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New customer - left without internet for 3 weeks and counting

holden
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎23-09-2015

New customer - left without internet for 3 weeks and counting

Hello,
My apologies for my first post being a complaint, but I just can't seem to get anywhere after spending the past 23 days talking via telephone & webchat to at least 19 different members of staff. (I should state here that everyone I have spoken to has been very polite and courteous despite all the problems)

To cut a long story short - TL/DR:
- I signed up my elderly mother for Plusnet 80/20 Fibre and homephone on Saturday 15th August 2015.
- A BT Openreach (BTOR) engineer came round on Tuesday 1st September and installed their modem.
- Since 1st September (when Plusnet took over), my mother has been left without any internet service.
- I have spent over 30 hours chasing this up with Plusnet's customer services over the past 23 days but we are stuck in a endless loop.
- I am repeatedly told BTOR just need to "close off the order" and everything will start working.
- I am told each time I call in that BTOR have now done this and the internet should be up and running within 24/48 hours, but so far I still haven't had a day of service
I don't know what else I can do?
I have spent most of the past 3 weeks on the phone calling in to Plusnet (and waiting hours on hold) to try and get this fixed but no-one seems able to end this nightmare and get me online.
I'm sure you will agree that this is totally unacceptable.
Please can someone take ownership of this and help me because I just seem to be getting passed around and having to re-explain my story to a new Plusnet staff member daily?
12 REPLIES 12
holden
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎23-09-2015

