2 months still no service

[#1]

Ok.. update time!
Following 2 automated calls this morning telling me there was an engineer coming tomorrow I received a call from Plusnet.
They have replaced a new order for a line to be installed Friday the 4th April with my broadband being fast-tracked to go live on Monday 7th April.
I asked Faisal who dealt with the new order to confirm to me that BT had definately received the correct information to raise the line from the correct exchange. And not only did I get a call-back (dun-dun-dun) but I got it within about 30 minutes confirming that he had queried this with BTO and they had confirmed that the correct exchange had been listed for the order.
There is nothing more for me to do except wait until Friday and see if BTO actually get it right. I am trusting Faisal to monitor this (as he seems to be the most competent currently - and a man who kept his promise to update me!).
Take note Lynn K.. one post blaming someone else for everyone's faults and then silence.. does you no favours.
Endless calls at great expense to Plusnet have little effect.. yet post in a public forum where their future customers might be listening.. and things change.
Fingers crossed. Will update after the event...

[#2]

Hi abstruse21,
I chased this for you this morning as promised to ensure that Faisal updated you as I was aware he would be able to provide an update after 11:30.
I'm glad that this is being progressed for you and our Provisioning team will be monitoring this on the Ticket: 81589357 for you. I am sorry for the delays you've experienced so far and hope that this is resolved for you on 04/04/2014.

[#3]

Quote from: abstruse21

Endless calls at great expense to Plusnet have little effect.. yet post in a public forum where their future customers might be listening.. and things change

abstruse21 - afaik, this forum is only accessible by existing customers, and afaik, it is intended to be a 'general' forum, rather than a way to escalate individual complaints.  But I understand your frustration!
My point about eBay/Amazon etc is not that they have better call centres than PlusNet, but that they don't use call centres at all.  And it is rare to have anything but excellent service from eBay and Amazon and any of their myriad associates.  eBay and Amazon etc would simply refuse to deal with a pre-historic outfit like BT OpenReach.
It is surely only a matter of time until landlines become a thing of the past for individual users (businesses may well continue to need complicated switchboard systems etc).  Mobile phone companies are genuinely in competition with each other - they don't carry the historic baggage of a system which hasn't fundamentally changed since it was set up by a nationalised monopoly.

[#4]

Call centres are essential for those whose technical knowledge is so poor they can't explain the issue in a ticket or email.
Also essential for the vast majority of people who can't do anything online like raise a ticket or email when their broadband is down!

[#5]

Jelv - I agree with your first sentence, and I have been waiting for someone to make that point!  However, illiteracy is not confined to the written word, and the technical knowledge of call centre operatives is in no way guaranteed.  It is easy for a call centre operative to fob off an inarticulate caller.
It is also true that there needs to be a way to contact the ISP in the event of a broadband breakdown.  But it doesn't need to be the primary means of contact, and it doesn't need to be an 0845/0870 number.

[#6]

Quote from: KK

and it doesn't need to be an 0845/0870 number.

Which is why Plusnet provide alternative numbers which are charged at the same rate as 01/02 numbers and included in mobile phone call plans: http://www.plus.net/home-broadband/contact/

[#7]

Quote from: KK

It is surely only a matter of time until landlines become a thing of the past for individual users (businesses may well continue to need complicated switchboard systems etc).  Mobile phone companies are genuinely in competition with each other - they don't carry the historic baggage of a system which hasn't fundamentally changed since it was set up by a nationalised monopoly.

This is probably true - but how many mobile providers can continue to provide a service during a power outage?  There are still some technological hurdles to overcome before it happens.
M

[#8]

The day has arrived... engineer is here.. and confused already.
Says i should have a direct line to the exchange but the line test shows 670 meters from my house. Which only gets as far as the bridge which serves as the entryway to our land.. exchange is a couple of miles away.
He has gone to investigate... could be a while he says.
KK i see what you are saying now ta for reposting.
Jelv thx but i do not see another number on that page that i wont get charged for via my mobile. And with no home internet, checking support tickets is too infrequent. Relying on a poor mobile signal doesnt help with live chat support either as it just times out while im waiting for them to reply.

[#9]

Seriously... i will refrain from swearing as i want to but (and i fully acknowledge this is not plusnets fault!) The engineer just returned to tell me its not all bad news but his manager just called to pull him off this job to send him elsewhere!
Another engineer will be out at some point today.
Hello.. am appointment.. although this is the first out of 5 engineers who have actually managed to arrive in the am timeslot hes now leaving without completing the job and i have to wait an unknown time frame for someone else to come replace him.
I do have clients to see this afternoon. And a life outside of BTO and its frequent Censored-ups. another day totally screwed up.
@Dick(strat) if you have time to censor my posts any chance you could just ring BTO and find out whats actually happening instead?
Probably not...

[#10]

Engineer number 7... actually seems pretty clued up. Contractor not a BTO engineer. Also confused why the routing is for a direct to exchange however. Also gone off to investigate.
But and this is a first.. said if its not right he will call up and get it rerouted.. via an indian call center of course.. an engineer cant even call the company direct..
He also said it might require another bt engineer at the exchange...
The wait is back on.

[#11]

Quote

@Dick(strat) if you have time to censor my posts any chance you could just ring BTO and find out whats actually happening instead? Probably not...

I appreciate your frustration!. Being new to the forum, you maybe don't realise that the moderators on this forum are not PlusNet employees, they're customers just like you and me and they have no access to your account.

[#12]

Quote from: abstruse21

Jelv thx but i do not see another number on that page that i wont get charged for via my mobile.

I assume then that your mobile package does not include calls to landline 01/02 numbers because 03 numbers would also be included (if 01/02 are included and 03 is not you need to report your mobile phone supplier to OFCOM as they dictate they should be the same).
If you don't have landline calls included you should still find that the 03 numbers are cheaper than the 0800/0845 numbers.

[#13]

Thanks for the various replies. Learned a couple of new things ta. And therefore apologies to @Dick(strat)!! (Thanks MisterW for that info)
Jelv you are completely correct. 03 number is included in my minutes. Shame no-one at plusnet could be bothered to mention this optional number considering all the times I've complained about my high mobile bill and they have expressed their sympathy.. Why not just tell me about the 03 number instead of the high rate premium number printed all over the paperwork! I will be submitting a compensation claim anyway for the 5 days off work and calls.. soon to be 6 days by the look of it.
Update time!
Engineer number 7 says... sorry cant finish the job. He is the first engineer so far to notice that they need to lift a cover to do the job. He doesnt have the tools!
He is passing the matter back to BT So engineer number 8 can come out at a later date to lift the cover for him.
And so it goes on...
(67 days from order - we actually have bets on whether it will reach 100 days - most people have bet on it exceeding that..)

[#14]

Sorry to hear it still goes on.
You would have thought that PN would have mentioned the 03 number especially when they know you're using a mobile to call them!.
Having said that there is a least one mobile provider (GiffGaff) that don't charge for 0800 numbers.

[#15]

Dear Plusnet.. can I just point out.. my wife is now 8 months pregnant and about to go on maternity leave. Our mobile reception is unreliable at best here (as you already know).
PLEASE PLEASE get us at least a reliable phone line in case of emergency or labour!
Is this really too much to ask..
I am waiting on a callback from your provisioning team as promised by the last guy I spoke to today on the phone. Bearing in mind your track record with calling me back with info please keep an eye on this and ensure it happens. Thanks