No dual tone

[#1]

I have had no land line for 4 weeks and despite fault being escalated (only recently) the fault has yet to be fixed.. Despite speaking to customer assistants who can I speak to get this resolved in a timely manner..

[#2]

@LyndonE Have they said what the fault is? Four weeks to rectify a phone fault seems excessive, to say the least - thes are usually resolved inside a week.

[#3]

Hi John,All they keep saying for last month was the fault is in the exchange, told various times that engineers are looking at it but yet 4 weeks gone by. Very frustrated, should have been escalated Cpl of weeks ago in my opinion but still nothing is fixed..

[#4]

Unfortunately, Openreach work to some rather antiquated procedures, and at the pace they want to, but an exchange-side fault should still be fixed in a week or less, unless it is a major one - which I can't see this being, to be honest. As the analogue phone service is being discontinued in the near future, it could be that they are having problems sourcing whatever needs replacing (doubtful) and OR only update their customers (in this case PN) when they feel like it.

Unfortunately, this means that all that can be done is for PN to request an update, which they get at OR's pleasure - there is nothing you can do except keep asking.

[#5]

I agree

[#6]

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@jab1 wrote:

As the analogue phone service is being discontinued in the near future ...

... there is nothing you can do except keep asking.

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Assuming that  @LyndonE  is on FTTC (broadband from an FTTC cabinet) and NOT on ADSL (broadband from the exchange)

@LyndonE  could today start an 'upgrade' to SOGEA (AKA Plusnet 'Fibre') which should complete within a couple of days.

Once the FTTC to SOGEA change has been confirmed by Plusnet and the phone service is dead, @LyndonE  could migrate (within 30 days) their discontinued landline phone number to a VoIP (digital phone) provider.

These changes result in the broadband continuing to work as it does today, and the home phone number now working via the broadband connection instead of from the BT master socket.

This would eliminate any ongoing and/or future telephone exchange related problems, and @LyndonE  will have converted to VoIP before the discontinuation of residential landline phones by Openreach due at the end of 2025.

NOTES -

SOGEA is the same as FTTC (VDSL2) broadband except that there is no associated phone service on the same wires.

Recommended VoIP suppliers include A&A and Voipfone.

You will either need a new VoIP handset, or an ATA adaptor to convert the existing handset, in order to connect via the router.

The monthly cost of SOGEA broadband should be cheaper than what your in contract payments are for FTTC.

Upgrading from FTTC to SOGEA should have almost zero broadband down time, maybe a few minutes.

Upgrading Plusnet phone to third party VoIP, typically has a down time of five days, but worst case might be as much as ten.

.

[#7]

@outcast I know all that  - but it doesn't help this case, particularly.

[#8]

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@jab1 wrote:

@outcast I know all that .

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@jab1  so why didn't you suggest that as a possible solution ?, instead of "there is nothing you can do" !

@LyndonE  has already had no phone for four weeks, and has no timescale (if ever) for their problem being resolved.

My solution can be started TODAY and provides quick resolution of getting their phone working again, future proofs the home phone usage after 2025, saves money, and eliminates any problems with the exchange. No downside other than doing a couple of sign-ups that can easily be performed online, and plugging in an appropriate phone adaptor or new handset.

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[#9]

@outcast Yours is the nuclear solution which you keep pushing and it's not a particularly quick or easy one unless you are familiar with how VOIP works. All @LyndonE wants is to get the phone line working again, then any change to the landline/phone service can be considered in due course.

[#10]

I’ve been told there’s a fault at the exchange and this has nothing to do with going digital, I have not been advised by plusnet of this and also fiber isn’t available at my address as yet. Waiting for 4 weeks is down to open reach not repairing fault not line going digital…

[#11]

I would argue the strength of this forum, is that many people can propose different solutions.

If someone posts something that's not viable, then others have the opportunity to refine any misunderstandings.

With a selection of answers, some of which the original poster may not have been aware of, they can choose their next steps.

I don't see anyone else yet providing an actionable route forward, and "there is nothing you can do" doesn't help !

