Cookie policy

Cookies and similar technologies ("cookies") allow small pieces of information to be read from and/or placed onto your device when you visit a website or application. This allows for websites and applications to recognise you or your device on each subsequent visit so that they can remember things like preferences, log in information and saved shopping carts.

Cookies are very useful and do lots of different jobs. For example, they enable you to move between our web pages efficiently, remember your preferences when you visit us again and generally improve your experience when browsing with us. They can also help to ensure that adverts you see online are more relevant to you and your interests, which in turn help us to tailor our communications.

Cookies last for different lengths of time depending on the job they do. There are session cookies and persistent cookies:

• Session cookies only last for your online session and disappear from your device when you close your browser.
• Persistent cookies stay on your device after the browser has been closed and last for the period of time specified in the cookie.

You can find information about how Plusnet processes your personal data in our privacy policy which can be found at https://www.plus.net/help/legal/privacy-policy/

We will only place cookies for the preference level you set. Your preference level will be set depending on the options chosen (usually when you first visit our website), however these can be changed at any time by clicking "Manage Cookie Settings" at the top of this page.

Please note that cookies set before you changed your settings will still be on your device. You can remove them using your browser settings.

Our free online tool can help you manage the cookies we use on plus.net. To use it, your web browser needs to support JavaScript – if it doesn't you can still find out about the cookies we use here, but you'll need to manage them through your web browser settings.

We also use a cookie to remember your cookie preferences. This means:

• If you delete all your cookies you will have to update your preferences with us again – we’ll ask you when you next visit our website.
• If you use a different device, computer profile or browser you will have to tell us your preferences again.

The cookies used on our website fall into one of four categories: Essential, Performance, Functional and Targeting.

Essential cookies

Essential cookies let you move around the website and use essential features like secure areas, shopping baskets and online billing. These cookies are automatically enabled and cannot be turned off because they are essential to enable you to browse our website.

We use Essential cookies to do things like:

• Remember information you've entered on order forms when you visit different pages in a single web browser session;
• Remember what you’ve ordered when you get to the checkout page;
• Identify you as being logged in to our website;
• Make sure you connect to the right service on our website when we make any changes to the way the website works;
• Enable website content to be delivered reliably and efficiently;
• Collect and record your cookie consent decisions.

A list of Essentials cookies can be found on our Manage Cookie Settings page.

Performance cookies

Performance cookies collect information about how you use our website. For example, which pages you visit and if you experience any errors. These cookies are essential to us being able to operate and maintain our website.

Some of these cookies are also used to perform website analytics. This may include collecting analytics about visitors to our website and collecting information about website usage. We use the information to help us improve the website and measure user interaction.

If you do not accept these cookies it may impact on your experience of the website.

In some cases, some performance cookies are managed for us by third parties, but we don't allow the third party to use the cookies for any purpose other than those listed below.

We use Performance cookies to do things like:

• Provide statistics and analytics on how our website is used;
• See how effective our adverts are (we don't use this information to target adverts to you when you visit other websites);
• Help us improve the website by measuring any errors that occur;
• Test different designs of our website.

A list of Performance cookies can be found in our Manage Cookie Settings page by expanding the Performance cookies section.

Functional cookies

Functional cookies are used to provide services or to remember settings to improve your visit.

Preventing functional cookies may mean we can't offer you some services that rely on these cookies to function properly, and will reduce the support we can offer you, such as ‘live chat’.

In some cases, some functional cookies are managed for us by third parties, but we don't allow the third party to use the cookies for any purpose other than those listed below.

We use Functional cookies to do things like:

• Remember if we've already asked you if you want to fill in a survey;
• Provide proactive live chat sessions to offer you support;
• Show you when you're logged in to the website;
• Share information with partners to provide a service on our website. The information shared is only used to provide the service, product or function and for no other purpose; and
• Remember results of tests performed to make the website more relevant to you.

A list of Functional cookies can be found in our Manage Cookie Settings page by expanding the Functional cookies section.

Targeting

The core purpose of targeting cookies (otherwise known as advertising cookies) is to provide Plusnet with valuable insights into what our customers want, including but not limited to, insight into the communications and services our customers and potential customers may be interested in.

Disabling targeting cookies, generally does not stop you receiving advertising. It simply means that the advertising you receive is less likely to be aligned with your interests.

In order to gain the insights, in some instances we may analyse your personal information to create a profile of your interests and preferences so that we can contact you with information relevant to you. This helps to avoid you receiving advertising that is not relevant to you or your interests.

