Previous provider not notified

[#1]

I recently joined switched to PlusNet (service activated on 29th January) from Vodafone, with which I had both a broadband and landline contract.

I was advised that no notification should be given to Vodafone of the switch, because it'd happen through the Openreach network and Vodafone would be contacted by PlusNet directly about the line takeover.

Fast forward 20 days, I had received no notification of my contract with Vodafone ending so I checked with them. Vodafone say they received no notification at all of the switch to a new provider. I had to personally give them notice of contract termination (meaning I'll have to pay 2 months of broadband I did not use with them).

I've been in touch with PlusNet's customer service and received no help besides a suggestion to ask Vodafone not to charge me since I haven't been using the line (which of course won't be possible as Vodafone claim they received no notification at all of the switch).

Can someone from PlusNet support give me hard proof (copy of an email or screenshot from relevant system) that the line takeover notification was sent to Vodafone? Otherwise I'll have to request account credit for what I'll need to pay back to Vodafone, as either the switch hasn't been processed correctly or I've not been advised on the correct actions to take as part of it.

[#2]

Moderators Note

This topic has been moved from Broadband to My Order

[#3]

because it'd happen through the Openreach network and Vodafone would be contacted by PlusNet directly about the line takeover.

Not quite true, Plusnet place an order with Openreach to take over the line. Openreach then inform the losing provider automatically. My guess is that Vodafone have 'lost' the automated takeover notification. Since , I assume, you've moved to a product that no longer includes a phone service, VF will have been told of the phone 'cease' by Openreach. It COULD be that VFs systems don't handle that properly. Either way, if the service has transferred to Plusnet , then there's no way VF could have been providing a service since then. If VF insist on trying to charge you, then inform then raise a complaint and also inform Ofcom.

[#4]

Hello,

Thanks for the reply. Vodafone's stance is that a "new" service was set up, there was no takeover and they received no notification. Is that possible (considering this involved a switch to a broadband-only service)? Any suggestion on where I could find information on what happened? (maybe from Openreach?)

[#5]

Vodafone's stance is that a "new" service was set up, there was no takeover and they received no notification

I'm assuming that the Plusnet service is using the same physical phone line that the VF service was using and that an OPenreach engineer did not visit to install a new line. In which case there's no way VF could have continued to provide a service on that line.

Any suggestion on where I could find information on what happened? (maybe from Openreach?)

Openreach won't communicate with end users, they only deal with CPs (Communication providers).

Plusnet ought to be able to provide confirmation of when they took over the line.

[#6]

@val123 I can see there is only 1 line at your property, and this would be the line we took over as this has now changed to SOGEA which is your product. You'll need to take this up with Vodafone as they'll have not been providing you since we went live.

[#7]

@ClaudiaG23  I think it would be useful if Plusnet could confirm when they took over the line as it would seem that Vodafone don't believe what the Op is telling them.

[#8]

@val123  Did you have a landline with Vodafone? 

[#9]

from the 1st post

I recently joined switched to PlusNet (service activated on 29th January) from Vodafone, with which I had both a broadband and landline contract.

[#10]

A bit late to the party...

This sounds very much like a historic issue Plusnet had were they were not consuming some KCI2 messages from BTOR / BTW which notified the losing provider that a line had been taken over.  That resulted in incorrect continuous billing after leaving something Ofcom took a dim view over and fined Plusnet a tidy sum.

@val123 you might want to refer Vodafone to this if they have not refunded your the erroneous charges ... and you might wish to make a complaint to Ofcom in case this practice / failure is widespread within Vodafone.

"Specifically, Ofcom has reasonable grounds to believe that Plusnet contravened GC 11.1 by rendering bills to end-users in respect of broadband and telephony services for amounts that did not represent and exceeded the true extent of the service actually provided to them. Plusnet had continued to bill certain end-users for broadband and telephony service after their service had been cancelled."