Can't Ring in to Home Phone

[#1]

Not certain, but now you mention it, @MisterW I'll do a little more investigation locally if the weather stays kind.

[#2]

Just an update for those who have helped.

An engineer came yesterday and fixed a couple of faults he found (exposed/corroded wiring at the outside box and wet connection in the street underground duct box). He also replaced my old phone socket with a new master socket.

The phone now rings, though the line fault apparently isn't reporting as cleared, so he wasn't confident the improvement would be permanent.

Another underground joint is shown on drawings, so he has referred that to survey and tarmac teams.

Dave

[#3]

Glad you're getting somewhere, Dave 👍

[#4]

On 20th Feb I got a text from Plusnet saying that Openreach would recommence work on the fault on Monday 22nd Feb.

On Monday 22nd the Openreach engineer didn't arrive.

I then got a voicemail from Openreach saying the work was scheduled for Tuesday 22nd  between 8am and 1pm and I  should make sure I was at home.

I waited in, but this slot came and went and no Openreach engineer arrived.

The initial engineer's opinion that the  improvement seen in the phone line after his work would not be permanent given the line was still testing faulty proved accurate. The phone is back to either not ringing, or only ringing once then cutting off (A rectified loop fault I think the first engineer called it).

Now impossible to get incoming calls.

[#5]

@mag If the ticket is still open, update it and request an engineer visit.

[#6]

The saga continues. I updated the ticket, and received an email from plusnet that their information from openreach was:

"engineer is scheduled on 26-02-2021 AM slot and This is the current schedule for the task It is not guaranteed and could be subject to change so I would request you please check back on 27-02-2021 for further update"

No engineer came, and the phone still rings once then cuts off (or on some days it rings more than once before cutting off, on other days it doesn't ring at all).

So I have now waited in three times for engineers who didn't come.

Also, is it my failing memory, or was there a time when openreach agreed a slot with the customer in advance instead of the current apparent approach of 'we might come, make sure you're in'?

Dave

[#7]

Update the ticket again with this information, @mag  - I know BTOR do have problem in some areas, but to schedule 3 appointments and not keep them is, to put it mildly, highly inefficient. Unfortunately, you cannot talk to OR, they will only communicate with CPs.

It's your memory - so far as I know, so far as OR are concerned, Plusnet is their customer, and they don't even update them (don't ask me why).

Depending on the engineer, some may call you when they have finished the previous job and give you an ETA - but that epends on the engineer and how he/she works.

[#8]

I've updated the ticket.

To try to get some early progress, could one of the Plusnet staff set up a call divert to the mobile number I have registered with you? I recall @Gandalf has done this in the past when I've had phone faults.

I guess I could probably do this myself through call features, but

1. it rankles to pay more for a workaround to a fault in a service I've already paid for

2. I'm concerned that if I do it 'behind the scenes' as it were, it may confuse or complicate investigation of the actual fault (which I guess is in the bit between the exchange and my home phone that would be bypassed by a call divert)?

This landline is used as our contact number for a lot of organisations (more than I recall probably, but including several hospital consultants and GP surgeries).

Thanks

Best Regards

Dave

[#9]

I had another email from Plusnet:

'Our suppliers have provided the below update; "engineer is scheduled for 03-Mar 08:19 Please note - This is the current schedule for the task It is not guaranteed and could be subject to change , so kindly review back on 04-03-21 for further updates" We will therefore check again on 04/03/21 and update you accordingly.'

No engineer came.

I have now waited in for 4 engineer appointments that were not kept, and I haven't had a working phone for over two weeks.

I now expect Plusnet to:

(i) expedite this long delayed fault repair immediately.

(ii) implement a workaround call divert to my registered mobile until that is done.

(iii) make an offer of compensation for the extended loss of service.

I know they have good support staff (such as Gandalf )working through this forum, because they have successfully addressed faults I have raised in the past. For the avoidance of doubt though I am also copying this to ticket 211435651

[#10]

@mag No comfort, I know, but this is terrible service, even by BTOR 'take it or leave it' standards. If you don't get an intelligent answer to your ticket by end of play tomorrow, post back and I'll see if I can get one of the SU's to escalate this

[#11]

Hi Dave,

I'm sorry for the protracted delay in getting the fault an engineer's identified fixed. I'm afraid that the continuously missed review dates for another engineer to attend would be due to how incredibly busy Openreach are.

Having discussed this with an adviser in Openreach's helpdesk, we've been given us a new estimated date of tomorrow for an engineer to go out. The adviser's also noted that this is being case-managed by a team known as 'customer service insight management' due to how long the fault's taking to fix.

In the meantime, I've set a temporary call divert to route all calls made to your landline to your mobile. This will mean that the calls you receive will be treated as outgoing mobile calls on your bills. Your call plan should cover the costs, but it's worth noting that there's a limit of 2000 mobile minutes a month.

We'll also be happy to discuss a goodwill gesture (compensation) for the delay once you're up and running again.

[#12]

Thanks for getting involved Anoush.

The call divert isn't working though. Anyone ringing my landline still just hears one ring then is cut off with a message 'call ended'.

If call divert is indeed set up, might this imply that the fault is actually at the exchange before call divert operates?

Looking at member-centre/phone/call-features for my account call divert isn't activated though - would it show up there if you'd set it up?

Thanks

Dave

[#13]

Hi Dave,

That may very well be the case. The call divert won't show on your account because we'd add it as a temporary call divert free of charge on the fault report with Openreach which will automatically be removed once the fault's cleared. 

Having checked the fault I can see the call divert request is showing as accepted but it's not showing up as I'd expect, normally we'd get a further message afterwards to say "TCD Activated"

I've got in touch with our suppliers helpdesk and they've added it from their side which should start within 20 minutes.

Can you check back after and let me know how you get on?

[#14]

I've just tried again Anoush, and call divert still isn't working for me.

Could you please try ringing my landline just to check that you see the same behaviour?

Thanks

Dave

[#15]

Hi Anoush

The original Openreach engineer returned this morning and said a line survey engineer would also be coming. While he was waiting he uncovered the line for about a foot back from the junction box on the outside of the house (disconcertingly close to the surface I thought) found an old cable join and replaced it.

The phone now works🙂 - so please don't implement the call divert now!

Thanks again.

Dave