Plusnet is one of the UK’s largest and most popular broadband providers. Its focus on simple and budget-friendly packages has proved very popular with millions of Brits. This has been proved through numerous awards and high ratings it’s received over the years.
Read on for our verdict on what Plusnet does very well, as well as which parts of its service would likely be better served by other providers.
Plusnet broadband customer ratings
A 2024 broadband customer survey run by Uswitch asked customers to rate a number of different aspects of their provider’s service. Plusnet performed really well in many categories — with customer service, value for money, installation and reliability all highly rated.
In fact, Plusnet performed better than the vast majority of broadband providers in the survey, showing just how good the quality of their service is in the eyes of customers.
| Overall score | 4.06 |
|---|---|
| Customer service | 3.88 |
| Value for money | 3.98 |
| Internet speed | 3.97 |
| Reliability | 4.09 |
| Home equipment | 4.09 |
| Setup/Installation | 4.25 |
| Communication | 3.91 |
Note: these are weighted average scores from a 1-5 rating
To view customer scores for all of the major UK providers, visit our Uswitch Broadband Customer Survey page.
Plusnet broadband pros and cons
Pros
Among the cheapest broadband providers around
Broadband speeds are getting faster
Customer service is consistently highly rated
Widely available across the UK
Cons
No-frills packages may not be to everyone’s needs
Hardware is fairly basic
Communication between customer service and engineers could be better
About Plusnet
Plusnet dates back to 1997 when it launched as a provider of dial-up internet. It proved to be so popular that its customer base had doubled by 2004, and it was acquired by BT in 2007.
With the development and rollout of fibre broadband, Plusnet was able to utilise BT’s Openreach network and launch its fibre service in 2012. This offered average speeds of up to 66Mbps, which at the time would have been a fast enough speed for almost every household in the country.
In 2022, Plusnet launched its first full fibre broadband deals, again using BT’s Openreach ultrafast network to initially offer speeds between 100-500Mbps, and now up to 900Mbps. These speeds are starting to be very appealing to larger households with lots of internet users — especially when multiple people are streaming in 4K, gaming online or working from home.
At the time of writing, I’m nearly 18 months into a contract with Plusnet on its Unlimited Fibre Extra service. And I’ve just renewed the contract on the same product for another 18 months.
While other products are on offer, including a small selection of faster full fibre packages, the 66Mbps internet speed I receive from this package works well for me as someone living alone. Since there isn’t huge pressure on my connection from multiple devices using the internet at once, I don’t feel the need to pay for a faster speed than I need.
But what’s it like to use on a daily basis? From customer service and coverage to internet speeds and value for money, our review will help you decide if Plusnet is the right broadband provider for you and your household.
Coverage
Plusnet’s coverage via the Openreach network is, at 97%, practically nationwide. So customers should be able to get Plusnet unless they live in an extremely rural area.
Its full fibre products won’t be available to everyone across the UK yet. But you can check your address on our fibre broadband page to see if this type of connection is available to you already.
Since Plusnet uses the nationwide Openreach network, its coverage is relatively similar to many other providers available in the UK. This means that the strength of its connection will most often rely on the quality of the Openreach line, rather than Plusnet’s broadband infrastructure itself.
However, there are many parts of your connection that Plusnet is still responsible for, so you should always report any outages you have directly to it, so the provider can identify where the fault is.
Plusnet internet speeds
Plusnet’s broadband speeds initially weren't the fastest on the market, as it took longer than some other large providers to roll out full fibre packages. But it now offers similar speeds to most companies, all the way up to 900Mbps.
If you’re in a small house without particularly heavy internet use, Plusnet's more widely-available part-fibre connections will probably be fine. But if you’re in a large household where multiple people are likely to be using the internet for downloads and streaming at the same time, you may need to consider choosing an ultrafast deal. Plusnet does offer these, but their coverage across the UK is much more limited.
I tested the speed of my connection at various points throughout my review and received around 57-58Mbps on average. That’s plenty for me when I’m only running a laptop, phone and a TV or games console.
