JL broadband/Plusnet ceased without warning and Plusnet Full Fibre not ready

[#1]

JL broadband/Plusnet have ceased my broadband contract even though my new Plusnet full fibre contract isn't live and probably won't be for some time. I am now without broadband indefinitely. I have been given a credit to buy BT Hotspot but it will not work from my address. This is very unsatisfactory. Emma from tech support and Rachel from early life (?) were as helpful as they could be, but I am extremely dissatisfied that I was cut off early and now have no broadband for an indefinite time.

[#2]

The same happened for me, broadband from my previous provider stopped on the 17th when Plusnet should have gone live...I've been without broadband for over 5 weeks now with still no resolution in sight. The miscommunication between teams is ridiculous, I regret ever attempting a switch.

[#3]

This is NOT FIXED!

[#4]

Moderator's note by Mike (Mav): The fix has been removed.

[#5]

I’m replying to <Moderator's note: Agents name redacted as per Forum rules but still visible to Plusnet staff> Plusnet help team here as I’m unable to on my other thread.

Thank you for the detailed update, which hasn't fully been provided to me before.

I have not received my letter from open reach (sent 10 days ago) asking for permission to carry out work on my property, so I wonder if the landowner opposite has. I do not hold out much hope with the landowner, as it is a wild wooded area with no buildings and can see this situation continuing for months. 

I have purchased a MiFi device, however my 4G signal at home is very poor and this is not a viable solution to work from home on my laptop or use the streaming services which I pay monthly for on my TV. I’m grateful that I will receive compensation eventually, however with no resolution to being without broadband in sight and being cut off prematurely by JL/Plusnet from my previous service through no fault of my own, this is of no practical help now.

I was prepared to wait to be connected to full fibre whilst I still had JL broadband, however having now been cut off for what I expect to be a very long time, I would like to be reconnected to FTTC on a temporary or month by month basis. This seems to me a quicker solution to restore my service for now, especially considering the original Full Fibre order was placed in November 2022!

I am happy to be contacted directly to discuss this.

From Plusnet;

Thanks for reaching out, I'm really sorry you're experiencing a delay with your Full Fibre order. 

I've been checking your order over and can see that when an engineer originally went out, they marked this down as a complex installation as the cable would need to go through the tress and there is an electric cable running in front of the property. So a new route would need to be found which could involve installation brand new infrastructure in general to connect you. 

What's been happening since this, is that other engineers have gone out to survey and put forward a plan of action on how you'll be provided the service. This was agreed upon and now permission from the land owner is needed to complete the tree cutting and the work that is needed. 

This is where the most of the delay is coming from, Openreach are unable to cut down the tree needed without the land owner giving their permission and so far no permission has been granted as they've not heard anything back. They're pushing for a response and we're due to be having another update on the 03/03/23. 

Due to the amount of time this has been on going for, I'm going to escalate the case with Openreach. However, I would ask to keep in mind that if the land owner continues to not provide permission, this work will continue to be delayed. 

Once the orders have completed, you will be entitled to auto compensation which will credit you back £5.25 per day for a maximum of 60 days. This is applied to your account 30 days after the activation has completed. For more info just visit here. 

With the automatic compensation and extra credit that's already been promised, I'd advise to use this towards temporary data in the meantime so you can continue to browse online. There's a few different things you can pick up like Mi Fi devices, dongles or unlimited data sims.

[#6]

Morning! 

The landowner is someone else, I'm not entirely sure who specifically but Openreach have the details of them and have been contacting them to gain permission. John Lewis isn't something I can deal with as I only have access to Plusnet accounts over here so I'd advise to give the support team a call on 0800 022 3300 to see if they can re-activate your broadband. 

[#7]

Thanks for your reply. John Lewis broadband team have told me they can’t reinstate my service. My thoughts were that Plusnet could put me on a temporary contract for FTTC broadband whilst I wait for FTTP. After all, whilst I understand you are different teams, JL Broadband is provided by Plusnet, so essentially Plusnet have cut me off prematurely and the infrastructure for FTTC is still there.

[#8]

@SueW1 restoring the service may be restricted by Openreach

Put your postcode into the BT wholesale checker https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL/AddressHome and select your address. look at the Exchange Product Restrictions towards the bottom of the screen. If it says Fibre priority , 'Y' then it means that Openreach will not accept an order for FTTC if FTTP is available at the property.

I realise that doesnt help you, but it MAY explain why its not possible to restore FTTC

[#9]

Thanks for getting back to me, we don't offer temporary contracts or accounts. I understand where you're coming from but temporary data is the way forward whilst the work is being done for FTTP. 

[#10]

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@MisterW wrote:

If it says Fibre priority , 'Y' then it means that Openreach will not accept an order for FTTC if FTTP is available at the property.

I realise that doesnt help you, but it MAY explain why its not possible to restore FTTC

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From the thread I understood that the OP's problem is that FTTP is not actually available - so I don't think that is the reason FTTC can't be connected. I think the reason is that Plusnet won't provide short-term connections, and would rather leave a customer without broadband.

[#11]

@corringham my understanding is that FTTP is available but that there are delays in completing the install due to access.

From the original post

even though my new Plusnet full fibre contract isn't live and probably won't be for some time

If FTTP wasnt available, then AFAIK there would have been no 'full fibre contract' as an order couldnt have been placed.

[#12]

@MisterW I accept that FTTP is notionally available - but it can't be connected because OR don't have the means to get the fibre to the property. Without a fibre to the property FTTP is unfortunately not available.

Resolving the wayleave through woodland where trees need to be trimmed will take time, even if the landowner is amenable and responds quickly. If the landowner doesn't reply or objects it could take months. 

[#13]

I accept that FTTP is notionally available - but it can't be connected

@corringham but in that case, if the address is Fibre priority, then the Openreach ordering system will not allow an FTTC order.

The wholesale checker does not have any concept of whether it can or can not be connected due to wayleave, it merely shows as available. Its a prime case of 'computer says no' or in this case 'computer says yes' so its possible!

Basically its a mess, with extended OR install times for fibre and problems like the OP's we're going to see more like this.

For info I volunteered to be around to help a neighbour when he had fibre installed (not PlusNet) a couple of weeks ago. Spent 3 hrs with the (Quinn) contractor on the install day whilst he failed to get the fibre working (no public IP assigned). Eventually the ISP got Openreach out a few days later, another 3 hrs until OR 2nd line support eventually found that the ISP had allocated the connection to a 'non active' link! 1/2 hour and some reconfiguration by 2nd line, it finally worked.

[#14]

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@MisterW wrote:

I accept that FTTP is notionally available - but it can't be connected

@corringham but in that case, if the address is Fibre priority, then the Openreach ordering system will not allow an FTTC order.

However in this case it isn't a new FTTC order, it is reinstatement of a connection that was prematurely ceased in error - i.e. it is a fault. I expect FTTC faults can be fixed even in Fibre priority areas.

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Basically its a mess, with extended OR install times for fibre and problems like the OP's we're going to see more like this.

Exactly why there needs to be procedures to mitigate such issues. After all as the saying goes, failing to plan is planning to fail.

[#15]

However in this case it isn't a new FTTC order, it is reinstatement of a connection that was prematurely ceased in error - i.e. it is a fault. I expect FTTC faults can be fixed even in Fibre priority areas.

Sorry, but it is a new order. It may have been ceased in error, but its ceased!. There's no such order as a reinstatment, its not a fault ( well it is a fault of the PN system, but its not an Openreach fault as such ). If OR had ceased it in error then it MAY be different but I doubt it...