6 weeks with no phone/ internet

My elderly Father has been without phone and Internet for almost 6 weeks now. It is not a PN issue, it is to do with OR having to replace a cable. However, PN have been rather shoddy on the communications side, taking 4 weeks to put a call divert in place to his mobile. This is done now, but as he has hearing aids, it isn't much better for him, he has a phone with induction loop at home to assist. He struggles on the odd occasion PN do call him and has been unable to assign his authority to me, with PN's suggestion for him to ring when i'm stood next to him. Living 150 miles away, it isn't that simple! Yes, I know I should probably have been a better son and made the effort to get there, but my weekends have been hectic recently.

The fault should have been fixed by today, but still nothing. Other than the refund of phone service he should get, is there any other payment he should be due for the inconvenience?

Thanks

With regard to compensation: See.

Indeed, I got substantial compensation from Plusnet after a two-week phone outage (not broadband), but I did have to chase it a couple of times by phone. The agents were generally very helpful.

I hope your elderly Father has had his connections restored, but definitely push for compensation.

On a side note, I don't know what mobile phone he uses, but on Android phones there is a toggle switch you can turn on for "Hearing aid compatibility" which could help.

Interesting, I didn't know that. I have had a loon on my S22 with Android 11 and followed the instructions I found online, but couldn't find the option. However, persevering has shown is is under the Accessibility tab. Now to try and explain to my Dad how to find it

Thanks for that.

On another note, no phone/ internet yet

I lost service for about three weeks because someone nearby put up a fence and one of the posts damaged the cable. The compensation meant that I had a free service for about a year.

He can go on te PN website - login with account name and password, then add you as his authorised representative - add your name, phone number and email if you wish.

Then when you call, you just tell PN you are on te account

If he has given you authority already along with account and password, you too can access the account and make the change.

In reply to a post by MHC:

He can go on te PN website - login with account name and password, then add you as his authorised representative - add your name, phone number and email if you wish.

Then when you call, you just tell PN you are on te account

If he has given you authority already along with account and password, you too can access the account and make the change.

I did that for my parents with BT for their Landline and Broadband and the good thing being the First Point of Contact is that you can have them contact you on your Mobile and not the landline, also nice against scam calls calling the landline pretending to be the provider LOL.

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Paul

Problem is, the username/ password he thought he had signed up with are the wrong ones

They will be those entered on the hub ...

Finally got access to the account and looked through all the tickets raised on this issue. There were 2 days of roadworks for the problem which apparently affects 60 lines in the locality, but none of the neighbours! A cable and jointing job? Still no service though as the ticket now says:

"Openreach to repair customers connection What: (DUCT) required, Estimate raised (WF9R975V) for relevant team (DL CIVILS) to complete work. When: Estimated completion date (14/12/23)"

Yet more time without any service

Have you added yourself as an authorised user?

And also inform PN that your father is elderly/disabled/needs support or similar. We had it for my father-in-law and when a problem ccurred on a Friday, they had OR out on te Saturday morning

Plus.net sent my dad an EE-branded Mi-Fi unit to use during an outage. Nice idea, sadly EE only works if you are in the garden! They do seem to do their bit to try and fix issues - parents have numerous line issues being a long way for the local exchange.

Still not fixed!! Final finish date was supposed to be today after replacing 10m ducting. Nope!

An EE mini hub has arrived today, but no instructions/ cables anything on how to use it.

I also asked if line rental still had to be paid during the outage to be told yes, the compensation to be paid is over and above the monthly payment amount. The limited compo daily payment limit is rapidly approaching

I still keep going back to this affecting 60 lines but none of his neighbours, is this issue on a main cable between the exchange and the local green cabinet?

I can only go by what has been informed to my Dad. He has no overhead line to his property, the roads have been dug up and new ducting allegedly installed. The update scheduled for 7am this morning from Plusnet has still not been updated.

I'd suggest its a fault in the d-side (between cabinet and customer ) and there are no good spares in the cable, so they are intending to replace the faulty length between box's

Still no phone internet, it is getting beyond a joke. Plusnet continue to take the monthly subscription despite not being able to provide the service. the 60 days maximum compensation period is now finished. the last ticket is priming my Dad for a further 3 month wait for a return to service, citing the local council policy. Absolutely fuming at the moment.

The local council may well be the issue.

When out pole was demolished, the LA wanted 3 months advance notice for a 4 hour traffic amangement scheme - lights or stop go boards! BT OR - decided no and arrived at 5:00 AM on a Saturday and just did it.

My neighbour was having FTTP requiring replacement of te drop wire across teh road and OR decided traffic management was required, They submitted an application with 2 weeks notice, LA came back and refused it, without reason, forcing an extra month of delay.

Get onto the local councillors and get them to hammer highways.

You might try your local paper. The local reporters love stories like this, the bureaucrats don't.

3 months notice for permit for more complex traffic management such as 3 or 4 way lights etc is normal for new line provision but customer out of service lead times should be much shorter.

Local councillors have been quite vocal about this and it has now progressed from Town to District. Funnily enough, today Plusnet have decided they don't need a full closure in place!

Would be a good plan, but I don't think my Dad would like the publicity.

The local "digital champion" for NNDC (North Norfolk District Council?) is involved, but I think he is trying to mislead me somewhat.

What they are not saying is that the cable they will replace will be fibre optic as they no longer lay copper cable, which might be some of the issue as Openreach do not have full fibre installed in our area yet.

I thought that if fibre was not available and the copper line was faulty it had to be replaced? I think I am being thrown a side swerve here.

In reply to a post by Discus:

What they are not saying is that the cable they will replace will be fibre optic as they no longer lay copper cable, which might be some of the issue as Openreach do not have full fibre installed in our area yet.

This is bull at best

In reply to a post by Discus:

The local "digital champion" for NNDC (North Norfolk District Council?) is involved, but I think he is trying to mislead me somewhat.

What they are not saying is that the cable they will replace will be fibre optic as they no longer lay copper cable, which might be some of the issue as Openreach do not have full fibre installed in our area yet.

I thought that if fibre was not available and the copper line was faulty it had to be replaced? I think I am being thrown a side swerve here.

What a load of hogwash (politer than I would like to use) ... OR will reinstall copper where it has been damaged and in other circumstances. Just a mouthpiece for the council - and they are the ones causing the holdup.

I relented the other week and followed a link someone gave to the Observer "help me2 section. Had a call from one of their reporters today and spent a good 10 minutes giving hm a brief low down of the issue.

The internet is back on now. The phone line is calling out, but there is no dial tone. Plusnet don't seem to be able to remove the call divert to the mobile! The debacle continues, but it does seem to be in its death throes now.

Had an interview with an Observer reporter. Not sure if it made it to publishing there, but there is an article on the Guardian online