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Broadband interruptions

msbernice7
Grafter
Posts: 29
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎29-07-2016

Broadband interruptions

Today I have had very intermittent broadband.  Quite often not been able to write a complaint here because the broadband has gone off again.  I have tried turning off the router. And back on again of course!   The support pages say there are no broadband issues.  (It's just gone off again)  Earlier today I was only getting 3.7 rather than the usual 6.8  

Please check my line for me although I don't hold out much hope since I've read all the other people's comments about loss of service and see that they all have no line problems. 

I can't actually send you this as I've no internet connection

Quick it's back

23 REPLIES 23
Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,916
Thanks: 9,534
Fixes: 156
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Broadband interruptions

Hi,

There's lots of self help you can do for your self to help identify the cause of your issues.

Broadband is not going to work well if the "phone" line is not working properly.

Please perform a quiet line test - dial 17070 select option 2 using a corded phone plugged into the test socket behind the face plate of the master socket. It should be silent. A noisy phone line (or no dial tone) will have a marked adverse impact on the performance of broadband.

If the line is noisy or there is no dial tone, then a PHONE LINE fault needs to be raised with your phone provider. If this is PlusNet, you can report a fault on line using the button below.  From the Q&A list, choose the one which matches the problem, 'open' the 'section' and click the trouble-shooter link.  NB: If you receive a failure message (rather than a log-in prompt) then log-in to the user portal in a different browser tab and attempt to use the trouble-shooter again.


At this time of year (wet weather) phone lines can become problematic - much to do with the age and poor condition of BT circuits.

If you can get on line long enough, have a read of the speed issues thread - see the link below.

NB: To run the diagnostic tests you do not need to be able to connect over YOUR internet connection.  Any connection to the user portal can be used for running the trouble shooters - they test "your" line, not the means by which you connect - so you could for example run the tests using a 4G connected smart phone.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

msbernice7
Grafter
Posts: 29
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎29-07-2016

Re: Broadband interruptions

Thank you.  I do not have a corded phone.  However the cordless phone has a terrible noise on it.  I cannot get as far as Option 2.  I cannot phone you and currently online chat is unavailable.

 

I am assuming that perhaps melting snow has got into the line somewhere. 

Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,916
Thanks: 9,534
Fixes: 156
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Broadband interruptions

If you have some other means of getting on line (smart phone?) you can run the phone trouble shooter over that.  See the link below.

Chat -"Busy" or "Unavailable"?  These are very different states.  Are you a residential or a business user?  If residential are you on a fixed IP address?

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

msbernice7
Grafter
Posts: 29
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎29-07-2016

Re: Broadband interruptions

I know the difference between busy and unavailable!!!!!  Your website said it was unavailable otherwise I would have used it.  I have used it before and have been impressed withthe service I received.

 

Which link below?

 

The phone line issue has now been referred to Openreach.

 

It is a residential line.

 

Mysmart phone barely got 3G today - mostly it was on E - so I have been struggling with the technology today.

Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,916
Thanks: 9,534
Fixes: 156
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Broadband interruptions

I am sure you might know the difference ... however some people though might conflate the two ... call "busy" "unavailable" and consider the states to be identical.

The SUs have had Chat availability under discussion for a while with Plusnet management.  UNAVAILABLE is not a status RESIDENTIAL users should ever see.

  • A residential user seeing UNAVAILABLE points to a service access issue, not a service availability issue
  • A business user seeing UNAVAILABLE indicates that the service is not presently serviced - this might be seen during service hours for 10 or so minutes at a time

Add blockers are known to cause access issues ... and historically there were other issues too (one I personally suffered) which pointed to a matter I am advised has been resolved.  I have also seen BUSINESS access reported as UNAVAILABLE .. and immediately report as AVAILABLE on refreshing the browser.

My very precise questions were to see if there is a residual issue here requiring further investigation.  Discussions are still in progress behind the scenes.

@LouisaMartin

 

BTW its not my website - I'm another customer just like you.  Links referred to are in my signature below.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

msbernice7
Grafter
Posts: 29
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎29-07-2016

Re: Broadband interruptions

Thank you Louisa

 

I was extremely frustrated by technology yesterday.  My grandson was born in Australia  on Wednesday and technology is the only way we can be in contact both through VOIP and receiving photos.  Between the interrupted broadband and the lack of 3G on my phone we were having real problems.

Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,916
Thanks: 9,534
Fixes: 156
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Broadband interruptions

The above was from me (a superuser customer) - Louisa is a staff member whom I've tagged to take a closer look at the issue.

Answers to the asked questions will I hope help understand what you are experiencing which seems to be at odds with expectations.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

msbernice7
Grafter
Posts: 29
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎29-07-2016

Re: Broadband interruptions

Thank you Townman.

 

As you can tell this community totally confuses me.  Fortunately I rarely have problems with my broadband and phone so don't need to visit.

LouisaMartin
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 397
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎01-02-2016

Re: Broadband interruptions

@Townman @msbernice7

I'll get someone to have a look at this now, see what's happening

Louisa
LouisaMartin
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 397
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎01-02-2016

Re: Broadband interruptions

Hi @msbernice7

 

@Gandalf is going to reach out and check on the broadband and phone line issues for you, so we can get you sorted.

In terms of the webchat not working yesterday, I'm just waiting for our webchat manager to come back from a meeting and I'll check about the service from yesterday. As @Townman confirmed, when going through the journey for a residential customer, you should never see the Unavailable option, unless you are on a fixed IP. If this is the case we can get your IP taken out of the logs and everything will work fine again.

Thanks

Louisa
Gandalf
Community Gaffer
Community Gaffer
Posts: 26,563
Thanks: 10,265
Fixes: 1,599
Registered: ‎21-04-2017

Re: Broadband interruptions

Hi there. I'm sorry to hear you're experiencing connection problems.

I've had a look at the fault report with Openreach, and I can see it's in hand. We've been given an estimated response time of by 18/12/17 23:59:59. Our faults team will follow up after this time, via ticket 164202982.

From 31st October 2022, I no longer have a regular presence here as I’ve moved on to a new role.
Anoush Mortazavi
Plusnet
LouisaMartin
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 397
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎01-02-2016

Re: Broadband interruptions

@msbernice7 can you let me know where you were when you tried to do a webchat please?

Did you go through Contact Us or were you in one of our Help and Support articles and clicked to webchat from there?

Thanks

Louisa
msbernice7
Grafter
Posts: 29
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎29-07-2016

Re: Broadband interruptions

Thanks Louisa

 

I'm not sure where I was.  I went on a lot of pages but I think it might have been through the Contact Us section.

msbernice7
Grafter
Posts: 29
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎29-07-2016

Re: Broadband interruptions

Thanks

 

Today I mostly have internet connection but only half speed.  As for the phone that isn't working at all.  I can't even dial the 17070 number