When is a line fault not a line fault

[#1]

Hi all,
I'm partially sounding off, partially looking for some help.
My normally solid FTTC line started dropping out on Wednesday. If I listen to the phone line, it's noisy around the time the line drops (rustling/bad connection noise - not popping or whistling).
I raised a ticket, only to be told this isn't a line fault and that it's a broadband fault. I'd already disconnected my internal wiring and am currently using the test socket.

What's bothing me is that in the ticket there is the GEA test detail. That quite clearly has:
Test outcome: Fail
Description: Impairment in copper joint detected most likely close to customer premises. Please continue to submit a trouble report.

I'm supposed to leave my connection like this until Monday. It's still randomly dropping out.
Am I reading the GEA test correctly? That looks like a fault on the line. I can understand the need to rule out my wiring, but sitting around proving it's still broken is a bit annoying.

I'm happy to jump through hoops, so long as it's getting me somewhere.

Oh, and around the same time the line started dropping, there's a big hole been dug between me and my local green cab. Not saying it's related, but if I were a betting man...

Thanks for getting this far!

[#2]

@gromit69 Whoever replied that it wasn't a line fault needs extensive re-training - it obviously is!

That hole probably has something to do with it too - probably disturbed/ moved the cabling in some way. Can you ask any neighbours if they are having problems?

You are reading the GEA report correctly - I would, personally, reply to the ticket with a suitable comment, and, if you can get through, ring PN and complain.

[#3]

@gromit69 

Sounds like someone has got confused. If you have noise on the telephone line it's a phone fault and needs to be addressed by whoever (be it Plusnet or maybe another company if you are on a legacy monthly contract) has your phone contract. It is not considered to be a broadband fault as eliminating the phone line noise will in all probability fix your broadband issue.

[@Baldrick1 and @jab1]

Thank you @Baldrick1 and @jab1

I've just updated the ticket. Hopefully someone will get back to me!
It's just mildly frustrating that the ticket has been open for close to 3 days, only one person has looked at it and judged it wrongly. Bah!

[#5]

Waste of time complaining nothing gets done unless you start getting bolshy they just pass you round and around

Just like their website cannot get anything out of it.

It used to be good when i joined now its total [-censored-]

Moderator's note by Dick (Strat): All caps text edited as per Forum rules.

[#6]

@haywardsteve Admittedly , staff involvement on here is woefully lacking, and I personally, without any proof, but with plenty of experience of this type of thing from the past, suspect this is due to BT (mis)management having a good go at trashing the Plusnet brand. I don't think you can actually blame the staff - they have to do what they are told, even if they are totally aware that it is wrong.

The website has been emasculated, true, but again that is a management decision taken by incompetent individuals - fortunately, there are still a fair number of long-term Community members around who try to offer what help they can.

As you say, the whole Plusnet experience is becoming painful, but there are ways round a lot, but not all, of the problems.

[#7]

@jab1 Agreed. I've been with Plusnet a while, and I even remember the days of the 'bad boy pipe'.

Very slowly they're becoming a BT clone - information is hard to find, support are hard to contact, prices are becoming opaque. You are right - this isn't anything to do with the people on the phones and dealing with actual faults, this is a management strategy.

It's sad because it worked well for a long time.

I'm nearly 5 days into a fault and all I've had is one person wrongly classify it. I'll be jumping ship when my contract is up.

[#8]

Now I am getting the BT scam call about my broadband press 1 to talk with a indian call centre where they try to get hold of my bank details, I work for Border Force /Customs and have access to back tracking software and it soon told me the call was been redirected to India.

How did they get my details unless someone was giving out details to them???

[#9]

Simple answer, @haywardsteve - they were not. These Indian spam merchants use autodiallers which 'pick' a range of numbers e.g. 01234 2nnnnn to 01234 9nnnnn and dial them - some people (enough to make it worth their while) will answer and follow their 'guidance' - others merely look at the number displayed and say 'don't know who it is, they can whistle'.

There are a number of sites on the web - my favourite is http://uk.whocalledme.net/ , which lists these random idiots and the tricks they try to pull.

[#10]

Yay - PN have agreed to send out an engineer out!
One question though. There's the usual spiel about being charged for internal wiring or no fault found. Is there evidence of this being charged? I don't mind being charged for my own daft fault, but I wouldn't want an engineer turning up, going 'looks OK to me mate' and disappearing off, leaving me £65 lighter...

[#11]

@gromit69 I suspect - but can't promise 100% - that this is an infrastructure problem that is the remit of BT/OR to fix. If you still have the noisy line - I'd check - then they will be very unlikely to be able to charge you.

[#12]

This is what's bothering me a little. Last week it was pretty bad. But it's been better over the weekend,
My Thinkbroadband BQM graph shows just one drop in the last 24 hours 😕

[#13]

The main question is, though - have you still got a noisy line, even if it is intermittent?

[#14]

That I don't know. I know when broadband disconnects the line is noisy.
The last time is disconnected was 4am when I was asleep

[#15]

If the engineer finds no fault I doubt you’d be charged for the visit as it seems clear from the testing that there is a fault so it’s more likely Plusnet will just arrange another engineer (if there are still issues)