No activation date for new service

[#1]

Hi everyone, I moved house more than a month ago and have spent far more time than I would have liked since then trying to sort out an internet connection. I have had three landline and broadband orders fail because the previous owner of the house forgot to cancel their service with Sky. I'm now in the process of what I hope will be my final, successful attempt at getting connected. There is no dial tone on the landline so I'm assuming that the previous owners have now cancelled their service and I'm sitting looking at five out of eight green ticks on the Plus Net order tracker.

The fifth point on this list ("activating your line") is still yet to be ticked and it says this:

Broadband orders typically take a week to complete. We're waiting for confirmation that your broadband order, due {strCustActivationdate}, has completed.

Should I be concerned that the activation date variable is undefined or is this just paranoia stemming from so many previous failures? I haven't had written or verbal confirmation of the activation date, although the last Plus Net person I spoke to on the phone (at the end of last week) told me activation would be in around a week.

[#2]

Hi @gnarlybravo

I'm really sorry to see the issues you've had trying to get broadband at your new house. 

I can see the existing line was eventually stopped on the 15th September and we picked this back up on the 20th September, replacing the order which I've just checked now and it's showing as cancelled again. It's not cancelled in the same way as before though as the previous provider's service had been stopped. 

Discussing with an adviser from our suppliers helpdesk, this sort of system issue can happen when we try to activate standard broadband and reactivate a phone line that was previously on non-BT equipment at the same time.

To get around this I've placed an order to reactivate the phone line and once that's active, I'll place another order to activate your broadband service. I'm taking this on personally moving forward and I'll check back tomorrow. 

I've also created a support ticket Here I'll use to monitor and update you on.

[#3]

Thanks for the swift reply, @Gandalf. Just as I thought I couldn’t possibly have another order fail, here we are again but for a different reason! Have I understood correctly that you have re-ordered the phone line activation but have to wait until that has completed before starting the process of activating the broadband? Does that mean I have to wait another ten working days from the point of the phone line being activated before we will have a broadband service?

I really hope that isn’t the case because we’ve been nearly six weeks without an internet connection and besides the frustration of not being able to use services we’re paying for (like Netflix, Xbox Live and Game Pass, Amazon Prime, etc.), both my wife (an NHS doctor) and I require a working internet connection for our work. I am still working the majority of my time from home so we are using a lot of expensive mobile data. I know everyone says this but if there’s anything you can do to expedite the process we’d be eternally grateful. I know it’s not your fault that the previous orders failed, but I’m guessing the responsibility for this latest failure lies with Plus Net, Openreach or a combination?

Thank you for getting things moving again and fingers crossed for a swift resolution!

[#4]

Thanks for getting back to me @gnarlybravo

The good news is that the minimum 10 working day lead time only applies when taking over a working line. Restarting a stopped line is significantly quicker, 4 working days if the line was previously on non-BT equipment at the exchange, but I've just checked the order now and I can see it's due to go live on the 28th September before midnight.

I've asked our suppliers just now to expedite the order as your wife works for the NHS, and I should receive a response by the afternoon, I can't guarantee they'll be able to as it'll depend upon engineer availability. 

Activating standard broadband afterwards takes a further 4 working days and I'll submit another expedite request.

The failure of the last order lies somewhere within the suppliers systems, I wouldn't say it's anybody's fault though. 

[#5]

Thanks for your hard work and quick responses so far, @Gandalf. Please update me once you hear from the supplier this afternoon!

[#6]

No problem at all @gnarlybravo happy to confirm your phone line should be going live on the 27th September now.

I'll check back afterwards with a view to place your broadband order.

[#7]

Thanks @Gandalf!

[#8]

Hi @Gandalf, I'm pleased to say we now seem to have an active phone line! Thanks! Could you please update me on the progress of the broadband connection?

[#9]

Hi @gnarlybravo

Been monitoring your order nearly every hour and aye happy to say your phone order's completed as of 3:02pm. 

Supplier records haven't yet updated to show that broadband's available to order but as soon as they are, I'll place it.

[#10]

@Gandalf, your dedication to the cause is admirable! Please keep me posted.

[#11]

No problem at all @gnarlybravo

That's why they call me Gandalf.

Joking aside, will do. Cheers

[#12]

@Gandalf, naturally! Not once did I take you for a conjurer of cheap tricks.

[#13]

@gnarlybravo

Then again even the very wise cannot see all ends. Plusnet believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check. But that is not what I have found. I've found it is the small things, everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keeps the darkness at bay. Why Openreach? Perhaps it is because I am afraid and they give me courage.

^Disclaimer, those words are my own with the help of the good people who wrote the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit.

Just checked the records and they've not yet updated. It can generally take 24 hours for records to update after a line's been provisioned. I'll revisit this tomorrow morning though as I'm about to log off now.

[#14]

@gnarlybravo

Hey, the line records haven't updated yet so I've raised this with our suppliers records team for further investigation but in the meantime, the ordering system's showing broadband is available so I've been able to place the order.

Should hopefully be able to confirm later on today when it'll go live.

[#15]

Hi @gnarlybravo

The order's due to complete on the 4th October and I've submitted the expedite request now.

I'll let you know as soon as I've got a response back.