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Connection chaos.

Dilly
Grafter
Posts: 30
Thanks: 7
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎22-03-2015

Connection chaos.

I am a 71 yr old lady who was recommended to join up with Plusnet by a friend. I signed up on Tues. March 3rd and was told it would take 5-7 days for connection to be made. The router was not despatched until Wed. 11th and received the following Friday. On Mon. 16th I received an email from <-Snip-> saying service would be available on Fri. 20th but a further email from Plusnet support later that day advised connection would be finalised on Sat.21st. any time up to midnight. I was logged on until 1am this morning but stll nothing. I've 'chatted online' with Matt T. at 9am today who tells me that there is a delay from the supplier but, he having contacted provisioning dept., says someone will be in touch within the next 24 hrs. Strangely, according to Rob during a previous online chat, provisioning do not work on a weekend and I was advised to ring up at 9 o'clock on the following Monday morning. It is now 18 days since paying £30.43 in advance for a non existent service with no acceptable reason for the delay. Is there anyone capable of giving me a straight answer so as I don't have to sit here all day waiting?   Embarrassed
[Moderator's note by Dick(Strat): CSA name removed as per the forum rules but made available to Plusnet staff.]
17 REPLIES 17
Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,919
Thanks: 9,536
Fixes: 158
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Connection chaos.

Hello Dilly,
Welcome to the forums.  Sorry to hear of you connection problems. BT Openreach (BTOR) - PlusNet's suppliers, who actually own all the wires, exchange equipment and provide the installation engineers - are in some areas under resourced, with the consequence that "no shows" are endemic.
PlusNet's Customer Relations Team (CRT) do not work Sundays, so an official response will not be had before Monday morning.  I am sure that one you are up and working, things will be fine for you.
You have most certainly come to the right place to ask for help...
Cheers,
Kevin

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

Dilly
Grafter
Posts: 30
Thanks: 7
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎22-03-2015

Re: Connection chaos.

Thank you Kevin for your reply.
Why am I not surprised that BT could be at fault here but my concern would be that Plusnet, if the problem is beyond their control, should not make promises of connection, or whatever, unless they are certain of their facts. Whilst not applicable in my case, many people could take time off work or make alternative arrangements based on incorrect information, although as an elderly lady I have been greatly inconvenienced.
Chris
Legend
Posts: 17,724
Thanks: 600
Fixes: 169
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Connection chaos.

Hi Dilly,
Unfortunately as has been mentioned the order seems to have been stuck on the ordering system we use. It's actually got stuck towards the end of the process, so we expect this should clear within the next day or so and once it does your account will activate and you should be able to get online. Sorry for the issues but we'll get you up and running asap.
Former Plusnet Staff member. Posts after 31st Jan 2020 are not on behalf of Plusnet.
Dilly
Grafter
Posts: 30
Thanks: 7
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎22-03-2015

Re: Connection chaos.

Hello Chris,
Thank you for the update and I apologise for sounding like a crotchety old woman but ,in fairness, I do think I have been given the run around to some extent. Firstly, delay due to a fault on the line then problem with the direct debit, which the bank confirmed had gone through without any trouble, and now order stuck in the system. Normally I could take these hassles in my stride but, in this instance, I have been dependent on my son, who made a fruitless journey down from Chester hoping to complete the setup on the weekend, and now a very dear friend who will be on hand to help me as and when the service is finally available.
To further frustrate me I am now unable to make or receive phone calls on my landline and am hoping this may have something to do with the changeover of my phone service from BT to Plusnet. Perhaps someone is able to verify this?
MattyC
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 3,201
Fixes: 46
Registered: ‎10-04-2014

Re: Connection chaos.

I fully understand your frustrations with this. Pass my apologies on to your son.
We haven't actually requested to take over the phone line yet as we're still waiting for the broadband order to complete, so unfortunately we cannot vouch for this. Though we will be placing the phone order once the broadband has fully switched.
Matty
ex-Plusnet staffer. Any posts after 28/07/2017 aren't on behalf of Plusnet
Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,919
Thanks: 9,536
Fixes: 158
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Connection chaos.

