"I just want to file a flight plan and be done"
If it were possible to meet your technical needs within a new service, are you prepared to pay a nominal fee for using it, or are you saying you want it for free?
"Flight plans will need to be properly addressed."
I saw this referred to in the Notam. Looks like those of you who do not use AFPEx, but want to file a FPL by fax or phone, are going to have to do the work for the AFPEx team. Lets be clear about this - the AFPEx team are not trained to the same standards as the Heathrow FBU staff - never were, never will be. They work for the CACC - thats the Comms dept for the uninitiated - so dont expect the same level of service. Until the advent of AFPEx, the only input CACC had with your flight plans was watching them shuttle back and forth across the AFTN network after they had been dealt with by us. As for the FIR/FPRSA staff, who may potentially be asked to provide a backup service - they are great at what they do, but that's not filing flight plans.
IO540 is correct in his assumption on another thread that AFPEx is all about cutiing staff costs - its certainly not about offering you, the flying community, a better or improved service - just a different one.
Had AFPEx been allowed to run alongside the existing system, instead of replacing it, then that could well have been construed to be a step in the right direction - technical difficulties aside.
As stated in the opening post, we are looking at a number of options incorporating internet, email, fax, phone - H24, manned by those whose business it has been to provide this service day in, day out for many years. So, for those of you who don't subscribe to AFPEx, Homebriefing, whatever, but especially for all of you who want your FPLs filed using a method that suits you, and that you can trust - give us a call at the Heathrow FBU and tell us what you want and would expect from any new service - not just ours. We are open to your suggestions, and will welcome some real user input.