Parents cut off

[#1]

My parents are vulnerable and elderly, they've been cut off from WiFi and home phone calls. My dad can't use a phone as he's deaf and the app he uses to support him making calls does not work as it needs WiFi. My mum can't sort the problems as she's frail and struggling. They were not appropriately supported in changing to EE, and do not know what to do. They don't have a hub as my dad didn't know what it was so sent it back.
Is there anyone who can help them? They've got an engineer visiting on the 6th October, but this is not soon enough. They're stranded.

[#2]

Can someone from the Help Team assist here please ?

@Rach_H 

[#3]

@joannemc 

How do your parents get on with their neighbours ? - Could they temporarily use the neighbours WiFi in this situation ?

You could ask EE support whether they could post to your parents one of their 4G WiFi hotspot devices to at least temporarily get an internet connection working while they wait for the engineer ?.  These devices are sent out when broadband fails on EE "Premium" and "Ultimate" plans, but I'm wondering whether you could persuade EE support to send a device in these circumstances ?

EE : Stay connected with our Keep Connected Promise 

.

[#4]

No unfortunately they can't ask neighbours.

Do you have a contact for EE for this?

[#5]

Hi @joannemc,

Welcome to the Plusnet Community

I am really sorry to hear your parents have been left without a connection, I have sent you a private message so that I can get our team to take a look into the situation and help.

Alex

[#6]

@joannemc  So were your parents transferred to EE by Plusnet? If so, they should have been kept informed by email. If that is the case, then it sounds like they just need to be sent another EE router to access the internet & plug their landline phone into.

But you say an engineer is visiting? Who did your parents contact to get the engineer to visit? And will he bring a router with him?

[#7]

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@RadioFox wrote:

@joannemc  

But you say an engineer is visiting? Who did your parents contact to get the engineer to visit? And will he bring a router with him?

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Openreach technicians and their contractors are extremely unlikely to carry EE hubs pre-configured to a customers account with them.

[#8]

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@Baldrick1 wrote:

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@RadioFox wrote:

@joannemc  

But you say an engineer is visiting? Who did your parents contact to get the engineer to visit? And will he bring a router with him?

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Openreach technicians and their contractors are extremely unlikely to carry EE hubs pre-configured to a customers account with them.

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Yep. That's what I thought. So I'm confused as to why an engineer is visiting. 

I may be completely wrong, but my assumption of the info given so far, is that @joannemc parents have been transferred to EE. Her dad mistakenly sent the EE router back, (possibly they may not have received emails to keep them informed?) The Plusnet router no longer works due to the transfer. So I'm wondering what the engineer will actually be able to do?

If I'm correct, they need another EE router.

[#9]

If they are now with EE, is not EE support / their forum the right place to chase this issue?

[#10]

@Townman 

I totally agree. The problem as I see it is that when a loyal Plusnet customer gets transferred, and either EE screw up or there’s a communication failure, it’s Plusnet that gets the flak for moving the customer against their wishes, especially if the Plusnet response is, correctly speaking: ‘not us guv, go talk to EE’, be it dressed up in PR speak.

[#11]

@Baldrick1 

Is it really “against their will” or “as a consequence of doing nothing about the well published demise of PTSN”?  Users are not being “forced” (the choices have been out there for a while), but rather their in-action is brining about a “protection” of their as is services.

I am in that boat … hung on to the bitter end and a now taking action to avoid changing providers, subsequent to doing nothing about two warning emails.

[#12]

"the well published demise of PTSN"

Is it really that well publicised?

Compared to the digital TV switchover 15-20 years ago, I've seen very little about it - especially with only 4 months to go.

[#13]

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@mike600 wrote:

"the well published demise of PTSN"

Is it really that well publicised?

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I am currently clearing a relatives home, and all the utilities are continuing to be paid as normal.

I have been dealing with the relative's bills for a couple of years now, and they are not flagged as vulnerable.

They have on old turn-dial telephone on a direct wired BT line (no phone socket in the house)

I have been diligently been opening the post, expecting BT to give notice of the end of PSTN,

but as of the end of September 2027, there has been nothing, not even a hint that a change is coming.

I am totally ready to migrate the phone number to A&A VoIP, but am holding off just to see what the BT notice is like.

[#14]

I don't know if it has been communicated to the public via any media outlets - say the BBC or the  Independent channels - as I rarely watch TV these days, and do have a tendency to 'switch off' mentally, between programmes or at ad-breaks, but I don't recall seeing ANYTHING on the subject - AT ALL.

[#15]

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@mike600 wrote:

Compared to the digital TV switchover 15-20 years ago

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Yes and we've got to go through all that again soon !

After the PSTN retirement in 2027, the telephone exchange decommissioning around 2030, the completion of Openreach full-fibre rollout, the transmission licenses for UK digital terrestrial TV (such as Freeview) currently expire in 2034 - so everyone will need to switchover to TV services entirely via an internet connection.  Sky have already stopped installing satellite TV dishes back in 2025, and are phasing out their satellite services.