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House move disaster

SonicScot
Grafter
Posts: 49
Registered: ‎05-12-2014

House move disaster

I've been with Plusnet for around 5 years, nearly 4 years ago I moved from Lancs to the Highlands and Plusnet did a good job of getting me back online quite quickly. Two years ago I moved house within the same village, once again Plusnet managed to connect my phone and internet in a very satisfactory manner.
Two months ago I called them to let them know that, once again, I was moving house. This time I moving 300 yards along the same street. They asked me to call back 3 weeks prior to the move, which I did. They asked which day would suit me best for my service to be moved, I chose the 28th of November. On that date I moved all my belongings from the old place to my new home. Open Reach engineers came out, cut the supply to my old place, then disappeared. I've spent the last week phoning and emailing Plusnet, trying to find out what was happening. Not once has anyone called me, emailed me or even sent a text.
I finally got an answer today, via the phone, as to when they will connect my services...the 30th of December!  Angry
I cannot politely express my feelings here, let's just say I'm not pleased. I was told that the engineers can't come sooner because they're very busy due to xmas deals being taken up. Well, I think Plusnet should concentrate on keeping their present customers happy before taking on new ones. If they expect me to wait a full month to be connected, they can think again. While I'm here, using my friends' WiFi I'll look at what other suppliers can do for me.
Livid  Angry
100 REPLIES 100
MatthewWheeler
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 8,896
Thanks: 1,506
Fixes: 480
Registered: ‎01-01-2012

Re: House move disaster

Hi there.
I'm sorry to hear about the delays you've had with getting connected at your new property.
It looks like we've managed to get a appointment booked in for the 10th between 8am and 1pm which is alot better then the 30th
We've also placed a simultaneous broadband order as well so fingers crossed everything should be fine on the 10th.
If you have any further issues give us a shout.
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Matthew Wheeler
 Plusnet Help Team
SonicScot
Grafter
Posts: 49
Registered: ‎05-12-2014

Re: House move disaster

I agree that the 10th is far better than the 30th, but I won't be celebrating just yet. I'll hold back until I'm actually up and running, there are still opportunities for things to go wrong  Undecided
I'm keeping everything crossed.
SonicScot
Grafter
Posts: 49
Registered: ‎05-12-2014

Re: House move disaster

Well, I was right not to celebrate too soon.  Wink
The phone engineer arrived on time this morning and quickly got to work on the phone line, I soon had a new phone socket in my preferred location. Then we discovered that the line had 'not been set up for broadband', his words not mine. He discovered this after driving to the local exchange.
I have always had a phone and broadband package, surely the engineer who diverted a line to my property last week knew it would be used for both phone and broadband. Or is that not how it works? Does Plusnet, a company who deal with communications, not communicate with these engineers?  Crazy
Is this the system; send an engineer to check the line, send a second engineer to fix the  line, send a third engineer to connect the line, send a fourth engineer to connect the broadband? Really? It's seems extremely wasteful of time, money and manpower to me. Why can't one engineer do the whole thing in one visit? Or am I asking too much?
I've now been on to customer services and I'm told that the fourth engineer will connect the broadband before Friday, next week.  Undecided Crazy Angry
HPsauce
Pro
Posts: 6,998
Thanks: 146
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎02-02-2008

Re: House move disaster

Quote from: SonicScot
Does Plusnet, a company who deal with communications, not communicate with these engineers?  Crazy

Only indirectly via the systems of Openreach, who the engineers work for. As do all ISP's apart from Virgin (and in Hull).
Quote
Is this the system; send an engineer to check the line, send a second engineer to fix the  line, send a third engineer to connect the line, send a fourth engineer to connect the broadband? Really? It's seems extremely wasteful of time, money and manpower to me. Why can't one engineer do the whole thing in one visit? Or am I asking too much?
Again, that process will be down to Openreach as they are responsible for all that work.
One point, that many "regulars" here are not happy with, is that PlusNet, being part of the BT "family" ought to be pressing (via senior management) for such improvements, but do not appear to be doing so.  Cry
Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,918
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Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: House move disaster

HP,
Being part of the "BT family" or not, if an ISP is getting poor service from BTOR (which they all are) then they each should be pressing for improvements.  It is said that A&A get better service from BTOR than do all other ISPs.  The question is why?  Do they pay more to BTOR or do they simply not accept poor performance and cause a fuss when they do get poor performance?
Time PlusNet did the same - BT family member or not, BT Group CEO or not.
It is time for change.  It has been a year since the new CEO arrived and I cannot discern that PlusNet's customers are seeing any improvement in the service received from BTOR.  Indeed in some areas it is worse - for example a user taking over an existing PlusNet line now has to go through the cease and re-provide journey, rather than what used to be a simple administrative change of billing details.  In other words it is now the same stupid unhelpful way that BT Retail has done things for years.
Please grow back some balls!
Kevin

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

HPsauce
Pro
Posts: 6,998
Thanks: 146
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎02-02-2008

