landline phone and broadband not activated

[#1]

I tried to switch from Sky Broadband to Plusnet without a success. The new phone and broadband service by Plusnet which was supposed to be started on 26th Feb, has not started. I called the call center and they opened a ticket -they say question- for the 'external fault' on the phone line and estimated a response date was by end of 3rd March.

I have still no response and no service, and already regret changing to Plusnet.

How can a landline without any problem for the last three years -since we moved in- can suddenly stop due to an 'external problem' just on the date when I switch to Plusnet?

[#2]

From early 2019, many broadband users are eligible to receive compensation for broadband downtime. Thanks to Ofcom's automatic compensation system, for example if you sign up for a new phone or broadband service and it is not activated on the agreed day, you'll receive £5 for each day that it is late. While BT, Sky, Virgin Media, TalkTalk and Zen Internet are all signed up to this agreement, Plusnet has not done so. Can someone from Plusnet explain why they think their customers one day's value does not worth a £5, or why they do not feel obliged for a compensation when they do not fulfil their promises according to the contract?

[#3]

Hi @varan01,

I'm very sorry that your landline and broadband services haven't worked since moving to us and for the inconvenience caused. In rare circumstances, faults may develop during the installation I'm afraid.

I'm sorry that you've not yet received an update from our faults team and I'll pass on feedback regarding your poor experience here. I've checked on the fault and our suppliers have investigated externally but have been unable to determine the cause. As this is the case, they now wish to visit your property to carry out further tests from your master socket. Please can you reply to the ticket here with your availability for an engineer? If you drop us another message on here once you've done this, we'll pick this back up and get this booked for the earliest available suitable appointment.

Once the fault is resolved, we'll add a credit to your account to cover the pro-rata subscription charges during the period of time that the fault was ongoing and we can also look into arranging a gesture of goodwill for the inconvenience caused.

In terms of the Ofcom automatic compensation proposal, although Plusnet have registered our interest into this, this will not be implemented for a while yet.

As per the Ofcom guidelines,  several suppliers have confirmed that they will be signing up to the automatic compensation scheme.

Launching the first ever automatic compensation scheme for telecoms customers will be complex, and require significant changes to providers’ billing systems, online accounts and call centres. So there will be an implementation period before it comes into effect to ensure a smooth introduction.

Until this time, Plusnet are not required to or able to provide the £8 per day compensation for loss of service or £5 per day for a delay in activation.

[#4]

Hi Emily,

I replied to the ticket today morning with my available dates -actually all three following dates- for an engineering visit.

And waiting a confirmation that an engineering visit will be arranged this time. Actually my expectation was that this visit would be arranged after the question was raised on 26th Feb. And I was told on the phone that the fault would be likely solved before last weekend -3rd March was like a worst case estimate-.

Regarding your reasoning of why Plusnet is not yet in the automatic compensation scheme, I do not agree that the scheme requires a new way of billing or call centre organisation. At least while you are still out of the scheme, you can agree about the daily compensation rate while putting a figure on your 'good will gesture'. Believe me that an unkept promise of broadband service costs much more than an Ofsted proposed £5 per day for many people especially if they are freelancers like me. However I do not expect from you guys any good will gesture other than providing your service as soon as possible according to your contract.

Kind Regards

[#5]

Moderators Note

This topic has been moved from Home Phone to My Orders

[#6]

I have not heard from the Plusnet regarding the arrangement of engineering visit for the `external fault` which was described as the reason of failed switch from the previous supplier. Will I be informed about the date/time of the engineering visit please?

We have been without a broadband and phone service for 10 days now, and I do not want to loose another week. 

Kind Regards

[#7]

Hi @varan01,

Please allow me to apologise that this was not picked up sooner. I have reviewed your account and raised a response via the open fault ticket, which can be viewed here.

Please let us know here if you respond to the ticket so that we can pick this back up for review again as soon as possible.

[#8]

I am now told on the phone by Plusnet that engineering visit is not necessary -a misunderstanding between them and Openreach- and Openreach need to test the connection form Primary Connection Point (PCP) first and will deal with this within 2 days. So I am advised to wait as usual, and call back when there is still no service on Friday morning.

