Unacceptably Delayed Broadband order

[#1]

I ordered new broadband with plusnet on 27th of April 2023 and I was assured at the time that they would cooridinate with SKY (my current ISP) to ensure there was no downtime in my internet access. I stressed that this was important to me since both myself and my wife are working from home. The switch-over was supposed to happen on 17th of May, any time up to midnight. 

9am on 17th, SKY disconnects my internet. So clearly things were not communicated properly between plusnet and SKY.

I also then receive a text from plusnet later that day saying my broadband order is delayed. So of course, I get on the phone with plusnet straight away. Person I speak to still assures me that my plusnet broadband would go live any time up to midnight on the 17th.

Morning of 18th, nothing. So I call again. This time I am told that there is a delay, but no explanation is given as to why there is a delay. I explain again that myself and my wife both work from home and if we don't have internet, we can't do our jobs. My wife works for the NHS...

Multiple calls later, it is explained to me that the problem is the fault of OpenReach. I still have trouble believing this because why would they just randomly fail at doing what they do?

Eventually, when I started posting here on the forum, @adamwalker responded and followed up with a phone call and explained everything to me. One point was that I was promised a temporary wifi dongle so that I would at least have internet access until my broadband connection got sorted out. Well, the dongle arrived -  a pethetic attempt at providing wifi internet access with a measly 3mb/s download speed at the best of times. But most of the times, far less. Completely worthless. I have since ran out of mobile data in an effort to do my job, and my wife's mobile data is rapidly getting depleted as well. All while OpenReach decides when they might feel like connecting my intetnet and Plusnet conveniently sitting idle, waiting for things to happen. 

Today, the 22nd of May, there is still no sign of ANY kind of progress being made. And my hands are tied. I can't just cancel Plusnet and go with another ISP, because who knows how long that will then take to resolve? This situation is putting me in an extremely difficult position. It is completely unacceptable and I am considering writing to the CEO of BT in an effort to get things resolved. I honesly don't know what to do anymore....

[#2]

@banjomir 

" I was assured at the time that they would cooridinate with SKY (my current ISP) to ensure there was no downtime in my internet access. I stressed that this was important to me since both myself and my wife are working from home."

"9am on 17th, SKY disconnects my internet. So clearly things were not communicated properly between plusnet and SKY."

Clearly you are having more problems than are to be expected when switching providers, but some downtime on the day of transfer is to be expected - usually several hours - this cannot be avoided.

It is not simply a switch from Sky to Plusnet, Openreach also have work to do as well.

[#3]

Plusnet promised me that my internet would go live at or before midnight on the 17th of May. It is now the 22nd of May and I still have no internet. Did you not read my entire post? Why bother posting this kind of comment? It does not help.

[#4]

@banjomir 

Yes, I did read all of your post - I said you were clearly having more problems than are usual with a switch of providers.

I was merely pointing out that what appeared to be your expectation of an instantaneous and seamless transfer was unrealistic.

This comment was as much for the benefit of others who read these forums, as a warning. It is not uncommon for people to post that they work from home, switch providers without knowing what is involved in the background, and don't realise that several hours of downtime are perfectly normal and they need to be prepared for this.

It is obviously too late for you, but others in this position might want to consider scheduling a day off from work on transfer day, (if they can)?

[#5]

Well, my "expectation" was created by Plusnet promising me I will have no downtime. Of course I am not stupid, I knew there would probably be a short period of downtime. The point is that SKY was clearly given the go-ahead to disconnect their service, before plusnet had their morning coffee. And it just gets worse and worse by the day.

[#6]

@adamwalker do you know if any progress is being made? I honestly don't understand the problem and why it is taking this long. It is not as if it is a brand new line. It worked perfectly fine with SKY. Should literally just be a case of Plusnet taking over the line? This is incredibly frustrating!

[#7]

I tried to see how I can make a complaint with Openreach directly, but they do not allow it. All complaints need to go via the communications provider, in this case, Plusnet. 

So how do I even know that the issue has been raised with Openreach? 

[#8]

Hi @banjomir I'm really sorry to see that you still haven't been connected yet. I've absolutely raised this with Openreach and I'm about to contact them now for an update, please bear with me and I'll be back in touch with you in the next couple of hours. 

[#9]

I just receivd this in an email...

Unfortunately there has been a delay with your order due to an issue with our suppliers. We are working with them to get this resolved as soon as possible and we will give you an update once we have more information.

We have a review date of 26/05/2023 so we will be in touch with you on this date to update you on the progress.

I'm sorry about any inconveniences this may cause and we will ensure we will minimise any further delay wherever we can.

If you want to check your account for an update on your order or ask any questions, you can do this by logging into the member centre (please have your username and password ready for this) on https://www.plus.net/member-centre/login.

Alternatively, you can call us on 0800 432 0200 or on 0345 140 0200.

Kind regards,

<Redacted>

What an absolute joke!  

Moderators Note

Agent's name removed. Multiple posts across several topics causes confusion and delays with getting issues addressed. See Forum rules

[#10]

Thanks for taking my call just now, that email really wasn't how I wanted you to get an update on this today so I apologise for that. I've taken ownership back of this issue for you so I'll be your point of contact until we've got this resolved. 

I've updated your account here: https://www.plus.net/wizard/?p=view_question&id=233899052

I'll keep pushing back on Openreach for you and I want to get this resolved as quickly as we can so I'll be back in touch again tomorrow.

[#11]

Hi.
I’m still in the same situation as you. I ordered 24/04 and I’m still waiting to be connected. Again it’s Openreach who are being blamed.
I was supposed to go live 09/05, 17/05, 22/05, 23/05 & now it’s 25/05.
I also have someone looking after this farce.
I just don’t know what to do next as I can’t afford to put anymore mobile data on my families phones.
If I had known it would take this long I would have paid for a 1 month dongle too.
Honestly I am exasperated with the whole thing.
I work away and have to leave tomorrow. I don’t get a mobile signal where I work and everything is in my name so if there are any issues when it does finally connect it’s going to be a nightmare.

[#12]

Sorry to hear yours is still not resolved either. This is really a disgusting level of service (presumable from Openreach) we have to put up with. It is like they just don't give a single s**t. And what makes it so incredibly frustrating is that they seemingly answer to no one and it is impossible to contact them directly.

This is not the 90s where the internet was a novelty. People are now working from home and relaiable internet access is absolutely essential. But still, Openreach seems to have the attitude of "we'll do it when we want to". There is no urgency apparent.

After being promised by plusnet that downtime on switch-over day would be minimal, I feel absolutely betrayed by these companies. Because we chose them as our ISP in good faith that they would deliver.

One thing is for sure, I will be getting back every single penny I'm having to spend to compensate for the delay, even if that means going to the Communications Ombusman. And on top of that, we will be owed Ofcom-regulated compensation for every day's delay from the original promised connection date.

Don't know if it will be doing any good, but I will also be writing a complaint email to the CEO of BT.

This situation is absolutely unacceptable.

[#13]

Well hopefully we will get connected soon and then the compensation battle can begin.

[#14]

Cheers for taking my call just now @banjomir As agreed I'll next check in with you on Thursday unless there's been any movement in the meantime. 

[#15]

@banjomir "what makes it so incredibly frustrating is that they seemingly answer to no one and it is impossible to contact them directly."

You have summed up Openreach pretty well. My sympathies on these delays which happen time and again but there is nothing Plusnet or any ISP can do about it, other than chase OR as Adam is doing on your behalf. Not sure, however, why you propose writing to BT CEO as BT was forced to give up its lucrative Openreach arm some years ago, and OR is now completely independent. Either way, I hope this is sorted soon.

Mike