How does "orders" work?

[#1]

I'm trying to find out how the order workflow works for FTTC broadband, and what are the different status.

I requested Vodafone to cancel and cease my line end of March. I am still waiting for this to complete. They claim that a "Return order" (request to cease) appears to be stuck at the "open" status. And they have been escalating this on a weekly basis to get this cleared.

While cancellation is ongoing, I tried to sign up with BT, but my broadband orders are continuously created and auto cancelled in their system. BT so far have created 7 different account numbers and placed over 12 orders, you can imagine my e-mail inbox full of order e-mails.

So help me understand the terminology of the line status, from what I gathered so far, there's

"Working line"

"Pending ceased / stop"

"Ceased / Stopped / Cleared"

are there any others?

BT also said that if a new order is placed, and gets cancelled. They can't attempt a replacement order until 24 hours later, as it will get flagged up as a duplicate order on the system, while the previous order is pending cancellation. Is that true? 

I have given up with BT trying to place my broadband order, I'd hoped that as BT owns Openreach that they could together help resolve matters quicker.

[#2]

https://community.plus.net/t5/My-Order/Leaving-old-provider-during-cooling-off-period/m-p/1916021#M2... 

 No provider can place an order whist Vodafone has a cease order on your line.

Why have you not cancelled that cease?

Why are you placing multiple orders with BT when Vodafone have not completed or canceled the cease?

Are you also doing the same with PN?

You seem to be making assumptions that are totally wrong - BT has no more influence over Openreach than any other provider due to OFCOM requirements for fair use.

[#3]

No provider can place an order whist Vodafone has a cease order on your line.

Why have you not cancelled that cease?

BT asked me to instruct Vodafone to put a stop to the line, and I guess that means to cease the line. So I did as BT asked.

Why are you placing multiple orders with BT when Vodafone have not completed or cancelled the cease?

First of all, I am not placing multiple orders with BT. BT's own system automatically or their back end team keeps attempting to cancel and restart a new order. My reason to order last month with BT was 1) to take advantage of a price promotion and 2) BT said that I could place an order with an installation well in advance, so that gives enough time for the cease to complete, but their system auto brings the date back forward.

Are you also doing the same with PN?

Plusnet auto cancelled the order that I placed a month ago (12th April), so I tried to place an order with BT instead on the 12th April. I currently have no order with PN.

You seem to be making assumptions that are totally wrong - BT has no more influence over Openreach than any other provider due to OFCOM requirements for fair use.

I'm aware of that now, having gone through all that.

The problem is, there is no way for me to check myself whether the line is ceased / cleared. Which is why I want to understand better how the line status works.

[#4]

For anyone interested, this is a good thread to follow. Although I'm not 100% sure how it was resolved and a date brought forward without a 2 weeks wait after the line was ceased
https://community.plus.net/t5/Fibre-Broadband/Cease-on-line-and-2-3-week-delay-before-plusnet-servic...

[#5]

No, this one https://www.plus.net/broadband/switch/   or this one https://www.comparethemarket.com/broadband/content/a-guide-to-switching-your-broadband-provider/  or https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/costs-and-billing/switchi... 

Until you stop Vodafone messing you about and not actually doing what they need to do then it is a lottery as to when you will get a new provider.

Not sure why you are posting, or I am helping as you are not a PN customer, guess it is to help other customers to not follow your posts, but I guess it is to stop you posting wrong information.

[#6]

At the moment I am stuck waiting for Vodafone to cease the line. I want to understand better how the Openreach system works, and where the complication is. How to check the line myself and how to prevent it from happening in the future.

I cancelled with Vodafone during the 14 days cooling off period. As a customer without any visibility of the backend a lot of this is hidden. Like you say it's a lottery. It's a lottery just to get through to a Vodafone front line agent who is willing to provide you the right information rather than just fob you off.

And I am not here "spreading misinformation", I made an assumption that BT could do better as they own Openreach, and said "I'd hoped", but I was proven wrong. I don't think you should have focused on that. If you want I can try remove that from my op.

And I'm posting here because I want to reattempt my order with Plusnet.

You can be helpful with your short answers but I think it's to my benefit ond other readers that you don't unnecessarily add rude comments like you are trying to "help other customers to not follow your posts".

[#7]

The answer is really very simple - you need to tell Vodafone to cancel your cancellation. Until that happens no change can proceed.

You then place one order with ONLY your preferred supplier and leave them to sort things out.

[#8]

Ah, very good news from Plusnet. I asked if they can check the status of my line, they said they can only do that if I place an order.

So, I placed a new order and they said that the line is currently a "stopped" line; so they can proceed with a phone order first  and a broadband order sometime after that. Fingers crossed!

I haven't got a committed date yet, but hopefully very soon!

[#9]

Hey @gspn, I've tried placing an order on your phone line. At the moment the line coming into your property is a "stopped" line. The order did get rejected by the suppliers. I assume this is due to the open cease you have with Vodafone. Have Vodafone confirmed when the order will cancel on they side?

[#10]

Thanks @ClaudiaG23. Do you know why the suppliers (Openreach?) rejected the order?

I will get another update from Vodafone later today to check the status of the cease / "return order", they said 4pm. If you have anything you want me to ask or request from Vodafone, can you help post the question here as is, and I can copy and paste it with an ongoing chat session that I have with them via social media. The phrasing of your question could be better, or have a higher chance of getting the right response.

I'm committed to getting this resolved, and get broadband ordered with Plusnet. I appreciate your help with this.

[#11]

@gspn  The Suppliers rejected our order as there is already an order on the same line, this doesn't say if this is a cease or an open order but there is definitely an order on the same line. 

Vodafone just needs to cancel whatever order they have got on the stopped line going to your property, once this has been cancelled we then will be able to place our order. 

Only one order can happen at one time on the same line (working or stopped) 

[#12]

@ClaudiaG23 Does it say if the order currently in the stopped line is one that belongs to / initiated by Vodafone?

Vodafone promised to update me at 4pm today but didn't, even though I prodded them a few times after 4pm. 

My last message to them is a request for them to "cancel whatever order they have got on the stopped line".

I expect this will go on for quite some time until Vodafone actions it. For now, is the Plusnet order placed on hold? - Please don't cancel my Plusnet broadband order.

[#13]

I've got no information about the order itself, it doesn't tell me what kind of order is on the line or even whose order it is.

[#14]

@ClaudiaG23 Thanks, shame the system / supplier doesn't reveal any more information.

Vodafone has again re-escalated this to apparently the highest point of escalation to try to resolve this. I haven't yet been given a date but I hope it's ok for you to put my Plusnet order on hold until they clear the stopped line.

[#15]

@ClaudiaG23 Vodafone have now confirmed the line is stopped. Could you please try resume the order?