Frustrated ex- customer

Had Plusnet broadband connected on 10 May. Connected up router which was preloaded with logon details, via ethernet and clicked connect. The dsl light was solid green but the internet light just flashed red so no internet connection. Went through the logon procedure with Plusnet support but still no internet . Tried a spare router but got the same result. After a week they sent a BT engineer to my house and he checked the login and router wiring setup which was ok. He said it must be an exchange equipment fault and set off to sort it out. Yesterday 30 May was informed another BT engineer was arranged for 3 June After three weeks I've finally lost my patience and arranged another ISP to take over my phone and broadband. Now Plusnet are going to charge me for the router which they refuse to accept back from me and the connection fee plus they have already taken the first month broadband subscription. Why should I be out of pocket and have nothing to show for it but an unwanted router.

After a week they sent a BT engineer to my house and he checked the login and router wiring setup which was ok. He said it must be an exchange equipment fault and set off to sort it out. Yesterday 30 May was informed another BT engineer was arranged for 3 June

Based on that info, and assuming it is accurate, the choice of ISP will not matter.

Why should I be out of pocket and have nothing to show for it but an unwanted router.

You should not. If you have paid money and received no product or service you should receive a full refund (assuming you have not prevented the product or service reaching you).

I don't understand why you didn't stick with Plusnet until the exchange fault was sorted out. In what way is Plusnet at fault in all this? Why would changing ISP make any difference? I'm sure that Plusnet would have treated you fairly when the problem was sorted out and not charged you for any period for which you did not receive a service.

In reply to a post by kasg:

In what way is Plusnet at fault in all this?

Because the contract is with PN.
They have agreed to supply broadband, and of yet they haven't
As Cammy has said, unless the OP is doing something wrong PN is at fault.

As a new customer I think it is unreasonable I still have no internet connection after three weeks. Plusnet are the ISP so who else is at fault. Error message says no ATM detected on DSL. My service will be taken over by an LLU provider so different equipment.

Fair enough if you're going for LLU, I know all that about the contract and who is legally responsible, I was just trying to be pragmatic regarding what was most likely to get the OP a working service.

My service will be taken over by an LLU provider so different equipment.

I guess it won't be Sky then

You are correct. Starting to run out of options in my exchange. All I ask for is a fast stable connection. not much to ask on an 800 metre line

In reply to a post by mr_spokey:

All I ask for is a fast stable connection. not much to ask on an 800 metre line

This is not good publicity for Plusnet. Perhaps one of the ISP's regular posters to this forum could explain what has happened in this particular case.

Wagstaff

In reply to a post by Wagstaff:

This is not good publicity for Plusnet. Perhaps one of the ISP's regular posters to this forum could explain what has happened in this particular case.
Wagstaff

Chris & Matthew appear to be online now so I'm sure there will be some input soon.

Hi all,

The service was activated on the 10th May, and a fault was raised. The automated tests completed and the fault was picked up by our agents on the 11th and escalated to our suppliers as an authentication issue.

Our suppliers cleared the fault on the same day (11th), unfortunately our agents didn't then pick it up until the 13th when a boost engineer visit was booked. This was booked for the 23rd, which accounts for the major part of the delay.

The fault was picked up again on the 25th following the engineer visit, unfortunately no notes were available so the fault was reraised with a request to rebuild the circuit on the RAS. The fault came back requesting an engineer visit, so it was escalated back to a team leader with further details on the request to rebuild on the 27th.

We picked the fault up on the 30th and booked another engineer for the 3rd which would still be in place if an LLU cease order hadn't been placed yesterday on the 31st - unfortunately as soon as that happens any orders or faults on a line are closed.

@mr_spokey - I'm sorry you feel we didn't respond promptly enough and that we weren't able to get the service working for you.

In reply to a post by orbrey:

Our suppliers cleared the fault on the same day (11th), unfortunately our agents didn't then pick it up until the 13th when a boost engineer visit was booked. This was booked for the 23rd, which accounts for the major part of the delay.

Thanks for the explanation, Matthew.
10 days waiting for a "boost engineer" is not good news, especially in a "system down" situation.
What does a boost engineer do ?

Wagstaff

A broadband boost engineer is specially trained and empowered to investigate both sides of a customers connection, the network side and south of the NTE. Boost engineers are generally tasked where a fault appears complex or where internal issues may be suspected. Generally Boost Engineers provide a better end to end service with higher first time fix rate.

More info here BT Broadband Boost

Mark

If you had stuck with Plusnet they would have credited you with the time you were unable to access the service (and probably a bit more besides). You haven't given them a reasonable opportunity to resolve the fault so I'd think you have very little prospect of getting the charges waived.

Three weeks is more than a reasonable amount of time when there is absolutely no broadband, much longer than I would have given them.

Not wishing to play the Devil's Advocate but now, in retrospect, this looks like a case where if the communication channel between the ISP and the EU was not so poor, the ISP would not have lost a customer.

Between activation on the 10th and Plusnet's last action on the 30th an maximum of 5 days of the delay in resolving the problem was down to Plusnet, the rest was down to the supplier (BT).

