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Should we cancel our broadband/phone order?

Lettsseargeant
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎13-09-2015

Should we cancel our broadband/phone order?

After decades with BT we decided on grounds of cost to switch to Plusnet (also BT we think) - phone and fibre broadband, This was arranged for 9 Sep  - one of us waited in - and nothing happened. After a long time waiting on the customer service line (I'd advise against using this - on the second attempt to get through the whole phone call, including waiting to be transferred between operators, took 50 minutes) it was explained that the order had been cancelled 'automatically' after a system failure or some such and would now be done 'manually' (whatever that means) on 23 Sep. I would describe the apology as grudging, and the offer of recompense as non-existent.
This second attempt to connect us is described by Plusnet as 'Question 110603274' (Don't ask me). This included a warning that should we fail to keep the appointment on the 23rd a fee of £49.99 would be payable. I think not unreasonably we replied to (added to?) the Question by asking for £49.99 for Plusnet's missed appt on the 9th. The response can be summed up as "Come again?" and suggested we ring customer services - which we will never do again.
We've been OK with BT for a long time but Plusnet really is so much cheaper. But we're now understandably very nervous about Plusnet. It's clearly dysfunctional, with no case management system, and pretty much no idea at all what good customer service is. So my question is would we be better advised to cancel and look elsewhere? And if so, where?

Thanks
9 REPLIES 9
PitchBlack
Grafter
Posts: 301
Registered: ‎10-01-2014

Re: Should we cancel our broadband/phone order?

Have a look at this thread
http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,141893.0.html
I personally switched to Origin,
a few comparisons after about 5 weeks,
Speed went up from 9.8Mbps to 12.4Mbps, (Origin is LLU), I was getting about 4 cold callers a day with PlusNet, I have had zero with Origin in just over a month. I can get through to customer service within 5 seconds after pressing the options, games play with no lagg, and I am saving a lot of money per year.
I was with free-online/PlusNet since Dec 1998 and really wish I had changed sooner.
Anyway this is my 2c, I was hoping to leave PlusNet in the past but have been forced to return to these forums as my Mum switched from PN last month too, but is still being charged, so with no other means of contacting PN apart from spending hours on the phone, here I am.
pwatson
Rising Star
Posts: 2,470
Thanks: 8
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎26-11-2012

Re: Should we cancel our broadband/phone order?

Quote from: PitchBlack
Speed went up from 9.8Mbps to 12.4Mbps, (Origin is LLU),

Origin is only LLU in a handful of exchanges.  For others they resell PN services...
Quote from: PitchBlack
I was getting about 4 cold callers a day with PlusNet, I have had zero with Origin in just over a month.

Nothing to do with your phone provider - Just coincidence if you haven't changed your number.
adamwalker
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 16,871
Thanks: 882
Fixes: 221
Registered: ‎27-04-2007

Re: Should we cancel our broadband/phone order?

Hi there,
I've added an update to ticket 110603274 for you.
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Adam Walker
 Plusnet Help Team
Lettsseargeant
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎13-09-2015

Re: Should we cancel our broadband/phone order?

Thanks for the replies. I'll have a look at Origin.
Adam, thanks for the comment on the Ticket. We'll get back to you soon.
Sebtomato
Rising Star
Posts: 123
Thanks: 3
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎21-01-2013

Re: Should we cancel our broadband/phone order?

When I got my fibre connection installed with Plusnet/Openreach, Openreach missed the appointment (nobody turned up). As Plusnet was very clear that any missed appointment would be paid for, I told them they owed me the same amount for not turning up (it works both ways). They did credit me that amount.
Lettsseargeant
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎13-09-2015

Re: Should we cancel our broadband/phone order?

Thanks Sebtomato - good to know. Adam's offer (see above) was 'to meet us halfway' and so £25, not £49.99.
We do find this all rather odd, and remain unsure about the wisdom of a long-term commitment to a company that behaves like this. As I said, we've been with BT since I think 1985 (?) so we don't exactly like moving our broadband around a lot.
Anyway, I've written back to them ('added to the ticket') saying something like this.
Other views welcome.
SpendLessTime
Hero
Posts: 3,000
Thanks: 928
Fixes: 86
Registered: ‎21-09-2009

Re: Should we cancel our broadband/phone order?

@lettsseargeant
have a read of this for your legal rights http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/delivery-rights#extra
Ex - Plusnet Customer (2009 - 2023) now with BT
Lettsseargeant
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎13-09-2015

Re: Should we cancel our broadband/phone order?

Thanks for the legal suff - useful. I'm fairly familiar with that but of course what set us off was Plusnet's having the nerve to threaten to charge us if we miss the appointment.
Anyway we added to the Ticket suggesting that paying Sebtomato the full amount and us half was strange and got one of those "come gain?" responses. I'm not sure a person is doing the responses on the ticket. This response, after a chunk of text we can't see as relevant, suggests contacting Plusnet's online chat, which is where we started a while back when our installation didn't happen - we contacted them first and Chat said yes we can see it hasn't happened and we don't know why so ring customer services by phone (that was the very long wait etc.). I'm sure chat s fine for some things.
So not sure e where we are now. This company doesn't seems to be effectively organised and we have little confidence that on the 23rd this installation will happen this time either. I also see now that there are concerns about the quality of the router.
BT are of course circling and offering us deal we apparently won't refuse.
Will be talking to Origin this morning and I think we'll decide later today or tomorrow.
Thanks to all.
Lettsseargeant
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎13-09-2015

Re: Should we cancel our broadband/phone order?

In the end inertia got the better of us and the change to Plusnet went ahead OK, allowing for the odd behaviour of the "Openreach" (great name) engineer.
Current speeds 13 down and 2.5 up. Is that good I wonder?
The phone line went dead from last Thursday to yesterday - a fault at the exchange apparently. Never had one of those in the 21 years living here. So we're still a bit nervous. The Plusnet consumer line was answered pretty much immediately and gave a date for fixing the problem. She said helpfully that there would be no charge. But will they charge us for the 5 days with no phone we wonder? Not that we need it mind.
No sign of the promised £25 for the missed appointment as yet.