topic Re: Poor Quality Service - BT & Plus Net in Plusnet Feedback

Poor Quality Service - BT & Plus Net

russky89 — Fri, 13 Jun 2014 16:42:36 GMT

Hi there
I am here to post my feedback and concerns about the quality of service Plus Net is currently offering me.
Normally, I have had a reliable connection with PN and for the most part, I get an excellent connection. However, I have been noticing that after April, I have been getting connection drops and I had noticed crackling with the phone line. I had experienced more connection drops than usual and decided to give PN a call. They said that a BT engineer would look into it and after the visit, they had installed a new Pre-filtered socket. But that never resolved my issue as 10 minutes after the engineer left.
My next problem was that my connection was throttled by PN and that I had to put up with a 3 mbps connection (where potentially, I can get an 18mbps connection) and that made my peeved. I then submitted another ticket to the company and I had response from one of their techies. For a while, the connection was pretty fast and that I was to expect connections, but then the same problem had kicked in.
Then last week, I had called the company again as I was at the end of my tether (and still am I might add) about the cracking in the phone line. The person on the other end confirmed that my line was crackling and that the matter was processed and sent to BT Openreach. Now then engineer had arrived this afternoon. Want to know my response. The connection is fine and that I was to report each time the connection went down. Well that doesn't flaming well help me with the situation I am in right now! Now I have sent out another support ticket hoping that in their infinite wisdom (and I use the term very loosely) that the problem gets fixed as I am still having crackling in the line and connectivity drops.
I am really disappointed with the quality of service offered and that as a bill-payer, I expect this issue to be resolved as soon as possible. If the issue is not resolved, I will have no choice but to report this matter to Ofcom as I feel I am pipped from pillar to post between BT Openreach and Plus Net and I am stuck in the middle with a slow, unreliable connection with the same crackling phone line.
Please fix this issue.
PS: I admit that fo the most part, I had been suffering in silence between these calls to PN as I have been working overtime for the duration of the issue and that I have little free time during the week and weekends.

Re: Poor Quality Service - BT & Plus Net

ReedRichards — Fri, 13 Jun 2014 18:53:08 GMT

Although Plusnet do deliberately throttle all connections a tiny bit they do it for a reason. They do not throttle a connection down from 18Mbps to 3 Mbps. This was done by automated equipment in the telephone exchange, probably in response to your poor line.
Audible noise on the line is a problem that needs to be fixed. Yet you seemingly have had two BT Openreach engineers out who failed to deal with it. That must be extremely frustrating, although it's hardly the fault of Plusnet. Were the engineers deaf or did the noise go away whilst they were there?

Re: Poor Quality Service - BT & Plus Net

paulsomerset — Fri, 13 Jun 2014 18:54:50 GMT

I had the same problem as you a few years ago, BT rewired and fitted a new master socket and a in-line filter but I still had slow speeds and crackling on my line. It was the lightning protector/conducter for my line at BT exchange causing the problem, BT fitted a new one.

Re: Poor Quality Service - BT & Plus Net

russky89 — Fri, 13 Jun 2014 21:24:17 GMT

When the check was carried out, everything is fine heck even the call quality was good when I picked up the phone. I was told that the crackling could be one of these "peek-a-boo" issues (as the engineer put it) where comes out of nowhere. So far, I have been having a decent connection this evening, but it seems that during the daytime, there is the odd problem popping up every now and again and when it does, the line cracks.
I'm beginning to think the issue is pretty complicated and I'm still not a happy bunny having an iffy connection for a couple of months.

Re: Poor Quality Service - BT & Plus Net

Townman — Fri, 13 Jun 2014 21:55:25 GMT

Issues such as this are not so much complicated as difficult to locate. Noise on lines can be short-term dispelled by an incoming call, indeed the line tests performed by the BTOR test systems can also clear such faults, but not permanently repair them. Next time you notice noise on the line, try ringing the line, let it ring for a minute or so. Then listen to the line see if it is any less noisy.
BTOR can have difficulty locating these issues unless they trace the whole line checking every joint. Sometimes these issues do not show up on test equipment unless tested from the cabinet. Unfortunately PN might need to repeatedly call out BTOR until such time as a specialist escalation can be requested.
As for the speed fall, what tends to happen is that after the line "fix" the engineer resets the line, which is fine until the line faults generates errors and the DLM seeks to manage the line for stability.
Issues such as this have nothing to do with the ISP. Indeed if you were to switch ISPs, this issue would follow you.

Re: Poor Quality Service - BT & Plus Net

ReedRichards — Sat, 14 Jun 2014 06:25:22 GMT

Quote from: Townman
... Indeed if you were to switch ISPs, this issue would follow you.

