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Order declared complete even though it never worked and still doesn't

Gower1
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Registered: ‎22-11-2016

Order declared complete even though it never worked and still doesn't

After several cancellations my 'go live' date as a new customer was Fri 11th Nov.  Openreach came, upgraded the socket, but fibre didn't work.  Plusnet said it would by Saturday, but it didn't.  I called back to be told there was no-one there on a Saturday and someone would phone me back on Monday.  They didn't, so I called back and reported that I had no line or fibre working.  Provisioning booked another Openreach visit, but then two hours later cancelled that appointment and declared everything working, despite me only having just told them that nothing did. 

I then had to call back, waiting half an hour for an answer, then half and hour to be transfered to provisioning, only to be told that as installation was complete they wouldn't help me any more.  I explained it wasn't complete and never had worked, that I had waited an hour to speak to them, but provisioning said they had declared it complete, call volumes were high and they refused to help me.  I asked for a manager but they refused saying the order was complete and they didn't want to help.

I then had to call back, another half an hour wait, to register a fault on the line that had never worked.  They tested the line and confirmed it still wasn't working - it never had.  They passed it back to Openreach.

Another Openreach engineer came and ran some tests, and managed to get the line working, but no fibre connection.  We went through a series of repeated events where Plusnet would declare everything working fine, only for me to have to phone back and wait to tell them it wasn't.

Then there was a long delay with nothing.  I was later told that I had a nasty bridge case, and that there was a dispute over charges (I'm guessing between Openreach and Plusnet) and I was left in the middle with no updates or progress.  I phoned several more times, to be told that someone would call me back, but no-one did.  I still don't know what a bridge case is - anyone?

In the end I contacted to say I wanted to know whether I could abandon installation and cancel my contract.  At that point the retentions team got a 'fault manager' to call me.  He apologised and said someone from his team would investigate and call me back by the end of the day to update.  No-one did. I called back the next day and was told the same, but again the promised call back never came.

I contacted again and now was told the finance dispute was resolved, and because I phoned it was passed back to Openreach - nothing seems to happen automatically at any stage unless I phone and complain.  Then just after my case was put back on hold for four more days.

I'm approaching two weeks since my 'go live' date - my account has been started and officially I'm paying for a service which never worked.  Someone did email to say I would get some months refunded though.  Is it normal for provisioning to declare a new order installed when it never has worked?  And then to refuse to help and force you to register a 'fault' yourself?  This is terrible customer service, as are all the promised call backs that never happen - even a promise from a 'fault manager'.  These are separate failings on top of the difficulties with telecoms suppliers having to outsource connection issues to Openreach.

I live in the countryside in Wales and can't get any internet signal, so have wasted hours and hours on the phone calling in to register further issues, but have no idea when this will be resolved. 

Anyone got any suggestions?

 

Thanks,

 

Richard.

16 REPLIES 16
geek26
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Re: Order declared complete even though it never worked and still doesn't

Sounds like a pretty bad situation to be in at this point honestly I would recommend raising a complaint this way you will have one central person reviewing your case and working with you.. 

Alternativly a member of Plusnet staff will be along shortly to review this

 

Link to raise complaint ticket here

James

Gower1
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Registered: ‎22-11-2016

Re: Order declared complete even though it never worked and still doesn't

Thanks. I think i've already made a complaint by phone. At least i tried. And the situation above is what resulted. I was told that because the issue had been expedited that's why the response has been so quick!

It looks like no-one has come along to review this, so if tomorrow's deadline passes again I'll try the link you gave.

Gower1
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Registered: ‎22-11-2016

Re: Order declared complete even though it never worked and still doesn't

My ticket came off hold today, but when I contacted plusnet I was told there was no update and faults were busy working on other faults first.  It doesn't seem to matter that I've been waiting two weeks. Is this normal for Plusnet?  Should I get out now before I even start?

WS1990
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Registered: ‎04-11-2016

Re: Order declared complete even though it never worked and still doesn't

Hi;

 

If there is a physical issue with your line it may make little difference who your provider is as it is down to whether Openreach can and would fix it. That will depend on the fault type.

