Can someone explain why my download is worse than dial-up?

[#1]

Thanks Anoush for confirmation of the revised booking but I consider it outrageous that you have the audacity to point out on the ticket advice that the £65 charge will apply if I fail to keep the appointment.  What charge can I make for your engineer not keeping the original appointment? 

Dilly.

[#2]

Okay! So what's the excuse this time? Again the engineer has failed to turn up when I was assured the booking had been confirmed.  "We'll do you proud". Well I certainly feel done, wasting another afternoon and being threatened with having to pay a £65 charge if I fail to keep the appointment. I am extremely angry at being let down yet again without even a courtesy text or phone call to explain why. I need answers, please, as I still have an almost non-existent broadband service that you continue to charge me for.

Dilly. 

[#3]

Sorry about the delayed response Dilly and that the engineer didn't turn up again

Our suppliers unfortunately missed the appointment because of engineer availability/resourcing issues.

Many apologies for the inconvenience caused. However I can see you've called our support team yesterday and we've managed to resolve the issues remotely. How are things now?

[#4]

Hi Anoush,

Yes, due to lack of activity in other quarters, I did indeed ring the support team and, if I am permitted to name individuals, would mention that [CSA Removed] was extremely patient and helpful in trying to resolve my problem. To be truthful he communicated with my friend and neighbour who has been assisting me in this matter. [CSA Removed] recorded a d/l speed of 5.1 mbs and at my end we achieved 4.41 mbs, very satisfactory compared to results over the past two weeks or so. However, I regret to say that again it was short lived and less than 30 mins. ago I was unable to even perform a speed test after waiting over three minutes for the page to upload. A few hours earlier I recorded 0.08 with latency of 649 ms.

Ironically, a caller from Openreach rang about an hour ago to arrange a visit for tomorrow between 1 pm & 6 pm but then rang back several minutes later to tell me he wouldn't be coming because, having spoken to Plusnet, the order had been cancelled. Talk about left hand and right hand, I'm not sure who is the most confused. To answer your question, Anoush, things are no better than they were this time yesterday (and many days before). Perhaps there is something in the pipeline still to be done that may resolve the issue once and for all.

Dilly

Moderator's note by Mike (Mav): CSA name removed as per Forum rules.

[#5]

This really has gone beyond a joke now and suffice to say I am fuming. Yet another appointment (the third) has been made and again no engineer turned up. No text, phone call or email, nothing to say why; just leave me sitting here waiting in the forlorn hope that this time they may have got their act in order. Alas no.

Hard to say where I go from here. Obviously a waste of time relying on promises made and easily broken. I think maybe a change of supplier is in order, one who actually cares for their customers although that is perhaps wishful thinking.

[#6]

Finally, four days later and after the fourth time of asking, an Openreach engineer arrived to investigate the cause of so many disruptions to my broadband. An extremely pleasant and helpful young man, after extensive tests, eventually found that faulty external wiring, probably due to rainwater ingress, was primarily responsible. Having rectified the problem as best he could, his  tests showed that 4 plus Mbs was now attainable but explained that it would possibly take up to 10 days to stabilise, expecting to settle at about 3.5 Mbs, sufficient for my needs and returning me to where I was before the trouble started. I just hope that Plusnet will now make every effort to ensure that I once again receive the level of service I am paying for. 

In two weeks or less I hope to mark this issue as resolved but time will tell.

[#7 · Accepted solution]

After many ups and downs, missed appointments and several phone calls, it would seem that, at last, my internet connection is back to normal. Having performed frequent speed tests over the past five or six days, I'm pleased to report an average download speed of 4.9 Mbs which, for my purposes, is more than satisfactory. It enables me, as an elderly widow, to maintain contact by email and through Skype with my grandchildren and their parents who live too far away to visit regularly. I would therefore like to thank all those who have helped to resolve the problem and am happy to consider the matter closed.

May I, however, mention that posting on this forum has proved to be extremely helpful in obtaining a quick response from people sympathetic and ready to assist when one is faced with such problems. It is disconcerting that there are so many with similar issues but somehow comforting and reassuring to know that there are those so willing to offer advice and guidance when needed. 

Dilly.

[#8]

Apologies again for the delayed response Dilly and the poor experience you've had in getting this resolved.

Let us know if there's ever anything else we can help with.

[#9]

Anoush,

Am I correct in believing that Plusnet will have received some form of compensation for these BTOR's failed appointments?

[#10]

Hello Townman,

I'm happy and relieved that my broadband problem has now been resolved but confess that my patience was put to the ultimate test with these missed appointments. No fault of Plusnet's I'm sure but still a matter that needs serious investigation from all concerned. I'll be interested to see if you get any response to your question. 

Dilly

[#11]

Hi Townman,

Why am I not surprised to see that you do not appear to have received a reply to your question some weeks ago regarding compensation for missed calls by BTOR engineers. Interesting to see that Plusnet have apparently agreed to join a proposed scheme along these lines although not likely to be implemented for at least another twelve months. Suggested reimbursement, I understand, could be as much as £25 for each missed call and £8 for each day of delay in repairing a service after an initial two days grace. On that basis, I could well have anticipated very healthy compensation but unfortunately no such offer has been received or expected.

Dilly