Re: New customer - left without internet for 3 weeks and counting

Here is the longer version/timeline:
I don't think I am allowed to use real names of the people I have spoken to, so I will substitute them as person [1], person [2] etc...
Saturday 15th Aug 2015 at 22:36pm
- order placed online for Plusnet Fibre 80/20 and Plusnet homephone
- also ordered the Plusnet router for £5.99 P&P
- earliest date possible offered for BT Openreach engineer to come round was over 2 weeks away, which we picked - Tue 1st Sept between 8am-1pm
Monday 31st August 2015
- No router had arrived from Plusnet in these 2 weeks since ordering, so I bought one off Amazon (an ASUS RT-AC68U router) to ensure we would have one to hand on Tuesday afternoon
Tuesday 1st Sept 2015
- BT Openreach engineer arrived on time at 8am and fitted a BT Openreach modem.
- He then checked the line and said everything was now ready & working and we were getting about 72Mb down/20Mb up
- We didn't have a Plusnet router so we couldn't check but he said as soon as it arrives, plug it in and it will work
- Received ASUS RT-AC68U from Amazon delivery in the afternoon
- Internet does not work. Says wrong username/password despite entering it correctly
- spent the whole evening on webchat to Plusnet customer services
- spoke to [1] at 18:56pm who said she had activated my account and told me to turn off the router and back on again, and it would all work in 15minutes
- I mentioned to [1] I had not received my Plusnet router through the post yet so she ordered me one
- Turned router+modem off and then back on, waited 20minutes. Still no service
- Spoke on the webchat again, this time to [2] (20:22pm). I was told BT Openreach need to "close off he order" but the people that would chase this up had already gone home.
- [2] told me to speak to BT Openreach tomorrow
- I believe the phoneline has been switched over to Plusnet Homephone from BT today
Wednesday 2nd Sept 2015
- called BT Openreach in the morning
- the man from BT Openreach on the phone said everything was fine their end and that the job/order *had* already been closed off properly on their system
- went back on to Plusnet webchat but the chat system was playing up so I got cut off from the 3 staff I spoke to.
- 14:12pm webchat with [3] - got cut off
- 15:07pm webchat with [4] - got cut off
- around the same time - webchat with [5] - got cut off
- 15:35pm I phoned Plusnet. Spoke with [6] who transferred me to "order updates team" (on hold again 15:42pm-15:59pm)
- 15:59pm spoke with [7] in provisioning.
- After explaining my case at length with [7] he says he will take ownership of this problem and get me sorted.
- [7] promised me - his exact words "I guarantee you 100%" that the service would be working on Friday (4th Sept) and he would call me back on Friday to make sure. (He didn't call me back).
- [7] then transferred me to [8] to discuss my ASUS router - he agreed that it should be compatible with Fibre. Call ends 16:30pm
Thursday 3rd Sept 2015
- Plusnet router finally arrives in the post
Friday 4th Sept 2015
- No one had called me back as [7] had promised, so I called up Plusnet
- 14:10pm 1st operator I spoke to was [9]
- [7] then called me back after this. He said "it should be working this evening"
Saturday 5th Sept 2015
- 15:57pm I phoned Plusnet, spoke to [10], was then passed on to [11] in provisioning.
- [11] said he would call me on Monday. Again I am being told BT need to "close off the order" and that it should be done in 24/48hours time.
- Again I explain everything at length, and [11] says he will take ownership of this problem
Monday 7th Sept 2015
- 13:07pm no-one has called so I phone Plusnet and speak with [12] in provisioning. I am told "it will take another 48 hours for BT to close off order"
Tuesday 8th Sept 2015
- 12:45pm Plusnet called me on my mobile. Spoke with [13]. Again was told the same thing: "should be completed today" and "this has been escalated at BT"
Wednesday 9th Sept 2015
- 12:54pm I rang up Plusnet and spoke with [14] in provisioning. He will chase this and call me back. He said "it will be working by 7pm". It wasn't.
Thursday 10th Sept 2015
- 10:08am I phoned Plusnet and spoke with [15]. He will chase this and call me back.
- 13:38pm [15] called me back. BT have said "it will be done by Friday 11th for sure by 6pm". [15] is not in again til Tuesday now, he tells me [7] isn't in either, but [11] is in today and will keep an eye on this after 6pm. I ask to be called back on Friday (11th Sept) if I was not connected by 6pm. (No one called me back on Friday.)
- Sent Twitter direct messages to @plusnethelp
Friday 11th Sept 2015
- Sent more Twitter DM's to @plusnethelp
- No-one has contacted me by phone as promised, and service does not work at 6pm.
Thursday 17th Sept 2015
- my mother has been away since Saturday 12th, but when she returned today the phoneline was dead. No dial tone. (so it could have had no service since Sat 12th)
- 16:37pm I phoned up Plusnet and spent 2 hours on the phone!
- 50minutes waiting on hold before I get through to operator - [16]. She says she will chase the phoneline problem and fibre problem with BT and call me back.
- [16] says she will now transfer me to technical. I ask if I will have to wait another hour on hold to speak to someone, but she tells me she can put me at the front of the queue so I will be the next person that gets answered. This is clearly not the case as I then have to wait another 40minutes+ on hold before I speak to someone else.
- On the same call (now about 1h40 in) I speak with [17] who will look into things and call me back in 20 minutes.
- [16] calls me back and tells me she will chase this and will call me tomorrow
- Trying to switch back to [17] my call gets disconnected, but [17] calls me back
- [17] tells me he has spoken to the relevant people and logged a fault about the phoneline. He will call me tomorrow.
- Sent more Twitter DM's to @plusnethelp
Friday 18th Sept 2015
- I have been promised call-backs by [16] and [17] but no-one calls me
- [16] updates the online ticket saying that "BT have now closed the order off"
- phoneline is back working again around 6pm
Saturday 19th Sept
- 09:26am - I call Plusnet but automated message says the systems are down so support staff probably won't be able to help
- 12:27pm - I call Plusnet again. I speak with [18]. Again I explain the whole story and case timeline. He then transfers me to provisioning at 12:37pm.
- I am told I will receive a call back between 5-6pm or after 6pm.
- [18] tells me he is working til 7:45pm tonight so he promises me a call-back
- 18:36pm no call back, but [18] has updated the online ticket saying "as i stated in my VM that this is continually worked and you are contacted Monday morning."
- It turns out [18] has called my mother's mobile and left a voicemail (despite me asking on the current ticket at the time that I be contacted on *my* mobile)
Monday 21st Sept
- no one has called me despite [18]'s voicemail message on Saturday saying "someone would be in contact first thing Monday morning"
Wednesday 23rd Sept
- 08:06am I call Plusnet and speak with [19]. He says he will instant message a manager when they come on duty at 9am and someone will phone me at around 09:10am
- no one calls me, but [19] updates the online ticket and a text message is sent to my mobile: "Thank you for your call, your order has been escalated to BT Whole Sale and a completion of the order has been requested. We will monitor and contact you as soon as this is updated"
This doesn't include all the countless times when I have phoned up and the recorded message has said "current wait times 45minutes" and I've not got through to someone.
This is the story so far. Hopefully someone out there will be able to get this problem sorted for me.
MattyC
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 3,201
Fixes: 46
Registered: ‎10-04-2014

Re: New customer - left without internet for 3 weeks and counting

Hi holden,
This doesn't make for great reading, really appreciate that this has been a frustrating journey for your parents so far. What's annoying, is that regardless of how many times you have chased the case up with us, we're still getting the same message from BT Wholesale, similar to what I have just received now.
I have escalated this once again, and have been asked to check back tomorrow. I will make sure that this is picked up.
Matty
ex-Plusnet staffer. Any posts after 28/07/2017 aren't on behalf of Plusnet
holden
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎23-09-2015

