Why are Plusnet not cancelling my service as requested?

[#1]

Hello,

Given that there appears no way to email or complain directly to Plusnet customer service, I am writing here to ask Plusnet customer services why they have seemingly been unable/unwilling to cancel my broadband service & allow me to transfer to another provider?

Back on the 9th May, I arranged to transfer my phone & internet services to BT - this was scheduled to take place on 1st June (i.e., following the expiry of my current Plusnet contract). While the phone service was indeed transferred to BT on 1st June, the broadband (FTTP) was not & remained with Plusnet (who continued to charge me).

According to BT, they were unable to activate my new FTTP service until Plusnet ceased their supply. Despite the fact that they are both part of the same company, neither Plusnet nor BT seemed able to communicate this information between each other, so BT asked me to contact Plusnet directly (again) to cancel my FTTP service.

My second request to cease was acknowledged (in writing in various support tickets) by Plusnet & this was arranged for 12 June. However once again, Plusnet did not cease the service as requested on this date - continuing to supply it against my wishes & effectively blocking the transfer to BT. (Personally I do not see why the FTTP has to be ceased in order to allow BT to take control, but I have been assured by BT customer services that it is the case & is some kind of administrative process).

So I made a 3rd request (via chat & support ticket & phone). This time all my Plusnet email accounts were immediately terminated (on 17 June) but somehow the FTTP STILL continued to be supplied by Plusnet... I am now being informed by BT that Plusnet will apparently cease this service on 25 June - i.e., 25 days after I originally requested.

After many years as a loyal Plusnet customer, I would like to know why Plusnet have made it so damn difficult for me to leave & transfer to another provider? Why was the service not ceased when I requested? Why have Plusnet not communicated anything to me about these issues? 

Go back a few years & Plusnet customer service was astoundingly good - it is shocking how far it has fallen in such a short space of time. It's now one of the worst I have ever experienced & reflects exactly why I am leaving.   

[#2]

A lot of this is probably down to a lack of industry accepted standard for FTTP migration. That, and the fact that our offering is still very much undeveloped. Sorry you've been the brunt of that

[#3]

@al0104

Why didn't BT put their circuit onto the other WAN port? I was always lead to believe that you could have the other WAN ports setup at any time by other providers. So zero downtime when moving suppliers.

My ONT has WAN 4 ports although the latest model only has 1 port.

[#4]

@SpendLessTime, that's my understanding too.

[#5]

Sadly it is the latest, smaller ONT - so as you say it only has 1 WAN port.

[#6]

Ah that's a shame (although the new one looks a lot neater on the wall).

And as you have found out, the FTTP change of supplier is a mess.

All down to OFCOM not applying the same rules that cover ADSL/VDSL lines. And their excuse? Not enough people using FTTP to make it worthwhile! 

[#7]

Yet another fowl-up from Ofcom - the body which is supposed to protect consumer interests in the telecoms industry.  Cannot make up my mind which is the least fit for purpose - Ofcom or BTOR.

As mentioned there is no clear industry process for FTTP migration - the Gaining Provider Led process does not apply.  The SUs already have a discussion about this subject, I'll add this topic to that.

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