Why is PlusNet falling apart?

[#1]

Third day of severe connection issues (admittedly mainly due to OpenReach, but PlusNet's lack of communication is NOT helping things and I'm looking at moving to cable internet. Broadband is essential for WFH days, it affects my income, I can't go on for much longer like this.

1) You have a dismal automated chatbot that does not answer questions, it just acts to herd you to webpages that do not have any helpful information at all. When I ask it to pass me over to a human (yes, remember them?), it asks for my full name, which I give, then I'm asked for a username and goes "Sorry, I could not find anything for that" and spews out the same four tired old links that I'm expected to be grateful for. This is not even close to acceptable. Even when it asks: "And lastly your username? If you don't remember it, just type 'skip'" and I type 'skip', it does this. No modern 21st Century ISP has this much disrespect for its paying customers.

2) Your Service Status page is down. Quite an irony, isn't it? The whole domain is down. No sign of any life there. It's not tended to.

Is it too hard to employ a few real human beings to answer questions and stop treating us like we're imbeciles who haven't read your website? We use the chatbot in an attempt to get answers that your website doesn't give (frankly, most of the webpages are appalling).

I bet I could get a human response if I posed as a prospective new customer or wanted an upgrade or a business contract. How about the same level of response for existing customers? It's like you want to lose my custom. That can be easily arranged, I can assure you.

[#2]

@peteprodge If you post details of your issue, maybe the Community can help - if not, that information will assist one of the Help Teamin answering your issue.

[#3]

I have posted details of my issue. It's literally up there in black and white for you. PlusNet's website and service is not working for me or any other sane human being. Broken pages, webpages with no helpful information and a chatbot that malfunctions on very simple responses.

The main crux of this is PlusNet having investigated yesterday to find that the frequent outages on my line (causing the dreaded orange light on my modem several times a day) is down to a fault with OpenReach, has not kept me updated as to what's going on with the fault. I can't check the service status because that page results in NOTHING - the domain is totally down!

I now want to cancel my PlusNet account because if I can't get online, that's breach of contract. If I get back home tonight and I'm still unable to use PlusNet broadband to access the internet, then I'll cancel tomorrow morning and I expect that to be honoured immediately. I know the fault it with OpenReach, but the customer service is terrible here and you have utter contempt for your customers. Nobody wants an automated chatbot. I've worked in technology, I still do, real problems need real people to address them. I've seen huge companies fall down into administration because they thought they could do customer service on the cheap. You just can't, don't chance it.

I'd have more sympathy for you if you actually provided some information, but it's just a wall of automation. I'm supposed to be happy with no updates, just the usual pre-scripted messages. No human touch whatsoever. This is appalling. I would pay more to another ISP if I know they can respond with human beings ALL the time.

My broadband access has been totally down since mid-morning Sunday, you know this, but what's the point in telling you any more? You don't care and you don't update anybody.

[#4]

Isn't it amazing?

You get asked to post details of your issue, after having posted details of your issue, so you post some more details of your issue and then everything does silent.

Me calling out PlusNet for having abysmal customer service and not helping the end user, well, you can see from this very webpage that I'm certainly not exaggerating.

[#5]

@peteprodge 

I'm really sorry about the issues with your connection. I've checked your account and can see you reported a fault with us yesterday. 

Openreach have been looking into that for us and we're awaiting an update, it's likely we'd need to book an engineer visit as the next step so I'll keep an eye on the fault report for you and will get back to you when the next update comes through, that should be within the next 24 hours. 

[#6]

Thanks, @adamwalker .

@peteprodge I am not PN staff - I only look in when I have nothing else which requires my attention, and this is not a live service, just waiting for you to make a post.

However, now Adam (a PN Help Team staffer, which I am not) has replied, I shall ignore this topic.

[#7]

@peteprodge 

I'm just letting you know that the fault report has been sent back to us advising it should now be fixed, please let me know if there's still an issue as we'd need to look at arranging an engineer visit as the next step. 

Adam

[#8]

Because they don't care about you now they have your money. Simple as.

[#9]

@peteprodge 

BT's SLA for residential connectivity faults is three workings days.

If your living (income) is so essentially dependent on internet connectivity, then may be you need a business grade service, having a shorter SLA, possibly with a connection fall back option.  These are available from various suppliers, but are far more expensive than the residential grade service you have purchased from Plusnet.  For example see VDSL Prices (aa.net.uk)

[#10]

I reported my problems on 23 Feb which are very similar to yours.  I was sent a new router which didn't help at all.  I was also persuaded to sign up for a faster broadband speed.

I was under the impression that the issue is being looked into but so far no help is forthcoming.

I wonder if you managed to get your problems solved.

I have chronic COPD and can't get out very much so rely heavily on my computer for on line shopping.

I'm at a loss as to what to do next as I really need to speak to a HUMAN, but can't find a direct line which deals with broadband problems.

Any suggestions or a telephone number would be helpful.

Thanks....Cathie

[#11]

Hello @catkan34 

A warm welcome to the forums.

Your post is a little confusing, you state that you want to talk to a human, that you want a contact telephone number... for dealing with broad band issues ... whilst you have apparently been talking to a human, who deals with broadband issues otherwise how did you get the router / discuss a package change.

You have provided no context to your original issue - line speeds you were getting, the length of your line to the exchange or the circumstances in which the upgrade was recommended.

In some locations the full copper service ADSL is not going to deliver swift speeds due to the distance between you and the exchange.  For FTTC the speed is governed by the distance between you and the local green cabinet.  In the majority of cases, FTTC will be much faster, but in some rural areas, that might not be true.

If an ADSL service is suffering due to a fault between the cabinet and your home ... FTTC is likely to suffer as well.

Has the phone line been checked?

Broadband is not going to work well if the "phone" line is not working properly.

Please perform a quiet line test - dial 17070 select option 2 using a phone plugged into the test socket behind the face plate of the master socket (ideally this should be a corded phone). The line should be silent. A noisy phone line (or no dial tone) will have a marked adverse impact on the performance of broadband.

If the line is noisy or there is no dial tone, then a PHONE LINE fault needs to be raised with your phone provider. If this is PlusNet, you can report a fault on line using the button below. NB: You need to put your LANDLINE NUMBER after "PHONE" [missing instruction].

• Phone Faults

 Support details for broadband issues is documented here - Report your broadband problem | Help | Plusnet