Finally FTTP has arrived for me

[#1]

I called up to cancel the change anyway and talked to someone in retentions and told him how annoyed I was about it all, he understood and wanted me to keep it alive so they could push BT into appearing themselves, but with a job starting on the 7th Oct and WFH I can't have the net going off for hours early on, they would sack me on the spot lol

So I will try again after a couple of months when I accumulated some time off to be taken for it.

And yeah, we hardly use our landline anyway - so don't mind it being gone.

[#2]

So crazy day, SoGEA doesn't seem to be going ahead, the agent I spoke to from Retentions did put in the request to cancel the fibre install, but some other Agent messed things up and got Openreach for a date of the 25th of this month. Seems communication isn't on par at Plusnet.

[#3]

An Update.

Spoke to an agent back in October who pushed me into trying for FTTP again which was set for the 7/11/24, guy came from Circet but this one wanted to help (unlike the last guy), he looked everywhere and there was nothing to install from. Apparently Openreach did fibre to outside the block of flats but not to the inside.

So at this point I am like, I can't deal with this FTTP nonsense for a while, so asked about SOGEA again and that it has to be put in manually as the system they have will kill the request as FTTP is available on their system for my property. So we arranged for this.

Next day I get a text saying Openreach had did the internal work necessary, not sure what they did as I didn't hear anyone, but the communal cupboard was open so someone must have been in there. But I had an option to send in a date they could do from the 12th Nov, so I sent 12 Nov as a text and it was confirmed for 8am-1pm.

So the Tuesday 12th comes, and so far no text to say an engineer is coming out etc, so checked with Plusnet and noticed a new question on the account, they put in the SOGEA order like normal and it was rejected, which subsequently cancelled the arranged appointment I had on the 12th.

The worse part is trying to talk to Openreach about it to try and get them to fully come out and check things is impossible, you are constantly hit with "have to talk to your ISP" who don't have that information or ability to ask for someone to check before an install goes ahead.

The whole thing is an absolute mess, no communication from Plusnet and Openreach together to form a solution, I just have to keep putting in long monthly waits for an appointment to potentially be told it can't be done, how many I wonder do I need to do before Openreach figures out something isn't right. Again the work done on Friday, don't even see what they have done, it is the same cinderblock copper box on the wall and I don't see any Openreach box on the wall either to go from to my home.

Now the next appointment is the 5/12/24 PM time. So much for the Retentions agent trying to get sooner, which I know is available because I had the option to arrange it with that text. Absolute joke.

I am probably better off going with BT directly, it might make it actually happen.

[#4]

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@TheRealDabhand wrote:

The worse part is trying to talk to Openreach about it to try and get them to fully come out and check things is impossible, you are constantly hit with "have to talk to your ISP" who don't have that information or ability to ask for someone to check before an install goes ahead.

The whole thing is an absolute mess, no communication from Plusnet and Openreach together to form a solution, I just have to keep putting in long monthly waits for an appointment to potentially be told it can't be done, how many I wonder do I need to do before Openreach figures out something isn't right. 

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Superuser escalation

This topic has been escalated by one of the Superusers; please allow time for PlusNet to respond before commenting further.

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[#5]

Plusnet RESIDENTIAL services are not intended for WFH use. Most certainly fault fix times are not BUSINESS grade as one would consider essential if one’s livelihood depended on internet connectivity. A good employer demanding WFH capability would install a business grade service and pay for it themselves.

Mine certainly did.

[#6]

@TheRealDabhand 

If you cancel your order and go elsewhere you simply go to the back of the OR queue.

Brian

[#7]

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@Townman wrote:
Plusnet RESIDENTIAL services are not intended for WFH use. Most certainly fault fix times are not BUSINESS grade as one would consider essential if one’s livelihood depended on internet connectivity. A good employer demanding WFH capability would install a business grade service and pay for it themselves.

Mine certainly did.

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I will be blunt, I understand that and to be frank what was the point of saying all that? I am so glad your employer paid for something for you, I am so happy for you.. that was sarcasm - why would you say that, what was the point? This thread has been in good spirits then you come and post this "kick them when they are down" type post. I know you are a superuser but goddamn. Again I know it's not a business line, this is an old excuse VM used to throw about also, but an internet connection isn't just for Streaming, Gaming and Browsing.

However this isn't only about work, it is the fact I have been stuck on poor FTTC since moving here 4 years ago, and have been waiting a long time for FTTP to be available, this is the only choice available - no VM.

No matter what the line is for, it should be stable and meet guaranteed speeds. I have had to take 2 unpaid days off recently due to 2 failed appointments, and this has stemmed from the fact OR is impossible to talk to and to get things rectified. And this issue is now going into over 2 months time of back and forth.

[#8]

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@bmc wrote:

@TheRealDabhand 

If you cancel your order and go elsewhere you simply go to the back of the OR queue.

Brian

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Yeah I know that, but it would be kind of taking the middle man out of the equation so to speak. I just feel I am getting nowhere with Plusnet, and it isn't their fault entirely it's OR's stupid "don't talk to the public" stance despite them having the best information for them.

