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Loss of service for no apparent reason

ctech500
Grafter
Posts: 255
Registered: ‎06-08-2007

Loss of service for no apparent reason

My phone was cut off without warning on 16/11/2007 my bill date is on or after 19/11/2007!! Huh
After remenstrating with CS about all i got was some apologies and that nothing can be done till Monday so in the meantime i cant make calls without going through another provider
when plusnet stop messing up and having such systematic failures?
I for one will have to think long and hard about this.
Apparently this is not a isolated issue but i have not seen it on the service status or the forums.
Has anybody experienced this problem?
14 REPLIES 14
James
Grafter
Posts: 21,036
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Loss of service for no apparent reason

Hi there,
I am really very sorry about this.  We encountered a problem with our billing script, meaning that it didn't run when it was supposed to.
This resulted in a very small number of home phone customers having an outgoing bar placed on their line.  We can only remove this by placing an order with BT which takes 1 working day to complete, hence your being quoted Monday.
I promise you that we do take these things very seriously and we're doing everything that we can to ensure that this doesn't happen again.
ChemicalBrother
Grafter
Posts: 1,887
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Loss of service for no apparent reason

Hi James,
Appreciate what you are saying though, but what steps are going to be taken to make sure that this doesn't happen again?
We have to be mindful here that we have a huge cross-section of different types of customer, some of whom (One assumes either rightly or wrongly!) will be stuck at home and the internet and their voice phone  is the majority of their contact with the outside world, and to have their phone cut off because of a scripting error is unforgivable.
In some remote areas there isn't even a cellular network signal, so cellphones would be out of the question as an alternative.
Although I'm not affected by this issue, I feel rather strongly about those who would be affected and cannot even get on the phone or the net to report the issue if they are on dialup.
ctech500
Grafter
Posts: 255
Registered: ‎06-08-2007

Re: Loss of service for no apparent reason

Hi everyone
I would like to add the following I only discovered  that i had been cut off will trying to call NHS direct via their  0845 service.
Furthermore I was unable to uses the Plusnet portal to see what check my billing etc.
CS advised me to reset my router. I was reluctant to do so in fear of having my broadband disabled completely.
I for will be seeking compensation for this fiasco.
it was good of James to respond quickly though.
offbeat
Newbie
Posts: 2
Registered: ‎19-11-2007

Re: Loss of service for no apparent reason

This happened to me and I'm furious!
On Friday we discovered the phone wouldn't make outgoing calls. I tried to check the portal & was redirected to a "you haven't paid" page. Checked the direct debit details, checked my bank account had money in it, checked nothing had changed.
plus.net have screwed up, and are punishing me (and apparently other customers) by disconnecting the phone for the weekend.
Tried using the online "help"(??) system, and all their responses amount to "we'll cut you off altogether if you don't arrange to pay us". I'm *%@&!* fuming! (And apparently I'm not allowed to say that !)
plus.net: It's very hard to phone you when the phone doesn't work, and even harder to respond to a CS ticket when the portal simply redirects you to the "pay up now" page!
I've had 4 responses from 4 CS people, most of whom have no clue what is going on:
Once the payment has cleared the acount will be unrestricted.
the script unfortunately will run and disable your account if the funds cannot be processed

and this one is just incredible:
The next action on your Help Assistant Question is due on Wednesday 21st November at 9:00am
You people seriously expect me to calmly accept this situation UNTIL WEDNESDAY?
The responses to "my questions" suggest that:
(1) the CS staff have not even bothered to read my the questions properly, and
(2) most of the CS staff were not even aware that there was a problem.
Only one response suggested that the CS person knew what was going on. He promised to deal with the problem on sunday, but I am still without a phone.
Right, so the support staff really believe that a whole bunch of plus.net customers decided to mutiny and cancel their direct debits?
I trust that plus.net will be compensating their customers for the massive inconvenience caused here, that is, if we stay with plus.net after they cut us off!
Moderators note by James_H : Removed disguised inappropriate language. : Please read the Forum Rules
So it's OK for me to be without a phone for 4 days and counting, but not OK for me to express my *%@&!* dissatisfaction!!?
ctech500
Grafter
Posts: 255
Registered: ‎06-08-2007