The more cases like this I see the more I think that things are getting worse at BTw and OpenReach.

Worse, probably because busier. Like many firms budgets are tight but usually trying to do more from the same staff levels.

Also for BT Group as a whole as its shrunk the older (i.e. good pension/redundancy package) people will often jump at the chance to go, taking expertise with them, which if clever they can take to another teleco and work again.

That's easy for you to say when you have a working internet connection and are not paying £10 / 1Gb of slow mobile broadband. As for the charges would you pay for a service that you never received?

In reply to a post by jelv:

Between activation on the 10th and Plusnet's last action on the 30th an maximum of 5 days of the delay in resolving the problem was down to Plusnet, the rest was down to the supplier (BT).

Surely, as far as broadband is concerned, the customer�s only recourse is to the ISP. Perhaps, Mr Saffron could clarify this.

In this particular case, the OP was dealing with Plusnet, and however much you try to apportion blame, the ultimate responsibility for this fiasco is Plusnet�s. Having said that, I think you are right to identify BT as very much part of the problem.

Wagstaff

So are you up and running now with your new provider?

No I wouldn't pay for a service I didn't receive and nor would you have done if you had stayed with Plusnet. Once the fault was fixed Plusnet would have (as they always do in such circumstances) have given you a refund or a credit for the period when it was not working.

Once the fault was fixed Plusnet would have (as they always do in such circumstances) have given you a refund or a credit for the period when it was not working.

It seems that wasn't mentioned to the OP. Another poor piece of communication? If people aren't told this you can't blame them for moving.

Hope you got this sorted with another ISP now. I'd have been much more frustrated than you were, demanding compensation most likely.

Edited by ukhardy07 (Thu 02-Jun-11 15:38:10)

Perhaps the OP could confirm whether or not he was told this - I'd be surprised if he wasn't as it is the normal practice.

I'd be surprised if he wasn't as it is the normal practice.

In which case it should be on the website for all to see.

Get connected on 14th June.

Was not given this information. Only that I would have to pay the connection charge and pay for the router. If I fail to pay this it will be passed to the debt recovery team.

Imagine that in a court of law.

Judge: Why did you refuse to pay the connection charge Mr Spokey
Mr Spokey: Because I was never connected.

I'm a bit late to this thread but I have to say I have seldom seen in print such impressive corporate claptrap! After reading about "empowerment" and "outcomes" it is time to turn the computer off and go and do some gardening now that the rain has abated.

In reply to a post by meldrew:

I'm a bit late to this thread but I have to say I have seldom seen in print such impressive corporate claptrap! After reading about "empowerment" and "outcomes" it is time to turn the computer off and go and do some gardening now that the rain has abated.

You didn't mention the "bedside-manner", which is supposed to be a key attribute of any BT boost engineer !!

Wagstaff

Edited by Wagstaff (Sun 05-Jun-11 23:57:33)

In reply to a post by mr_spokey:

Now Plusnet are going to charge me for the router which they refuse to accept back from me and the connection fee plus they have already taken the first month broadband subscription. Why should I be out of pocket and have nothing to show for it but an unwanted router.

I would suggest you mention, to Plusnet, that the Sale of Goods Act may be enforced and that you are taking advice. You should find that they will, when pushed, refund all monies taken from you and provide the means so that you can return the unwanted equipment. You local Citizen's Advice Bureau will be able to assist.

And how does the fact that the EU actively denied PN the opportunity to rectify the problem affect your advise?

I do not think that I denied PN the opportunity to rectify the problem.In fact I waited three weeks and it was still not rectified. As a pensioner on a limited income and having spent £40 on mobile broadband during this period I could not wait any longer and decided to cancel my order and go with another ISP.
From the support for PN in your posts I assume that you are very happy with the service they provide as I'm sure are the vast majority of their customers. However on this occasion they failed to provide me with any service and I feel totally justified in the action taken.

In reply to a post by jelv:

And how does the fact that the EU actively denied PN the opportunity to rectify the problem affect your advise?

Sorry but I shall not be drawn into an argument with you. And, in an attempt to be friendly, I shall advise you to:

(1) take note of the correct usage of the words "advise" and "advice"
(2) examine the Sale of Goods Act of English Law

In reply to a post by mr_spokey:

Get connected on 14th June.

How did it go?

In reply to a post by jelv:

And how does the fact that the EU actively denied PN the opportunity to rectify the problem affect your advise?

This is not the OldBailey! Any small claims court judge would decide on what THEY think is reasonable. And three weeks after the date they claimed to connect you is clearly unreasonable.

Yes he could have waited, but he didn't. And nor would I have.
.

Connected to TalkTalk on 14/06. Phone and broadband working fine. Started off on 12 meg down 0.7 up. Now up to 16.8 meg down and 0.9 meg up. Line still in training.

Talktalk doesnt have line training

but yeah if you want the most out of you're TT connection go onto there forums and request a faster profile (9/6db)

Many thanks for the info. Over the past five days my line speed has increased and is now over 17 Mbs. As well my NM has dropped from 12.5db to just over 9 db so I mistakenly thought that was due to line training.