Fibre Woes

[#1]

Oh dear! Currently I seem to be in Limbo.

There I was, happy as Larry(well!) on my 40/10 FTTC with landline 24 month contract, but it was due to run out in September 2025. So I needed to renew my contract, but to what? As I no longer really need the landline continuing with SOGEA seemed to me the likely best option for now (it is shown as "Available" on the BT checker). I phoned COTS but Plusnet seemed reluctant to go with SOGEA - "BT will be closing exchanges in future...". - so I was persuaded to make the jump to fibre now.

This is where the problems start...

I am still on my trusty 40/10 FTTC, but am now out of contract and paying about twice what my in contract price was. Further, I currently have no forward visibility of when BT/Openreach can connect me to fibre - I was not expecting this.

The external box has been installed, but is it in the right place? It may not be!

Following initial text message contact with BT the external installation went ahead very quickly - despite my replying "ACCESS" to their text as I was concerned that it might be best to have the ONT and external box installations coordinated because of queries about how it could be done and where it could/would be possible to install.

Due to my preferred final placement of the router and possibly some misunderstanding by me and the installers the very easy installation of the external box is now in a place which I have come to realise may or may not be compatible with the ONT installation. If not, the external box may have to be moved somewhere else, so God knows how long all this will take to get off the ground. Meanwhile I am still on 10/40 FTTC, which frankly is all the speed I really need, but am now stuck paying an out of contract price for.

I really am starting to feel this was all a big mistake and would ideally like to be returned to my original FTTC contract (the landline is not important). Is here any way this can be done?

[#2]

@pvmb 

Check to see if there are any Open questions on your account.

https://www.plus.net/wizard/?p=search

Depending on what you find phone COTS again. Complain about the price and the delay.

The router is connected by ethernet cable so can go where ever you're willing to run said cable. There is some leeway as to where the ONT goes but must be near a power source.

Brian

[#3]

@pvmb 

Ring Plusnet and explain what is happening. If you upgraded to Full Fibre you should not be paying out of contract prices whilst waiting. It’s probably only the billing system not keeping up and will be corrected next month.

[#4]

Interesting space; from a contractual point of view, the new service contract does not start until the new service is commissioned.  Therefore the existing terms apply, which means that the FTTC service will be charged at the out of discount period rate.

If this is not a FTTP priority exchange then it might be argued that the advice given by the sales contact was false.  Whilst the exchanges might indeed be decommissioned at some distant time in the future, that does not impinge on the fibre end of the the FTTP / SoGEA network.  In many cases the exchange delivering the fibre service is not the local exchange.  One might be able to hint at miss selling here and seek a good will gesture in asking for the discounts o be retained until the FTTP service is commissioned.

However, if you have been given a COMMITTED commissioning date for FTTP which has not been fulfilled, you might be better off staying stum and rely on the Ofcom Automatic Compensation scheme for delayed installation.

Ofcom Automatic Compensation Scheme

Plusnet is signed up to the Ofcom Automatic Compensation Scheme - see Automatic Compensation FAQs. Plusnet will pay automatic compensation in the following circumstances:

1. Delayed activation of your broadband and/or landline service
2. Delayed repair following a total loss of service
3. Missed appointments

For compensation to be paid (as a credit to your account), you must have a CONFIRMED date for the failed activity. Compensation is credited within 30 days following the resolution of the issue giving rise to the claim.

To see what is happening in detail, check the ticket history on your account - log into the portal in another tab, return here and click the PN TICKET link below. Look at the details of the tickets; if there appears to be no activity after the due date, contact support.

Note: Outages arising from a Major Service Outage (MSO) event need to be processed manually, so you might need to contact support.

[#5]

My line is not on an FTTP priority exchange. WBC FTTC is Unavailable, WBC SOGEA is Available.

The original commission date for fibre was 1 Oct (after the end date of my FTTC contract), which has obviously passed, and I have not yet received any further information from BT/Openreach about another installation date.

I understand the 'bill correction' mechanism for being out of contract and was told about that at renewal as "The delay is not your fault." However I assumed that was from the ending of my FTTC contract to the specified 1 Oct date for the start of FTTP. Now that hasn't happened and I have no other date; and that's before we even come to possible further delays that may come about if the already installed external box proves unsatisfactory.

I am thinking this could all get very messy.

The only thing I can see in my account is the following message:

"Something’s gone wrong
Please wait for us to process your recent change, upgrade or renewal before making another change.

To cancel any changes please call us on 0800 432 0200."

[#6]

The pivotal question is within the communication about supplying your FTTP service, was the referred to installation date predicated with the words "we aim to"?

Depending on the work required, you might get a provisional date, not a CONFIMED date.  If you have a confirmed date, then the automatic compensation applies ... unless the USER misses and appointment.  That being the case raising my suspicions over the reported status.  The USER MISSED APPOINTMENT status must be corrected to ensure that that compensation clock is still running.

This is BTOR skunkworks, as it is they who pay the compensation, via the SIP.

As for contract start date on a different service, that is the date the service goes operational.

[#7]

OK. Current status (as of 18 Oct.) Confusion reigns!

The Openreach guy came unannounced today and the ONT has been installed. He couldn't get it to become active on the optical network so phoned up Openreach. After some back and forth he was advised to phone up Plusnet (something to do with a 'KIC'?). He spoke to the Plusnet man who said it couldn't be activated until he signed the job off. He said if he signed it off while it wasn't working he didn't want to leave me with no Internet. It was arranged PN would phone me back, which they just have, to see if it was OK by then. Else back to VDSL - which indeed is what I am on now.

