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Plusnet Service Status Page - Dishonest at Best

elementaltm
Rising Star
Posts: 103
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Registered: ‎09-09-2007

Plusnet Service Status Page - Dishonest at Best

Firstly I warn you this is a moan about the continued decline of quality Customer Service by Plusnet.

So my Broadband goes down today at 12:30pm and after checking it's not a local (internal) wiring or hardware issues I move in to check the Plusnet Service Status Page for any known issues: https://www.plus.net/supportpages.html?a=2&?helpheader=servicestatus
On the page "All live updates" shows a tick against Broadband with no known issues listed...

So next I try calling the Support Line to log my fault and advise them of a possible outage a message advises me due to high demand call times are expected at up to 30mins! After waiting approx 20 mins I get through to a Support Rep who checks my line and promptly informs me it's a known issue caused by a BT outage including my area 01189. I try to explain the ridiculousness to the Support Rep about the fact the Plusnet Service Status does not have this or any other known outages listed whist falsely reporting to customers no known issues with a big tick! In short it's ineffective and dishonest at best.

Where's the transparency here between Plusnet and their Customers?

At the risk of pointing out the bleeding obvious perhaps IF all outages were in fact listed on this page it would save a lot of wasted time and effort for all parties and reduce the call traffic considerably.
The Rep. then went on to tell me they cannot list all outages on this page... when in fact there are none listed. At this point I lost all will to live and ended the call.

Then I did something I should in retrospect have done in the first place and checked out BT's Service Status Page:
https://btbusiness.custhelp.com/app/service_status/
Sure enough my outage is listed along with a load of others that I guarantee are also effecting Plusnet Customers and Support call waiting times.

Currently on the Plusnet home page it's states: "We don't compromise on value or service"... REALLY? then be honest and transparent in your Service Status reporting, no one can blame Plusnet for an outage caused by a 3rd pary, i.e BT. It then goes on to say: "We continue to lead the way on satisfaction, that's why our customers are more satisfied than those of TalkTalk, Sky and Virgin." The reality is the Customer Service and Support from these ISP's (BT included but you can't list them because they own you) is appalling. Just check out the reviews from Which? Magazine.
Let's face it leading your competitors isin't difficult. Plusnet should be aiming to be in a different league to your competitors. Like you used to be...


Rant over, although I was trying to criticize constructively. Anyone agree or even disagree with me? Then please comment.
KABOOM!
13 REPLIES 13
Oldjim
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Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Plusnet Service Status Page - Dishonest at Best

elementaltm
Rising Star
Posts: 103
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Registered: ‎09-09-2007

Re: Plusnet Service Status Page - Dishonest at Best

Hi @Oldjim, erm... honestly I'm not entirely sure why you chose to share that link or how helpful it is in connection to my original post... although It's a pleasure to converse with you. Also poses the question: why "shouldn't" it? or is that just a typo?
As I mention previously I had only referred to the listing on the BT Status page which is now resolved and matched the resolved timestamp supplied by the Plusnet Support Rep. It seems the link you shared from Zen does in fact refer to the same outage and timescale.

KABOOM!
jelv
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Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Plusnet Service Status Page - Dishonest at Best

https://status.zen.co.uk/broadband/ would have been a better link to post. Can you find your outage on there?

And how about on here: http://usertools.plus.net/exchanges/mso.php

jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)
elementaltm
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Registered: ‎09-09-2007

Re: Plusnet Service Status Page - Dishonest at Best

Understood, cheers guys.
KABOOM!
Anoush
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Re: Plusnet Service Status Page - Dishonest at Best

I think I may have spoken to you earlier today. Apologies for the lack of MSO updates on our service status page.

 

Something I'll feed back to the relevant department to look into, however it is currently a manual process at the moment. Appreciate that it may reduce the call queues though.

 

Was the outage resolved in the end?

This is my personal Community Forum account to help out around these parts while I'm at home. If I'm posting from the 1st March 2020, this means I'm off-duty with no access to internal systems.
If this post resolved your issue, please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
elementaltm
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Registered: ‎09-09-2007

Re: Plusnet Service Status Page - Dishonest at Best

Hi well spotted it was me.

I would be greatful if you would ensure this is feedback as surely it shouldn't be to hard for BT to provide Plusnet with a feed or API to enable outages to be embedded automatically it into Plusnet's Status page.

NB: Also worth noting my issue was not listed on: http://usertools.plus.net/exchanges/mso.php

Cheers.
KABOOM!
Anoush
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Re: Plusnet Service Status Page - Dishonest at Best

Yeah, I checked the user tools site for updates whilst I was testing your line. It seems to have reported other outages across the day except the one that affected your service. Sad

 

Though I believe the user tools was created many moons ago, and isn't an official page that's regularly maintained. Still, I'll certainly pass the feed back on for us to see if we can look into developing some kind of automated feed.

 

Thanks again for the feed back.

This is my personal Community Forum account to help out around these parts while I'm at home. If I'm posting from the 1st March 2020, this means I'm off-duty with no access to internal systems.
If this post resolved your issue, please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
spraxyt
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Re: Plusnet Service Status Page - Dishonest at Best

The Usertools MSO page reflects only ADSLmax (20CN) outages because that is the only information it has available to it.

David
itwashimnotme
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Re: Plusnet Service Status Page - Dishonest at Best

"We are currently very busy, 30+ mins wait time etc" is sadly now the norm from plusnet. (i also highlighted it in my own thread the other day).

