What exactly is it that takes so long to get my internet set up?

[#1]

Forgive me for being naive here as I've only just a few weeks ago moved out for the first time in my life at the age of 24. I signed with PlusNet 16 days ago, I figured it would take a couple weeks to get set up, etc. Since then, literally nothing has happened. My phone line is still not activated, I've not been contacted by anyone about it. I was told my phone line would go live today (I don't know why this took 16 days? Nobody even had to come out and fit anything?) but it still hasn't, and even after it goes live, why am I waiting 5-7 business days?

I don't mean this in a moany way, I just don't understand why this takes so long to do when there's not even been an engineer come out or anything. This is a really simple process that is being dragged out over a considerable amount of time, and it's cost me a bomb for the setup charges even though it appears that nobody is doing a single thing.

Thanks to anyone who can shed some light, I kinda feel like I'm being taken for a mug, so hopefully I'm just missing something and there's a reason for the time it takes.

edit: My order status says PlusNet are still 'gathering data' despite having been on the phone to them 3 times. Hasn't changed since the moment I placed my order

[#2]

There can regulatory delays involved as implemented by OFCOM, along with more mundane delays like a shortage of Openreach engineer time.

Maybe Plusnet staff can offer a fuller explanation.

[#3]

Hi there,

Sorry for any confusion, I've checked your account and it looks like we've been emailing you fairly frequently about the updates to your order. You can also see these here: https://www.plus.net/wizard/?p=view_question&id=186497014 - if you've not been getting these I'd advise double checking the contact email address we hold for you within the member centre.

Basically your order wasn't a standard one, when we checked your line it was a 'silver' key, which means we needed to send an engineer to survey the line and determine what was required for the install. Silver keys are where our suppliers don't know what's there, this could be due to the time since a line was last active at the premises or similar. It also looks like there was some external work needed following this survey in order to connect your line up.

You should get a further update once we've had confirmation that the phone line is active and we'll provide timelines for the broabdand service after this.