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Very Poor Setup for PlusNet Call Protect

kathyjp
Newbie
Posts: 1
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎03-02-2019

Very Poor Setup for PlusNet Call Protect

After helping a family member switch to PlusNet for their home phone and fibre broadband, I was gutted to find your supposed 'Call Protect' feature is both ineffective and incredibly difficult for customers to setup.  Why oh why have you not simplified its use by incorporating a whitelist (so that customers can supply a list of preferred numbers they want allowed to come straight through) so that other unexpected callers are either blocked or directed to leave a caller name?  And also allow its setup using a web-page as opposed to a clunky and time-consuming handset only use ?!  Sky have the right idea, their system uses the above and since I started using that over 2 years ago, I have not received ONE SINGLE NUISANCE CALL, nor missed an unexpected one either!  Just trawling through the forums from the last 18 months shows you do not listen to your customers, how are PlusNet allowed to get away with this level of service ?!  Next stop is Which magazine for me, they'll love to hear about this!  Appalling service...    

9 REPLIES 9
MasterOfReality
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 1,640
Fixes: 57
Registered: ‎26-03-2018

Re: Very Poor Setup for PlusNet Call Protect

Hi @kathyjp 

 

I'm sorry to hear that you are not pleased with the functionality of our Plusnet Call Protect service. 

 

I will make sure your feedback is passed on to the relevant department and people. 

 

I'm afraid I can no comment on the differences between our service and Sky's. There are multiple differences between the services which ISPs offer, I'm just sorry to see that you rate theirs above ours. 

 

Please do not hesitate to give me a shout if there is anything i can help with in regards to the account or service itself. 

 

Kind Regards, 

 

MoR

BrightonRock
Pro
Posts: 473
Thanks: 124
Fixes: 7
Registered: ‎09-04-2016

Re: Very Poor Setup for PlusNet Call Protect

@kathyjp

I entirely agree with you that setting up - and maintaining - Call Protect is harder than it would be with an online interface. Plusnet have been asked many times to provide one.

I don't know the Sky system so I may be misunderstanding what it offers and what you want from the Plusnet system. But there is (the equivalent of) a white list in Plusnet Call Protect. It is labelled VIP callers: 4,4,1 to turn it on/off. Would that help your set up?

Lucifer
Dabbler
Posts: 17
Thanks: 7
Registered: ‎01-11-2015

Re: Very Poor Setup for PlusNet Call Protect

I am glad to see I am not alone.  I have just this morning switched my phone from BT to PlusNet.  I updated my account to add Call Protect and a short while later it was activated.  I then went online to see how to manage my blacklisted numbers and was dismayed to discover that it appears the only way is via voice messages using a voice phone.  Please correct me if this is not the case.

I am Profoundly Deaf and cannot use a voice phone.  Come on PlusNet this could well be a Disability Discrimination issue.  You provide a service (admitedly free) which I am not able to use.  I suspect that KathyJP's family member may well be elderly and possibly a little Hard of Hearing which can also make using a voice phone difficulty.

You are now part of BT.  Go to BT and add their Call Protect system to yours A.S.A.P.  It might only be temporary until you develop a better system for yourself.

Lucifer
Dabbler
Posts: 17
Thanks: 7
Registered: ‎01-11-2015

Re: Very Poor Setup for PlusNet Call Protect


@Lucifer wrote: You are now part of BT.  Go to BT and add their Call Protect system to yours A.S.A.P.  It might only be temporary until you develop a better system for yourself.

Good news.  My suggestion to incorporate the BT Call Protect system is going to be investigated.  Its simple "Blacklist" has served me very well in the past it but does not have a "whitelist" capability, However I can fully understand that to be able to restrict all calls to a few selected close family members for example, could be more than very useful.

Tags (2)
Lucifer
Dabbler
Posts: 17
Thanks: 7
Registered: ‎01-11-2015

Re: Very Poor Setup for PlusNet Call Protect


@kathyjp wrote:

... your supposed 'Call Protect' feature is both ineffective and incredibly difficult for customers to setup ... also allow its setup using a web-page as opposed to a clunky and time-consuming handset only use?!


It will probably come as no surprise to anybody that the PlusNet Call Protect system was supplied by BT and I imagine the clunky Handset Only user interface came as part of the package.  It might appear that a commercial decision was made not to buy the Online user interface at the same time.  As it stands at the moment, if an Online user interface is important as it is for me, the only option is to change supplier.  However I am going to wait to see if nuisance calls become a problem again.

Vote for this!  Give kathyjp a thumbs up.

Hopefully someone from PlusNet will update this discussion as and when the review of the decision about the Online user interface is complete.  Either negative or positive please.

Sorry BrightonRock, the system does have a Whitelist which, as you correctly point out is called VIP List.

Tags (2)
caravanj
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 296
Thanks: 49
Fixes: 3
Registered: ‎31-07-2014

Re: Very Poor Setup for PlusNet Call Protect

@ Lucifer:  I am Profoundly Deaf and cannot use a voice phone.

Purely out of interest as this comment intrigued me, how do you make & receive calls if you can't use a voice phone?

Lucifer
Dabbler
Posts: 17
Thanks: 7
Registered: ‎01-11-2015

Re: Very Poor Setup for PlusNet Call Protect


@caravanj wrote:

How do you make & receive calls if you can't use a voice phone?


Thank you for the question. If you have either a hearing or speech impairment you can still make a telephone call but need to use a Text Telephone, also known as a Minicom although the standalone piece of kit like mine is being superseded by computer software or an app on your mobile. Ah, but how do I call a hearing person who will be using a voice phone? There is a wonderful Text Relay service based in Liverpool available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and if you would like to find out more search for “Next Generation Text”.

JonoH
Hero
Posts: 4,346
Thanks: 1,596
Fixes: 157
Registered: ‎29-09-2011

Re: Very Poor Setup for PlusNet Call Protect


@caravanj wrote:

Purely out of interest as this comment intrigued me, how do you make & receive calls if you can't use a voice phone?


there are a range of options for people with different disabilities, you can take a look here

 Jono H
 Plusnet Community Manager
Lucifer
Dabbler
Posts: 17
Thanks: 7
Registered: ‎01-11-2015

Re: Very Poor Setup for PlusNet Call Protect


@Lucifer wrote:
Vote for this!  Give kathyjp a thumbs up.

Hopefully someone from PlusNet will update this discussion as and when the review of the decision about the Online user interface is complete.  Either negative or positive please.


An update from my contact at PlusNet;

"I have reviewed this situation with my manager and business manager ... I’m sorry to say I have been given an update that the Call Protect won’t be updated to support the online facility. I appreciate the difficulty this causes you firstly in operating the system but secondly in the nuisance calls that you will get through."

Nevertheless the conversation with my contact is still very much ongoing.