 

Regards

WS

geek26
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Re: Order declared complete even though it never worked and still doesn't

I agree with @WS1990 like I suggested previously I would request your ticket is to be escalated to complaints department

James

Gower1
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Re: Order declared complete even though it never worked and still doesn't

@geek26 Thanks, I did escalate as you said, and I've raised a formal complaint using the link you sent, but there's been no reply.

@WS1990 if I post some of the fault notifications do you think someone could translate for me? While i wait it would be good to have someone explain the problem. I've redacted all case numbers and the identity of PN staff:


1] Your fault has been diagnosed as a Dis In Network. This has now been raised with Openreach and they have advised us that the estimated response time is by 16/11/16 23:59:59.


2] INFO OR3100 - Trouble Report Accepted
INFO OR4040 - Notification only - Estimated Response Time.
INFO OR4132 - Notification Only - Fault is classified as ELF (Early Life Failure)

3] GEA Test Detail
Circuit ID NA Service ID xxxxxxxxxx
Test Outcome Fail
Test Outcome Code GTC_TEST_1050
Description
Customer status set to "Not in service". On first error please check and then resubmit test request, on subsequent errors please contact the SMC
Main Fault Location DT
Appointment Required N
Fault Report Advised Y
Problem Explanation: [OD502] OR test has failed and Appointment Not Required.
Resolution/Recommendation: Please report fault to BTW for OR investigation.

4]Escalating to EU as faults shows as cleared and confirmed cleared.

5] tested line show no sync on KBD

6] SFI will be required rejected the clear on Eco

7] KBD Fault rejected as in fault
SMC Notes
BRIDGE CASE RAISED BYxxxxxx , PHOENIX team please can you change the service status from ICP to IS in Phoenix as all Flow activities are closed . Customer is trying to report a fault but is unable to due to the wrong service status .???? NGA OPS . -Will hold for 24 hours as the line is still showing active tasks that need to be closed and then completed on all systems.
This Question is now on hold until Sunday 20th November at 7:00am.

8] The Question xxxxxxxxx has been released from hold and sent back to BOT - FTTC Logged Faults - No Sync

9] Handed over to be worked, charging has been covered.

10] (09:18:10): Thank you. This session has been successfully validated and the Session ID is xxxxxxxxx
(09:20:57): I have checked and see that there is a FTTC 1 (without appointment) task raised with the suppliers on 19/11/2016 21:00: Here first the supplier’s diagnostics team i.e DCOE works on the case and try to resolve the errors on the line remotely. After that if required a local network engineer will be assigned to go to the exchange to investigate and resolve the issue. The time frame given to the suppliers for the complete thing is 72 working hours. I would suggest you to please review on 24/11 after 1000 hrs for the further updates on this on in eco+.

 

As above you'll see openreach said plusnet could review from 24/11 at 10am, but they refused to yesterday - I have no idea why.

WS1990
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Registered: ‎04-11-2016

Re: Order declared complete even though it never worked and still doesn't

Hi;

 

Plusnet should be following up, so regretably you probably have to chase PN up. It may be that Openreach will simply find the issue and fix it, (thus far there is nothing which says what the actual issue is) but if they do not clear the fault and you get more information happy to try to translate. I think their love of codes and jargon comes from when the GPO was a state monopoly. Incidentally the provider switching would have been completed. (there was that bit about asking to change the service status). As you have found out that does not mean anything more than that you are now with a new provider! Presuming eventually it is sorted I would hope that they will compensate you for the trouble. 

 

regards

WS

Anoush
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Registered: ‎22-08-2015

Re: Order declared complete even though it never worked and still doesn't

Thank you for getting in touch with us via our community forums @Gower1, and I am really sorry to hear of the delay in getting your broadband up & running.

 

Based on the notes you've copied and pasted, it appears we raised a fault with the line to Openreach (I think this was actually myself as I recognise the wording of the ticket to be mine).

 

When that was resolved but didn't fix the problem relating to your broadband not syncing, it appears we raised a broadband fault with suppliers, but a system issue prevented it from progressing to the stage of booking a SFI (A fancy name for a broadband engineer).

