The LLU issues are something that should and could be turned around overnight. The fact is that from where I am sitting PN are deliberately delaying and I suspect it is hoped that people will either give up or the migration system will come into play and they won't have to pay. Irrespective, they can and must honour the commitments they made and without excuses. Unless you can tell me one single reason why PN are able to migrate people back who were given the option, did opt-out and were migrated across anyway are being paid but those who weren't sent the second email are being denied the same option. Isn't this about money and not a technical issue?

The new LLU FAQ email being delayed is just another example, delaying for the sake of delaying as they will have even more customers trapped in the LLU noose. Once the full and free migration from LLU to BT is available these issues will have no further merit or need to be resolved yet the speed at which PN are moving in regards to this is clear that they don't want to. It is indeed my opinion but not a single fact points to any other explanation.

We have to remember that the majority of people don't visit this forum to find out the latest information because they are unaware of this option and PN are not sending out emails and as an ISP I find it laughable when they claim it is too complicated or time consuming to email everyone. If it is indeed too difficult for them then they are in the wrong business.

The refund problem has been ongoing since April 2005! How much more time do they need?

Ian, I am sorry to say but I do not share your optimism or PN's excuses. They are blatantly aware of these problems, could solve them within an hour but have chosen not to. To me this indicates a clear and undeniable reality about PN - they care about the money only and not one bit about the customer or even their rights.

Does anyone (dis)agree with me and if so why?

edit: spelling/words

Edited by rsharma (Tue 01-Aug-06 21:17:05)

rsharma, you valiantly pursue this matter and good on you -- but it must dawn on you soon that no amount of logic, reason or criticism in the forums is going to move PlusNet one inch from their chosen path of disenfranchising these customers and taking all the money they can, while they can.

I know you favour reason over litigation but there will come a point when we all realise that litigation will be the only option.

Simon

> wonder if the clock is attached to a detinator

I'm sure that was meant in good humour but let's not detract from the points

seb

Unfortunately you are absolutely right. Today's figures released by PN validated my concerns completely and it is obvious to anyone that cares to look that PN are only interested in increasing customer numbers, turnover and margins for the benefit of the markets and investors. I am certain that the MD/CEO is the cause of this as he has a 5% stake in the company and he is either hoping for a takeover or to increase share values before he sells. IMO.

There is nothing in the report about customer satisfaction nor any plans on expenditure to improve the service. They have increased spend on support by 26% when over the same period the customer growth (not pure growth but also acquisitions) has been 95% IIRC. They even have the cheek to advertise on the front page of the PN main page about the uSwitch survey giving them first place for customer satisfaction!

PN will not change on a voluntary basis, that much is clear, because I have been watching them for over a year now and the same nonsense is going on. I can however do what I am and will keep doing i.e. complain to OFCOM and chase them, ISPA and OFT. Those are the only solutions but I am not getting downhearted about this. I know many people don't have the ability to challenge this in court but I do know that the British consumer is standing up for their rights and more and more people will complain to OFCOM/ISPA and make the change for all. It might take time but it will happen.

Is there an update to this?

Does it ever occur to you that maybe just maybe the majority are satisfied or happy with the service or product or both? Maybe thats why with all the choices out there they still have 200,000 customers. Perhaps you ought to give some credit to all those customers out there and say no people you are all not morons that are incapable to deciding whether PN are good for you or not, without the help of legal eagle RSharma and PR whiz PR100 and errr wingco1?

In reply to:

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Maybe thats why with all the choices out there they still have 200,000 customers

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I think that when a business trades in a market which is growing overall, that you have to look closer for any signs of discontent, because the headline numbers can mask it.

ADSL Guide linked to an article from Personal Computer World a few days back, stating market growth for broadband in the last quarter (April-June) as 730,000 (with some "new to broadband" customers also in the Talk-Talk queue).

Plusnet's growth in the last quarter was 6,000, as opposed to 16,000 in the previous one.

If I've understood all the numbers correctly, that therefore puts Plusnet's share of the market growth in the last quarter at less than 1%, whilst overall growth in broadband is showing signs of slowing.

With Sky entering the market, and the levels of dissatisfaction with Plusnet at present, I think that there's a genuine risk that Plusnet's subscriber numbers may go in to decline.

Edited by cos1 (Tue 08-Aug-06 11:36:34)

Please keep this on-topic. The problems highlighted are true, accurate and a fact. They might not be a problem for all customers of PN but they do apply to a large number, a number I can't put a figure on. As to what you think are the issues or not is a different matter entirely but feel free to read the PN portal or PUG forum and if you do and you come back here to prove that these problems don't exists I will happily delete those items from the list. Perhaps you would be kind enough to be constructive instead of personally attacking me on a valid thread with bulleted points.

The package that PlusNet provides is good value for money and generally reliable but what continues to let them down is customer service. To my mind a it is madness for a company that relies on customer referals for it's growth to let customer service to get into the state it is now. The 'Improvements' to customer service seems to be getting worse not better.

With all due respect to the present C/S managers I think they need to look to outside the company for someone who knows how to run a CSC and the management needs to let them get on with the job. Much as I regret to say it I cannot see PlusNet surviving with the current appalling customer service.

The problem as I see it, George, is that the problems with customer support have gone beyond being a "blip" and therefore whether the prices customers pay can deliver good quality customer support and the level of profitability that Plusnet seek, becomes a valid question.

When I took the decision recently to migrate from Plusnet to Newnet, I took the view that I needed to pay a more realistic price, and was therefore content to pay more. Even when the network was running ok, I wasn't comfortable with the idea that good quality support may not be available at Plusnet, if I were to run in to a problem in the future.

As it happens, I've experienced question delays, whilst seeking to resolve acount changes/ an ongoing referral issue with Plusnet, and have an open question which is a couple of hours off being 5 days old- which adds to my conviction that the decision to migrate my broadband line was a good one.

I think that part of the problem at Plusnet, is that whether their products are designed for basic needs or for the more advanced user, they all suffer, particularly in quality of support, from Plusnet's apparent determination to be the low-cost provider for each type of customer.

Edited by cos1 (Tue 08-Aug-06 12:56:36)