNet line rental which in the case of the combined packages surely doesn't apply. 

If you look closely at the page here, the row "IDNet Broadband Compatible" has "yes" for all the packages, except for the Basic package, the one you're quoting, which has "yes - surcharge applies".

[Simon]

To be fair, I've received a very prompt reply.

Hi Clive,

Your current package is an old legacy package called Home Lite and is not a current package on the website. The allowance for this package has never been changed.

Kind regards,

Brian
IDNet


But I'm convinced that when I switched to ADSL2+ that I had a 25Gb allowance.  Am I really losing my marbles?  OK, don't answer that!      So what is this 50Gb you speak of Simon?   

I do seem to recall you saying you were on the 25Gb package, as at the time you were downloading quite a bit, and I remember you saying that would meet your requirments.  Do you have any previous invoices stating which package you were on?

[delbois]

Phone line Standard is £19.20 + calling package of £6 (in vat) is £25.20 (inc Vat) not sure where you get the £18 from 

The £1.20 difference above and quoted in other posts is the VAT on the £6 surcharge. The surcharge excludes VAT and so is £7.20 incl VAT. 

[Gary]

The £1.20 difference above and quoted in other posts is the VAT on the £6 surcharge. The surcharge excludes VAT and so is £7.20 incl VAT. 

Yes but you don't pay the surcharge unless you are on a very very old phone tariff, you just pay the cost of your broadband as it was before the change.  Its bets to contact IDNet to get the low down. Brian was very helpful.

[delbois]

Yes but you don't pay the surcharge unless you are on a very very old phone tariff, you just pay the cost of your broadband as it was before the change.  Its best to contact IDNet to get the low down. Brian was very helpful.

I wonder how many legacy phone and broadband packages are still live.  I received an email from Idnet yesterday which stated: "It may be the case that the management will at some point delete the legacy packages but i cant see that happening for a long time." It must be a nightmare to administer?

[Simon]

I just spoke to Brian as Im upgrading my call package, many of the features included in Standard are really useful like choose to refuse and anonymous call baring etc. He said if I had stayed on my old tariff I would not have had the surcharge added, my broadband tariff would have remained as it was before (£29.50) before vat instead of being £28.20 including vat.

What was your old package, Gary?  This is confusing again, as I was told that the surcharge would apply to ALL packages, UNLESS, you take out one of the new 'Standard', 'Premium' or 'Business Premium' phone packages.  Did Brian just mean that you wouldn't have an ADDITIONAL £6 charge, as the surcharge would be applied, but offset against the lower package charge for the Broadband?

I think its basically what it says on the website.  The surcharge WILL be applied unless you have one of the qualifying phone packages to get the Broadband at the displayed price. 

But, basically, anyone who doesn't opt to change their package will remain the same, with the bandwidth uplift. 

[davej99]

Approx history of Legacy Home Lite
2008: 6 GB Total @ £15.31pcm +vat (£16.84pcm with advance payment & vat).
2010: 10GB Peak 30GB Off-peak 40GB Total, same cost
About 2012-3: 15GB Peak 65GB Off-peak 80GB Total, same cost

This was replaced by Lite:
2013: 25GB @ £16.50pcm +vat without rental
New 2014: 50GB @ £10.50+ vat with line rental or
                               £16.50 +vat without rental (£18.15pcm with advance payment & vat)

It looks like non line rental price has not changed. £6 has just been taken off then added back.

Legacy Home Lite users without rental must pay £1.31 pcm more to move to current Lite with less total allowance, but 35GB extra that can be used on-peak.

We legacy Home Lite users will move over eventually. Seems to me we pay quite a lot per GB.

[Gary]

What was your old package, Gary?  This is confusing again, as I was told that the surcharge would apply to ALL packages, UNLESS, you take out one of the new 'Standard', 'Premium' or 'Business Premium' phone packages.  Did Brian just mean that you wouldn't have an ADDITIONAL £6 charge, as the surcharge would be applied, but offset against the lower package charge for the Broadband?

I think its basically what it says on the website.  The surcharge WILL be applied unless you have one of the qualifying phone packages to get the Broadband at the displayed price. 

But, basically, anyone who doesn't opt to change their package will remain the same, with the bandwidth uplift. 

My Old package was unlimited anytime £17.35 and Fibre pro at £34.40 including vat. So Brian said your old BB package stays at the same level it was to balance things out. so mine would have still been  £34.40 + £17.35 including vat.

[nowster]

For my parents, the change would be an extra £3.20 per month (or £35.31 annually) just to move to the "new" cheapest packages. Their usage is pretty modest (unless I'm visiting).