 

We then contacted BTWholesale and they advised us the fault was then progressed to a non appointment task which means that an engineer should have looked into it without requiring access to your property. 

 

I imagine that your ticket is now off hold and waiting to be worked by our faults team.

 

If you private message me with your username I'll be happy to provide you with an update/see what I can do to move this along on Monday morning, should your ticket not be picked up over the weekend.

This is my personal Community Forum account to help out around these parts while I'm at home. If I'm posting from the 1st March 2020, this means I'm off-duty with no access to internal systems.
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Gower1
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Re: Order declared complete even though it never worked and still doesn't

Sorry for the delay - another offline weekend.

@Anoush Thank you for the offer. On Friday I phoned back and this time someone from PN agreed that they would help and for the *first time* faults did actually phone me with an update!

Unfortunately I'm told Openreach have done absolutely nothing at all, so PN have re-issued the request back to them and this time given them five days 😕 I don't understand what kind of service agreement PN have with Openreach that they can ignore the first request and then be given even longer to fix it without some kind of penalty or complaint from PN to Openreach? If this was water, electricity or gas there would be compensation for delays when your services aren't available. Why not for telecoms?

When I explained how long this is taking he agreed to check it himself when the ticket comes of hold and give me an update, which is great.  He did also confirm that the person from support who refused to help me the day before was in the wrong - an update would have been available on eco+; it should have been checked and the problem with Openreach not having done the work been addressed a day earlier.  What two different worlds of service there are from PN depending on the lottery of who answers your call!

@WS1990 Thanks for taking a look

@geek26 My complaint using the link you sent has been open for more than 4 days now but still hasn't been addressed.

Thanks,

Richard.

Anoush
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Re: Order declared complete even though it never worked and still doesn't

Apologies for the delay. If there is anything I can do to help please feel free to PM me with your username.

 

As for your official complaint the usual turnaround time is 5 working days for our high level escalations team to pick it up.

This is my personal Community Forum account to help out around these parts while I'm at home. If I'm posting from the 1st March 2020, this means I'm off-duty with no access to internal systems.
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Anoush
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Re: Order declared complete even though it never worked and still doesn't

Thank you for your PM

 

Just to echo here what I sent to you via private message.

 

Our suppliers explained to my colleague that the fault is stuck in their systems. They have raised an activity to progress the fault through. We've been advised that this should be fixed by tomorrow at 4pm.

 

From there, we can progress the fault. Apologies for the continued delay.

This is my personal Community Forum account to help out around these parts while I'm at home. If I'm posting from the 1st March 2020, this means I'm off-duty with no access to internal systems.
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Gower1
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Re: Order declared complete even though it never worked and still doesn't

Unfortunately I've just had another update on the ticket that it's now been pushed back to Thursday at 7am.

How is it acceptable for Openreach to keep saying the fault is stuck in their systems?  Shouldn't there be a complaint from PlusNet to Openreach regarding this continued delay?  I was told your service level agreement requires Openreach to fix faults in 3 days?  It will be one day short of THREE WEEKS on Thursday, let alone 3 days.

Anoush
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Re: Order declared complete even though it never worked and still doesn't

I'm not sure why you were advised that the SLA to fix a fault is 3 days. That time frame is usually per update from suppliers.

 

Your ticket is on hold until Thursday to allow time for an update to come through.

This is my personal Community Forum account to help out around these parts while I'm at home. If I'm posting from the 1st March 2020, this means I'm off-duty with no access to internal systems.
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Gower1
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Re: Order declared complete even though it never worked and still doesn't

Someone did eventually pick up my complaint ticket, which means an assigned person checks my ticket every time it comes off hold, tells me that nothing has been done, and then puts it back on hold.

It skips out the step of me having to phone in every time, which is welcome, but so far hasn't achieved much else.

By the end of this week it will be A MONTH since my services apparently WENT LIVE.  Although they didn't.  I was given a month discount on the line, which will expire shortly, and then I will be paying for a service which has never worked.  And yet there isn't even an estimate of when I will have an internet connection.