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Should PlusNet compensate users for peak time slow downs?

AndyH
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Registered: ‎27-10-2012

Should PlusNet compensate users for peak time slow downs?

There have been a few threads recently where users have been affected by peak time slow downs, outside of Plusnet's direct control. Some of the problems are on-going and it can take a month, or longer, to be fixed.
Users with FTTC speeds of 70Mbps+ are seeing slow downs to single digits during peak times and this is affecting their browsing, streaming, downloading or game playing. If they run the BT Wholesale Speed Tester, they are getting results below the acceptable speed levels.
As it stands, there is nothing in Plusnet's T&Cs (for residential users) that guarantees speeds. It is also my understanding that Plusnet's suppliers (BT Wholesale) do not compensate them for problems affecting end user speeds.
Should Plusnet be pushing BT Wholesale for compensation and passing this on to end users? Or should Plusnet be automatically compensating end users themselves?
22 REPLIES 22
jelv
Seasoned Hero
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Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Should PlusNet compensate users for peak time slow downs?

If FTTC connections drop to ADSL speeds Plusnet should refund the user the difference in the price between FTTC and ADSL packages.
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)
AndyH
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Registered: ‎27-10-2012

Re: Should PlusNet compensate users for peak time slow downs?

I suppose the same should apply to ADSL connections dropping to 56k modem speeds!
TORPC
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Registered: ‎08-12-2013

Re: Should PlusNet compensate users for peak time slow downs?

Or to non existent speeds
Dan_the_Van
Aspiring Hero
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Registered: ‎25-06-2007

Re: Should PlusNet compensate users for peak time slow downs?

Is this vote a joke, can you imagine any ISP signing up to this?
This topic needs more thought!
Dan.
ejs
Aspiring Hero
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Re: Should PlusNet compensate users for peak time slow downs?

I think they should have the opportunity to cancel their FTTC/FTTP provision without paying any early termination fees.
paulh
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Re: Should PlusNet compensate users for peak time slow downs?

Quote from: Dandroid
Is this vote a joke, can you imagine any ISP signing up to this?
This topic needs more thought!
Dan.

Clearly you didn't live through The Great Broadband-Plus Debacle of 2007, after which quite a large number of us were compensated for poor service speeds. Or was it 2008?
jelv
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Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Should PlusNet compensate users for peak time slow downs?

Quote from: Dandroid
Is this vote a joke, can you imagine any ISP signing up to this?
This topic needs more thought!
Dan.

You must be the kind of customer that companies love - accept any level of poor service with no expectation of recompense. It's the British tendency to quietly moan but do nothing to fight back that allows companies to get away with poor service. For example I'm convinced that Plusnet have not been enforcing the Missed Appointment Payment from OpenReach and that has led to complacency in OpenReach that they can get away with it.
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)
Dan_the_Van
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Re: Should PlusNet compensate users for peak time slow downs?

John,
Think what you like, it is not practical to implement such a system. The current broadband service does not have the resources to manage the level of monitoring suggested here. PN would be swapped with compensation claims. Each claim which would need checking out to ensure it was valid. What level of compensation would you expect.?
It's not as if someone play "kill anything that moves" on their X Box is that important.
Business customers would have a valid claim for some form of compensation.
Dan.
Strat
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Registered: ‎14-04-2007

Re: Should PlusNet compensate users for peak time slow downs?

The problem for Plusnet is they don't sell a service, they re-sell a service and have poor control over the service they re-sell in company with other ISPs that re-sell  the same BTW service.
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jelv
Seasoned Hero
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Re: Should PlusNet compensate users for peak time slow downs?

@Dandroid
If someone has agreed to pay a higher price to upgrade from ADSL speeds to FTTC speeds (the basis on which Plusnet offer it) it is only right that they can expect to receive the higher speeds. If they don't they should be compensated.
@Strat
They only have a poor control over the service they resell because they do not kick up a fuss. I bet Andrews and Arnolds customers don't have to put up with half as much [Censored] as Plusnet's users!
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)
AndyH
Grafter
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Registered: ‎27-10-2012

Re: Should PlusNet compensate users for peak time slow downs?

BT Wholesale know the customers impacted by capacity problems - it's fairly straight forward. An end user does not even need to raise it as a fault if BTw are already aware of problems at that exchange.
If an exchange has capacity problems and it takes weeks or months to fix, BT Wholesale should automatically refund their customers (ISPs) a set amount of the monthly rental and this should be passed back to the customer.
jelv
Seasoned Hero
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Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Should PlusNet compensate users for peak time slow downs?

Plusnet should be able to easily identify users on the affected exchanges who have raised speed faults. If they can't there's something wrong with their databases as those sort of queries should be a standard check to see if other users are affected when faults are reported.
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)
ejs
Aspiring Hero
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Registered: ‎10-06-2010

Re: Should PlusNet compensate users for peak time slow downs?

Perhaps the people who are closer to their cabinet / exchange and so get higher speeds should start paying more than those who are further away and get slower speeds.
AlaricAdair
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Re: Should PlusNet compensate users for peak time slow downs?

This the nature of a Contended Service. It is many people sharing the same capacity at the Exchange.
If people want a dedicated service which doesn't slow down at busy periods the present BT price for 10 Mbps is approx £450 month on a 5 year contract.
Now Zen, but a +Net residue.