Delay after delay and it’s never PlusNet fault…

[#1]

I ordered broadband on the 1st August, and was given an instal date of the 7th. This date comes and goes, with no router provided and no install. I call them and am told there is a “capacity issue with the exchange” and they don’t know when Openreach will fix it.

Someone from Openreach turns up a few days later and says this is nonsense…

Suddenly, I’m given a new install date of the 13th. No engineer shows up again! Now I’ve been allocated another install date of the 22nd August, a full 3 weeks after placing my order and nearly 10 days after their second cancelled appointment. I’ve just called PlusNet to ask them to expeditor it, only to be told they can’t contact Openreach and there’s no point bothering trying to change it.

What a joke. What unorganised, lazy and unhelpful customer service. I live rurally, and this delay is having a significant impact on my ability to work from home, and PlusNet seemingly have no interest in trying to help and are content with creating excuses that blames someone else.

Am I due compensation? Should this be expedited by them? One thing is for sure, I will never ever use them again and I’ll never use a service provider that relies on the unreachable Openreach again.

[#2]

Hello Tom,

A warm welcome to the forums...

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@TomFarmery wrote:
What a joke. What unorganised, lazy and unhelpful customer service. I live rurally, and this delay is having a significant impact on my ability to work from home, and PlusNet [Openreach] seemingly have no interest in trying to help and are content with creating excuses that blames someone else.

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That is a very fair description of BT Openreach.

Plusnet can only do what Openreach permits to be done.  Shifting sands and mixed messages is my personal experience of Openreach in the circumstances of protracted installations, especially in rural settings.  Lies are common place as are delays.  My worst experience was a 3 month installation blighted by excuse after excuse from Openreach.  The crunch came when they claimed that tree cutting was required to facilitate the installation ... and power line isolation was necessary to do the work ... they were waiting on SPEN.  I engaged with SPEN direct and found Plunset and I has been spun lie after lie for weeks.

As for escalation, if Openreach say next update is in 5 days, then there is ZERO point in the ISP chasing, the chase will be rebuffed without further attention.  Beyond that Openreach set the rules on the circumstances in which the escalation routes can be invoked.  This is not a matter of Plusnet not caring, but one of Openreach, who at time still operate as though there are the GPO, not caring ... especially where there are no alt-nets.

I would never trust what a field engineer tells you to be the gospel or fully informed truth either.

You should though be aware that the use of Plusnet's residential grade broadband services (and those of many ISPs) proscribe the use of the service for WFH purposes.

As for compensation, that depends in if the dates you have referred to are CONFIRMED installation dates, as opposed to 'attempt to install' appointments.  Look for the words "aim to" in any communication about start dates.  What service are you having installed?  FTTP can be a multiple visit installation.

Ofcom Automatic Compensation Scheme

Plusnet is signed up to the Ofcom Automatic Compensation Scheme - see Automatic Compensation FAQs. Plusnet will pay automatic compensation in the following circumstances:

1. Delayed activation of your broadband and/or landline service
2. Delayed repair following a total loss of service
3. Missed appointments

For compensation to be paid (as a credit to your account), you must have a CONFIRMED date for the failed activity. Compensation is credited within 30 days following the resolution of the issue giving rise to the claim.

To see what is happening in detail, check the ticket history on your account - log into the portal in another tab, return here and click the PN TICKET link below. Look at the details of the tickets; if there appears to be no activity after the due date, contact support.

Note: Outages arising from a Major Service Outage (MSO) event need to be processed manually, so you might need to contact support.

[#3]

Thank you for your comment. I’m not impressed with PlusNet or Openreach. It shouldn’t be this hard for them to establish more effective communication channels to facilitate a 5 minute install of a box…

I have multiple confirmed install date messages which have been missed or cancelled.

I cannot fathom why PlusNet wouldn’t have the ability to escalate the situation.

Do you know how I go ahead and raise a compensation claim please?

Thank you,
Tom

[#4]

Do you know how I go ahead and raise a compensation claim please?

@TomFarmery if you've had a Commited date which has been missed then the Ofcom automatic compensation scheme https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/service-quality/automatic-compensation-need-know will kick in from that date.

Compensation will automatically be applied once the service has gone live. You do not need to claim it.

[#5]

Hi Tom,

The end point might approach be a "5 minute" installations of a box, but there might be a country mile (or two) of back connection to install.  There is a lot you've not said about the character of the installation.  Is it FTTP / SoGEA?  Is there existing infrastructure?

The reference to "install of a box" suggests that this is a new 'line' of some description, so possibly FTTP ... which is far more than an "install of a box" activity.  Depending on circumstances, FTTP could be a three visit activity depending on the stage of the local roll out.  ISPs can only sell what BT Openreach say is available ... that does not always mean it is available for instant simple connection.  The community does not have sight of your personal circumstances, thus allusion to various possible other contexts must be considered.

As for compensation, if that is applicable under the automatic scheme, then you do not need to claim.  See the link in my previous post.  Whatever, there will be no consideration given for consequential loss related to not being able to work from home - see the T&Cs - Terms and conditions for Plusnet residential services | Help | Plusnet

12. Our responsibility to you

12.1. If something goes wrong we'll always look to put things right but, except as set out in paragraph 12.3, we'll never be responsible for:

12.1.1. financial loss;

12.1.3. losses that you may suffer if you have used the service or equipment we provide for business purposes (for example due to not being able to carrying out remote working or being able to run a home business);

12.1.7. any loss incurred where the failure is due to matters beyond our reasonable control.

In reality no ISP has any control over the conduct of BT Openreach.  In my experience with protracted issues, they only effective course is to go outside of the ISP Openreach relationship confines and write direct to the CEO of BT Openreach asking for intervention from the DSO.  That usually results in a local BT Openreach middle manager getting a rocket and the user / ISP a faster resolution.

It is not always great; I have too much first hand experience of BT Openreach indifference in rural North Cheshire than I care to recall!

EDIT: Had an interruption during drafting, thereby late crossing post with @MisterW 

[#6]

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@TomFarmery wrote:
Do you know how I go ahead and raise a compensation claim please?

I believe compensation is credited to your account once the connection has been established - i.e. after the point at which you are locked into a 18 or 24 month contract.

Do you have any altnets nearby or a decent 4G signal?

[#7]

@TomFarmery Thank you for reaching out to us on our Community Forum, I'm genuinely sorry to hear of the poor experience with us so far.

I would like to confirm that the advice given by @Townman and @MisterW is spot on, we do compensate for delayed activation and missed appointments, as I had to go into details regarding the date and confirmed appointments to give a better timeline, I have opened a question on the account, please follow this link: https://www.plus.net/wizard/?p=view_question&id=249607874

Please let me know if there's anything else we can look into in the meantime

[#8]

Hi. I joined Plusnet in April and despite having an installation date shortly afterwards, have had numerous issues. Open reach have been 3 times and now say the work they initially did was substandard. The engineers said they’re using cheap contractors to do some of the jobs. They damaged my property in the process and Plusnet have been useless in trying to address this, almost 5 months later

[#9]

@James707 Ideally, you should start your own topic, and give some detail of your issue, if you want help from the Community.

[#10]

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@James707 wrote:
....They damaged my property in the process and Plusnet have been useless in trying to address this, almost 5 months later

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If Openreach (including their contractors) have damaged your property then you can complain directly to Openreach. See:  https://www.openreach.com/help-and-support/when-to-get-in-touch-with-openreach/complaints-policy