No phone or internet for 7 weeks

[#1]

Openreach have informed us that they will have a further update regarding the progress of your fault by close of business on 03/01/2023 which realistically means we will be in receipt of an update from them by the next working day. We will contact you again upon receipt of their reply.

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Not good enough. I'm presuming the date is a typo? I have been unable to visit this week due to illness, so the fact no instructions were ever furnished to assist my Dad to get online with the mini hub that was sent, he is still going without. I realise Christmas and new year have got in the way, but you don't find UK Power Networks not making repairs to infrastructure and re- connecting customers in a timely manner. I would hazard a guess and say 2 months is in no way a timely manner.

I was also advised this was already being treated as a complaint, but to my knowledge, my Dad had had nothing to acknowledge the complaint has been raised and is being looked into as such. If it isn't and the 8 weeks wait for the ombudsman is yet to begin, that would be a travesty.

I'm really not happy with the way this is being treated, my Father is becoming increasingly isolated with this lack of service.

Regards

Mark

[#2]

but you don't find UK Power Networks not making repairs to infrastructure and re- connecting customers in a timely manner

Electricity, Gas & Water are classified an essential services and so suppliers are obliged to have engineers available 24/7 to complete repairs within prescibed SLAs and hefty penalties for failing!. Currently, telecoms is not considered essential , maybe it should be ? but that would require OFCOM to get some teeth, insist on tough SLA's with suppliers and we'd all be paying a lot more for our broadband and phone service...

[#3]

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@MisterW wrote:

Currently, telecoms is not considered essential , maybe it should be ?

House of Lords Library : Coronavirus and the telecoms industry - 27th April 2020 

Telecoms are part of the UK’s critical national infrastructure and have been identified as an essential service.

[#4]

Also recently come up again with the issue of the vulnerability of some people that rely on phone connections for safety, automatic emergency calling etc.  It was in the context of the PSTN switch off in 2025, but the core principle that phones are an essential service for many applies.

[#5]

I completely get that, I would be fuming as well at this point. I am going to leave it with that team as they are constantly in contact with Openreach and we can't tread on their toes when they are more equipped than we are.

[#6]

So, still not completed. I see from the tickets works are expected to be completed by the 12th now. Why in that case is the escalation set for the 15th and not the 13? Surely if the work is not completed on the 12th, Plusnet should be on Openreach's back the next day?

Mark 

[#7]

Hi Mark, I'm really sorry to see that this is still ongoing, I'll make sure we chase this up again on the 13th for you. - Adam

[#8]

This is getting ridiculous now. Your CSC team are priming my Dad to expect a 3 month delay for road works. This is totally  unacceptable. My small town had full fibre infrastructure installed in less time than this (lack of) repair has taken. 3 months notice for roadworks? What a nonsense!! Really is time to escalate this now.

Mark

[#9]

Sorry to hear that @Marksfish 

I've passed this onto the CAT team to see if there's anything else we can do in the meantime to try and get a temporary service 

[#10]

So I have polled the local Facebook page for others affected by this. Allegedly 60 lines, but only 1 other person in the locality with BT as a provider has the problem and she lives 2 streets way. My Dad lives on a cul de sac of 5 properties, none of which have lost service. Are we saying there are no spare lines OR can run to the house? What if a complete new line was ordered, would it be rejected? Is my Father not on the same ducting as the others on his road? Would a new line not be able to be spliced from one of those? There must be something that can be done as the mini hub, whilst welcome does not allow him to do everything the landline could. Charging the monthly subscription for the service is also wrong when the service can't be provided, especially the call package.

Really struggling to understand why this is such an issue here.

[#11]

@Marksfish Hi, I wish I could give you the answer you want about the specifics. The case is with the specific team who deals with these types of faults so I'll need to leave you in their capable hands. Please review an update to the fault here @ https://www.plus.net/wizard/?p=view_question&id=238267804 for an update.

[#12]

I can see the tickets James, that is what I responding to. I have seen the road closure is no longer required. I have complained to the Town council now and also the district council. their "digital champion" is now going to get involved, this is our last resort before going to the ombudsman.

There is a specific that you could have answered though, the one where I have said " Charging the monthly subscription for the service is also wrong when the service can't be provided, especially the call package." Yes, you have supplied the mini hub, no you are not supplying a voice service. The cost of the  Unlimited UK & Mobile  £11.76 service should therefore be refunded on a monthly basis when the service is not available.

Mark

[#13]

Hi @Marksfish we don't cover for subscription whilst a fault is open. That's covered by the automatic compensation scheme, details for that are shown here:

Automatic compensation: What you need to know - Ofcom

[#14]

@adamwalker  I believe @Marksfish appreciates that in relation to the normal Broadband and Phone subscriptions but I think the query is purely in relation to suspending charges for the call plan. It does seem a tad unreasonable to continue charging for a call plan that can't be used!.

Whilst I appreciate that call plans are on a monthly basis and, given that fault resolution would normally be achieved well within a month, therefore suspending them is not considered. AIUI this fault has been active for many weeks and so maybe consideration should be made to waive call plan charges.

[#15]

Thanks for the input @MisterW, exactly my thoughts

@adamwalker Compensation is only payable for 60 days. This fault is now over 60 days and therefore no further compensation is due over and above that time period, I feel removing the call package amount to be the very least that can be offered in the circumstances. Renewal is also coming up within the next couple of months, what if the fault isn't cleared by then? Does he have to re- subscribe to a service that isn't available?

I appreciate this is of Openreach doing, but PN aren't exactly bending over to be flexible in this ongoing situation.

On another note, I have been speaking with the "digital champion" at the North Norfolk district Council as well as the Town councillors, who are going to conduct their own investigation into the continuing problems. Something they are unaware of when 60 properties in the town are supposed to be affected. I have little faith in their abilities though when the "champion" states:

What they are not saying is that the cable they will replace will be fibre optic as they no longer lay copper cable, which might be some of the issue as Openreach do not have full fibre installed in our area yet.

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The Town isn't even on the FTTP footprint yet, so why he is spouting that I do not know. What help is there if people that are supposed to know better provide these responses?

Mark