Launched as Force9 Internet 1 February 1997; rebranded to Plusnet June 2000 (Source).
United Kingdom
Valid from
Organization: Any kind of organization. The Organization class represents a kind of Agent corresponding to social instititutions such as companies, societies etc.
About
ISP (Retail) only – does not build or own its own nationwide broadband infrastructure; instead, it resells access over Openreach's infrastructure. Founded in 1997 as Force9 Internet (F9 unmetered weekends from 1999); rebranded Plusnet June 2000 with BT Surftime 24/7 unmetered dial. Acquired by BT Group in 2007. (Source), (Source). Delivers its broadband using the network of Openreach – the major fixed-line network operator in the UK that owns and maintains the physical access network (copper and fibre) (Source). In August 2023 officially adopted a "full fibre first" approach where new broadband plans favour full-fibre (FTTP) if available (Source). Serves home consumers and formerly small business/SME customers (though business offerings were phased out) (Source). Discontinued mobile services (previously offered SIM-only plans via EE) – from March 2023 stopped selling new mobile plans (Source). Announced it will stop offering landline (home phone) services once the UK's copper-line PSTN network is fully phased out (~2025), becoming a broadband-only provider (Source). Ceased provisioning new business broadband / services to SMEs as of 2022, redirecting business customers to BT's business offering instead (Source).
Operator Characteristics
Retail-only ISP?
Yes
(1997-02-01)
Plusnet is retail-only; it doesn't own broadband infrastructure and functions purely as a retail ISP (Source).
Business-only ISP?
No
(1997-02-01)
Plusnet is not business-only; it serves home consumers and formerly small business/SME customers (though business offerings were phased out as of 2022) (Source).