In some instances, we may also use this information to inform us of how well our communications are received by our customers and website users. In order to do this, we may make use of additional information about you when it is available from internal and external sources to help us do this effectively. We may also use your personal information to detect and reduce the risk of things like fraud.

These cookies are also linked to services provided to Plusnet and our customers by our trusted partners (see the Third Parties section below for more information).

We use Targeting cookies to:

• Link to social networks who may use information about your visit to target advertising to you on other websites;
• Provide advertising agencies and our trusted partners with information on your visit so that we can present adverts that you may be interested in, and prevent you receiving duplicate ads – see the “online behavioural advertising” section below for further details;
• Deliver content, including video content, tailored to your interests;
• Help us to segment and understand our audience by providing additional information so that we can send the most relevant communications possible;
• Help us identify customers similar to our audience or to serve relevant adverts to you on third party websites;
• Help us to understand how well our marketing initiatives are performing and whether to continue, change or cease those initiatives;
• To provide tailored communications to you and personalise your use of our website when logged in, and in limited circumstances, when logged out (subject to your preferences).

Online behavioural advertising

We, and our trusted partners, use information collected from targeting cookies to collect information about your device and identify your interests by understanding how you interact with our websites, communications and services. We do this so we can tailor advertising we show you on our own and third party sites and apps.

The information we and our trusted partners collect and share through targeting cookies does not directly identify you. It does not include your name or address.

We use your IP address, together with the interests we have assumed based on how you’ve navigated to and how you interact with our websites. For example, if you look at our TV and film packages, we will assume you would like to hear about the latest TV and film offerings we, or our partners, have to offer.

We will also share interest-based advertising information with the third parties that set targeting cookies via our website.

You can opt-out of the use of targeting cookies on our website for online behavioural advertising purposes by blocking and/or deleting these cookies as described below.

A list of Targeting cookies can be found in our Manage Cookie Settings page by expanding the Targeting cookies section.

Plusnet allow trusted third party partners to set cookies when you interact with Plusnet services. Third parties include search engines, providers of measurement and analytics services, social media networks, affiliate networks, and advertising companies. Third parties may use cookies in the process of delivering content, including ads relevant to your interests, to measure the effectiveness of their marketing and services, and to perform services on behalf of Plusnet.

Third parties may also read cookies placed on your device when visiting other websites, which usually takes place where that third party also sets cookies on other websites you have visited. You can manage browser cookies through your browser settings (see the Managing Cookies section below).

It is important to note that, although Plusnet and its trusted third party partners will only set cookies in line with your preferences, if you originally accept the use of cookies, but later change your settings, Plusnet and its trusted third party partners may continue to use data collected and derived from cookies during the period of time you consented to the cookie placement.

There are ways you can control and manage cookies on your device. Please remember that any settings you change at browser or device level will not just affect the cookies we use. These changes will apply to all websites you visit (unless you choose to block cookies from particular sites).

Our Cookie Banner

You can directly edit your preferences in relation to the cookies Plusnet set by using the Plusnet "Manage Cookie Settings" function to set your preferences. Here you can select your preferences in relation to all non-essential cookies placed by our website.

This method will not impact any cookies previously set, prior to your change in preferences. If you wish to manage existing cookies, you can use your browser settings as outlined below.

Managing cookies in your browser

Most browsers will allow you to choose the level of privacy settings you want. You can (a) block all cookies, (b) accept all cookies, or (c) pick a setting somewhere in between. This range lets you control your cookie settings, so you can:

• See what cookies you've got and delete them on an individual basis
• Block third party cookies
• Block cookies from particular sites
• Block all cookies from being set
• Delete all cookies when you close your browser

Deleting cookies means that any preference settings you have made on a website will be lost. If you’ve set your preferences to opt out of cookies, this setting will be lost too, as that information is stored in a cookie. Blocking all cookies means functionality on our websites will be lost, as described above. We don’t recommend turning all cookies off when using our websites.

If you want to reduce your cookie settings at any time - for example, if you accept all cookies, but later decide you don’t want a certain type of cookie - you’ll need to use your browser settings to remove any third party cookies dropped on your previous visit.

Find out how to manage your cookies using the most popular browsers below.

Internet Explorer
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17442/windows-internet-explorer-delete-manage-cookies

Firefox
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/cookies-information-websites-store-on-your-computer?

Google Chrome
https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647?hl=en

Safari
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201265 https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/safari/sfri11471/mac

Information about cookies

You can read more about cookies at:
http://www.allaboutcookies.org

Internet Advertising Bureau

A guide to behavioural advertising and online privacy has been produced by the internet advertising industry which can be found at:
http://www.youronlinechoices.eu