Cancellation only option?

[#1]

Hi,
I'm posting here as I've spent 3+ hours on the phone today and not been able to speak to anyone who seemed to care.... I signed up with PlusNet as I heard they had decent customer service, but now I have no Internet or Phone and wondering what I can do next!
I ordered fibre broadband 13 days ago. All went well and it was confirmed that I would switch to PlusNet on 3/8. My old service got turned off this AM. However, the engineer didn't show up, so I called. I was then told matter-of-factly that the engineer decided he didn't need to come to the property!
When I asked who would set up the broadband I was told to do it myself. When I asked who was going to do the cabling, I was told to do it myself. When I asked about the 30m extension that was part of my order, I got a dismissive 'well if you're going to make a fuss over a bit of cable, then well have to send some to you'. At which point I was put on hold and after 30 mins of waiting, I gave up and hung up.
So, since I am 13 days into a 14 day cooling off period, and I have no phone, no Internet and a provider that clearly doesn't care, the only practical option is to cancel the order and either provoke a response, or at least reset the contract to give time to arrange something.
So, I called to cancel. 45 mins of waiting I spoke to someone who clearly doesn't like their job. After a very brief chat (no question of why, or any attempt to resolve any issues) the contract was cancelled and I was promised confirmation.
7pm this evening, I checked email, and no confirmation. I call, 15 mins wait, then a 20 minute surreal argument with someone who clearly though it would be entertaining to have a word-play argument with me, though the ability to not lie so poorly that they contradicted themselves within the same sentence was sad. Exhausted by the process I gave the ultimatum of 'confirm the cancellation or I'll instruct lawyers in the AM', and after 5 mins more verbal rudeness, I finally got an email to confirm that I had called to request cancellation!
Ok, so I'm not a happy customer. But also, I don't have an active phone line or broadband.
I've double and triple checked the emails and they're clear that an engineer appointment will be made 'on the date of switchover'. I've read and re-read the questions and it clearly says that an engineer will call at the property, that there's no charge if I order phone and broadband, they I can get a 30m extension included.... its very, very clear... so I'm sure I'm not the deluded one here.
Also, I prepared for the extension, ripped down some coving and ceiling, etc.
So, please (a) tell me that this is the best I can expect and that I should be happy that I cancelled in time, or (b) that something has gone badly wrong here, and someone can make it all right!
Meanwhile, I have no phone or Internet (so much for a smooth switchover and minimal loss of service!). If I don't get an answer by tomorrow AM, I'll need to sign up with another provider simply to get back online.
What a mess!

[#2]

Oh, and something else that confused me.... I was told that the modem that got sent to me a couple of days ago won't work and I shouldn't try to use it.
I was told that I should use an old BT Home Hub that I had. When I asked how that should be set up, I was told that was up to me to figure out!
Seriously?

[#3]

Quote

So, please (a) tell me that this is the best I can expect and that I should be happy that I cancelled in time, or (b) that something has gone badly wrong here, and someone can make it all right!

It does sound like something has gone badly wrong here!. The lack of an engineer visit sounds strange , are you migrating fom an existing fibre connection ?
The good news is that I'm sure one of the Customer Relations Team(CRT), who monitor the forum, will be along shortly to sort out the mess.

Quote

I was told that I should use an old BT Home Hub that I had. When I asked how that should be set up, I was told that was up to me to figure out!

That's the easy bit, there's a guide here http://community.plus.net/library/hardware/using-a-bt-homehub-3-or-2-on-plusnet-adsl-or-fttc/ although unless it's a HH5 you will still need a BT modem which it sounds like you don't have...

[#4]

Thanks for the reply.
- Yes, I am migrating from BT Infinity. But, we've had problems with connectivity for the past 2 years and we can't get BT to do anything, hence the move and why PlusNet was appealing, because its stated that we'd get an engineer visit. i.e. a chance to make sure the internal cabling is ok, the extension would mean better placement in the house, and a new modem/router would mean that we'd eliminate the HomeHub as a factor.
It now sounds like all these expectations were false, but I've re-checked the FAQs and all the info available to me before I signed up and it is absolutely clear that I should expect all this to be the case. Not to mention taking a day off work to be there for an engineer that didn't show up, the 3 hours on the phone, etc
- The HomeHub. Yes. I've read the guide and I can see how I could use the HomeHub, it just isn't clear at all when you sign up (in fact it says the opposite) that PlusNet won't supply the equipment that you need.
I could probably muddle through, but I'm nervous that I will still have a connection that barely works (as has been the case for 2 years) with BT refusing to do anything and saying that the problem is with the internal cabling (which BT installed), or the homehub (I suspect not as they've got me to buy two new ones and the problems persist, but it would still be good to eliminate it as a factor).
However, what PlusNet are saying they will do, is absolutely what not happened, and so far my experience has been of waiting endlessly on the phone and then being brushed off as an annoyance when I actually do get to speak to someone.... other than poor customer service, I can live with the rudeness if I can get the service that I signed up to..... admittedly I have now cancelled it, but that was just because I didn't want to be locked into a contract with a supplier that wasn't willing to sort out the issue... I remain open to moving to PlusNet if it can be sorted.
Thanks for the response though.

[#5]

Sounds like a right mess of a start up you've had.....I think I've read on forums somewhere that if your migrating from one fibre service to another then an engineer visit doesn't normally take place as you've probably got the modem already.....but can't say for the life of me where i read that...either way it should have been made clear to you by PN.
Im guessing now that you've cancelled with PN that you will need to start all over again and will probably be another 10 days or so for line to be active for service????  could be wrong though.

