Cease on line and 2-3 week delay before plusnet service can start

[#1]

I am moving house and have paid in advance for Pusnet fibre broadband to start at my new address as soon as possible from our move in date. The current owner is with BT and has a cease order on the line. Plus net have therefore asked us to contact the owner so she can ask  BT to remove the cease order. We have done this and she has contacted BT but BT say they cannot remove the cease order. We are now left with Plusnet not being able to take over the line and a 2-3 week delay in us getting broadband service up and running. I cannot believe this is a unique case and must be happening up and down the country! Does anyone have a solution please?

[#2]

Hi there.

Unfortunately in these cases we'd generally have to wait until the cease order completes or install a new line (Which may create further delays due to engineer availability/extra work required).

I don't see why the current provider of your address wouldn't be able to cancel a cease order if they've placed it. If you can PM me your username I'll be happy to take a closer look.

Anoush

[#3]

BT have said the cease order is the only way they can know that the current owner has ended their  line rental agreement - they have said there is no other option than for them to do this, and so asking the current owner to cancel the cease order isn't an option - and I'm unclear why Plusnet keep telling us this this is an option?  BT have also confirmed us that the line will be immediately available on the date the cease happens. We have now been told by Plusnet that the delay will be because Plusnet will not contact Openreach BEFORE the cease date to arrange for the line to be taken over - instead they will wait until the cease date (despite the fact I've actually paid for the 12 month contract in advance) before contacting Openreach to arrange an appointment and this may take 2-3weeks. This really isn't acceptable! 

As Plusnet and Openreach are both part of the BT group, why can't Plusnet  arrange an appointment with an Openreach engineer NOW - this is not rocket science - we've paid a 12 month contract in advance, given more than 3 weeks notice of the date we want the line rental to commence and BT can confirm the cease date of the current line rental  - so this could easily be done without inconveniencing your customers by delaying their service by 2-3 weeks!.

[#4]

Unfortunately generally speaking if we place an order whilst there is a cease on the line, then that order will likely fail. Again I'm happy to take a closer look if I can identify your account. Please feel free to PM me your username.

As Plusnet and Openreach are both part of the BT group, why can't Plusnet  arrange an appointment with an Openreach engineer NOW

I'm afraid that whilst we're part of BT Group like BT Wholesale and Openreach, due to the way we have to work our suppliers have to provide an equal service to all ISP's which use their services. This makes a level playing field.

It'd be unfair on another ISP outside of the BT Group if our suppliers provided us with preferential treatment.

[#5]

The cease is for 8 May. Having been informed of this, why would it not be possible for Plusnet to place the order for the 9th May?

[#6]

My understanding is that if the cease is less than 10 working days away our order to takeover the line won't progress, because the line will be ceased before the line is taken over.

The 10 working day lead time is something we can't change as this is the gaining provider led process.

This is designed to avoid slamming, which is another provider taking over a line with no notice.

However, I'm seeking clarification from one of my colleagues and I'll post back shortly.

EDIT: In the interim, I've had a look into installing a new line instead, but unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any spare pairs at the distribution point (Usually at a telegraph pole) so it's likely a new line install order would go to a survey first.

[#7]

As Plusnet and Openreach are both part of the BT group, why can't Plusnet  arrange an appointment with an Openreach engineer NOW

I'm afraid that whilst we're part of BT Group like BT Wholesale and Openreach, due to the way we have to work our suppliers have to provide an equal service to all ISP's which use their services. This makes a level playing field.

It'd be unfair on another ISP outside of the BT Group if our suppliers provided us with preferential treatment.

OK - then, extend this to all ISPs - there is no reason it shouldn't be possible for every ISP to be able to contact Openreach in to arrange an appointment with the engineer when they have a confirmed date for talking over a line. 

A lot of this is sounding like 'computer says no'!

Moderator's note by Adie (Dvorak) fixed quote

[#8]

OK - then, extend this to all ISPs - there is no reason it shouldn't be possible for every ISP to be able to contact Openreach in to arrange an appointment with the engineer when they have a confirmed date for talking over a line. 