MattyC,
In simple words, you are saying that Dilly's present loss of phone service has nothing to do with the PN take over of the service and that the matter needs to be progressed with BT Retail?
Is it possible that BT Retail placed a cease order on the line having knowledge of the expected transfer date, which due to (BTw ?) system failures has been passed without the transfer being effected?
It would not be the first time that BT Retail has caused such issues.
Seems like Dilly could be in no-man's-land with no phone service between loosing and gaining providers?  Shocked
Kevin

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

MattyC
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 3,201
Fixes: 46
Registered: ‎10-04-2014

Re: Connection chaos.

Hi Kevin,
We have seen it before, but it usually happens with different types of migrations to this.
When I run a dialogue check, it shows an active line in Dilly's property. Along with this, broadband provisions are usually cancelled if the losing CP places any orders for cessation and ours is still active.
ex-Plusnet staffer. Any posts after 28/07/2017 aren't on behalf of Plusnet
MattyC
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 3,201
Fixes: 46
Registered: ‎10-04-2014

Re: Connection chaos.

Sorry for the double post, but it looks like the order completed about 30 seconds after me posting.
@Dilly - You should be able to get online if your friend is on hand? Your phone order should start shortly.
ex-Plusnet staffer. Any posts after 28/07/2017 aren't on behalf of Plusnet
Dilly
Grafter
Posts: 30
Thanks: 7
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎22-03-2015

Re: Connection chaos.

Hi Kevin & Matty,
Thank you both for this latest information. I have just minutes ago received notification that my broadband has been activated and is ready for use. I'm  worried, however, that my landline phone is still dead and I cannot make or receive calls.
Dilly
Grafter
Posts: 30
Thanks: 7
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎22-03-2015

Re: Connection chaos.

My friend has just told me that if he phones me it rings as normal from his end but then goes to 'person you are calling is not available, please leave message'. Any suggestions please?
Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,919
Thanks: 9,536
Fixes: 158
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Connection chaos.

Dilly,
This rather sounds like a broken circuit.  Just to double check, can you please check the connection of your hand set?
Is the broadband working?  Voice needs both wires to be connected, whereas broadband can work (poorly) with just one wire connected.
Given that your voice service is (should be) still with BT Retail, you can use their report a fault page here - http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/9812/c/345/?s_intcid=con_sanda:Help Home:L1:landline:L2:fixLandline_9812 - if you get a response like this...
Quote
Sorry, we are unable to perform a line test or accept fault reports online for this type of line. Please contact 0800 800 151 (Residential) or 0800 800 154 (Business) for further assistance. We apologise for any inconvenience.

...it rather suggest that BT Retail do not "own" the line.
Kevin

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

Dilly
Grafter
Posts: 30
Thanks: 7
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎22-03-2015

Re: Connection chaos.

Hello again Kevin,
Sorry, I had to go out for a while and have only just read your post.
I have two phones connected with a splitter. One phone, for use in the kitchen,is simply plugged in as normal but in the other port I have a filter plugged in for the second phone, ready for the broadband. My friend is currently not available to assist me with the broadband setup which he will do tomorrow. I earlier removed the filter and second phone and tried using the other phone alone but with no success. I then tried the kitchen phone but again nothing. Connections for both phones appear fine, one being new and only bought last week.
Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,919
Thanks: 9,536
Fixes: 158
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Connection chaos.

Hi Dilly,
Now that the BB is working, all your phones MUST be connected via a filter.  If you have a "phone" splitter / socket doubler, that must be plugged into the "phone" side of a filter - not the other way around.
Hope that makes sense?
Did you try the BT phone fault page?
Kevin

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

Dilly
Grafter
Posts: 30
Thanks: 7
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎22-03-2015

Re: Connection chaos.

Hi Kevin,
Firstly, regarding the filter/splitter, I have got that the wrong way round and will rectify accordingly. Thank you for that.
Meantime, my very good friend has come to the rescue and things are looking much clearer now. Having set up the router, switched on and waited the necessary 15 minutes, a screen shot indicated that internet connectivity had failed, ie: no broadband. He then rang BT to report the line fault which apparently had already been notified, by whom they didn't say. Not sure if Plusnet had a hand in this or not. Anyway, it seems a repair is scheduled for Wed. 25th or failing that Fri. 27th., so until then I can proceed no further. I appear to have suffered a series of drawbacks in what initially should have been a simple procedure but cest la vie, it could have been worse.
May I take this opportunity to thank you, Matt and Chris for all your help and I hope to let you know all is well in due course.