Order automatically cancelled after 2 weeks, having to wait entire reorder time for reactivation!

[#1]

I think it's important people read this, so I'm going to vent and hopefully some with authority can speed things up.

I signed up as a new customer about a month a go and internet was activated after about 2 weeks, happy days.

However, the OpenReach engineer who installed the line couldn't get the router to stay blue and blamed the router for the fault. I asked him if Plus.net need to be notified to activate the line and he didn't believe so, and left with the great plan of ordering a replacement router.

Shortly after he left he spoke to Plus.net, they said they need to activate it their end and that was it, a nice shiny blue light and internet. I called the engineer and confirmed it's now working.

However, 2 weeks later my order is automatically cancelled.

Totally unknown to me, apparently when the engineer left another engineer was set to visit my house, to be arranged by Plus.net. Apparently Plus.net didn't hear anything and 2 weeks later automatically the order is cancelled.

I am now being told by Plus.net that I have to wait the entire activation time again (which I'm being told is about 20 days) despite the router being absolutely fine, the cabinet being configured and a problem through no fault of my own.

Online chat just shrugs it off, "it's the process, we need to reorder". Okay, that's fine but I need this line for work. I feel like I'm just getting fobbed off, there MUST be a quicker way to process my order. On top of that I'm being charged by Plus.net, I'd have thought for the hassle I'm having I should be being compensated!

I know it's not entirely Plus.net's fault, OpenReach has screwed up too but you must be able to speed up this order. It's extremely frustrating, in the short term I'm having to tether from my phone which is chewing my data connection and I won't be compensated for this!

Edit: Internal reference of question raised is: 158433545. Please hurry this along.

[#2]

Hi there, 

I'm sorry first of all for the advice the engineer gave about broadband being active at the same time as your phone line as that was incorrect. We'll pass on some feedback about that. 

As you're likely aware there has been a secondary issue delaying the broadband order but I can see that we've placed a request to expedite it's completion and that should go through tomorrow, Thursday or Friday at the very latest. 

I noticed we're set to refund you for the downtime once this has been resolved but feel free to post back here if there's anything else we can help with. 

[#3]

I've had a similar experience. I'm moving house on 10th October and run my business from home and rely on the broadband. Placed an order with Plusnet on 19th September to move the phone and broadband to the new house and upgrade from ADSL to fibre at the same time. Got a call yesterday from Plusnet (Ticket 158142245) saying they made a mistake with the order and as a result have to place a new order. They have admitted it's their error but have now confirmed that the earliest I can expect the phone and broadband is 18th October. They have said there is nothing they can do about it as an engineer has to go to the box and switch the connection to fibre. Apparently it takes a minimum 2 weeks of planning for this to happen (well, it is in Yorkshire).

Seems a completely archaic system whereby in the 21st century it takes 2 weeks to plan to switch a phone over.

Adviser suggested I use 4G - sound advice from somebody sitting in the middle of a city with 4G - not so easy when the coverage is closer to 2G in practice where I am moving - which is why broadband is even more critical so I can make mobile calls over Wifi.

Seems that Plusnet feel it's OK to say it's their fault but frankly are then unable to do anything about it. They said I will get a goodwill payment as 'restitution' - not sure it will make up for a week of lost business. 

[#4]

Sky seem to be able to provide me with phone and fibre broadband on my moving in date so will be reviewing what I do tomorrow.

[#5]

Mine actually got sorted quicker than I was originally told, the process was a total screw up, however to be fair to Plusnet on this occasion, I think the problem laid with their "supplier" (OpenReach I assume).

My internet was activated and then the order was cancelled, yours sounds like it's never been activated so I guess the below process may not work for you:

1. Spoke to online chat, mentioned about the order being cancelled and asked for reactivation. Was told they can't and will have to wait which was near another 3 weeks.
2. Called, this time was told to speak to the orders department. I spoke to them, a chap called Fred who was very helpful and he'd speak directly to the "supplier" given my situation asking if they can expedite it.
3. He called me back, the supplier apparently "point blank" refused to expedite the order and Fred registered a complaint on my behalf. It was suggested in the short term to give me ADSL to at least give me internet and then upgrade to fibre at a later date. He then said he'd create a new request for a brand new order, as an expedite to the supplier.
4. The supplier, the next day, again refuses. Fred then tells me they'll try "fast track" the order instead (unsure of difference).
5. Supplier rejected this.
6. My ticket was then update to state the original order will have to go ahead and I'll have to wait the full time.
7. I queried this, as I was previously told the worst case scenario would be ADSL, then upgraded.
8. The question was then automatically closed?!
9. I then spoke to online chat, someone viewed the ticket, called the supplier and then told me the next day my fibre should be activated. And it was, I have internet.

So a complete mix up of statements there, but that's what happened. In short the supplier refused several times yet in the end did indeed speed the order up. I had 8 days of down time instead of the 3 weeks, so maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel. Just keep pushing...