cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Fault service woes

ismoore999
Grafter
Posts: 25
Registered: ‎08-06-2011

Fault service woes

Though I have had broadband with plusnet for over two years, I decided to move my phone too to take advantage of cheaper line rental, moving from BT.
I have to say that I have a line that has not been without faults over the last couple of years with issues having to be fixed - and generally the same issue of a noisy line.
However though both companies are owned by BT, I am disappointed to the timescale of this fault.
Fault placed on 10 Feb.
Agent states fault should be complete by 14 Feb.
Email states fixed by 16th Feb 7am. Fault not fixed.
18 Feb no update from Plusnet, request update via ticket. in evening still no update from ticket. so call. Given new date of 21st.
21 Feb. Still not fixed. Call Plusnet to ask what is happening. Cannot give answer other than it will be raised with BT again. Ask why no update is given once time has passed. Told it will normally take 72 hours for the team to investigate once the deadline has passed. So normally if it is not chased, no guarantee that BT would have been informed before 24th Feb.
Phone now even worse than ever. Calling a number often results in number unobtainable or else calls two or three times the same number at the same time (for example trying to call plusnet, resulted in three calls and eventually three different recorded messages offset by a second asking me to select an option... impossible to use).
Will my phone ever get fixed? Is this just BT or is this going through a third party. I have to say that  a key difference is that when I was with BT I could call every day to get information. Now going through a third party, they have to obey etiquette - it cannot be escalated until a date has passed - I can only complain to someone who can do nothing more to help.
Three faults with BT - max wait time 5 days.
My question having only had home phone for a couple of months - do I stay or do I go?
69 REPLIES 69
ismoore999
Grafter
Posts: 25
Registered: ‎08-06-2011

Re: Fault service woes

Todays update.
Call Plusnet to get a status update.
Am told that there has been an update from the supplier (BT).
Now an engineer needs to call - earliest date 1st March (which I cannot make) and that they do not work weekends (odd as my last two faults have been fixed on a saturday morning by an engineer)
Also infomed that had I have not called in, it could have been up to 72 hours before anyone would call me ( I asked the question as I am trying to get to the bottom of this 72 hour thing) - and I have had this before from PlusNet with my broadband when I had to wait 72 hours before someone called to say that I needed to book an engineers appointment.
The 72 hour thing is ridiculous. Was told this time that  it is because plus net is too busy to be able to guarantee to contact their customers earlier. This means that had I not have called in it would have potentially been Sunday before someone contacted me and I assume that would have had a knock on effect on the repair time.
Asked if someone can escalate this - no I am wasting my time.
Asked if I can speak to a manager - no they cannot help.
Asked if this can be escalated with BT as they now have missed two deadlines. Aparently the previous times were only estimates both of which they have failed to keep to so they are not at fault.
Though I was told last night that one advantage with PlusNet is that the call centre is in Sheffield and not India. Well the engineer may as well be in India based on how fast this is progressing.
It is true as I said before, I am looking at this from the point of view that I may be better with BT and infact it could be the same - but I am still annoyed about the 72 hour turn around before something can be escalated. That IS unacceptable.
The last point in this post that I do not understand is why  the engineer needs to come to the property. It is not just noise - now when I make a call it dials the same number twice - when I called plusnet I eventually got two lines asking me which service (slightly out of sync) and ringing someone I can get the number ringing plus their call minder service so as I am leaving a message they can answer. Why the hell does someone need to be in the property to hear that? Surely it must be the same up a pole outside?
Pettitto
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 6,346
Fixes: 5
Registered: ‎26-11-2011

Re: Fault service woes

Hi ismoore999,
I'm really sorry to hear that you've been waiting for an update and had to call in to get one.
With regards to engineer availability, this is dependent on BT Openreach and we are only able to book engineer based upon when they are available to visit to complete any necessary work. I appreciate that 1st March is a long time away, I am sorry for this. Some engineers in different areas do work on Saturday's, however this is at the discretion of BT Openreach and we will always offer you a Saturday appointment if one is offered to us.
The 72 hour wait is in line with our Service Level Agreement and stands for all of our residential customers. I can understand from your point of view that when you have a fault you would like it fixing ASAP, however, we do work through all of our faults the oldest first. We do try our best to get to all of the faults quicker than 72 hours, but we will always state 48-72 hours to set your expectations correctly.
BT Wholesale and BT Openreach are two separate companies are are unable to favour any ISP whether it be Plusnet or BT. The reason an engineer may require access to your property is to demonstrate that the issue has been resolved before completing the task back to us. The engineer may require access to your Telephone Socket for testing purposes too.
I'm really sorry that you've had such a negative experience with us, but please do bear with us as we are doing everything we can to get this issue resolved for you.
ismoore999
Grafter
Posts: 25
Registered: ‎08-06-2011