Since I live alone, I almost never see a sluggish connection because only a couple of devices are being used at any one time. But larger families would definitely need faster speeds if multiple people used the internet as much as I do.
Speed options
Plusnet was mainly known for its superfast fibre speeds, which don’t usually go faster than 66Mbps. But in 2022 it unveiled its first ultrafast full fibre packages, so its potential speeds are now a lot faster.
Plusnet’s range of broadband deals offers the following average download speeds:
Plusnet fibre options
Unlimited Broadband
10Mbps - ADSL connection. Should only chosen for the most basic online tasks like browsing and checking emails.
Plusnet Fibre
66Mbps - The fastest widely-available speed Plusnet offers. A strong speed for many households. Good for those who want speeds that can stream high-quality TV while someone else in the home is busy on their laptop.
Full Fibre 74
74Mbps - Only slightly faster than Plusnet's 66Mbps more widely-available part-fibre option, but on a more reliable full fibre connection.
Plusnet full fibre options
Full Fibre 145
145Mbps - For larger households who struggle to get by with many devices being used at once, especially if working from home.
Full Fibre 300
300Mbps - For heavy-use households with a lot of gamers or people working online with large files, such as content creators or graphic designers.
Full Fibre 500
500Mbps - For very large properties with many high-use household members who often rely on strong broadband for fast uploads and downloads.
Full Fibre 900
900Mbps - The fastest broadband deal on offer from Plusnet. As with Full Fibre 145 and 500, coverage is limited.
Plusnet broadband packages and bundles
The superfast broadband packages Plusnet offers definitely come under the no-frills banner. They all require line rental and come with a router and call options if you use a landline, but not much else.
But there are no comprehensive broadband and TV packages available from Plusnet. Even its recent BT Sport app add-on was removed just before it rebranded to TNT Sports.
Reliability of Plusnet broadband
The connection of any internet provider will vary for different customers. Depending on the type of broadband connection you choose and the area you live in, you could enjoy a very consistent internet connection or be plagued by outages.
While providers work their hardest to make sure connection faults are fixed as soon as they’re noticed, some take longer to resolve issues than others. However, since Plusnet is part of the well-established Openreach network, its outages are very few and far between.
Fortunately, I haven’t suffered from slow internet since I’ve been with Plusnet, and I can count on one hand the number of broadband connection issues and outages I’ve had.
It means I can trust Plusnet’s connection with everything I do online, especially on days when I work from home. Streaming is seamless, online gaming runs relatively flawlessly and downloads take just as long as I expect for the speed of my package.
I have no concerns about the reliability of Plusnet’s internet connection. I can trust it to work whenever I need it.
Plusnet customer service
I’ve had to contact Plusnet’s customer service team on two separate occasions and both times they were as helpful as they could be, with any issues occurring with interactions with Openreach engineers.
My flat is a new build and had no connection to any broadband network when I joined Plusnet. This meant that an engineer had to access the flat as well as the cabinet on the street to connect it up. I wasn’t living in the flat at the time and unfortunately, engineer appointments are only available in two blocks, 8am to 1pm and 1pm to 6pm. And there’s no telling at what point they’ll actually arrive within that time.
Additionally, there was a mix-up as to when the engineer would arrive, which led to them arriving at a time when I wasn't in my flat. While the appointment was rearranged fairly smoothly, this led to a delay of about a month between signing up to Plusnet and actually being able to access the broadband. Unfortunately, at no point was I offered any compensation for the delayed start of my connection.
The issue seemed to be communication problems between Plusnet’s customer service system and the engineering appointment system. While it was eventually resolved, it did delay me moving into the flat because I couldn’t work from home without a broadband connection.
I had just renewed my contract with Plusnet and immediately had some short outages and connection problems, which I had not experienced at all over the previous 18 months. I booked an engineer appointment with Plusnet customer services, who arrived on time and diagnosed the problem (extra voltage on my line). The service has been completely fine since then.
Ultimately, Plusnet’s customer service has been efficient and as helpful as it can be. Judging by its great customer survey score, the majority of its customers are very happy with the support they get from the provider.
