Big increase in complaints at Plusnet

[#1]

So another btor engineer came today and found a melted cable at the exchange because my adsl line had been connected to fibre, fixed within a hour after 3 weeks of no bb.  Very poor service from both PlusNet and BTOR.  Plus net for fobbing me off all the time and btor for not knowing what they were doing and blaming plusnet.  These companies need to each other and help customers!!  Very poor service, will be writing to Ofcom as well.

[#2]

Quote from: nw82

I've had no bb service for over a week now, a  Btor engineer came out and found a problem at the exchange, but said that I won't have service back until plusnet supply it again their side, but they say nothing is wrong and are sending a engineer out again although he as already said that nothing it wrong with the line. They just seem push the problems on to each other while I'm still  without internet. I will be writing to ofcom to complain and will be switching from PN as soon as I can !  Don't know who to yet but anything gotta be better than the service I am getting from PN.

Quote from: nw82

Very poor service from both PlusNet and BTOR.  Plus net for fobbing me off all the time and btor for not knowing what they were doing and blaming plusnet.  These companies need to each other and help customers!!  Very poor service, will be writing to Ofcom as well.

Hi,
Really glad to learn that this got sorted before Christmas.  Is there more to this story than you've shared here?  In what ways have PlusNET fobbed you off?  BTOR claim they did an in-exchange repair and said the rest was down to PN.  PN said there was still an issue with the line, BTOR said there was not, however when BTOR finally went to do a proper job they found a fault with the line...
So who was doing the fobbing off?  From what you've told us, PlusNET were right all along - be fair there appears to be no 'blame passing' here by PlusNET.  Their skills identified a line issue, BTOR were grossly unprofessional in their service delivery.  There is a lot of it about, if BTOR had got their end of the game right first time (instead of seeking to blame PlusNET), you would be a much happier bunny!  Remember I told you the BTOR position was 'balls'!
By all means do complain to Ofcom but please be clear about the facts here.  Given what you've said, I cannot see how (other than by having more resources to deal with the consequence of BTOR's failures) PlusNET could have done better.  They stuck to their guns about this being a line fault and they were right!

[#3]

hrmm, reading lots of these experience threads, I think its helping me decide to switch from plusnet now my contract is up.

[#4]

Quote

I think its helping me decide to switch from plusnet now my contract is up.

Which isp will you be using in the future? Please report as to your experience as my contract is due for renewal early next year.

[#5]

I had a fault a about 18 months a ago and PN were faultless, superb service.
Had a line fault 2 weeks ago and even though my phone line is fixed my BB is still poor. There are now 3 tickets open;
The first  ticket  was done by PN after I had an online chat to let them know I had no dial tone. I had to wait a week for an engineer and had a no show. Contacted  the BT engineer who said he had "knocked" on the door but there was no reply however he already put it though the system. Contacted PN again who offered me another slot a week later, which I refused, they however still opened up another ticket. Thankfully after making a fuss with the BT engineer he turned up later later that day and fixed the phone line .
After the line phone fault was fixed I contacted PN again to see if i could get a BB reset since my sync had dropped, probably down to DLM. They said to wait a few days to see if the line stabilised, not a problem.
I contacted them again 2 days later about the BB reset. They said they would do it straight away  and I should get a sync increase over the next few hours. Nothing happened so I contacted them again the next day. It looks like they didn't do a reset after all and however but they wanted a new ticket raised before doing so since the first 2 were phone related and not BB related. This was despite me already updating the second ticket with the BB request
so I had to raise a 3rd ticket, which looks like it was put on hold. They have done a BB reset but it looks like the BB is still unstable, lots of FEC errors. The ticket has now been taken off hold and now I'm waiting for a response.
18 months ago this would have been fixed by now without me having to continually contact them to put a firework in the right place.
Who knows how long this will go on for. Sure BTOR are a pile of smelly stuff where service is concerned but PN delays are only making things worse. I have had to do this all though web chat since every time I have phoned the wait time is 30-60 mins.
I think I will reluctantly go back to BT. PN service seems no better than BT now and at least If I have a fault I will be dealing with them directly.

