Why Plusnet care not a jot.

[#1]

Been without Internet and phone line since last Saturday. Problem is line is down and damaged.
Not first occurence of this as Openreach and Plusnet know. Told would be fixed by 23.59 yesterday. Of course it is not. Plusnet not interested in chasing Openreach to find out status. Customer service having a laugh.

[#2]

Here we go again. As you say Openreach owns and operates the lines or fibres, and they do so at their own convenience. Perhaps the engineer booked for your job was delayed on his previous duty which might have been an emergency line? As  you say we are never told. Plusnet like any other ISP can only request service through the usual channels, and with 1.4 million customers maybe scores are bound to have problems at any one time. Don't you think it's rather unfair to lambast PN staff for problems not of their making?

[#3]

No not unfair. The attitude is we will let you know when fixed. I will know when it is fixed!
Not first time have been without service for a week. They could gee up Openreach for a status update but cannot be bothered. You go a week without service and see how you feel.

[#4]

Sometimes the problem isn't of OpenReach's creation. Sometimes it is problem outside of their control. A limb of a tree drops and takes down an overhead bit of cabling, for example. Inside of a bit of land they have no ownership/control of. Then OR have to get things in motion to rectify this problem.

[#5]

Agree Openreach did not cause the problem. Though that does not mean they can take an unacceptable time to fix it. I was with their engineer Wednesday at the broken cable. It is not the first time he has to fix it. In a stretch of overhead line running for about 400m at least half is on the ground and has been for years. He has said to me on more than one occasion a job needs raising to close the road a fix it once and for all. So raise the job then. Openreach asked me the last time the line was damaged for photos of the state if the line. Oh that does not look good does it was the reply!
Beyond belief.

[#6]

Update. Openreach attended yesterday, no idea why not Thursday. Needs an overhead joint sorting needs road closure so job raised. Never mind same job raised over 6 weeks ago. So still no service. Heard not a thing from Plusnet. We will keep you informed when we have an update. Yeah like hell you will pathetic!!!

[#7]

Hi @bogart99

Firstly, I'm really sorry for the on going issues you've had with your line here, looking over at the engineer's notes, a temp line was put on there with the goal to do a complete fix but for some reason this wasn't progressed forward. 

There's a couple of things I need to make you aware of. When an engineer goes out to complete work, it takes time for the systems to update with his notes so this means that as long as an engineer attends on site, you will always be the first person to know what the engineer has or needs to do next. As we're not able to be on site, we have to rely on Openreach updating the open fault which can happen at anytime during the day so we tend to take a look at the fault for updates the following day. 

As you did have an engineer go out yesterday, an update from us would be due today with our working hours being from 8AM - 8PM. We'll always try to get an update out to you as soon as we can but you can expect someone to be in touch during those hours.

Secondly, as you have a total loss of service, you're entitled to automatic compensation. Essentially, if the fault is not fixed within the first 48 hours of a fault being raised, you'll receive £9.76 for each day after that you're without service for a maximum of 60 days. 

Lastly, I've spoken to Openreach today who confirmed that an engineer had sent off a request to close the roads and perform tree cutting. Timescales of when this will be competed are always a little obscure for a couple of reasons - 

1. If the road is owned by a private landowner or local council, Openreach need to wait until their plans have been approved by the owner. Particularly, in cases where they're sent to a local council, they normally want to ensure that minimal disruption is taken place. Sometimes, this can take a while

2. Tree cutting is normally done through a 3rd party tree surgeon who Openreach need to book in and ensure they're task falls with the traffic management taking place. 

3. Openreach need to survey and plan out a fix for your fault. The engineer will pass over details from what they have found but then surveyors will normally do a desktop survey or a physical survey and then map out what needs to be done, what resources are needed and run this by the planning team. 

All in all, these fixes do take a while to be implemented as there is a lot of moving parts and in your case a lot of work to be completed but from what we can see, Openreach are aiming for a permanent fix rather than a temporary one.

Currently, Openreach have advised that an update will be available on the 29/04/2024 as the first part of the planning stage will take 5 working days. I'm moving your fault over to the Customer Assist Team, as this is a complex fault, who can case manage your fault until it is fixed. 

[#8]

When Plusnet advise of an expected update, that is based on the information provided by Openreach ... and Openreach will not entertain any follow-up enquiries from the ISP prior to that date and time.

@csmith94 's description of your issue suggests a very rural location.  If that is correct, there's another potential complication not mentioned: if these are dual-service 'telegraph' poles then arrangements for the power to be cut are also likely to be required.

I've had direct experience of such - long delays (weeks) from Openreach claiming they were waiting on SPEN for a de-power plan.  I made direct contact with SPEN - no request registered with them.  On the basis of my enquiry, SPEN came to cut the trees as they were a nuisance to the power lines as well ... and did so without a power cut.

Everyone is in the dead hands of Openreach here ... might you be a little less harsh on Plusnet staff ... you know, don't shoot the messengers?

[#9]

I welcome your comments, Townman, but would add that SPEN which I presume is your electricity supplier has the equipment and training to work on live lines all the time -- and regularly do so. I once saw the result of someone handling a high-tension line and will never forget it. Similarly Openreach does not allow its staff to work amid moving traffic, and nor should they.

Road closing orders aren't issued willy-nilly, councils must follow procedures which include impact on emergency services etc and then the closure must be properly signed, usually by booking a specialist highway signage contractor. (Public Utilities and Streetworks Act 1988 if memory serves me correctly). It's the law and there's no provision for shortcuts which all too often have cost lives in years gone by.

Bad news for you of course, but neither Plusnet nor anyone else can shorten the process. As TM says, don't shoot the messenger!

[#10]

@Longliner 

Indeed there are a lot of things which need to be done properly - not just in the delivery but also in the pre-planning.  In my experience it was the latter which was lacking.

In this case 400m is a long sling - I hope that additional poles will be added into the resolution plan.

[#11]

Have no faith in any dates Openreach give as told, as mentioned before, that job had been raised beginning of March.

[#12]

Poles do not carry power only telephone wires. As stated before these lines have been on the floor years, not weeks, months but years. More than time enough to do a proper job me thinks

[#13]

I will when the messanger does not keep me informed!

[#14]

Please 'get' the point that Plusnet only know what Openreach tell them.  If Openreach has said that the next update will be when hell freezes over ... there is next to nothing that Plusnet can do but wait.  Even then, when hell has frozen over, as Curtis explained there will be no update available to Plusnet until the devil does the details!

[#15]

Hi bogart99, You marked a topic as fixed. Like hell I did!