Transparency? most definitely! we customers can see right through it (BS).

"Award winning customer services"  can someone please pass me a bucket because i think i'm gonna throw up!

elementaltm
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Registered: ‎09-09-2007

Re: Plusnet Service Status Page - Dishonest at Best

Thanks for the insight @spraxyt, that confirms the inclusion of the link was in this case irrelevant. Although I appreciate it could be helpful to others and I had made no mention of my Plusnet Subscription. (Unlimited Fibre Extra / FTTC)

Think I should summarise and address some of the responses to my original post so far, specifically the links to "external" resources such as Zen even Plusnet Usertools. The main point being Plusnet users should not have to resort to searching for relevant information from competitor Websites. BT's MSO's (Major Service Outages, to the uninitiated) should without question be incorporated into one single resource the Plusnet Service Status Page AND the Status for Broadband / Internet Connectivity should have a big red cross. Or perhaps a new category should be introduced, e.g. Openreach with its own big RED cross.
KABOOM!
elementaltm
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Posts: 103
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Registered: ‎09-09-2007

Re: Plusnet Service Status Page - Dishonest at Best

@itwashimnotme again that highlights the point, how many of those calls were related to MSO's not on PlusNet's Service Status Page. I will add I even tried online chat waiting for over 10 mins before giving up. Live Chat's all very well if the service provider has the capacity, i.e. Support Reps to cope and for minor / quick questions.

KABOOM!
quickbrew
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Re: Plusnet Service Status Page - Dishonest at Best

Hello Elementaltm,

I am a newbie to the forum who signed up with Plusnet 30th Jan 2017 anticpated transfer 14th Feb.

I read your OP on this thread with interest, but as a former user of ADSL based broadband services from various ISPs' it struck me in your criticisms that you could be talking about any of them.

This should come as no surprise as BT owns the major items of equipment needed to supply the wholesale services across the distribution network to the various ISP leaseholders.

What seems to consistantly occur to damage across-board reputations are reports of difficulties with 'OpenReach' which although currently still part of BT (subject to reports of OFCOM looking at splitting them off) are tasked with the maintenance and service of the national network of the BT owned systems.

I need to be careful in my wording as I dont wish to appear libellous - but from many reports I have read and my own experiences through my ISPs' complaints process following which, just like you, I researched the validity of - and discover more truth elsewhere, and according to allegations on the BBC's Watchdog TV programme that at best 'OpenReach' misdirect and at worst lie about both their new works and repair targets, it should come as no surprise that whichever ISP you chose you will be extremely lucky not to suffer some occurrences of dissatisfaction.

Don't get me wrong, I am not rushing to the defense of our ISPs' who often deserve constructive critisism but in fact they (ISPs') are often not in control of their own destiny, let alone their customers.

I am alarmed at the seemingly vast numbers of Plusnet grievances expressed on this community, on the Plusnet Facebook Faults page and God help any potential Plusnet switcher who Googles PN's reviews.
However, it is a human failing that most of us are quick to complain when things go wrong and slow to praise when things go right.

Having said that, I understand that current Plusnet customer service phonelines are regularly backlogged from 15 to 45 mins waiting to be answered. This is a direct failing of the service provider and should be addressed urgently. I must say though that I have found the online help Chat line both useful, quick and efficient to use.

I am less than impressed with the gigabytes worth of Plusnet Facebook faults pages which reflect too many cut and pasted Plusnet-stock assurances and consequently diluted apologies posted in response to the very many and often same origin, repeated unresolved complaints.

I honestly feel that if ISPs' were more forthcoming in their dealings with us about their impotence in affecting 'OpenReach' targets that we might cut them a bit more slack, albeit that we may still be frustrated and angry but at least not misplaced anger.

I don't know for sure but I imagine ISPs' have a difficult time trying to maintain their professional dignity when they often don't have independent access to the answers of our problems.

At the end of the day I have been around long enough to experience several ISPs' and long reached the conclusion that they all see us as simply cash cows and we must ultimately choose the best of a bad bunch. Consequently, I am not going prejudge my personal relationship with Plusnet yet, but if they breach the contract I have much experience in complaining.
A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity.
An optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.
elementaltm
Rising Star
Posts: 103
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Registered: ‎09-09-2007

Re: Plusnet Service Status Page - Dishonest at Best

@quickbrew thanks for joining in the discussion.

Your right I like most of us here are well aware BT Openreach own and operate the Network the majority of ISP Subscribers Services connect over. Don't get me wrong the purpose of this thread is not to bash Plusnet, indeed Plusnet still continue to do a better job than their larger competitors such as BT, TalkTalk and SKY. I just wanted to make sure you we're also aware BT owned Plusnet... Which is why it is even more frustrating Plusnet do not publish MSO's! As I have already alluded too I agree with you regarding openness and transparency increasing customer understanding and loyalty.

Without risking going of topic... I would also like to add it's not just ISP's that see us mere mortals as cash cows. You just need to browse the latest reviews from the Consumer Magazine Which? for confirmation that (with rare exception) all of the biggest Service Providers whether it's Broadband / Mobile / Electricity / Water or Gas provide terrible Customer Service and a general lack of transparency. I fear they will continue to do so unless we the customers act together and take a stand... and I don't necessarily believe it's as simple as all that or see that happening any time soon.

Signing off, the Reluctant Rebel! Wink
KABOOM!