Re: Loss of service for no apparent reason


It's clear to see that there is a serious problem with plusnet's phone service.
I tried to speak to someone in the Comms team, but i was told that hey are not "customer facing"  Angry
I was advised to use the forum.
Plusnet's phone service "is not fit for not fit for purpose"
A communications company that can't communicate or who's product is suffering from such systematic failures hardly inspires any confidence.
James
Grafter
Posts: 21,036
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Loss of service for no apparent reason

Guys,
Absolutely appreciate what you are all saying and I will be more than happy to offer a months free service for those that have been affected.
I sincerely believe that this issue is not indicative of the Home Phone telephone service that we offer.  It really is a one off break in service.  not that I am trying to say that that is acceptable.  It clearly isn't and we need to make absolutely certain that it doesn't happen again.
With regards to our being not customer facing, I'm not sure what I'm doing right now if I'm not customer facing.  We just as a rule, don't take incoming phone calls.
If you have been affected by this, please drop me a PM and I'll be more than happy to ensure that a free month is added to the account where required.
offbeat
Newbie
Posts: 2
Registered: ‎19-11-2007

Re: Loss of service for no apparent reason

Here's a thought. Why don't plus.net just re-activate our accounts without collecting the direct debit payment that they have thus far failed to collect anyway?
It's not rocket science. It's not our fault that one of your scripts failed to execute properly, so why do CS continue to treat us like felons?
CS have so far failed to provide answers to the questions I have raised, and I can't speak to anyone on the phone, because it's not working!
amcbride
Grafter
Posts: 115
Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: Loss of service for no apparent reason

As some one who has just started the process of switching to home phone this situation makes me consider whether I will continue with the process. Plus net need to make sure when they mess up they compensate customers.
Mand
Grafter
Posts: 5,560
Thanks: 2
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Loss of service for no apparent reason

Hi guys,
I'm going to speak to our development team when they get into the office regarding this issue, and will be back later on with an update.
Strat
Community Veteran
Posts: 31,320
Thanks: 1,609
Fixes: 565
Registered: ‎14-04-2007

Re: Loss of service for no apparent reason

<Voice in the wilderness>
My home phone has been faultless from day one.
Slight hiccup with billing when useage limit removed but apart from that...ok

<steps back into undergrowth>
Windows 10 Firefox 109.0 (64-bit)
To argue with someone who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead - Thomas Paine
Thinboab
Newbie
Posts: 1
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Loss of service for no apparent reason

Hi,
As one of those affected and without the ability to make calls for more than 86 hours last weekend, I have been trying to get some understanding of what situation my account is now in.
I specifically note 'Mand' has not got back to this thread since posting on 20th.  I also note James offered one month refund, presumably this is a discounted month and worth £4?
The latest analyst who responded to me from the Help Assistant says this is all new to Plusnet and the billing has had problems.  He advised that resolution should be through this forum.
I for one do not appreciate being treated as a guinea pig for Plusnet and want to change supplier.  Despite the circumstances, it seems I'll need to pay to the end of my 'contract'.
James
Grafter
Posts: 21,036
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Loss of service for no apparent reason

Hi,
I was actually referring to a months subscription fee of £9.99 or £15 depending on which product you are on.
Regarding cancelling, we would only ask for 30 days notice as Home Phone comes on a monthly contract.
I can't reiterate how sorry that we are for the inconvenience that this will have caused and we are absolutely not treating our customers as guinea-pigs.  We had a genuine fault on our system, which we then fixed.  Unfortunately it caused a few of our home phone customer to have an outgoing call bar placed on their lines, as we've discussed.
I'm not sure what Mand will be able to add to this thread unless you have a specific query for her attention.
Mand
Grafter
Posts: 5,560
Thanks: 2
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Loss of service for no apparent reason

Hi guys,
Firstly apologies for the delay in updating this thread.
For clarification the reason I wished to speak to a developer was to determine what status the invoices on affected accounts would be in. These have now been either resolved manually or written off.
We have put further checks and processes in place to ensure that this issue does not reoccur, and can assure you that this is not normal performance for either our Home Phone or our Billing platform.
Thinboab,
I've added a response to your ticket. I will be addressing the comments regarding Home Phone being a new service with the agent involved. We've been offering WLR services for well over a year now, and have had very few problems in that time so I'm not sure where that came from tbh.
If I can help any further please do advise, we'd be sorry to see you leave over this issue.
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Loss of service for no apparent reason

Quote from: Mand
I will be addressing the comments regarding Home Phone being a new service with the agent involved.

And I thought the cricket season was over!
Linky
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
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