Choosing a broadband provider can be a confusing process. You may have heard of Plusnet business broadband, one of the most popular providers in the UK. In this Plusnet Business Broadband review, we’ll help you decide if it’s a good choice for your business.
In this review…
- Plusnet Business Broadband Review
- About Plusnet Business Broadband
- Plans, Prices & Features
- Plusnet Business Broadband Pros & Cons
- Is Plusnet Business Broadband Right For My Business?
- Compare Plusnet Business Broadband
Plusnet Business Broadband Review
Plusnet is actually a subsidiary of the BT Group but still operates as a separate business with its own branding and services. Plusnet Business Broadband appears to be aimed at small businesses and even those who work from home. This is because it is generally more affordable than competitors like Virgin and BT.
Currently, it only has a limited number of business broadband packages, and they do not have as many features as extensive plans offered by BT, and Vodafone.
However, for affordability, they are one of the best business broadband providers available. As you would expect from this companies’ reputation, they also offer specialist customer support – regardless of the package you choose.
About Plusnet Business Broadband
Plusnet was established in 1997 in Sheffield. Indeed, their HQ is still in Sheffield, and the north and Yorkshire play a major role in their marketing campaigns. You may recognize the jolly Yorkshireman from their TV and radio adverts, and a slogan they have used frequently is, “Good Honest Broadband from Yorkshire”.
Regardless of their fun approach to marketing, Plusnet has a great reputation and they are quickly becoming one of the top telecommunications providers in the UK. They offer the YouView TV service, mobile SIM plans, and of course Plusnet Business Broadband.
Their business broadband offering is limited compared to other providers. However, the features, pricing, and speeds are great. Also, you can benefit from their trusted customer support, and their pledge to support small businesses in the UK.
Plusnet Business Broadband Plans, Prices & Features
Currently, Plusnet has just two business broadband packages. This includes a basic package suitable for home workers and small businesses, and a fibre package that has improved download speeds.
More interestingly, Plusnet Business Broadband is one of the only providers to offer 12-month contracts. For new businesses just finding their feet, this could be an important factor. Please note, however, that the 12-month contracts are more expensive than the 24-month versions. You can see their current price plans below:
See all Plusnet contracts
12-Month Contracts
- Plusnet Unlimited Business Broadband: £21.50 per month – 17 Mbps
- Plusnet Unlimited Business Fibre Broadband: £27.00 per month – 76 Mbps
24-Month Contracts
- Plusnet Unlimited Business Broadband: £18.00 per month – 17 Mbps
- Plusnet Unlimited Business Fibre Broadband: £22.00 per month – 76 Mbps
We have provided more detail about the two packages in the following sections.
Plusnet Unlimited Business Broadband
Unlike most providers, Plusnet offers a bare-bones package at a highly affordable price. The Plusnet Unlimited Business Broadband package is £18.00 per month for a 24-month contract and £22.00 per month for a 12-month contract.
For this, you gain download speeds of up to 17 Mbps. This might not seem like a lot. However, you must consider this in a wider context. For basic internet use such as web browsing, sending emails, and video calls – this is more than enough.
Therefore, this lite package could be ideal for self-employed people working from home, or small businesses with only a couple of employees.
This package also includes the Plusnet Hub Two router, line rental, and 24/7 specialist UK-based customer support.
Plusnet Unlimited Business Fibre Broadband
If you feel that 17 Mbps is not enough, you can always opt for the Plusnet Unlimited Business Fibre Broadband package. This is on par with the other standard packages offered by competitors, such as Sky’s Advantage package.
For the increased 24-month price of £22.00 per month, you essentially get a download speed boost to 76 Mbps. This is a big increase for only a small price increase. With a connection of up to 76 Mbps, you should easily be able to accommodate a team of users with relatively heavy use.
Also, this plan includes the Plusnet Hub Two router, line rental, and the same 24/7 specialist customer support. Both price plans also include an unlimited data allowance.
Plusnet Business Broadband Pros & Cons
As you can see, the Plusnet Business Broadband packages are quite simple. Compared to some other providers, they offer a no-nonsense service that is easy to digest. But what does their service excel at, and where could it be improved? We have listed the main pros and cons below:
Pros
- Plusnet is one of the only providers to offer 12-month contracts
- All packages can opt for a static IP address instead of a dynamic one
- Excellent 24/7 customer support from UK-based specialists
- Easy to set up with the Hub 2 router
Cons
- The basic package only has download speeds of up to 17 Mbps
- No option for a 4G mobile backup
- Not the best upload speeds
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Pros
One of the best advantages of Plusnet Business Broadband is that you can get a 12-month contract. Yes, you have to pay a little more, but small businesses could find this hugely beneficial.
Also, we like that you can choose either a dynamic or static IP address. Customer support is also a strong point – regardless of which package you choose, you get access to 24/7 UK-based specialist customer support.
The Hub 2 router is also a great piece of kit. It is easy to set up and doesn’t require any technical knowledge to install. Also, the router provides a stable WiFi connection for your business premises. You may need an engineer to undertake work a the closets green cabinet, but this is all arranged promptly with you by Plusnet.
Plusnet is also one of the cheapest business broadband providers available. Therefore, if the price is your main concern – this could be an excellent option. At £18.00 per month for their basic package, this is one of the most cost-effective packages currently available.
Cons
A drawback of the basic Plusnet Business Broadband package is the speed. Although the price is highly affordable, you do get reduced download speeds of up to 17 Mbps. While this is fine for solo use, it may not be enough for a team of business employees. In contrast, most other UK providers offer speeds of at least 76 Mbps for their basic packages.
Also, Plusnet doesn’t currently offer any 4G backup service. This means that if your broadband connection goes down, you are effectively left in the dark until the issue is resolved. We don’t expect many outages, and their support team is responsive. However, there is always the possibility that you may not have internet access for your business in the event of a problem.
Lastly, Plusnet Business Broadband also doesn’t have amazing upload speeds. If you are a business that will regularly upload large quantities of data such as website files, videos, and images for sharing, you may find the upload speeds limiting.
Is Plusnet Business Broadband Right for my Business?
From this Plusnet Business Broadband review, we can see that it is one of the most affordable providers available. Firstly, Plusnet could be a great choice for new businesses that have just started operating. This is because they offer 12-month contracts. Although you pay slightly more, a new business would benefit more from a 12-month contract, as opposed to committing to a 2-year term.
Secondly, Plusnet is also a great choice for low-internet usage businesses and those who work from home. For example, self-employed people could use the standard unlimited package and have more than enough bandwidth to use.
We do not feel that currently, Plusnet is a great option for small businesses that are heavily reliant on the internet, however. This is because they do not offer a 4G backup service, and they do not offer download speeds faster than 76 Mbps.
Compare Plusnet Business Broadband
To make an informed decision about your business broadband provider, it is vital to look at how the different business packages compare. While Plusnet may seem like a great choice, how does it stack up compared to other broadband providers?
We have provided some comparison pointers below to give you a clear summary:
- Plusnet Business Broadband is one of the few providers to give 12-month contracts.
- They do not offer any 4G mobile backup whereas Vodafone, Virgin, BT, and Sky all offer this either as part of packages or as a paid extra.
- Plusnet does not offer any speeds faster than 76 Mbps, whereas providers like BT and Virgin both offer ultra-high-speed fibre packages.
- Plusnet upload speeds are not as fast as competitors
- Like all other business broadband providers, Plusnet packages include unlimited data allowance.
- Plusnet packages also include a phone line rental.
If this Plusnet business broadband review helped you, please recommend DigitalSupermarket.
