Group complaint to OFCOM

[Karenlangridge]

I notice that there are many dissatisfied customers on here, myself included. I am not prepared to keep banging my head against a brick wall trying to get plus net to either sort out problems or provide a decent service- I am now taking my issues up with OFCOM and was wondering if anyone else thought that some kind of group action might help to get plus net to fulfil their obligations as providers-anyone interested in presenting a group complaint??

[chenks76]

ofcom will not deal with you unless you have fully exhausted the complaints process first.
have you done that?

[Townman]

Karen,
Reading between the line of your other post, it rather looks like you've had a number of issues with the order processes via PlusNet into the BTw / BTOR.  Once things go wrong with their systems sorting things out can be difficult.  I know its not your problem, but it does help to understand the challenges.  PlusNet have not managed some of this process well for you after the initial problems.
I'd be with you on a group complaint on how BTOR is inhibiting ISPs such as PlusNet from offering a decent service.  In my own experience, PlusNet are fighting hard with both hands tied behind their backs to get an indifferent BTOR to deliver a professional service.
Kicking ISPs - though they are our commercial interface - is not going to get the real issues addressed - which are BTOR is not fit for purpose and Ofcom are not interested in following up on individual justifiable complaints over BTOR's performance.
Until that situation changes, I have become convinced that there will be no improvement in user's experience.
I have a line provide issue open since 21st May.  PlusNet have chased it time and again, the case is escalated to the highest possible place (DSO) in BTOR and still they cannot get an act together.  Indeed BTOR DSO are being exceedingly uncooperative.
Kevin

[pwatson]

BTOR are not (directly) responsible for Plusnet's provisioning and billing systems, the woefully lacking training give to first line support staff, the call volumes or the capacity issues though are they?  ;)

[Townman]

No They are not, but as I've annotated my post, it very much looks like Karen's initial order went wrong and from experience thereafter problems remain within BTOR's systems which are not easy to fix.
Further it rather looks like Karen has issues with the phone line - again BTOR's domain - without which there is a fair possibility there would have been no issues for PlusNet to screw-up!?
If there were fewer issues being created by BTOR, PlusNet could use their resources to fix their own problems, rather than spending their resources and money managing BTOR's failures - which Ofcom appear to condone by doing nothing about it.

[AndyH]

The initial order went wrong because you cannot take over an existing line before it is due to cease.

[Karenlangridge]

Andy, I appreciate your comments BUT, the line takeover does not affect call waiting times, lies by staff, changing a phone number for no reason,staff not knowing which services are on offer,money being taken out of my account for no reason etc etc.
Plusnet are obviously not fit for purpose and I feel that their total inability to sort out problems demonstrates this

[chenks76]

as i said... you can't take anything to ofcom until you have fully exhausted any complaints procedure.
have you done that? if you haven't then ofcom will just tell you to go away and do that.

[AlaricAdair]

UKTUG are preparing a response to Ofcom's consultation on future of digital services in the UK.  OpenReach's shortcomings will be highlighted to support our case that it should be spun off from BT. Part of those recommendations will be progressive penalties if they don't mend their poor performance.

[AndyH]

Shouldn't you also be questioning the OFCOM performance targets that it sets for OR?

[Anonymous]

Googling for UKTUG produces nothing related to yourself so I assume the organisation is in its infancy so with all due respect do you think OFCOM are going to take it as a credible source?

[AlaricAdair]

Quote from: Mook

Googling for UKTUG produces nothing related to yourself so I assume the organisation is in its infancy ..

We may be small but we have 17,000,000 potential members. It is just a matter of time.  :D  However we won't be just sitting on our butts hoping someone else will solve the problems.

[pwatson]

Seemingly there's 16,999,999 people who haven't got a clue who or what UKTUG is though, so perhaps there's the first issue that needs resolving?  ;)
I'm assuming it's this - I think you'll struggle to get 17M subscribers, but nice money if you do!  ::)

[Anonymous]

The number of members or even potential members has nothing to do with my comment nor does the google page count as it will contain all manner of unrelated finds based on portions of the search, so that's resolved that. I pasted "UK Telecommunications User Group" into google and I could not find any reference to your group or website in the first five pages, which prompted my comment. I certainly wasn't having a poke at you only saying what I thought based on my finding (or in this case lack of them).

[AlaricAdair]

Tsk, Tsk, back to topic. We'll be fighting against the Beast which gives so many people grief. A group complaint to Ofcom is one way, but I wouldn't expect PlusNet would be too enthusiastic in spearheading such move.