After the Openreach guy had left I got texts from Openreach and then Plusnet about 27th October as the confirmed date for installation of the ONT and the new network connection!

Apparently the optical circuit can't be activated until the OR engineer signs off the job, which PN say he hasn't done. So, despite my having an installed and powered on ONT the 'job' is still scheduled for 27th October. Meanwhile I have put the router back on the landline circuit.

[#8]

@pvmb sounds like complete rubbish! 

something to do with a 'KIC'?).  - it wasnt KCI was it ?

Was your install process shown as 'KCI2 Assure' on the BTw checker ?

He couldn't get it to become active on the optical network so phoned up Openreach.

As long as BTwholesale have configured the circuit in their systems, then the ONT should be active. 

After some back and forth he was advised to phoned up Plusnet (something to do with a 'KIC'?). He spoke to the Plusnet man who said it couldn't be activated until he signed the job off.

For a new Plusnet account, then yes Plusnet need to activate it and will wait for the completion notification from Openreach. In your case though, I assume its an upgrade on an existing account, so there's nothing for Plusnet to do, the Plusnet account is already active 

[#9]

Whereas the BT Broadband Checker used to say "Our records show the following FTTP network service information for these premises:-Single Dwelling Unit Residential UG Pre built to curtilage Hard." it now simply says "FTTP not available".  🤣

Yes, it was something to do with "KCI" - mentioned by the women speaking for Openreach. The engineer asked what he needed to do about it, presumably that led to the "phone the provider" advice.

As I see it the issue arises because PN won't allow two operational circuits at the same time on a contract - when the optical activates the landline service is withdrawn at the same time. The Openreach engineer didn't seem familiar with the ways of PN - he actually asked me if I had "two routers", the "old one" and the "new one they sent you" (for fibre). Seeming to think I could have two services at the same time.

I got no notice of him coming, he must have just turned up on spec. So presumably PN didn't have their turn on/turn off arrangements in place on their system for today - which is now scheduled for the 27th of this month.

[#10]

@pvmb 

As I see it the issue arises because PN won't allow two operational circuits at the same time on a contract - when the optical activates the landline service is withdrawn at the same time. T

Yes, its not possible to have two services on the same account. There's a 'held' cease order on Openreach for the existing service, which is released when the Fibre install is marked as complete by Openreach. AFAIK that's the way all ISP's go process an upgrade to FTTP.

The Openreach engineer didn't seem familiar with the ways of PN - he actually asked me if I had "two routers", the "old one" and the "new one they sent you" (for fibre). Seeming to think I could have two services at the same time. 

Doesn't sound like a very clued up engineer!

I got no notice of him coming, he must have just turned up on spec. So presumably PN didn't have their turn on/turn off arrangements in place on their system for today - which is now scheduled for the 27th of this month.

More than likely that BTwholesale hadn't configured the circuit yet, since it was an unplanned visit!. They would normally complete that a day or so before the install scheduled date.

Whereas the BT Broadband Checker used to say "Our records show the following FTTP network service information for these premises:-Single Dwelling Unit Residential UG Pre built to curtilage Hard." it now simply says "FTTP not available".  

That's a tad worrying...

[#11]

How ironic that it must have been the on site phone calls from the engineer to Openreach and Plusnet - when the ONT didn't connect - that subsequently triggered the Fibre Broadband Installation appointment and text messages and emails from OR and PN. 🙂

[#12]

I'm guessing here... but it sounds like your install process was 'KCI2 Assure' which would mean a 'survey' visit to assess what work is required before giving a confirmed date. Sounds like the engineer doing the survey decided no work was required and so installed an ONT. Problem is, if that is the case, then the BTw circuit would not have been built and the 'systems' weren't ready to go live. The engineer contact to OR & Plusnet will have 'kicked' the systems to give a confirmed date. On the date, you can see the engineer being confused as to why everything is already installed!! 

[#13]

,,,Sounds very plausible to me.

I had replied  "ACCESS" to the original Openreach text - as I was concerned about how the actual installation could be done (for various reasons). However the Openreach people took me by surprise by suddenly appearing only a day or so later to put the external box on the wall. (I had misconceptions of how fibre was installed).

I reckon my "ACCESS" text was responsible for the second person appearing a week or so later with no appointment, probably originally to simply take an outside look at the access situation. When he saw the physical situation he realised it would likely not be a problem to connect from the already installed external box to an internal ONT and banged on my front door and it was installed without an appointment. This has caught PN and Openreach out as this was not a scheduled install and the ONT could not go live. So the official scheduled 'install'/commissioning date is 27th of this month.

[#14 · Accepted solution]

Finally!

Engineer called today at 1pm. Only took him less than 15 minutes (given ONT was already installed).

From Hub 2 router Status page -

Connection type: External (FTTX)
WAN link speed: 1000 Mbps

Link now working, "Internet Speed" measured @150Mbps on FAST speed tester over 5GHz USB Wi-Fi dongle.

[#15]

...Landline already dropped out by 3pm. Dialling my landline number returns NU signal. As reported elsewhere, still have dial tone on line and 17070 reports another number - if this number is dialled the call drops out without any message or signal.

Wouldn't you know it! As this is going on my mobile network home base station - after a couple of years of more or less satisfactory performance - chooses just this time to start falling over yet again. 🙄