If you haven’t been paying close attention to the telecommunications market over the last decade, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Plusnet came out of nowhere. Thanks to a huge advertising push and some innovative branding, Plusnet are now an established player in the telecommunications market.

Presently owned and operated by BT, Plusnet actually began life in Sheffield in February 1997, when Choice Peripherals launched a service called Force9 Internet. These early days of the internet were something of a wild west of providers, but Choice Peripherals had something of a hit on their hands, reaching 5,000 subscribers just over 6 months after launch.

In June 2000, the company became Plusnet and by November 2006, Plusnet became a BT company in a deal worth £67 million, which paved the way towards their continued expansion and role today.

But if you’re thinking of joining Plusnet as a new customer, little of that matters. What you want to know is what they offer and how much it costs. Well, in this guide, we’re going to share with you exactly that.

Plusnet Broadband

Plusnet made their name for offering low-cost broadband solutions, so that’s where we’ll start. Here’s what they offer new and upgrading customers.

All prices and information correct as of January 2017.

Unlimited – Up to 17Mbps, unlimited usage. Available on a 12 or 18 month contract for £13.49 a month with a £31.99 upfront fee. Also available on a rolling monthly contract for £14.99 a month, with a £56.99 upfront fee.

Unlimited Fibre – Up to 38Mbps, unlimited usage. Available on an 18 month contract for £17.49 a month, with a £56.99 upfront fee.

Unlimited Fibre Extra – Up to 76Mbps, unlimited usage. Available on an 18 month contract for £22.49 a month, with a £56.99 upfront fee.

Included in every Plusnet package is their UK support service, wireless router, online parental controls and access to the Plusnet broadband contact number.

Plusnet Broadband & Home Phone

Additionally, Plusnet customers who take their broadband options can tack on a home phone plan too. Those plans are:

Evening & Weekend UK & Mobile Calls – Evening and weekend calls to UK mobiles and landlines, 0870/0845 calls included at evenings & weekends, plus free calls to the Plusnet telephone number at 0843 770 0242 at any time. £4 a month, on top of your broadband package.

Unlimited UK & Mobile Calls – Unlimited calls to UK mobiles and landlines, 0870/0845 calls at any time and free calls to Plusnet support. £8 a month, on top of your broadband package.

Anytime International – Anytime calls to UK landlines, 0870/0845 calls at any time, free calls to Plusnet support and 300 Anytime minutes to the top 35 international destinations. £7.50 a month, on top of your broadband package.

Do note that if you choose not to take a home phone plan, you’ll have to pay for line rental at £17.99 a month.

Plusnet Mobile Phone Deals

Plusnet’s latest venture is in the increasingly competitive world of SIM only mobile phone plans. These offer tremendous value for customers who don’t want to get rid of their phone, but do want to save money. All Plusnet SIM only deals are on a 30 day rolling contract, and come with 4G support as standard. Here’s what they offer:

• 500MB of data, 250 minutes, 500 texts – £5 per month
• 1GB of data, 1000 minutes, unlimited texts – £7.50 a month
• 2GB of data, 1500 minutes, unlimited texts – £10 a month
• 4GB of data, unlimited minutes, unlimited texts – £15 a month

Plusnet utilise EE’s mobile network for coverage, which is the biggest and most comprehensive available in the UK, covering 99% of the population. As with their broadband offering, you’re guaranteed UK customer service, but the benefits don’t end there.

Plusnet’s innovative one-size-fits-all SIM card means that whether your phone supports SIM, Micro SIM or Nano SIM, you’re supported out of the box. Additionally, their Smart Cap system means you never go over your package, and no tethering charges mean that you can use your phone as a portable wireless router for no extra charge.

Adding more minutes, texts or data is as simple as buying a bolt-on. Here’s the pricing:

Data:

• 250MB for £2
• 500MB for £4
• 1GB for £6
• 2GB for £10
• 4GB for £15

Minutes:

• 100 for £1.50
• 250 for £4
• 500 for £8
• 1000 for £12

Texts

• 100 for £1
• 500 for £4
• 1000 for £6

Adding a bolt on to your current deal is as easy as calling 500 from your mobile or using the contact telephone number for Plusnet. We would suggest though that if you find yourself regularly utilising the bolt on service that you consider upgrading your SIM only deal – it could save you some serious money.