Their line is pretty awful: 3.3Mbps, 51.5dB attenuation, and regular retrains due to cr*ppy joints on the >4 mile run from the exchange (about half underground and half overhead). Realistically, there's not going to be FTTC installed, or if it is, it will only reduce the distance by half (nearest small village served by the exchange).

[sparky]

Their line is pretty awful: 3.3Mbps, 51.5dB attenuation, and regular retrains due to cr*ppy joints on the >4 mile run from the exchange (about half underground and half overhead). Realistically, there's not going to be FTTC installed, or if it is, it will only reduce the distance by half (nearest small village served by the exchange).

Hey Nowster, sounds just like my line! 

[Gary]

For my parents, the change would be an extra £3.20 per month (or £35.31 annually) just to move to the "new" cheapest packages. Their usage is pretty modest (unless I'm visiting).

Their line is pretty awful: 3.3Mbps, 51.5dB attenuation, and regular retrains due to cr*ppy joints on the >4 mile run from the exchange (about half underground and half overhead). Realistically, there's not going to be FTTC installed, or if it is, it will only reduce the distance by half (nearest small village served by the exchange).

depend where your cab is if they do run fibre if the cab and it is close your speeds will be much better, if your cab is 4 miles away then probably not, to be honest FTTC over 4 miles would make no improvement anyway really. If you could get FTTP however which they may offer from the poles you would get great speeds.

[Clive]

I do seem to recall you saying you were on the 25Gb package, as at the time you were downloading quite a bit, and I remember you saying that would meet your requirments.  Do you have any previous invoices stating which package you were on?

I have my September invoice which shows I have Home Line rental anytime standard £14.46 + caller display £1.25.  I have HomeLite ADSL Max £15.31 and a reduction of .85p for having phone and BB.  But I'm now totally confused as the current package may not be enough for me.  My usage details since I upgraded in August are:

August 2014   15.08    0.54
September 2014   9.92           1.07
October 2014   14.54     0.85
November 2014   2.88           0.11

So I just may be OK unless Mrs Clive hits the iPlayer too hard.  If I upgraded again, what would you suggest?  I get the feeling nobody knows whats going on.   

[J!ll]

What was your old package, Gary?  This is confusing again, as I was told that the surcharge would apply to ALL packages, UNLESS, you take out one of the new 'Standard', 'Premium' or 'Business Premium' phone packages.  Did Brian just mean that you wouldn't have an ADDITIONAL £6 charge, as the surcharge would be applied, but offset against the lower package charge for the Broadband?

I think its basically what it says on the website.  The surcharge WILL be applied unless you have one of the qualifying phone packages to get the Broadband at the displayed price. 

But, basically, anyone who doesn't opt to change their package will remain the same, with the bandwidth uplift. 

I will not get the "bandwidth uplift" so I have no choice! only way out is to chose the lite and their phone line, which will be cheaper than BT as December the 1st they are increasing their charges for calls and line!

[Simon]

Clive, I'm not sure if those figures include VAT, but for £30.50pcm (+vat) you could get the Lite Anytime Broadband + Phone package, which would include caller ID and give you 50Gb allowance to be used any time.  According to my calculations, you're paying near as damn it £30pcm now for your phone and broadband, so it might be worthwhile upgrading. 

[Gary]

I have my September invoice which shows I have Home Line rental anytime standard £14.46 + caller display £1.25.  I have HomeLite ADSL Max £15.31 and a reduction of .85p for having phone and BB.  But I'm now totally confused as the current package may not be enough for me.  My usage details since I upgraded in August are:

August 2014   15.08    0.54
September 2014   9.92           1.07
October 2014   14.54     0.85
November 2014   2.88           0.11

So I just may be OK unless Mrs Clive hits the iPlayer too hard.  If I upgraded again, what would you suggest?  I get the feeling nobody knows whats going on.   

The new package on lite gives you 50GB at £12.60 without telephone, the unlimited phone and lite BB package is £36.60 inc vat and is still 50GB. You also get a bunch of other call features like anonymous caller blocking , choose to refuse and caller id, call waiting etc all included which normally cost £3 a pop.

[Simon]

Jill, I guess you have the choice to stay as you are, but the newer packages, without the peak / off peak split, are better value.

[J!ll]

Yes agree, although we are trying to work out if their phone/broadband package will work out cheaper than BT due to their price hike! Before son moved out we were on Pro but then moved back down (he's back now!) so will need to increase again as I don't want to keep checking to see if we are going over our limit!

[Simon]

I think BT have or will be hiking their prices too.