[#6]

Heh - I wrote a great reply, then the forum kicked me out and lost my reply!
Anyway:
- Yes a mess
- Yes, I've kind of come to that conclusion myself: no engineer, no modem - the issue is that the PN website (9,10,11, etc, here: https://www.plus.net/home-broadband/faqs/fibre-optic-broadband/#installation-info) is absolutely clear that the opposite is true
- 10 days - well, lets see if Customer Service will respond to this thread. If not, then I might as well go with a cheaper and more honest up front supplier.
So, cust service - put me out of my misery. Can you let me know whether you are willing to resolve this? If not, let me know so that I can go and sign up with another supplier.
Remember, I currently have no phone or broadband, and may well have none for another 2 weeks, thanks to this mess. So, you have some responsibility to at least do me the courtesy of letting me know whether it will get sorted or not.

[#7]

Investigating now. Will update thread shortly.
Hi rsd,
This makes for poor reading, sorry to hear your experience so far.

Quote from: rsd

I got a dismissive 'well if you're going to make a fuss over a bit of cable, then well have to send some to you'. At which point I was put on hold and after 30 mins of waiting, I gave up and hung up.

Is this genuinely what was said? If so, I'll listen to the call and feed back as accordingly.
I've activated your account now so that you should be able to get online. However, as you have also contacted us to cancel the account we will be ceasing our own asset and refunding you soon. This will mean that you will have downtime for a while, no matter what provider you go with. If you want to reverse this decision, feel free to let me know ASAP. There''s a lot to sort out in your case, however I feel that this should take most importance for now.
Matty

[#8]

Thanks for the reply - well, that's number one thing sorted out - having a positive response from PN - thanks for that, much appreciated
'Is that what was said on the call'? - probably not, I hold my hand up to probably misquoting the specifics here. I'm sure the actual words may have been more polite, but the intent is accurate, i.e. when I made the point of 'what about the extension cable - surely that clearly implied an engineer visit', the response was 'we can sort that, and get the cable sent to you'. i.e. not the resolution I was seeking of 'where's the engineer'. The call immediately then transferred me, and I got tired of listening to a ringtone after another 10 mins or so and hung up, as it wasn't the cable I wanted, but the engineer visit.
Activated the account to get online - I still don't know how to do that.... I could figure it out from the Homehub I already have, the PN modem I've been sent, etc, but... I don't want to do that until we've sorted the issue out as that is effectively me accepting the service, using it and accruing charges, which essentially means I've accepted the contract beyond the cooling off period, and then I'm committed to a contract term when I'm not yet happy with nor assured of the quality of service I want - i.e. the engineer visit to check out the cabling, do the extension, etc.
So, I'm happy to stay with PlusNet, whether that means allowing the cancellation to proceed and restarting the process, or cancelling the cancellation, any my using what equipment I have to use what is now an active service, providing.... can I get the engineer visit that was promised/expected when I started - i.e. to check the master socket is correct and run the extension cable?
If I can get a commitment that will happen (in the next few weeks), and we're able to cancel the cancellation, then that may be the simplest and easiest (and most customer-happy) solution,
If you can promise the engineer visit, but the cancellation has gone too far and I need to reapply, then I will do that. Less ideal as we have an outage, but that's no different than if I go to another provider at this stage.
If there's no engineer visit, then let me know and I'll decide from there.
Thanks for all the help - it completely changes my attitude to have someone helpful to engage with, very much appreciated

[#9]

Ahhh - another twist....
I just received an email from PN with this in it:

Your broadband service is nearly ready. A BT engineer will be visiting your home to install Plusnet Fibre today. Please don't set up your router until the engineer has visited as you won't be able to get online until then.
Is this a result of you reactivating the account?
Is there really going to be a visit today? First notification I've had of it.... can you let me know if this is really going to happen and I'll see if I can make arrangements for someone to be there...

[#10]

Quote from: rsd

Is this a result of you reactivating the account?

Yes it is, if you're able to configure the HH5 up, you should have your internet back. Ignore the bit about the engineer, sorry for the confusion.
I will investigate the deal with the extension cable, and see what the next steps are for you. Don't worry about the cancellation notice period either, as I'll treat this subjectively.

[#11]

Please see my previous post:
- I'm not prepared to try to configure anything, as I don't want to use the service (which is an implicit acceptance of the contract at a guess) until we sort out the installation issue
- Engineer/installation - please clarify whether we will get an engineer visit or not. I want to know this asap so I can decide whether to continue with PN (i.e. you are going to do what you said you would when I signed up) or not.

[#12]

Good Morning,
It looks as if Plusnet put your order as a self install order.  This means that the engineer only visits your local green cabinet (where the fibre link from the exchange to your street/road ends and goes onto copper cabling)
No engineer visit is required and it is the customer's job to connect up the router etc...  Obviously if there is a more advanced problem of getting set up then Plusnet would send an engineer to investigate.
Maybe Plusnet's website needs to be updated accordingly?
Regards,
NE

[#13]

Not correct - it was a fibre to fibre migration so no engineer visit is needed or would happen

[#14]

Quote from: MattyC

Yes it is, if you're able to configure the HH5 up, you should have your internet back. Ignore the bit about the engineer, sorry for the confusion.

As a note here Matty I got an email with the same misleading text when I migrated in on Feb 2014. I'm sure I mentioned it to someone at the time (I was pretty certain one wasn't required) and it seems more than a little disappointing if new customers are still getting told this.

[#15]

Was going to say - if you already have fibre broadband with another supplier, you don't require an engineers visit to the property.
It is a bit misleading like Andrue said, Plusnet need to make this more clear.
NE