I think it's counterproductive that I have to have several failed appointments before OR would probably come out themselves to check fully if everything is in place, which is time consuming and disheartening. If I could have VM right now I would have done so in a heartbeat after these attempts, sadly they aren't an option for me.. so I have to go through these very long unnecessary processes to just get FTTP that should have been an easy'ish job.

[#9]

@TheRealDabhand 

You won't be taking the "middle man" out of the equation.

BT Retail are treated exactly the same way as PlusNet when it comes to dealing with OpenReach - by law.

Brian

[#10]

@TheRealDabhand 

"it's OR's stupid "don't talk to the public" stance"

That is an OFCOM decision - not Openreach's choice.

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[#11]

@TheRealDabhand

So many people around here complain bitterly that their internet - which is essential to their employment - is not repaired instantly when it is broken. You raised the risk of being sacked for not having a working internet connection, thus it is appropriate you should be alerted to risks during service.

I would not want you to find yourself in that boat in the case of a connection failure … and then realise you were not aware that these services are not intended for anything more than occasionally working from home. Services are usually reliable and stable, but faults can and do happen and business grade services repairs are prioritised, usually having an assured 24 hour fix window. Residential services have a 3 WORKING days fix window, so if a broken service is reported on a Friday, it could be Wednesday before it is fixed.

I recognise you might not like that message, but there’s no need to flame the messenger.

Agreed the installation delays are another matter … but similarly business grade services are probably given priority installation timeframes.

Good luck.

[#12]

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@Mr_Paul wrote:

@TheRealDabhand 

"it's OR's stupid "don't talk to the public" stance"

That is an OFCOM decision - not Openreach's choice.

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Wait, Ofcom told OR not to deal with the public in regards to general enquiries of installs or future installs happening? Could you point me to where that is regulated by Ofcom, thanks.. Cause that sounds a bit weird if that is the case.

[#13]

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@Townman wrote:
@TheRealDabhand

So many people around here complain bitterly that their internet - which is essential to their employment - is not repaired instantly when it is broken. You raised the risk of being sacked for not having a working internet connection, thus it is appropriate you should be alerted to risks during service.

I would not want you to find yourself in that boat in the case of a connection failure … and then realise you were not aware that these services are not intended for anything more than occasionally working from home. Services are usually reliable and stable, but faults can and do happen and business grade services repairs are prioritised, usually having an assured 24 hour fix window. Residential services have a 3 WORKING days fix window, so if a broken service is reported on a Friday, it could be Wednesday before it is fixed.

I recognise you might not like that message, but there’s no need to flame the messenger.

Agreed the installation delays are another matter … but similarly business grade services are probably given priority installation timeframes.

Good luck.

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You have to remember I am not everybody, each case is unique, I was worried about the failed appointments being a potential of being let go not the current connection as such which has had drop outs at times, nothing major. You assumed otherwise.

You also came in with that line, which again I have had seen countless times with VM, where they would push that everyone working from home should have a business line which is not true at all, they would love that as it would cost more but in the end it was not really different than any other line bar the fact support would act quicker, that is all.

So you have to understand that when you came to me like that, then said your employer did you a solid.. did you not think how that would come across? Here I am having problems getting FTTP, hitting brick walls to get this all sorted out, and you hit me with the my employer did me a solid, if you did not even hint that we would not be having this discussion, I would have chatted to you that I believe I shouldn't need a business line etc. But you turned my story into about you for a few seconds, knowing I am having a lot of issues... that isn't nice to read.

I am just saying, you need to make sure what you are saying doesn't come across potentially trying to make something about you positive when people are struggling to get a solution in a negative situation. It's not nice to read when you are in that situation, or even hear if it was a call.

[#14]

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@bmc wrote:

@TheRealDabhand 

You won't be taking the "middle man" out of the equation.

BT Retail are treated exactly the same way as PlusNet when it comes to dealing with OpenReach - by law.

Brian

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I think for me it would be more a hypothetical thing to think if I was with BT and Openreach being so close that there would be less problems to get things sorted, while it could be the same as plusnet of course. Like a placebo effect I guess you could say.

Again none of this is Plusnet's fault entirely, OR just hasn't done the job initially as they were supposed to, and it's becoming a nightmare to try and get OR to come out to look at it right, I am not even sure they did last week, if they used the NAV system that some use they may have ended up at a different building which is common for me when ordering deliveries, I have to stand outside to usher them to the right building at times.

I just think this whole process could have been streamlined a bit more to identify potential problems and to rectify them quickly, I think anyone would be feeling the same to be overjoyed at finally able to sign up for FTTP to utter disappointment and bewilderment at how bad the process has been. Just a shame.

/rant lol

[#15]

@TheRealDabhand 

"Wait, Ofcom told OR not to deal with the public in regards to general enquiries of installs or future installs happening? Could you point me to where that is regulated by Ofcom, thanks.. Cause that sounds a bit weird if that is the case."

It was mandated by OFCOM when Openreach was made in to a separate company within BT Group in 2006. In 2015, BT did try to get that changed, but apparently other ISPs objected. From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Openreach#Independence_from_BT_Group

"Telecoms provider customers who have problems cannot directly contact Openreach and have to go indirectly through their service provider. In 2015 BT consulted on the possibility of allowing Openreach to deal directly with consumers, which would have required the approval of Ofcom, but withdrew the proposal, partly due to objections from other service providers."

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