A lot of this is sounding like 'computer says no'!

Unfortunately the problem is we can't get a confirmed date to takeover your line because our order won't progress with a cease on the line placed by another service provider.

I've discussed this with one of my colleagues from our provisions team and I'm sorry to say but we'll have to wait it out.

EDIT: If the current provider of your property were to move the cease date back so there's more than 10 working days between the time we place the order and when the line is due to be ceased, then it may work.

Apart from that/asking them to cancel the cease altogether, there really isn't much we can do.

[#9]

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@Gandalf wrote:

My understanding is that if the cease is less than 10 working days away our order to takeover the line won't progress, because the line will be ceased before the line is taken over.

The 10 working day lead time is something we can't change as this is the gaining provider led process.

This is designed to avoid slamming, which is another provider taking over a line with no notice.

However, I'm seeking clarification from one of my colleagues and I'll post back shortly.

---

Many thanks for seeking clarification. The above makes little sense to me, so could I ask you to stick to layman's terms and not industry jargon, please?  I don't believe the 10 working day issue is actually the problem, because we gave Plusnet more than 10 working day's notice and were told this could not happen. 

Also, surely the point is that even if you don't take over the line until after the cease, i.e. on or after 8 May - you have been  know when this is happening and that you will have immediate access to the line on or after 8th May and therefore could arrange in advance of the cease date for an engineer to be booked for the 9th May. Is there something I am missing here?.

[#10]

I don't believe the 10 working day issue is actually the problem, because we gave Plusnet more than 10 working day's notice and were told this could not happen. 

When we place an order with Openreach to takeover a line, we have to provide at least 10 working days notice to the "losing" service provider, which would be the provider we're taking the line from.

Also, surely the point is that even if you don't take over the line until after the cease, i.e. on or after 8 May - you have been  know when this is happening and that you will have immediate access to the line on or after 8th May and therefore could arrange in advance of the cease date for an engineer to be booked for the 9th May. Is there something I am missing here?.

Whilst I appreciate where you're coming from, I'm afraid it doesn't work like that.

Our order will not progress when there's a cease on the line that's sooner than 10 working days.

When the line is ceased on the 8th May, we should then be able to restart the phone line which normally bears a lead time of 1 working day, then place a broadband order on the line which takes 4 working days for standard broadband, or 5 working days fibre broadband. With fibre, it can be pushed back due to engineer availability.

[#11]

"Unfortunately the problem is we can't get a confirmed date to takeover your line because our order won't progress with a cease on the line placed by another service provider."

Please explain this - because the confirmed cease date is 8th May. BT have confirmed this to their customer they have confirmed it to us. Why can they not confirm this to you? 

[#12]

Please explain this - because the confirmed cease date is 8th May. BT have confirmed this to their customer they have confirmed it to us. Why can they not confirm this to you? 

That's correct, the cease is confirmed for the 8th May.

But our order sadly won't progress because it's less than 10 working days away.

[#13]

"Our order will not progress when there's a cease on the line that's sooner than 10 working days."

As per my previous posts, we informed Plusnet of this issue in advance of 10 working days  - on 23 April and the cease date is 8 May. - so why hasn't this happened?  I would really like a reply to this from someone at Plusnet, as there has so far been total lack of clarity.

[#14]

I'm really sorry for this. I've been going on based on the notes left by other advisers.

Digging into this, the cease showing is because our order is progressing, the order was placed by automation on the day the account was created. So your services should go live on the 8th.

Apologies again.

[#15]

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@Gandalf wrote:

I'm really sorry for this. I've been going on based on the notes left by other advisers.

Digging into this, the cease showing is because our order is progressing, the order was placed by automation on the day the account was created. So your services should go live on the 8th.

Apologies again.

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Hi Gandalf, I do really appreciate you looking in to this for me - but you have really confused me now! Does this mean we should have a working fibre broadband service on 8th May?