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@jab1 wrote:

... Openreach work to some rather antiquated procedures ... 

... it could be that they are having problems sourcing whatever needs replacing ...

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Since around 2010, Openreach have been finding it difficult to get spare parts for the old Marconi telephone exchanges (including mine) that were built in the early 1980's.  From 2015 Openreach have had to resort to salvaging used parts from other exchanges, and from scrapped systems, in order to keep the ancient voice systems working.  You can appreciate the situation today is getting to the point where it is actually impossible to repair a broken exchange, and the need to get everyone away from landlines to VoIP in 2025 is urgent.

This might explain why @LyndonE 's exchange fault hasn't been repaired for more than four weeks so far, maybe it can't be.

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[#12]

Exactly, @LyndonE  - as @RealAleMadrid has said, all you want is your phone service back, but Openreach work to their own sweet way, and end-users like you and I can do little to make them  keep us  informed.

[#13]

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@outcast wrote:

I would argue the strength of this forum, is that many people can propose different solutions.

If someone posts something that's not viable, then others have the opportunity to refine any misunderstandings.

With a selection of answers, some of which the original poster may not have been aware of, they can choose their next steps.

I don't see anyone else yet providing an actionable route forward, and "there is nothing you can do" doesn't help !

Since around 2010, Openreach have been finding it difficult to get spare parts for the old Marconi telephone exchanges (including mine) that were built in the early 1980's.  From 2015 Openreach have had to resort to salvaging used parts from other exchanges, and from scrapped systems, in order to keep the ancient voice systems working.  You can appreciate the situation today is getting to the point where it is actually impossible to repair a broken exchange, and the need to get everyone away from landlines to VoIP in 2025 is urgent.

This might explain why @LyndonE 's exchange fault hasn't been repaired for more than four weeks so far, maybe it can't be.

.

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Unless this 'fault' affects a large number of customers on the exchange - and no-one else has reported an issue (on this forum), the chances are it isn't a, say, multiple frame failure - we don't know what it is - and considering the reducing number of the PSTN network, I'm surprised they haven't found some spare port/switch?

[#14]

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@LyndonE wrote:

I’ve been told there’s a fault at the exchange and this has nothing to do with going digital,

Yes, that is correct.  Nobody will have their landline phone cut-off by Openreach before 2026.

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@LyndonE wrote:

... going digital, I have not been advised by plusnet of this

Plusnet are unlikely to do so until autumn 2025 at the earliest, as Plusnet won't be providing a digital phone service to replace their customer's landline phones when the Openreach switch-off happens.  When the lines are due to go digital, Plusnet won't provide any support for moving your phone number to a third party VoIP provider,  their only official solution is to move your broadband AND phone to BT or EE using those provider's version of VoIP called "Digital Voice".  Given the choice, VoIP is a better solution than "Digital Voice" for many reasons.  Note that moving to BT or EE will lose your Plusnet email account,  whereas migrating your phone number to a third party VoIP supplier, allows you to stay with Plusnet for your broadband and email, etc.

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@LyndonE wrote:

fiber isn’t available at my address as yet.

That is irrelevant,  you don't need to have Full Fibre in order to pre-emptively convert your home phone handset to digital.

If you currently have an FTTC broadband connection, then you can choose to go digital at any time.

If you currently have ADSL broadband, then currently there is no clear understanding of how landline phones will operate next year.

All I'm suggesting is that if YOU choose to convert you phone to digital now,  then you will quickly have a working phone, and any issues at the exchange will no longer have any affect on your phone service - because your phone calls would be coming via your broadband connection (which I am assuming is still working).

Anyway, I've said all I'm going to say so will stay quiet now (unless asked or provoked).

.

[#15]

Thanks for everyone’s comments. For me it’s simple , IF it can’t be repaired then open reach need to be honest and say, IF plusnet has been told this then they need to be honest and say so, neither of these has happened as far as I’m aware, but still after 4 weeks we’re no further forward. Unfortunately no one from open reach or plusnet seem that concerned. Thanks again all …