topic Re: Vanishing services in Plusnet Feedback

Vanishing services

Bleat — Mon, 25 May 2009 12:04:47 GMT

Despite paying enough for unlimited downloads I woke to find my speed had been cut to dial-up pace and my website had vanished. Well, mea culpa if I'd surpassed my download limit. But nary an email or sniff of a warning did I get. When finally I got through to customer support I was informed my connection would remain dial-up speed until the next billing date. To bypass this I was required to upgrade to unlimited and be billed immediately. Ok, I agree to this. Thing is, my new 'upgraded' account(which of course if I'd had already none of this would have happened)costs LESS than my inferior account. Still my website has been shot down and I heard nothing at all from plusnet. I was kept completely in the dark and messed with my pc and router for an hour trying to source the problem.
I've been with plusnet since soon after it appeared. When there weren't too many customers. I really feel tried and convicted in my absence.
Really disappointed. I mean, really. Is this standard Plusnet practice?

Re: Vanishing services

Oldjim — Mon, 25 May 2009 12:23:18 GMT

It depends which version of BBYW you were on and whether you are in a Market 3 exchange

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Plusnet Unlimited Broadband starts at £11.99 a month for the first 3 months. If you live in one of our low cost areas you'll then pay £15.99 a month thereafter. If you live outside of one of these areas you'll then pay £19.99 a month thereafter.

Re: Vanishing services

Bleat — Mon, 25 May 2009 14:03:35 GMT

I just received notification that my website of seven years has been simply deleted. All of this without prior warning. A simple, 'back up your site' would have done it. I'm practically speechless. This sort of off-hand, impersonal treatment surely cannot be the norm for Plusnet. This isn't about space or speed but content. I mean, has plusnet a legal right to delete my content without at least warning first of its intentions? Plu$net.

Re: Vanishing services

Anotherone — Mon, 25 May 2009 14:15:56 GMT

I think you are owed a full explanation by Plusnet and you may want to take some legal advise as well.

Re: Vanishing services

HPsauce — Mon, 25 May 2009 15:04:38 GMT

Quote from: Bleat
I just received notification that my website of seven years has been simply deleted.

Did they actually say why? e.g. Was this some unfortunate system or admin failure or something else?
Of course, normal practice would be to have your own copy anyway where it was developed, so once they've reinstated the space and access to it it's "just" a matter of copying the files over from your own storage.
(not sure if PN's web hosting service includes backups or not, but most suppliers don't unless you pay a premium)

Re: Vanishing services

Be3G — Mon, 25 May 2009 15:30:27 GMT

I believe they stated years ago that it doesn't, so I assume that's still the case.

Re: Vanishing services

Bleat — Mon, 25 May 2009 15:39:30 GMT

I do have earlier versions backed up. But I had uploaded certain documents to my webspace as a sort of secondary secure place(usually before going on holidays) knowing that I would still have a safe copy if for instance, I dunno, my house burned down maybe. Not standard I agree. I never even considered PN would ever delete my stuff without prior notification; if not through policy then may I say it - common courtesy? I think what happened is out of line. This incident and Customer Care simply don't go together. I don't mean to hark on but it really feels like a violation of...something - trust, I suppose. Worse things have happened and I probably can retrieve from archive most of what's lost , it's just that the whole affair could have been so easily avoided. If PN agree to change their policy, in future warn paying customers their website's about to be deleted, then I might forgive them. One day this might happen to someone who doesn't have a backup. I suppose it's another 'back-up all your darn stuff!' lesson. Can't argue with that.
Steve

Re: Vanishing services

HPsauce — Mon, 25 May 2009 16:01:20 GMT

Quote from: Bleat
I think what happened is out of line.

TBH no-one but you knows what took place as you haven't actually explained other than your web site has gone.
Things do go wrong without warning, you haven't given us any other explanation.
If PN haven't given a reasonable explanation why not start your own thread in "Rants & Raves"?

Re: Vanishing services

Bleat — Mon, 25 May 2009 16:42:24 GMT

I get you HP. To elaborate on my original post: when my speed was dropped to dial-up after my exeeding bandwidth, I called PN and they explained why. I asked for the speed to be resumed and would of course pay for whatever the service required. PN told me I could upgrade from my current deal to unlimited, and would resume the following morning. I said fine. This was all done over the phone. What they failed to tell me was that they would delete my website as well. First I knew was when I tried to log on. Suppose this is a bit of a rant and rave, really. But the point remains that deleting my website was presumptuous to say the least.

Re: Vanishing services

HPsauce — Mon, 25 May 2009 16:49:58 GMT

Other people have kept such services when moving products in apparently similar circumstances. Have PN actually confirmed what happened or are you just surmising?
I suggest you contact PN and formally ask for reinstatement and/or an explanation. It may be down to something as stupid as a lack of agent training and once the right people are aware surely should be rectified.

Re: Vanishing services

Anotherone — Mon, 25 May 2009 16:55:04 GMT

I think this board is good enough HP.
Bleat - although as you say another lesson in proper backup, I think you should hark on until you get a proper explanation from PN, also whether or not they have the ability to recover any of your website!

Re: Vanishing services

pierre_pierre — Mon, 25 May 2009 17:08:08 GMT

I changed from BBYW1 to Value on Friday and have still got my web space, I did it via a ticket and that seems to have been modified recently and asks if you want to keep various things as was, I.E. the heritage 240 Home Phone.
Another member recently also lost his Web space, that was because he had exceeded his space, I have done it occasionally but fortunately noticed and reduced it immediately, another had trouble with Airbus 220 photos that got to the top of the Google hit list, he did get a warning though

Re: Vanishing services

Mav — Wed, 27 May 2009 11:51:38 GMT

Looking through the WebSpace FAQ I found the following:

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If the files on your website have breached our acceptable use policy, or if your site has repeatedly exceeded its Daily Allowance, then your site may be removed. Note that we would contact you by email to inform you of such changes. See the next question about what to do if your site is removed.

The next section:

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7. My site has been removed, what do I do to get it back?
You will need to confirm that you understand why your website has been removed, and agree to take action to stop this happening in future. You can do this by completing the form below and copying it into a new Help Assistant Question. Please replace all information within '(brackets)' with appropriate information.
++ MESSAGE FOR ABUSE MASTER ++
I, (ENTER YOUR NAME HERE), confirm that I understand why my site had access removed.
I would like to request that my site is reactivated as soon as possible. I propose to prevent this action
reoccurring by (ACTIONS TO TAKE). I also understand that if this problem persists, then PlusNet
may restrict my site further, and if necessary, remove the site permanently.
++ END OF MESSAGE ++
Once this request has been processed, your webspace will be reactivated. You can monitor the progress of your request by checking Help Assistant at regular intervals.

Does this help at all?
Of course, if PN hasn't/won't told/tell you why your site has been removed/deleted then the above is of no help - sorry.
There's also the accpetable use policy which may or may not cover what happened.

Re: Vanishing services

jelv — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:01:22 GMT

This looks like a manual account change was cocked up. New accounts don't have the extra services, but existing users upgrading should retail services they are using.
Looks like Mand needs to get the 'education tool' out!

Re: Vanishing services

James — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:07:36 GMT

Hi Bleat,
I'm sorry that this happened, but it looks like it was fixed a couple of days ago.
Please let me know if it wasn't and I'll do my best to pick it up for you.