So this is exactly where we were 10 days ago.

Good that there is at least a forum page here, so that other users and I can have a track of how is the progress (or no progress).

[#9]

Oh thanks Alex,

Good to know that an engineering visit is arranged now.

I was told on the phone a few minutes ago by your Faults Department that Openreach can only do this visit after a check with the external connection point -I do not know why it has not been done for the last 10 days- by midnight tomorrow. Anyway I confirmed your proposed timing of the visit through the open fault ticket and looking forward to have an engineer on site -or fixing of the external fault- whichever is quicker really. 

[#10]

Ok little diary. Today's progress:

Openreach technician visited our building and found out that there is no signal from the central box to our flat. He fixed the phone line fault. But still no broadband. 

And I called Plusnet to ask if they are providing Broadband service at the moment to our property. They made tests -I guess tests means they are checking their database- and confirmed that the lines seem alright. (I never experienced that the tests confirmed our lack of service with any provider, on the other side of the line everything is green as heaven-

They decided to cancel tomorrow's morning engineering visit by misjudgement again without taking my consent, saying that otherwise we would pay for the visit. Why? No real explanation. Just because, the lady thought that tomorrow's visit was for the previous problem of phone line fault and now the new problem is the broadband, so even both are with Openreach, another type of engineer should visit now, not today's skilful guy -even though he offered his visit tomorrow to us to check inside the flat- , because maybe he is too skilful for Plusnet guys.

This is getting more and more complicated, and let us see what tomorrow will bring. Definitely not the broadband service, because it is rocket science and they are searching for the correct type of engineer to get prepared first for the tough visit to the Neverland.

Thanks guys, my decision to switch to Plusnet has proved itself wrong so far. And I am pretty sure I will get a 'sorry for hearing this' reply from a new Plusnet guy, with a new promise.

Oh I was just forgetting. Today's call center lady promised me that I would called back again today for the new engineering visit arrangement instead of cancelled one -if not by her by the Faults department-. I naively waited for a call as if waiting from my abandoning lover.

[#11]

Hi @varan01,

I'm sorry to hear that the phone engineer repairing the line did not correct the fault in your broadband service.

The main reason behind cancelling the visit is that if we book a phone engineer, he/she on arrival would be made aware that there is a broadband fault and they are booked in to rectify a faulty phone service. So that we can ensure your broadband fault is rectified, we need to book a broadband trained engineer (SFI - Special Faults investigation.)

I have updated the fault ticket on your account requesting your availability for the visit. Please ensure you have connected your equipment to the test socket, this will reduce the chance of a potential charge and could resolve the issue without the need of a visit.

If the problem persists, when you have replied to the ticket here, please reply on here so we can pick it up as soon as possible for you.

Thank you.

[#12]

Hi Lewis, I have replied your question about my availability. I will make myself available anytime for the guy coming from Special Forces -oh sorry Special Faults Investigation team-. Please arrange asap. The problem is still there with the test socket and for me seems with your router, it might not be so special really.

[#13]

Thank you for providing your availability @varan01,

Your appointment for an engineer has been booked for 09/03/2019 between 8am-1pm due to no connection.

If the appointment needs amending, please get back in touch as soon as possible and we will rearrange it for you.

Thanks again.

[#14]

After Plusnet's cancelling yesterday's engineering visit, another engineering visit was booked for today between 8 am and 1 pm. And no one showed up until now -it passed 1 pm now.

Around 11.30 am I called Plusnet to ask their confirmation if someone is really coming, and certainly they confirmed. And let me write what will happen next: Openreach will tell Plusnet that they come and could not find us at home. Just as a proof we had friends coming today morning, the bell rang perfectly and we are able to open the doors.

So if Openreach finds an excuse, sorry there is no excuse of not coming. Anyone there from Plusnet to say 'so sorry' again, and ask me to let them know my next three available days that I can spent with waiting for Godot?

[#15]

Sounds familiar....:(

I had OR booked (recently) for an 8am-1pm slot. They didn't show too, but did arrive just before 5pm!!

Therefore s/he could well still arrive on the day of the booked appointment, but then again it is OR we're talking about...