That's not 100% certain. If the fault happens to lie with the equipment in the telephone exchange and you switch to a LUU provider, who installs their own equipment there, then the change to the new equipment might just clear the fault. But that only applies to LUU providers and since the fault could be down to a bad joint anywhere between your house and the telephone exchange, the odds of switching solving your issue are very poor.
There is really nothing Plusnet (or any other ISP) can do to help beyond repeatedly passing the problem to BT Openreach in the hope that they can locate the fault and fix it. However Plusnet maintain records of the performance of your broadband which should confirm that it is not performing up to scratch so there should not be any dispute over the fact that something still needs to be done.

Re: Poor Quality Service - BT & Plus Net

jelv — Sat, 14 Jun 2014 09:57:15 GMT

To check the line quality dial 17070 and take option 2 (quiet line test). I suggest you check that if another engineer says all is OK (before you let him leave).
Have you checked if you still get the crackling in the test socket?

Re: Poor Quality Service - BT & Plus Net

jkg2014 — Sat, 14 Jun 2014 10:41:06 GMT

I would diagree with the term poor quality of service. NO service is more to the point BT may have hidden behinde the name of a company with a good service but now its rotten through and through like BT. I have spent hours on the telehone trying to close my three accounts I was told I started a new contract which I did not. I have sent a letter to the complaints Dept over 2 weeks ago NO aknowledgement even of my letter and no response from Customer services to my termination requests. I have now sent a letter to the CEO and will have to wait and see how long it takes to get a response from this BT man.
I was previously with Orange AOL and Virgin 3 addresses and all of them offered a better service and more stable broadband that plusnet.
As a yorkshire man I am sad that BT got there hands on this company and ruined it. As a member of Which I want to ensure they no longer promote plusnet plc (BT) as the best

Re: Poor Quality Service - BT & Plus Net

russky89 — Sat, 14 Jun 2014 19:38:16 GMT

Quote from: jelv
To check the line quality dial 17070 and take option 2 (quiet line test). I suggest you check that if another engineer says all is OK (before you let him leave).
Have you checked if you still get the crackling in the test socket?

I'll dial that number the next time the issue happens. And I am using the Test socket since last week (still hooked up with a shiny new microfilter).

Re: Poor Quality Service - BT & Plus Net

russky89 — Sun, 15 Jun 2014 10:14:39 GMT

After carrying out the quiet line test when the connection went down (around 11.09 am), I did notice a ton-load of noise with some screeching and crackling. When the connection is restored, the crackling dies down or it goes quiet on the phone line.
I really hope that PN takes this seriously and that further action is taken. Preferrably, I would love it if BT just fixed the damn thing in one operation as I'm really busy during the week and I can't just go around chasing it up each time I encounter an issue, my current employment doesn't give me that luxury.

Re: Poor Quality Service - BT & Plus Net

ReedRichards — Sun, 15 Jun 2014 13:13:24 GMT

Could you be experiencing some sort of interference? That could give problems which are there some of the time but absent otherwise? Last year I got a new neighbour who brought two cheap portable TV sets that played hell with my broadband when either was switched on. They didn't give rise to noise on the phone line but Medium Wave radio was severely affected.

Re: Poor Quality Service - BT & Plus Net

PitchBlack — Sun, 15 Jun 2014 13:41:43 GMT

I have a similar problem with intermittent noise on my line, it is OK for a few weeks then the noise comes back and keeps disconnecting my connection. My line speed doesn't suffer though but my up noise margin goes from 6 to 12+, then when I use the phone, the up noise margin can go into minus figures.
As said above, it is really hard to pin point as a BTOR engineer cleared my line, because the noise stopped 2 days before he turned up, then returned the next week. I cannot be bothered reporting it anymore as nothing gets done on the BTOR side of things. PN try their best but until they get their own engineers or BTOR completely rewire all the crap cabling from the cab to my house, then IMO it is pointless even reporting a intermittent line / noise fault.

Re: Poor Quality Service - BT & Plus Net

ReedRichards — Sun, 15 Jun 2014 17:47:49 GMT

I disagree. The cause of an intermittent fault in any piece of equipment can be difficult to identify and fix but it isn't impossible. When I had a problem with interference from my neighbours TV set the cause was hard to identify but I was able to do that myself eventually. One tool I used was a piece of software called Routerstats that continuously monitored my router so I could see exactly when the problem (manifest by a large decrease in the noise margin) came and went. If I were in russky89's shoes I would do that to see if there is a pattern to when his/her problems arise.

