Fibre to the Premises - FTTP Trial

[#1]

Quote from: Hustler

..., let's hope he gets back to me on Monday.

I don't blame you for feeling frustrated over this - I'll probably feel the same when I finally get round to 'ordering' FTTP by applying to go on the trial if I have to wait like you're having to. 

[#2]

@ Hustler/Grandpa - Sorry, just to check something - but did you try to join the trial by filling in the ticket from http://trials.plus.net ?
Most the general sales/provisioning staff will not be aware of FTTP (as dave has said before, Plusnet have more support staff than FTTP trialists), so it is worth flagging it up on here. The Digital Care guys on here should be aware of the trial and get you an answer. I hope things will be straightforward for you.
I wanted to check about the BT Wholesale Checker as there have been previous instances of people having fibre cabling outside their properties and believing they can order FTTP, but it wasn't showing up in BT Wholesale's ordering systems when it came to placing the order.

[#3]

AndyH - yes we both have completed the ticket via the trials web page. They are both still showing as "Awaiting support team answer" under our respective questions in the Help & Support section. Mine was raised on the 20th March, with Grandpa's a day or so sooner.

[#4]

We know for a fact that we can get FTTP, as my next door neighbour (With another ISP) has just had it installed and both me and Hustler are attached to the same pole.
The three things that really aggravate me are .
1) The PlusNet "Trial" has been running for some time now and it would appear to be a solid technology so why is it not part of their normal packages by now?
2) Other ISP's (As with my neighbour) manage to request it and get it installed with no problems or delays.
3) I have had NO RESPONSE WHATSOEVER to my initial ticket requesting FTTP, Not even to acknowledge  that they have received it even after making a phone call to CS and them promising to chase it up.
I wouldn't mind betting that if I had switched ISP's at the time I made my initial request to PlusNet, I would already be on FTTP by now but I don't want to leave PlusNet because of their Great customer service. 

[#5]

Quote from: Grandpa

1) The PlusNet "Trial" has been running for some time now and it would appear to be a solid technology so why is it not part of their normal packages by now?

There would need to be a lot of systems changes and staff retraining for a very very small number of customers - Openreach said at the end of Dec 2013 that they had 10,000 FTTP end users. It is a very niche technology that is unfortunately only available to the minority.

Quote from: Grandpa

2) Other ISP's (As with my neighbour) manage to request it and get it installed with no problems or delays.

There is really only one ISP properly providing FTTP and that is BT Retail. There are some smaller ISPs providing the service, but you would probably end up paying twice the cost (although you get better support).
Hopefully, Plusnet can place an order for you and get you set up relatively quickly. The leadtimes on installs in the past have been pretty good - I think Openreach are very keen to get as many people installed as possible.

Quote from: Grandpa

3) I have had NO RESPONSE WHATSOEVER to my initial ticket requesting FTTP, Not even to acknowledge  that they have received it even after making a phone call to CS and them promising to chase it up.

I would hope one of the DC guys on the forum can chase up for you what is going on today.

[#6]

Let me add my voice to this thread. I also applied for the FTTP trial through the correct channels on March 29th and have not as yet had any response either.
I accept that FTTP is only available to a limited percentage of customers, but for those customers it is the only way that they can get fibre because no one has the choice of either FTTP or FTTC. So that excuse is not a consolation for any of us where FTTP is our only option.
If the trial is over subscribed then why not let us know. A response to the application would be a start, even if it was an automated response to let us know that we should expect a delay of x weeks in having your orders placed. Worst case if the trial is closed and we will never get FTTP through Plusnet then we need to know that so that we can look at another ISP. Having been a Plusnet customer for over 10 years I do not want to leave, but if that is the only way to get a faster Fibre internet connection then that is what I will do.l

[#7]

@AndyH,

Quote

There would need to be a lot of systems changes and staff retraining for a very very small number of customers - Openreach said at the end of Dec 2013 that they had 10,000 FTTP end users. It is a very niche technology that is unfortunately only available to the minority.

I may be wrong on this one but personally I cannot see why there is such a difference between providing FTTP compared to FTTC once BT have installed the equipment (Which is a simple mater of running a cable from the pole outside our house and installing the OTB & Modem. The packages available from PlusNet are the same for both FTTP & FTTC. also as BT upgrade the Fibre network there are becoming more and more customers who will require FTTP as well as FTTC so if PlusNet do not keep up with the technology people are going to start switching ISP's (If BT or some other company can provide FTTP and PlusNet cannot then it only leaves one option if you want FTTP and that is to switch).

