Competency Of Plusnet Telephone CSC Analysts?

[#1]

Hi,

This is a serious enquiry as to whether I would get more sense from people on this Forum than trying to sort things out on the Phone and raising Questions only to deal with yet another new [Removed] CSC Analyst every time a reply is answered?

I have been with Plusnet for years now and always dealt with problems (and there have been many) by the above method which usually turns out a lengthy process because of the low standard of some of the CSC Analysts and the very slow response times from them (many days) using the Question method.

My hobby is computing and I have learnt quite a bit about Broadband connections, ADSL etc, as I have a slow ADSL rural connection about 2 miles from the exchange and have had many problems with it over the years which quite often I land up with Analysts who think they know it all trying to tell me Black is in fact White, only to be proved wrong further down the line.

I take it that there are Plusnet staff amongst others on this Forum answering questions and trying to help Forum members, would I get any better informed response here than using the above method, or are they the same Analysts that answer the Opened Questions?

Moderator's note by Dick (Strat): Insult(s) removed as per Forum rules.

[#2]

You should explain your problem here. You stand a very good chance of getting a sensible answer/action.

[Baldrik1,]

Thanks Baldrik1,

I have an on-going problem which may at the moment be in the process of being fixed (10 days retrain in progress) but if it does not work out or the problem returns I will give the Forum a try.

I must admit I am optimistic about the use of the Forum as any post by a Plusnet Analyst would be seen by others and would stand out if the reply was rubbish where as it's only me or another CSC Analyst that sees the rubbish reply on a Question.

[#4]

Be assured that if a response on here is obviously rubbish plenty of people will see it and comment accordingly!

[#5]

Hi kheemonahs, 

I'm really sorry for any poor experiences you've had with our support agents. 

I'm reading through the tickets on your account and will pass on some feedback, I can see some good responses too so I'll not exclude those in passing on some praise too. 

Do let us know if you need any further assistance with the issue though. 

[#6]

Hi Adam,

Thanks for looking at the problems I have had on that open ticket, if you have spare time read the previous long ticket refered to in the current ticket to see it all in context.

As I have said I seem to be getting somewhere at the moment;  17-08-18_10.00, LINE HAS BEEN STABLE @ SYNC 3763 Kbps, SNR @ 4.0, LINE ATTEN 53.5 dB, OUTPUT POWER 18.0 dBm, DOWN 3.28 Mbps, UP 0.36 Mbps for 2.25 DAYS,

PLEASE, by all means observe but DO NOT TOUCH unless you are 110% sure you can improve it

At the moment I am a reasonably happy bunny, and the sync may even go slightly higher!

Seeing the last CSC reply this must be a complete miracle! 😉

[#7]

Hi @kheemonahs, 

I've had a look at your ticket and the older ticket quoted in the ticket too. You've definitely had some issues and I'm really sorry about that. Adam has already fed back on the necessary agents which should assist with trying to prevent any future failures.

As it stands at the moment I would suggest that we don't touch anything on the line and leave it as it is for you to monitor and let us know if anything returns. If issues resurface please feel free to come back to us on the community first, I'm also going to send the account ticket back to you for monitoring.

Please let us know if you need anything.

[#8]

Thanks JOLO,                      

I will do that.

I have received reply to Question 179762365 from [CSA Removed] and will reply, (1) If anything changes, (2) after 13 days to bring it up to date, but I hope that some other person does not pick it up as what usually happens (ie, 1 step forward 2 steps back), &  (3) place update on the Forum .

This is a lot better interaction that I am used to just on a Ticket!

Moderator's note by Mike (Mav): CSA name(s) removed (to an area staff can see) as per Forum rules.

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

[#9]

Ok, points taken, still finding my feet here, I will choose my words a little more carefully!

I am now on ADSL2+ but not syncing as well as on ADSL1 and getting the speeds that I would have expected with everything taken into account so I am thinking of swapping my fairly stable Broadcom Technocolor TG582N (I do also have a Plusnet Hub One which on my long line kept dopping) for a Billion BiPac 7800DXL and (unlike the Hub One) has the Broadcom chipset as has my exchange, also has very good reports and is now quite cheap.

2 questions please, (1)   does anybody have experience of this router over a 2 mile rural line and if so their impressions, (2) what is the best time of day and sequence to swap over routers without upsetting the DLM?

[#10]

I know nothing of Billion routers, I use a BT Smarthub 6 available on Ebay for around £30, which uses the Broadcom chipset.

I'm not sure that there's a good or bad time to disconnect. The trick is to go into the router settings and select the disconnect field, not just pull the plug. The other advice is to leave it disconnected for say half an hour so that there's no chance that it's recorded as a dropped line. Having said that a single disconnect is unlikely to cause issues.

[#11]

Thanks Baldrick1.

I have now connected a Billion Bipac 7800DXL and it is a completly different animal to the stock Plusnet & BT modem routers.

It cost £35 and has many user settings which are relevant to my particular line problems.

I have now improved the Sync & SNR thus improving the Download by .5Mbps & is stable.

Will be keeping a close eye on things for a week or so.

I noticed after the last post here that although I had asked for no action by any CSCA one did a reset.

PLEASE do not touch the connection at all for the time being! 

[#12]

Hi @kheemonahs

I Have A Billion Bipac7800DXL I Think You Will Find It A Good Router And As You Say You Do Have Some Control Over Some Settings. If You Need Assistance Don't Forget To Try The Billion Forum Most Useful. I Understand It Is Considered Good On Longer Lines. 

As You Are Monitoring Your Broadband Performance Why Not Try RouterStats-Lite (http://www.vwlowen.co.uk/internet/files.htm#routerstatslite) Which Once Setup You Can Monitor SNR And Connection Speed Via Graphs. I used The Zipped Version That Seems To Work Better With Windows !0 Than The Windows Self Installer Version.

[#13]

Over the last year or so, I've been using two secondhand Billion routers - 7800N & 8800NL, and they're more reliable and consistent than any I've had over the years since 2001.

For stats, RouterStats is good, but personally I prefer DSLstats.

[#14]

Hi OwldChap,

I agree, the Billion Bipac7800DXL is the best router I have had, but then again I have only had "Supplied" Modem Routers till now, it did not seem worth while spending money on something which potentially would not improve what was a bad BT rural service. This changed when just recently I was put on ADSL2+ from ADSL1 which I had been told previously was impossible by Plusnet although an Openreach Engineer had told me otherwise.

With regards to RouterStats & RouterStats Lite I have both installed one for the Plusnet Technicolor TG 582N and the Lite for the Billion routers and have been running checks all the time for years now.

You mention the Zip Version of Lite does it have anymore bells and whistles than the installer version which I have, it runs ok but lacks some of the full stats of the RouterStats version?

Tony (another old chap)

[#15]

Hi @kheemonahs Zip Version Just The Same, Installer Version Just Caused A Little Niggling Problem (Message Came Up [Can Not Access  Some File, I Forget The Name Old Age I Suppose] Each Time I Started RouterStats-Light.)  

Will Be Investigating @198kHz Recommendation Though Thanks For The Information 198kHz.