Re: Poor Quality Service - BT & Plus Net

billnotben — Sun, 15 Jun 2014 18:03:04 GMT

I remember having a similar problem way back when I was on dial up (not Plusnet). Crackles on the line. Every time BT did a line check they disappeared for a month or two. But of course things gradually got worse.
A BT man came out at one point and checked the line. Again the crackles disappeared for a couple of months before they came back again. Eventually another BT man came out and told me he was going to check my line thoroughly at every joint. He was in my street a couple of hours at least. Climbing his ladder, looking down holes.
That was many years ago. The crackles never returned.

Re: Poor Quality Service - BT & Plus Net

LinnPlusnet — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 09:06:31 GMT

Hi russky89,
I'm sorry to hear you're experiencing problems with our service.
I've asked our Faults team to look into this for you by the end of the day. Please monitor Ticket: 86785852 for any updates.
I have escalated Ticket: 87085181 back to you as this is a duplicate ticket as Ticket: 86785852 is already dealing with the same issue.
Our Faults team will be back in touch as soon as possible to progress your fault.

Re: Poor Quality Service - BT & Plus Net

LinnPlusnet — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 09:17:21 GMT

Hi jkg2014,

Quote from: jkg2014
I have spent hours on the telehone trying to close my three accounts I was told I started a new contract which I did not. I have sent a letter to the complaints Dept over 2 weeks ago NO aknowledgement even of my letter and no response from Customer services to my termination requests. I have now sent a letter to the CEO and will have to wait and see how long it takes to get a response from this BT man.

I'm sorry if you've not had a response from our Complaints team. They normally respond to complaints made by letter within 10 working days of updating the complaint on your account. Did you send this by recorded delivery?
I've had a look at your account and a complaint has not been raised on your account. If you'd prefer to raise this online to our Complaints team you can do so here: http://www.plus.net/support/service/policies/complaints_code_of_practice.shtml

Re: Poor Quality Service - BT & Plus Net

Townman — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 09:40:29 GMT

Quote from: billnotben
Eventually another BT man came out and told me he was going to check my line thoroughly at every joint. He was in my street a couple of hours at least. Climbing his ladder, looking down holes.
That was many years ago. The crackles never returned.

That rather well makes the point. The only way to fix faults such as this is to find a BTOR engineer who'll do the job properly, which means check EVERY joint and repair as necessary. All that PN can do is keep asking for a visit until the fault is located.

Re: Poor Quality Service - BT & Plus Net

ReedRichards — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 18:03:28 GMT

Quote from: Townman
The only way to fix faults such as this is to find a BTOR engineer who'll do the job properly, which means check EVERY joint and repair as necessary.

But that could well be the same engineer who did not turn-up for somebody else's appointment because he/she spent too long at the first one. Complaints about Openreach engineers failing to turn-up are a regular feature of this forum. And he/she may well get into trouble with the supervisor as a result. If you are an Openreach engineer I strongly suspect that taking the time to do a thorough job could be 'career limiting'.

Re: Poor Quality Service - BT & Plus Net

Townman — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 18:46:50 GMT

This is no different to any fix / repair service. There will be big jobs and short jobs and the resourcing model should account for that when determining how many appointments a given team can reasonably address in a day. You seem to suggest that not fixing a problem to ensure that an engineer gets to another customer (and potentially not fix that user's issue as well) is institutionally acceptable.
A fix done properly on the first visit is in the long run more proficient and resource / cost effective than moving on at the end of the allotted time. It is possible that this is recognised by BTOR who have made a big public play in saying that they are recruiting 1600 new engineers. May be they have recognised that they are not fit for purpose?

Re: Poor Quality Service - BT & Plus Net

x47c — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 19:38:17 GMT

The resourcing mode seems to allocate 2 hours to fix any fault.
Indeed if the operative starts to exceed this regularly then as RR says it becomes career limiting for them.
Indeed I've had a fault where I was bluntly told this - the time had run out so it would have to be re-scheduled and he was on to his next job.... see you and goodbye.
I only hope the next person was suitably impressed at his prompt appearance. For all I know it might have been a business line with a defined SLA for which the subscriber has paid a lot so the BTOR HAD to go to it.
BTOR are seemingly trying to run a car assembly like JIT type system when the inputs (repair difficulty) are not in their control.
nor do they have any slack in terms of staff doing not much ready to jump into the breach when stuff starts to domino.
....because having this sort of thing on call costs money - we the consumer don't want to pay do we!
The BTOR mode of operation is to fix the fault and then do the listed line checks on their system and if the line passes that's it - next job.
The fact that there are other semi- or about to be faults is irrelevant.
If the line passes the tests - that is the end of the job.