Quote

There is really only one ISP properly providing FTTP and that is BT Retail. There are some smaller ISPs providing the service, but you would probably end up paying twice the cost (although you get better support). Hopefully, Plusnet can place an order for you and get you set up relatively quickly. The leadtimes on installs in the past have been pretty good - I think Openreach are very keen to get as many people installed as possible.

You are probably correct on that point BT is the main provider but as BT now own PlusNet and I would think BT would be as keen as possible to get as many people on to FTTP as possible so they can start making a return on their investment, I would have expected both BT & PlusNet to put systems in place to make this upgrade as quick and easy as possible.

Quote

I would hope one of the DC guys on the forum can chase up for you what is going on today

This is my biggest bug bear, I can expect to have problems or delays to some extent, But not even a simple acknowledgement of my request or an update on any problems is beyond the joke, I would expect this from other ISP's but not PlusNet even after making a call to CS and been told they will chase it up.
At the end of the day if there are only a small number of people who require FTTP then they only need to train a few people to deal with it and this small team should be able to handle any enquiries , If they have not got enough people to deal with the work load because there are more and more people requiring FTTP then PlusNet need to up the training to match the work load, simple business practice.
Note. I put my request in on 17th March (3 weeks ago today), and as requested on the application page, specified two dates for the work to be done WITHIN the timescales quoted on the Trial sign-up page, the first of which would have been next Monday. As I have had no reply as of yet I still do not know If I need to book holidays for these dates (Which I was planning on doing, as I want to be there on both dates)

[#8]

A further day goes by without any response from Plusnet to our tickets or questions. I even haven't had the courtesy of a response from Dave to my Direct Message, even if it was to acknowledge my message and that he would look into the matter. A look at his profile shows hew was last on the forum at around 5.00pm, so no reason why he could not respond.
A further nail in the coffin of poor Customer Service from Plusnet, it now really does make me think that they cannot provide the FTTP service which they are currently offering via the trial, but they don't have the backbone to tell everyone.

[#9]

Quote from: Hustler

..., it now really does make me think that they cannot provide the FTTP service which they are currently offering via the trial, but they don't have the backbone to tell everyone.

The complete lack of response to your recent posts in this thread PN certainly does make food for thought.  I'm beginning to think they're avoiding answering because there could be something they don't want to tell us yet - maybe an announcement of the trial ending and an official FTTP product range?

[#10]

Quote from: RobPN

maybe an announcement of the trial ending and an official FTTP product range?

I really hope not 
My only other alternative would then be BT Retail - who I have refused to join after BT Openworld messed up my ADSL in the late 1990s.

[#11]

Quote from: AndyH

I really hope not  My only other alternative would then be BT Retail - who I have refused to join after BT Openworld messed up my ADSL in the late 1990s.

Sorry if I'm being thick, but I don't quite follow 
Surely if you can be on the PN FTTP trial you would be able to have a standard PN FTTP product if it was on offer?

[#12]

Sorry, I totally misread what you wrote! I read the first bit...but not the second!!!  
(Note to self...read things a bit slower) 

[#13]

Quote from: RobPN

Quote from: Hustler ..., it now really does make me think that they cannot provide the FTTP service which they are currently offering via the trial, but they don't have the backbone to tell everyone. The complete lack of response to your recent posts in this thread PN certainly does make food for thought.  I'm beginning to think they're avoiding answering because there could be something they don't want to tell us yet - maybe an announcement of the trial ending and an official FTTP product range?

This FTTP Trial started back in 2010, personally I think PlusNet are long over due offering this as a standard package and should put systems in place to offer it as a package same as FTTC.

[#14]

RESULT,
Just had a phone call from PlusNet, me and Hustler should be having the internal work done on the 25th April, roughly works out within a few days of my original dates 
All I would say is for other people who want FTTP, It would be nice if PlusNet could keep customers updated with the order process a bit better, For example a reply to the original request stating an approximate time scale or any other information.
EXAMPLE.
"Thank you for your request to join the PlusNet FTTP trial, We will confirm that you have been accepted for the trial within x weeks and will contact you again with further information"
Even better just make FTTP available as a package same as FTTC.

[#15]

Good luck with the installation and I hope it goes without a hitch.
My earlier warning that Plusnet managed to delete my entire account after transferring me to the trial was completely serious, so fingers crossed it doesn't happen to you. If you receive an email saying your request to delete a mailbox has been accepted, phone CS immediately and don't hang up until it is sorted out!
And in trying to get it fixed I also discovered that PN only run a few days of rolling backup of mailboxes - yes, read that again - just a few days, no long-term archive, not even 1 week. I was amazed. Given that it took 2 weeks for them to finally try to restore things for me, this was not very useful. It took the gloss off having FTTH. Time to finally work out how to get Gmail to do what I need.
They did not Do Me Proud.