At the very least, it could work to improve its communication with the Openreach network that it relies on, so the provider can better monitor issues that its customers are facing.
Uswitch broadband provider reviews
Read our expert reviews of all of the UK's biggest broadband providers.
Plusnet equipment and installation
In terms of equipment, Plusnet provides a simple-to-install broadband router to customers - the Plusnet Hub Two.
The Hub Two has four Gigabit cable ports in addition to two wireless antennas for 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz Wi-Fi connections. It also has a larger signal range, which makes it a better choice for larger households.
These routers aren’t as advanced as other routers, like the new Wi-Fi 6 router from Virgin Media that has a much wider signal and handles dozens of devices at the same time.
But at the speeds Plusnet offers, they’ll ensure a stable wireless connection. I haven’t had any router issues while I’ve had mine. The issues I’ve experienced have been more with the general connection rather than with the hardware itself. I live in a small flat so the signal comfortably reaches every room.
When it comes to installation and set-up, customers may need to pay an activation fee, which is sometimes waived as an introductory offer (it was for me). And there’s also an installation fee if you don’t have a phone line already up and running.
Plusnet also requires the first month to be paid upfront, so it can work out to a fairly expensive initial outlay - though of course, the prices throughout the contract will be lower than those offered by many other providers.
Activation generally takes about five days. But as mentioned above, it can sometimes take up to a month if you live in a new-build or hard-to-reach property.
Compare our best broadband deals
Search on Uswitch to find the right broadband package for you.
Value for money
Plusnet’s monthly price is definitely worth the service I receive from it. Since I’m not looking for a jam-packed service with lots of additional features, Plusnet is very well-priced for my needs.
It keeps its monthly prices lower than many other providers by focusing on offering a great experience rather than lots of bells and whistles. Since all I really wanted was a strong internet connection and occasional access to BT Sport, the relatively low monthly price was very convenient. But now that BT Sport access has been removed for Plusnet customers, it's currently unclear if I can access TNT Sports with my Plusnet package anymore.
While I could enjoy a lot more from larger providers, such as BT or Sky, the difference in price isn’t really worth the additional cost those providers come with. So I find more value in Plusnet’s simplified offering.
Plusnet price rises
Plusnet increased my broadband prices by 7.9% from the 31st March 2024. That's a monthly increase of about £2 per month on my current contract.
This amount was in line with the Consumer Price Index rate of inflation announced in January 2024, plus an extra 3.9%. Plusnet states this policy in its T&Cs, and I was technically notified beforehand in a one-pager of costs when I signed up. But that doesn't change the fact that I had no idea the inflation rate would be quite that high when I initially signed up.
As a result, I've found this to be quite an annoying price increase. And despite being provided with the information when I took out a new contract, I'm still disappointed that I wasn't told in actual numbers how much my prices would go up.
As of next year, Plusnet will apply a flat rate for its mid-contract price rises. From 2025, all customers will see the same increase of £3 per month.
Learn more about the broadband mid-contract price hikes in 2024.
Should you choose Plusnet?
You should certainly consider Plusnet if you mainly care about getting a strong, reliable, simple broadband connection for a good price.
But if you’re a heavy user of the internet, live in a big house with lots of devices on the go, or watch a lot of pay-TV, you might be better suited to a provider that offers a wider range of services.
While the provider isn’t well-known for its internet speed, its packages will still be plenty for many households. And, at a time when everything costs more than it used to, the value offered here could be too good to turn down.
Plusnet is a great option for people who:
Want to keep their monthly costs down
Would like a hassle-free, simple service with good customer support
Live in a small household with casual internet users
Enjoy streaming movies and shows but not paying for top-end TV packages
The straightforward, no-frills packages may not be to the taste of those who have grown used to expecting extras with their broadband. But for those who want a consistent, fast enough, good-value internet connection with excellent customer service, Plusnet is a fantastic option.
Compare Plusnet deals
Browse our selection of Plusnet deals for a range of different budgets and speeds.