Re: House move disaster

Well said, Kevin.  Cool
MatthewWheeler
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 8,896
Thanks: 1,506
Fixes: 480
Registered: ‎01-01-2012

Re: House move disaster

Hi there.
Sorry to hear the broadband order hasn't completed yet.
The order is still in progress on our suppliers systems.
I'll get this chased up for you now.
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Matthew Wheeler
 Plusnet Help Team
MatthewWheeler
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 8,896
Thanks: 1,506
Fixes: 480
Registered: ‎01-01-2012

Re: House move disaster

Right I've had a word with our suppliers and the order is due to complete on Monday.
Apologies for the inconvenience caused by this.
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Matthew Wheeler
 Plusnet Help Team
Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,918
Thanks: 9,535
Fixes: 156
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: House move disaster

Matthew,
It is excellent that as individuals on specific issues, CRT can get things fix with BTOR when they go wrong.  The PlusNet corporate thrust though ought to be that these things should not be going wrong with BTOR in the first place.  BTOR need to achieve a better level of "right first time service delivery".  Rectification of failure is expensive and inconvenient for all, is not pleasant for the individuals involved and I am sure the time could be spent on more enjoyable activities.
Hope you are enjoying your first week on the front line?
Kevin

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

WWWombat
Grafter
Posts: 1,412
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎29-01-2009

Re: House move disaster

There is indeed a KPI monitoring Openreach statistics labelled "Wholesale Line Rental Right First Time", which is running at 90-95%. Visible here.
It is backed by a statement that "Openreach FAD (First Available Date) performance nationally, is stable averaging 9.3 working days during Nov’14 (vs backstop SLA of 12 working days)". Visible here
I too have a house move that is going catastrophically - all down to Openreach failing to meet these SLA's. If done "right first time" my order from the 24th September would have been complete on the 15th October, with one appointment. I've had 4 appointments attended, 2 appointment no-shows, 1 fault fix (external to the house) where no-one attended, and 1 fault fix where someone might have attended, and I've had two cases of engineers not being available to update the routing database. We have a phone line now, but no broadband of any description. The most recently made appointment (for fibre, made on the 5th) was due on Friday 12th, but got put back to the 23rd - and that is an expedited order!
However, my case probably won't appear in those monitored statistics because the order keeps being cancelled. Once was cancelled by BTW for no apparent reason. One was cancelled because it was the only way to get the cabinet data changed. The latest was cancelled to get a temporary ADSL order put in place, as we can't trust that the expedited/delayed order will actually use the right cabinet data.
If this catalogue of disasters gets repeated elsewhere, there is no way we can trust the KPI stats being monitored by Ofcom.
Plusnet Customer
Using FTTC since 2011. Currently on 80/20 Unlimited Fibre Extra.
SonicScot
Grafter
Posts: 49
Registered: ‎05-12-2014

Re: House move disaster

Quote from: Matthew
Right I've had a word with our suppliers and the order is due to complete on Monday.
Apologies for the inconvenience caused by this.

Thank you for looking into this for me, I feel a lot better knowing that this is due to complete on Monday. Is it not a little strange that I've had to find this information via the forums though? I've had no phone call, no text and no email to tell me this. I wonder if I'll receive any notification tomorrow of the impending completion.
Maybe it's just me, I'm a real stickler for clear and concise communication, but many companies seem to be very poor at this most basic of functions these days.
Once again, thanks, but I'll maintain a low level of expectation until I'm finally back online. It's the only way to keep my blood pressure in check.  Wink
Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,918
Thanks: 9,535
Fixes: 156
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: House move disaster

Quote from: WWWombat
If this catalogue of disasters gets repeated elsewhere, there is no way we can trust the KPI stats being monitored by Ofcom.

Ah well that explains all the order cancelations!  If a provision has gone badly wrong, BTOR cancels the order (removes service instance from the stats) and reorder... to give another chance of hitting the SLA.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

SonicScot
Grafter
Posts: 49
Registered: ‎05-12-2014

Re: House move disaster

I was right not to get carried away, my broadband connection has arrived but it's capped at 2Mb. I'm told this is the limit during it's 'training period' of ten days, after that it should return to the speed I'm accustomed to.
Frustrating, to say the least.  Undecided
Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,918
Thanks: 9,535
Fixes: 156
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: House move disaster

Told by whom?
It is certainly the case that immediately after a switch to FTTC, your service might still have the previous ADSL data speed profile or a late BTOR delta report could set the line back to the ADSL profile.  Further it is recommended that no speed tests are performed or relied on during the first 72 hours.  Also FTTC does not have a 10 day training period.
Go look at the "current speed" value on the PlusNET portal.  If this is sub FTTC speeds, it means that the ADSL profile has nit been updated or a late update gas been sent by BTOR.  Dropping and re-establishing the PPP session though the ROUTER GUI ought to cause the profile to update.  Do not power cycle the BT modem on any account.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.