[#6]

Quote from: booji

I think I will reluctantly go back to BT. PN service seems no better than BT now and at least If I have a fault I will be dealing with them directly.

Err... No
Plusnet have to raise faults with BT Wholesale. If you go back to BT you will be talking to BT Retail who have to raise faults with BT Wholesale in exactly the same way as Plusnet have to do..

[#7]

BT will soon be taking over EE.
So expect a slump in "customer service" of current-day Plusnet (or worse) proportions.

[#8]

Quote from: spoon

Quote from: booji I think I will reluctantly go back to BT. PN service seems no better than BT now and at least If I have a fault I will be dealing with them directly. Err... No Plusnet have to raise faults with BT Wholesale. If you go back to BT you will be talking to BT Retail who have to raise faults with BT Wholesale in exactly the same way as Plusnet have to do..

Its just an utter joke then.
As long and BT own the network they will always be a monopoly and call the shots.
This pseudo equipment ownership is a farce. BT just rent the stuff out.
and to think that they have just been given to green light for EE - how long will it take before everyone puts up their prices?
I wish I had Virgin net in my area, seems to be the only true alternative.

[#9]

Quote from: tijara33

Which isp will you be using in the future? Please report as to your experience as my contract is due for renewal early next year.

I've signed up with BT due to there silly incentives of over £200 cashback, £115 topcashback & £100 pre-paid master card
I was going to go with ovo, but the BT works out at under £200 for the year assuming they pay-out cashback/card.
BT is only 12 months contract which I like, since switching to PlusNet after 3 months I decided I wouldn't be staying with them, or using them again based on issues I had when switching over. I'm hoping to keep my router, but tempted to use the BT one as mine doesn't have wireless AC, but I've never liked the limitations of the homehub, and although not an issue any more, I've never been able to connect to a VPN via a homehub

Although I must say the PlusNet community forum is excellent, apart from the odd know it all that posts here most people seem pretty friendly and I also like how PlusNet don't seem to sensor any negative posts, which to me is a big plus!

[#10]

Quote from: booji

and to think that they have just been given to green light for EE - how long will it take before everyone puts up their prices?

The EU recently signal a change in tack with the appointment of a new telecoms commissioner.
No more the old mantra that competition will breed innovation as what really happens is that excess competition actually breeds a race to the bottom with ever lower prices, ever more shoddy service and next to no investment for the future.
So the mood music from the EU is now one of consolidation/mergers to create mega operations and even some exclusivity to ensure a company can be guaranteed a revenue stream from its investment without other piggybacking on the work done to cream it off for themselves.
To quote Gunther Oettinger the new commissioner:
"So far, we have ensured that consumers benefit from the liberalisation of telecoms markets. From now on our actions must be more geared toward allowing companies to make fair profits"
So yes, be prepared from more mergers and more prices rises: after all you all seems to want 4,5G everywhere plus FTTP for all and so someone has to pay for it

[#11]

Quote from: spoon

Plusnet have to raise faults with BT Wholesale. If you go back to BT you will be talking to BT Retail who have to raise faults with BT Wholesale in exactly the same way as Plusnet have to do..

There are differences between providers in the way that they handle these though.  For example a BT Retail customer can raise a fault online and choose their appointment if Openreach on site attendance is needed.  I also found that they'd mobilise OR without needing access to the house, whereas the type of call that Plusnet raises with Openreach requires the engineer to run a test from the house as his first action.

[#12]

There must have been instances where Plusnet arrange for a fault to get fixed without needing an appointment - but it depends on what and where the line test estimates the fault to be. In those cases, the end user just gets given a date when it should be fixed by.

[#13]

And telephone line faults are raised with Openreach, not BT Wholesale.

[#14]

On a couple of occasions during the last 15-20 years where I've raised voice problems with BT they've been fixed either the same or next day.
That's why Plusnet will never get my Telephone!

[#15]

It all depends on the Service Level that the CP has in their contract with Openreach for phone. Not all providers are the same.