Re: Fault service woes

Thanks for your reply.
I think you hit the nail on the head when you state your SLA is within 72 hours of a response from BT, whereas BT I have found respond almost immediately with an update, hence removing this possibility. I have in the past been called by the engineer attempting to fix it from outside  or the call centre to ask me to arrange a site visit.  I have not in the last three calls had any slippage on their proposed dates.
Were plusnet to automate the process in the same way, this would reduce turn around time.
However I am still mystified by the date that you give. It seems that OpenReach or wholesale have no commitment to stick to that date and no SLA with plusnet. Bearing in mind that this was raised on the 10th and only looked into today, with three missed "proposed"  target dates in between, is adding to the delay.
Finally what level of compensation can I expect for this inconvinience? I was told a reduction on my line rental but as I paid yearly what can I expect?
Thanks
Anotherone
Champion
Posts: 19,107
Thanks: 457
Fixes: 21
Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: Fault service woes

There are agreements I believe, but I can't remember any detail of the top of my head, I'd have to research it. But whatever it is, from a customer POV it's not giving an acceptable level of service.
James
Grafter
Posts: 21,036
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Fault service woes

I think it's 40 clock hours to get a response.
ismoore999
Grafter
Posts: 25
Registered: ‎08-06-2011

Re: Fault service woes

thanks James

so that means that BT has 40 hours after the event expected closing time.
so BT treatment of third parties like yourselves is not the same as for its own customers who from experience get instant updates?
can you please confirm this? 
Anotherone
Champion
Posts: 19,107
Thanks: 457
Fixes: 21
Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: Fault service woes

You need to remember that BT Retail, BT Wholesale & BT Openreach are 3 separate organisations.
BT Wholesale and Openreach are not allowed, by OFCOM regulation, to favour any provider over another.
What BT Retail do as a provider is probably different from what Orange, TalkTalk, Plusnet, O2 or any other providers do.
ismoore999
Grafter
Posts: 25
Registered: ‎08-06-2011

Re: Fault service woes

I thought that BT were not allowed to favour any supplier including their own group of companies .
I want to understand the statement made by plusnet that BT don't pass on information for up to 40 hours when they have the ability to notify their own customers earlier is in clear breach of the ofcom regulation and hence can be raised to ofcom (even though they are a spineless regulatory body with no b***s in my honest opinion but that is slightly off topic)
regards
James
Grafter
Posts: 21,036
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Fault service woes

Hi,
There's no evidence of any breach of equivalence in this thread.
All I've said is that Wholesale will respond to us within 40 hours (that's the SLA that we have with them).  They have the same SAL with every other ISP, unless enhanced care has been taken.
I think you might have slightly misunderstand my earlier comment?
ismoore999
Grafter
Posts: 25
Registered: ‎08-06-2011

Re: Fault service woes

BT themselves can find out the issue straight away their SLA should grant other providers the same otherwise they are in clear breach of guidelines related to their monopoly and should be penalised accordingly.
the fact that they offer the samebiased service to all other providers is neither here nor there.
truth is that they should have been broken up immediately in the eighties and never allowed to buy other isps such as plusnet.
James
Grafter
Posts: 21,036
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Fault service woes

But what you are saying is not correct.
BT Retail have to raise all of their faults in exactly the same way as we do, through BT Wholesale.
They do not receive benefits just for being part of the same group. I think you are confusing the different arms of BT.
ismoore999
Grafter
Posts: 25
Registered: ‎08-06-2011

Re: Fault service woes

so on paper BT wholesale and retail are two separate enterprises.
both have 40 hours SLA.
enter the real world.
BT engineers update their calls immediately they change jobs.
BT retail have always called or texted relating to a job within a couple of hours in my personal experience.
plusnet tell me it can take up to 40 hours and haven't managed to update me without prompting within 1day
if BT retail can perform quicker than the competition this is evidence of wrong doing.
recommendations to ofcom. :
BT are a major communication technology supplier who is incapable of transmitting simple data with 40 hours . the sla should be that updates are electronically delivered within one hour of job completion. BT needs to move into the 21st century
we live in a new world where bad customer service is the privilege of the monopoly. this must change.
ofcom needs to kick BT group companies into shape.
Anotherone
Champion
Posts: 19,107
Thanks: 457
Fixes: 21
Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: Fault service woes

Quote from: ismoore999
I thought that BT were not allowed to favour any supplier including their own group of companies .

I thought that's what I said.
BT Retail do not have access to all BT Wholesale's data, which I think is an assumption you could be making. Maybe BT Retail are more pro-active at checking with BT Wholesale
You may find that BT Retail now are no better than anyone else now that Openretch and Wholesale are under greater pressure with MBORCs, backlogs, high demand for Fibre etc etc.
I agree totally with you remarks about OFCOM and the fact that Openrtetch and Wholesale need kicking into shape.
ismoore999
Grafter
Posts: 25
Registered: ‎08-06-2011

Re: Fault service woes

thanks I understood. 
I think the point I was also trying to make is that my particular issue is the lack of response from plusnet and that they constantly hide behind BT wholesale. my last repair on this line was not so long ago when I was still with BT and so I don't believe that BT service is under any more pressure than it was then.
also I have been with plusnet now for over two years and have already had issues similar whereby a broadband fault was analysed as a line fault but it took them three days before they officially told me that I must contact BT myself to get the line fault fixed. it was only because I had found out through raising a question on the forum that I knew a day earlier that I should report it.
I. am still trying to understand whether the issue truly is BT or slow response at plusnet.