Re: New customer - left without internet for 3 weeks and counting

Thanks Matty
ChrisWoods
Rising Star
Posts: 55
Thanks: 2
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎11-08-2015

Re: New customer - left without internet for 3 weeks and counting

Sounds like particularly poor service from BTO, particularly as they've left a vulnerable person with no PSTN service for emergency purposes. I'd be surprised if that wasn't a breach of an Ofcom term or the USO, if it drags on any longer I'd definitely register a formal complaint: http://www.btplc.com/Thegroup/RegulatoryandPublicaffairs/Codeofpractice/CustomerComplaintsCode/index...
After eight weeks a deadlock letter can be raised at which point the ombudsman can get involved (for BT, it's OS:C -- http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/10789/~/how-do-i-make-a-complaint-to-bt%3F).
MattyC
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 3,201
Fixes: 46
Registered: ‎10-04-2014

Re: New customer - left without internet for 3 weeks and counting

Not to be nitpicky, but OP's phone line has been working throughout I think (though willing to be corrected on that).
Think we're getting a little movement on this, though I also note that one of my colleagues also has ownership on your account.
Matty
ex-Plusnet staffer. Any posts after 28/07/2017 aren't on behalf of Plusnet
holden
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎23-09-2015

Re: New customer - left without internet for 3 weeks and counting

Hi Matty, thank you. Yes I think ownership has now been taken by one of the high-level customer service managers who called me this morning.
Hopefully we can get this resolved soon, but I'm grateful that (fingers crossed) I won't have to keep ringing up and re-explaining my story.
>>Not to be nitpicky, but OP's phone line has been working throughout I think (though willing to be corrected on that).
Just to clarify - the landline was cut off for around 3 days (Tues 15th to Fri 18th Sept, possibly from Sat 12th), but has been restored now.
I spent 2 hours on a phone call to Plusnet on Thu 17th Sept to get this particular problem sorted. [16]+[17]
holden
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎23-09-2015

Re: New customer - left without internet for 3 weeks and counting

I'm pleased to report that I am now up and running (as of Friday 25th Sept).
This whole process took 41 days from placing my order (15th Aug), and 25 days after my official activation date (being left without any internet since 1st Sept). I also spent the majority of the month on the phone to Plusnet customer service going round in circles and having to repeatedly explain my case to each new staff member.
Around the same time I posted this thread (Wed 23rd Sept) I sent an email to Plusnet's CEO and received a personal reply from him within 2 hours.
This really was my last resort as I couldn't think of any other way to move forward.
Thanks to Mr. Baker and Matty for helping me end this nightmare.
djtoastie
Grafter
Posts: 52
Registered: ‎16-07-2015

Re: New customer - left without internet for 3 weeks and counting

Why arent the customers issues put on file? Like normal people would do, then a customer services representative just has to bring up original fault etc
If plusnet need some training, ill be happy to help cough cough  Roll_eyes
tonyflynn1
Dabbler
Posts: 17
Registered: ‎19-08-2015

Re: New customer - left without internet for 3 weeks and counting

That would imply a commitment to customer service that runs beyond the marketing dept.
Plusnet customer service is based around teaching the phone reps to apologise in new and different ways but beyond that, it's really no different from any other ISP.
As a business customer, my tale is similar to yours except it's posted in a forum that Plusnet staff rarely ever bother venturing into.
http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,142922.0.html
discoUK
Newbie
Posts: 1
Registered: ‎29-09-2015

Re: New customer - left without internet for 3 weeks and counting

Glad your sorted  Smiley
Unfortunatly I also placed my order on the 14th/15th August and still yet to have any internet. he date I have is October 8th!!  Angry
Chris
Legend
Posts: 17,724
Thanks: 600
Fixes: 169
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: New customer - left without internet for 3 weeks and counting

Quote from: djtoastie
Why arent the customers issues put on file? Like normal people would do, then a customer services representative just has to bring up original fault etc

They are stored on the account they, or they certainly should be. Staff can easily view the last 2 years of notes on an account.
Former Plusnet Staff member. Posts after 31st Jan 2020 are not on behalf of Plusnet.
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: New customer - left without internet for 3 weeks and counting

Quote from: Chris
Staff can easily view the last 2 years of notes on an account.

Shame that they frequently don't!
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
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